Malacañang said on Wednesday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to studying a proposal to adopt a four-day workweek as part of efforts to conserve energy.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President may consider the suggestion, especially if tensions between Israel and Iran worsen and further impact global oil prices.

“Sa ngayon po ay maaaring pag-aralan ng Pangulo ang ganyang suhestyon, lalo na kung magiging mas malala pa ang nangyayaring Israel-Iran issue,” Castro told reporters during a press briefing.

However, she clarified that the proposal has not yet been formally discussed.

“Sa ngayon po ay hindi pa ito napag-uusapan,” she added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian earlier proposed implementing a four-day workweek with one work-from-home day to help ease the burden of rising oil prices on the public.

The proposal came after President Marcos directed government offices and agencies to identify measures to conserve energy amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East that have affected global oil prices.

“We have given instructions to all government offices to find ways to save energy. This is also my call to the public. Let’s find ways to reduce our use of all sources of energy,” the Chief Executive said.