By Justin Irish D. Tabile, Senior correspondent and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, reporter
Philippine companies are Weight to return to flexibility Working arrangements to protect employees from the impact of rising fuel costs.
But some experts caution that although work from home (WFH) plans can reduce energy demand, they should be implemented selectively to avoid harming productivity.
Donald Patrick L., President of the Management Association of the Philippines. “Organizations should begin to revisit their COVID (coronavirus disease 2019) playbooks and be prepared to activate flexible arrangements if the situation worsens, even if not immediately,” Lim said. businessworld In a Viber message.
The International Energy Agency on March 20 recommended the adoption of WFH protocols to reduce energy demand amid the global oil crisis.
Carlo Enrico B., President of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX). Lazatin said in an e-mailed response to questions that while the pandemic has prepared Filipinos for flexible work arrangements, the readiness is not uniform across sectors.
For example, financial services and other knowledge-driven companies can work remotely, but industries like manufacturing, energy, logistics and agriculture remain dependent on site, he said.
“Work from home should be implemented where it provides measurable gains in productivity and costs without disrupting core operations,” Mr Lazatin said.
He said FINEX members' business continuity plans include investments in digital infrastructure, cloud-based systems, cybersecurity and secure remote access.
“For roles where output can be delivered remotely without compromising quality, hybrid arrangements become a practical response,” Mr Lazatin said, adding that this would help protect staff purchasing power, maintain engagement and reduce commute-related fatigue.
However, Mr Lazatin said some micro, small and medium enterprises may find it difficult to adopt WFH protocols due to limited digital infrastructure.
While some companies are considering WFH arrangements, they are under pressure to balance costs, productivity and customer service needs, said executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham).Tor Abe Hinchliffe said via Viber.
“No industry showed any willingness to return to a 100% WFH setting,” he said, citing conversations with AmCham members.
He said the level of preparedness of companies for WFH depends on factors such as digital infrastructure, workforce structure and prior experience of hybrid work.
Angelito “Lito” M. Villanueva, founding president of Fintech Alliance.PH, said the Philippine financial sector is “far more ready” to adopt WFH policies amid the fueling crisis.
He said adopting hybrid work arrangements is now a strategic lever amid energy and economic instability.
“The real barriers are no longer technology but cybersecurity assurance and management mindset,” he said in a Viber message.
energy conservation
The Philippine government has adopted energy conservation measures to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week declared a national energy emergency and ordered the implementation of a four-day work week in some governments.Fsnow
However, the Palace said on Friday that it is up to private sector companies to implement it or notMention WFH arrangements for your employees.
Jonathan L. Reyes, Senior Advisor, Tacundong & Co. “Working from home could lead to meaningful reductions in energy use during the crisis because transportation is the single largest mode of transportation – about half of oil demand comes from moving people and goods,” Ravelas said. businessworld Via Viber.
“Fewer trips mean immediate fuel savings and some relief on transport-driven inflation,” it said.
Mr Ravelas said the policy could be a “temporary shock absorber” to ease price pressures without stifling growth.
Peter Li Yu, associate professor and dean of the School of Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific, said that someFIce has never returned to a 100% on-site arrangement since the pandemic.
“This can definitely help reduce fuel demand,” he said in a Viber message. “And consider that it won't be only Filipinos who will resort to more work from home.”
“The whole world has learned from COVID-19 that it can be done and has also learned how to make adjustments to minimize the damage from the impact.”FEfficiency or productivity from remote work. Thus, the demand for oil all over the world will reduce, and this will reduce the short supply of oil,” he said.
PwC Philippines Chairman Roderick M. Danao said hybrid work plans are being implemented to meet client demand.
“So far, we use hybrid because our customers need it, our customers need it, and our people need it,” he explained. businessworld On the sidelines of the Philippine Infrastructure Summit 2026.
Meanwhile, analysts said the policy should be implemented on a case-to-case basis so that productivity is not affected.
“If this is done selectively then productivity is not affected: knowledge-based sectors such as finance, information technology, business process outsourcing and government back offices can maintain output with little disruption, while location-dependent sectors obviously cannot,” Mr Ravelas said.
“The key is targeting, not blanket rules. If implemented where it makes sense, the inflation relief from lower fuel and logistics costs could more than offset the limited output losses,” he said.
Mr Yu said it was better to leave the WFH arrangement to private sector companies on a voluntary basis.
“They can better decide which workers need to be on site to minimize efficiency or productivity loss. This will also prevent production loss,” he said.
Mr Yu said some companies may increase transportation allowances, but this could increase expenses and reduce profits.
Mr. Danao said that for professional services firms like PwC Philippines, he does not recommend a full virtual setup.
“In our industry, we need to interact with our customers. And history will say that during the pandemic, when we tried to go 100% virtual, our ability to deliver on time was severely compromised. Our efficiency was severely compromised. And to some extent, the culture of every unit has also been compromised,” he said.
“So, it should be voluntary and, I would say, tailored from unit to unit. Because every unit, every industry has a different operating model. For business process outsourcing firms, partly yes; in our case, partly yes; but for manufacturing, how can you do that, right? Even in healthcare and retail,” he said.