THE Public Attorney’s Office has adopted a 40-hour workweek arrangement that began on March 16 for its personnel particularly its public lawyers as part of the national government’s energy conservation measures.
PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said, however, that the temporary work scheme wouldn’t be applied to the personnel of the agency’s Executive Service, Administrative Service, Special and Appealed Cases Service, and Utility and Contract of Service, all at its central office in Quezon City.
“They shall continue to render five days of on-site work at their respective offices and observe regular working hours,” said Rueda-Acosta as she stressed that PAO is a frontline government agency that provides legal assistance to indigent and marginalized sectors of society.
She said that the four-day onsite workweek would be particularly observed at PAO’s regional and district offices through the compressed 40-hour workweek arrangement provided by a Civil Service Commission circular.
Deputy Chief Ana Lisa Soriano said that PAO chief’s memorandum circular directed its public attorneys whose offices were declared closed by their respective local government units on Fridays to remain on call to render legal assistance when especially on inquest proceedings, custodial investigations and posting of bail bond, among others.
“For PAO offices located in areas where LGUs have not declared office closures on Fridays, at least one PAO lawyer and one staff member shall render regular duty hours,” said Deputy Chief Erwin Erfe.
Also, Erfe explained that all PAO personnel assigned to render duty on Fridays shall not report for work on Thursdays of the same week in order to maintain the four-day work schedule.
The chief public attorney said that PAO lawyers assigned at the anti-graft court – Sandiganbayan – would continue to observe the full five-day workweek, “considering that the Supreme Court has required the Sandiganbayan employees to observe the regular on-site workweek without special work arrangements.”
“All PAO personnel are enjoined to remain on call beyond regular working hours within their respective jurisdictions and urgent legal needs of clients and inquest proceedings,” she added.
PAO said the order would remain in force until the lifting of the Presidential directive.
