CSC says hybrid mode will help improve NCR traffic
The Civil Service Commission urged government agencies in Metro Manila to adopt the Policies on Flexible Working Arrangements (FWA) to help improve the traffic situation in the capital.
“The National Capital Region has the largest number of government workers in the country, with 440,009 or 22.30 percent of career and non-career personnel. The prevailing traffic conditions in the metro not only hinder their mobility but also impact their productivity, particularly for those who commute daily,” CSC chairperson Karlo Nograles said in a statement.
“By adopting the FWA, we can not only enhance their efficiency but also safeguard their health, safety, and welfare,” he added.
Last month, the National Capital Region topped 387 cities worldwide with the slowest travel time in the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index.
The index noted that the average travel time for 10 kilometers in the metropolitan area would take 25 minutes and 30 seconds, compared to only 8 minutes and 40 seconds in Kansas City in the US.
Nograles said the Policies on FWAs in the government, crafted through CSC Memorandum Circular 6 in 2022, sought to institutionalize “adaptable and responsive work schemes for civil servants to promote [their] efficient and effective performance.”
He, however, said the approval of the FWA is at the discretion of the head of the agency, provided that stakeholders and clients are assured of continuous delivery of services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including lunch break, throughout the workweek.
“Let’s ensure that even with the FWA, we continue to deliver efficient, speedy, and reliable public service,” he said.
Under MC 6, government agencies may choose to adopt any of the six FWAs to enable support mechanisms for government officials and employees.
Flexiplace is an output-oriented work arrangement that authorizes government officials or employees to render service at a location away from their office on a temporary basis, including working from home.
The compressed workweek is an arrangement whereby the 40 hours workweek for five days is compressed to four days or less, as may be applicable, while a skeleton workforce provides for a minimum number of government officials or employees to staff the office when full staffing is not possible.
Work shifting applies to offices or agencies mandated by law to operate 24-hour continuous service delivery daily, while flexitime are for those allowed to adopt flexible time provided that the required 40-hour workweek is met.
Lastly, agencies may adopt a combination of any of these FWAs, Nograles said.