Employees and officials of the House of Representatives will shift back to their regular, four-day onsite work week at the start of next month, according to a recent directive from the chamber’s Human Resources Management Service (HRMS).
The transition ends the flexible work arrangements previously implemented to help staff cope with economic and operational shifts.
“Reference to the Secretary General Memorandum dated 26 May 2026, HRep officials and employees shall report on-site from Monday to Thursday, thus reverting to their regular work schedule, effective 01 June 2026,” the HRMS advisory read.
Under this reverted setup, secretariat personnel are expected to be physically present at the Batasang Pambansa complex from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., spanning Monday through Thursday.
The chamber had originally modified its schedule back in March as a relief measure against soaring fuel prices. Under those adjustments, the House utilized a hybrid system: employees worked onsite only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during congressional recesses, and from Mondays to Wednesdays when Congress was in session, with the remaining days designated for remote work.
While the lower chamber consolidates its physical operations, the Senate is currently embroiled in a sharp debate regarding virtual attendance.
The Senate majority bloc, spearheaded by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, is pushing to amend chamber rules to allow online voting under exceptional circumstances. The move is widely seen as an effort to accommodate Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who has gone into hiding following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.
However, the proposal faces stiff resistance from the upper chamber’s 11-member minority bloc, led by Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who argue against relaxing the traditional rules.