DepEd implements energy conservation protocols, Friday work-from-home arrangement

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MAKATI CITY, 9 March 2026 – In a proactive move to reduce energy consumption and optimize public resources, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday started implementing strict fuel conservation protocols and mandatory flexible work arrangements for its personnel.

The initiative follows the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under Memorandum Circular No. 114 s. 2026, which seeks to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs amid global geopolitical tensions.

“DepEd is fully committed to doing its part in reducing energy consumption across government operations while ensuring that our schools and offices continue to serve the public effectively,” Secretary Sonny Angara said.

“We are firmly resolved to ensure that these shifts in our operation do not cause a single day of delay in the delivery of essential government services to our learners and stakeholders,” Angara added.

Under DepEd Memorandum No. 18 s. 2026, the new protocols aim for a 10 to 20 percent reduction in electricity and fuel consumption through several key measures. These include maintaining air-conditioning settings at 24°C; activating sleep settings on equipment and strictly turning off non-essential lights and devices during breaks and after office hours; and encouraging the use of stairs where practicable.

Inter-agency meetings, consultations, and conferences will also be conducted virtually whenever possible, while official travel will be limited to essential activities.

To strengthen fleet efficiency, all DepEd offices shall consolidate official trips to reduce vehicle deployments, optimize travel routes, minimize vehicle idling, and adopt stricter fuel monitoring and preventive maintenance practices for government vehicles.

Starting March 9, 2026 and until lifted by Malacañang, DepEd will adopt a four-day onsite work arrangement from Monday to Thursday, designating Friday as the common work-from home (WFH) day for all covered non-teaching and related-teaching personnel.

Teaching personnel will continue their existing class schedules to ensure uninterrupted classes and completion of end-of-school-year activities.

To maintain high standards of productivity, all personnel on WFH status are required to submit Daily Time Records and Individual Daily Logs and Accomplishment Reports.

Heads of offices are tasked with ensuring that zero-backlog is maintained in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act.

The Brewing Storm: As Middle East Tensions Ignite, Can Filipino Consumers Weather the Surge?

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

METRO MANILA — The sky over the Persian Gulf is thick with the smoke of intercepted missiles and the shadows of stealth fighters, but five thousand miles away, the shockwaves are being felt in the flickering lights of Filipino households.

As the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates into a high-stakes military chess match—targeting nuclear facilities and rattling the world’s most vital energy arteries—a different kind of battle is being waged in the Philippines: the fight for the Filipino wallet.

A Continent Away, A Kitchen Table Crisis

The timeline is chilling. Following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases across Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE, the global oil market has entered a state of "red alert." For the Philippines, a country tethered to the volatile fluctuations of imported fuel, the geopolitical explosion in the Middle East is translating into a looming 16% spike in electricity rates.

"The role of the government is not only to issue warnings to citizens," says Bas Umali, National Coordinator of the consumer welfare group Kuryente.org. "It is the government’s mandate to protect us, particularly in situations like these."

The "Chokehold" on the Horizon

At the heart of the anxiety is the Strait of Hormuz. Through this narrow maritime passage flows 20% of the world’s oil supply. If the "Tensions of 2026" shut that gate, the ripples will turn into tsunamis.

Umali warns that while the Philippine power grid may not fail tomorrow, the economic architecture behind it is under immense pressure. Rising global oil prices are already inflating transportation costs for equipment and supplies. Combined with a depreciating peso and the rising cost of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), the Philippines is facing a "perfect storm" of inflationary pressure.

The Plea: A Ceiling on the Surge

In response to this emergency, Kuryente.org has issued an urgent directive to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC): Hold the line.

The group is calling for an immediate suspension of several additional energy charges that are currently padding consumer bills. These include:

The FIT-All (Feed-In-Tariff Allowance)

The GEA-All (Green Energy Auction Allowance)

The Universal Charge (UMC)

While the GEA-All was recently approved to fund the nation’s transition to renewable energy, advocates argue that a "just transition" cannot be built on the backs of those who can least afford it during a global crisis.

"It is time for the government to prioritize and seriously pursue policies that will protect ordinary consumers," Umali asserts. "Instead of passing these costs on to ordinary consumers, the government should begin identifying alternative sources of funding."

The Power to Act

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin has previously noted that the Department of Energy (DOE) lacks the authority to dictate oil prices in a deregulated market. However, Kuryente.org argues that the ERC holds a different set of keys. While the government cannot stop a missile in the Middle East, it can pause the implementation of domestic tariff increases that threaten to push working-class families into the dark.

As the technical working group of the House Committee on Energy navigates the "Just Energy Transition," the mandate has never been clearer. Sustainability is the goal for the future, but survival is the requirement for today.

The Looming Choice

The coming months will determine if the Philippines' energy policy can remain resilient in the face of war. As fuel prices soar and the "fear factor" grips the market, the eyes of the public are no longer on the distant horizon of the Middle East—they are on the regulators in Manila.

Will the government find a way to absorb the shock, or will the "16% surge" become a permanent fixture of the Filipino struggle? For Bas Umali and the millions of consumers he represents, the answer cannot wait for the smoke to clear. 

A New Era of Wisdom: Jesuit Universities Unite at the AI Frontier

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The halls of Ateneo de Manila University have become the epicenter of a historic global movement this week. From March 9 to 12, 2026, the university is hosting the Inaugural Symposium of the Global Research Alliance of Jesuit Universities (GRAJU), a landmark event that marks a major milestone in international academic collaboration.

Under the evocative theme “The AI Frontier and the Distinctives of Global Jesuit Higher Education,” more than 120 scholars and academic leaders have converged from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Their mission: to navigate the rapidly shifting landscape of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on the future of humanity.

The Moral Weight of Innovation

The symposium opened with a powerful call to action. Fr. Roberto C. Yap SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University, welcomed delegates with a poignant reflection on the dual nature of emerging technology.

"Artificial intelligence has redefined the way we learn, communicate, and interact with the world around us," Fr. Yap noted. "It holds potential for human flourishing, but also carries risks of isolation, loss of work, and new forms of manipulation".

This sentiment was echoed during a significant visit to Quezon City Hall, where Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” G. Belmonte—an alumna of the university—addressed the delegates. She reminded the assembly that in the Jesuit tradition, knowledge is never neutral.

A Moral Imperative: Knowledge carries moral weight and must be projected toward the common good.

Cura Personalis: The principle of "care for the whole person" is more necessary now than ever in the age of AI.

A Shared Spirit: The Mayor thanked the alliance for gathering in the spirit of Ignatian values to address these global challenges.

Mapping the AI Frontier

The symposium is not merely a meeting of minds; it is a laboratory for the future. With over 70 AI-focused studies being presented, the discussions are spanning the most critical intersections of technology and tradition:

AI in Ignatian Pedagogy: Exploring how classrooms can evolve without losing the human touch.

Ethical and Policy Implications: Drafting the blueprints for responsible technological governance.

AI-Enabled Research: Leveraging machine learning to drive breakthroughs in innovation.

Global Collaboration: Building new models for how universities can work together across borders.

Beyond the lectures, the program is designed for active creation, featuring research dialogues and networking sessions aimed at sparking joint publications and long-term global partnerships.

The Birth of a Global Alliance

While the symposium is a current highlight, it represents the first major activation of GRAJU, a research network established in 2025. The alliance is anchored by a prestigious group of founding institutions:

Founding Institution Location

Ateneo de Manila University Philippines

Fordham University USA

Georgetown University USA

ITESO, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara Mexico

Sogang University South Korea

University of Deusto Spain

University of Namur Belgium

These institutions are united by a commitment to academic excellence and social justice, ensuring that technological progress serves the global common good.

A Hopeful Future

By hosting this inaugural gathering, Ateneo de Manila University has underscored its role as a leader in ensuring that innovation remains grounded in human dignity and ethical reflection. The GRAJU Symposium is the beginning of a new chapter—one where global scholarship and emerging technologies are harnessed in pursuit of a more just, humane, and hopeful world.