MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 114, March 06, 2026 ]
DIRECTING ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND INSTRUMENTALITIES TO STRICTLY ADOPT ENERGY CONSERVATION PROTOCOLS
WHEREAS, Section 1, Chapter 1, Subtitle B. Title I, Book V of Executive Order (EO) No. 292 or the "Administrative Code of 1987" provides that all government resources shall be managed, expended, or utilized in accordance with relevant laws, rules, and regulations, and safeguarded against loss or wastage through illegal or improper disposition to ensure efficiency, economy, and effectiveness in the operations of government;
WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 11285 or the "Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act" declares it a policy of the State to institutionalize energy efficiency and conservation as a national way of life geared towards the efficient and judicious utilization of energy by formulating, developing, and implementing energy efficiency and conservation plans and programs to secure sufficiency and stability of energy supply in the country, to cushion the impact of high prices of imported fuels to local markets and, to protect the environment in support of the economic and social development goals of the country;
WHEREAS, Administrative Order (AO) No. 15 (s. 2024) directs all government agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), to undertake efforts ensuring efficient and judicious utilization of energy through the immediate implementation of Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) and relevant Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee (IAEECC) Resolutions;
WHEREAS, the ongoing geopolitical tensions have led to significant volatility in global energy markets, resulting in the rising cost of fuel that impacts the national economy;
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to adopt strict energy conservation measures, to further reduce the energy footprint of government operations and optimize the use of public resources; and
WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all the executive departments, bureaus and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful execution of laws;
NOW, THEREFORE, the following are hereby ordered:
Section 1. Coverage. All agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including GOCCs, are hereby directed, and local government units, constitutional bodies, state Circular (MC).
Section 2. Adoption of Energy Conservation Protocol. In line with RA No. 11295, its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), and AO No. 15, agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including GOCCs, are hereby directed to strictly undertake the following conservation measures:
a. Accelerate the implementation of the GEMP pursuant to AO No. 15, RA No. 11285, its IRR, and relevant Department of Energy (DOE) issuances and IAEECC Resolutions;
b. Maintain a standard thermostat setting of 24oC for air-conditioned spaces, activate sleep settings on all office equipment, and strictly turn off non-essential lights and electronic equipment during lunch breaks and after hours;
c. Adopt virtual meetings as the default mode for inter-agency coordination, consultations, conferences, and similar engagements. In this regard, all meetings, seminars, and workshops must be conducted through secure digital platforms, except in cases where physical presence is legally required or operationally indispenable.
For the effective implementation of the abovementioned, heads of agencies are hereby mandated to ensure that their respective offices are equipped with the necessary digital infrastructure to support this transition and that no official travel is authorized for events that can be effectively facilitated online;
d. All agencies shall limit official travel to essential and indispensable functions. Travel shall be deemed necessary when the objectives may be effectively accomplished through alternative modalities, such as virtual meetings, electronic communications, or through the consolidation of tasks with other previously scheduled official activities. Travel undertaken without a clear justification of urgency, operational necessity, or direct programmatic relevance shall likewise be considered unnecessary.
All agencies shall adhere to the provisions of EO No. 77 (s. 2019). Accordingly, the Office of the President shall strictly implement the provisions thereof in the grant of travel authorities and entitlements.
e. All agencies shall strengthen their fleet-efficiency measures to reduce fuel consumption and improve the fuel-economy performance of government transport. These fleet-efficiency measures may include, but not limited to the following:
(a) Trip consolidation, by combining official tasks and destinations to reduce the number of vehicle deployments;
(b) Optimized route,through the use of shortest, least-congested travel paths and coordinated scheduling to avoid peak-hour congestion;
(c) Strict minimization of idling, requiring engines to be switched off during waiting periods except when operationally necessary; and
(d) Adoption of "full-tank method" for precise fuel monitoring and adhere to rigid preventive vehicle maintenance.
f. Where practicable, agencies shall minimize elevator use by encouraging personnel to take the stairs when moving one floor up or one floor down; and
g. Adopt and implement such other appropriate energy conservation measures to ensure the efficient, judicious, and responsible use of energy resources in all government operations, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and national policies on energy efficiency and conservation.
Section 3. Adoption of Flexible Work Arrangements. To further reduce building energy load and transport fuel use, agencies shall adopt four (4)-day onsite work arrangement, through a compressed workweek or a designated common day for work-from-home arrangements, in accordance with Civil Service Commission (CSC) MC No. 6 (s. 2022), as amended by CSC MC No. 1 (s. 2025), and such other existing rules and guidelines for the adoption of flexible work arrangements.
The adoption of a four (4)-day onsite work arrangement shall be implement starting 09 March 2026 and shall remain in effect until lifted or sooner revoked by the President. This arrangement shall serve as an interim measure, to be continued only until circumstances warrant its modification or discontinuance.
For this purpose, all agencies are hereby directed to formulate their respective internal guidelines to ensure proper monitoring and documentation, including verification of attendance, and performance standards and monitoring mechanisms, in accordance with existing CSC laws, rules and regulations.
Section 4. Non-interruption of Government Services. All agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including GOCCs, shall implement the foregoing Energy Conservation Protocols in a manner that ensures the continuous, efficient, and uninterrupted delivery of government services. Agencies that provide frontline services shall likewise ensure that such services remain unimpeded at all times, notwithstanding the implementation of these protocols.
Agencies providing essential, basic, and vital service, including those responsible for health, public safety, and emergency preparedness and response, shall remain fully operational at all times.ℒαwρhi৷ These agencies shall ensure the uninterrupted delivery of critical functions and shall implement the Energy Conservation Protocols in a manner that does not impede or compromise their mandated services.
Section 5. Minimum Energy Reduction. All agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including GOCCs, shall reduce their actual electricity and fuel consumption by ten to twenty percent (10%-20%).
For this purpose, all agencies shall: (a) designate an Energy Conservation Office or Certified Energy Manager, as required by RA No. 11285 and its IRR; (b) fully cooperate with DOE-conducted energy audits, inspections, and spot checks; and (c) submit monthly electricity and fuel consumption data through the GEMP Online System Portal in the form and manner prescribed by the DOE.
Section 6. Reporting and Monitoring. All agencies are hereby directed to report their compliance with this MC through the GEMP Online System. In this regard, the IAEECC shall submit a monthly report to the Office of the President detailing the compliance status of each agency.
This Circular shall take effect immediately.
DONE, in the City of Manila, Philippines,this 6th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.
By authority of the President:
(Sgd.) RALPH G. RECTO
Acting Executive Secretary
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