Palace suspends government work on Jan. 2

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has suspended work in government offices and classes in state-run educational institutions on Jan. 2 to give state workers more time to celebrate the holidays with their families.

The suspension is contained in Memorandum Circular No. 54 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea by authority of the President on Dec. 17.

The memorandum supplements Proclamation No. 555, which declared Jan. 1 as a regular holiday “in order to give the employees of the government full opportunity to celebrate such holiday with their families and loved ones.”

The suspension covered government offices, government-owned and controlled corporations, government financial institutions, state universities and colleges, local government units and other agencies and instrumentalities throughout the country.

“However, those agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services shall continue with their operations and render the necessary services,” Medialdea said in the memorandum.

Suspension of work in independent commissions or bodies and private companies and offices on Jan. 2 was left to the “sound discretion” of their heads or management.