By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer confirmed over the weekend that the provincial government will return to a normal five-day workweek starting March 1.

According to Ferrer, he has talked with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and he affirmed that he will release an executive order anytime this week regarding the resumption of five-day workweek.

The vice governor pointed out the decision was made as the country is already beginning to a return to normalcy as well as a majority of the provincial government workers are already fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Previously, the provincial government adopted a four-day work arrangement as part of their health protocols against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental continue to decline with active cases down to 1,486 as of Saturday, February 19.

Since March of 2020, Negros Occidental has a total of 41,059 COVID-19 cases with 37,684 recoveries and 1,888 deaths./DGB, WDJ