The Negros Occidental provincial government has adopted a four-day workweek arrangement as a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Starting this week, employees of offices based at the Provincial Capitol here are required to physically report to work only from Monday to Thursday.

Starting on Aug. 28 and every Friday thereafter, they will work from home.

“In the interest and the exigency of the service and for the protection of employees the employees of the provincial government, a four-day workweek and a day of work from home shall be implemented effective August 24 until revoked or amended in writing,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in Memorandum Gov-8-25-0109, series of 2020, a copy of which was obtained by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday.

At the Capitol, office hours shall be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Thursday.

Lacson directed the heads of departments and offices to assign work to their respective employees during the work from home schedule.

He added that employees of the Provincial Health Office and the Capitol-run hospitals as well as those whose services are required daily can make arrangements for a four-day workweek.

The arrangements or work schedule should be submitted to the Provincial Human Resource Management Office not later than September 1, he said.

“This to give a breather to our health workers who need a ‘time-out’ from the rigors of their job during the pandemic,” the governor added.

On August 12 to 16, the Capitol building was locked down for decontamination after several offices have been compromised by the presence of Covid-19 positive workers.

There were at least 22 confirmed cases among the provincial government employees, many of whom have fully recovered and returned home after complying with the 14-day quarantine and testing negative on the second swab.

Data released by the provincial government on Wednesday showed that Negros Occidental has 990 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including eight deaths.

Of the number, 560 are active cases while 422 have recovered. (PNA)