Frontline services fully operational

MALACAÑANG vowed on Thursday that emergency and frontline government services will remain fully operational despite energy-saving measures imposed across the bureaucracy, as authorities seek to manage fuel use amid tight global supply.

Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said agencies delivering healthcare, public safety and emergency response are exempt from reduced on-site work arrangements, underscoring that “essential, basic and vital services” must not be disrupted.

“The language of the President’s order is clear: Agencies that provide frontline services shall keep their services running at all times,” he said in a statement.

The Philippines is under a national state of energy emergency as the Middle East war threatens its limited oil supply.

The assurance comes as the government enforces a four-day onsite workweek and broader energy conservation steps.

Mr. Recto said fuel-saving efforts across nonessential offices are intended to preserve resources for critical services, including ambulances, fire trucks and police patrols.

“We do not cut ambulance service in the name of fuel economy. We do not restrict police response to crime in order to save on gas,” he said.

Under Memorandum Circular No. 114 issued on March 6, support and auxiliary units — even within frontline agencies — are required to reduce energy consumption by at least 20%.

However, operational requirements for emergency response units will not be compromised, Mr. Recto added.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ordered the immediate postponement or cancellation of nonessential activities and travel in response to Executive Order No. 110, which declared a national energy emergency.

In a resolution dated March 25, the poll body deferred high-cost April events, including the Election Expo and Asian Electoral Stakeholders Forum, to mitigate the impact of the global energy crisis.

The commission also authorized a work from home arrangement for its main and field offices every Monday from April 6 to April 27, to reduce its energy footprint while maintaining a standard five-day workweek.

While teambuilding activities and foreign observation missions are suspended, Comelec said core functions, such as the preparations for the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections and the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, remain exempt from the directive.

It added that the newly established Comelec Emergency Response Committee will further study and recommend additional energy-saving and cost-cutting approaches to the Commission en banc.

The suspension of these activities is expected to remain in effect “until the present national energy emergency situation stabilize,” as the commission emphasized its duty to be “in solidarity with the most vulnerable members of the Philippine society” during the ongoing crisis. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Erika Mae P. Sinaking