Employees to be compensated for rest breaks
Freshened Up Idea:
Hear this, folks! In the scorching heatwave and potential threats posed by heat-related illnesses, Mandaue City is seriously considering a new ordinance that mandates two 15-minute breaks for employees working outside the office.
Dubbed as Ordinance No. IV-2025, this proposal was backed by Councilwoman Jennifer S. Del Mar and co-sponsors Councilman Dante A. Borja and Fleuritz Gayle T. Jumao-as, who presented the draft during an April 30, 2025, council meeting.
This ordinance extends to field personnel regardless of their employment status - be it regular, temporary, or contractual.
Insight: Mandaue City is making strides towards worker protections during extreme weather conditions. The city is pushing for rest breaks for field workers during intense heat waves, aiming to provide breaks in the morning and afternoon during such conditions[1][2].
If approved, this ordinance could potentially impact businesses 15 days after publication.
The reasoning behind this initiative is to cater to field workers who are vulnerable to heat-related ailments, such as heatstroke and exhaustion.
Insight: This proposed ordinance may also influence work schedule adjustments, flexible monitoring of temperatures, and training for field supervisors[1]. The city is also collaborating with relevant offices to organize training on the significance of rest during extreme weather conditions and emergency response protocols[1].
This undertaking follows the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 06, series of 2022. The Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) will be responsible for implementing the ordinance.
Stay tuned for discussions on flexible work schedules, temperature monitoring systems, and training sessions for field supervisors.
[1] Mandaue City pushes for worker rest breaks amid heatwave, CNN Philippines, May 2, 2025[2] Heat safety ordinance proposed for Mandaue City, SunStar Cebu, April 30, 2025
- In accordance with the proposed Ordinance No. IV-2025, Mandaue City may require businesses to adjust work schedules to provide two 15-minute breaks per day for field workers during severe heatwaves.
- To ensure adherence to the ordinance, the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) will oversee its implementation, including the establishment of flexible work schedules and temperature monitoring systems.
- In addition to rest breaks, the city is collaborating with relevant offices to organize training on the importance of rest during extreme weather conditions and emergency response protocols for field supervisors.
- This health-and-wellness initiative, aligned with the mission of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), aims to reduce cases of heat-related ailments like heatstroke and exhaustion among field workers by 2025.
