The Executive Secretary of the Philippines, Lucas Bersamin, has officially announced that government offices will only operate until 12 noon on March 27, Holy Wednesday, in order to allow state workers to fully observe Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
This decision, outlined in Memorandum Circular 45 issued by the Malacañang, is aimed at providing employees with the opportunity to travel to different regions across the country for the Lenten season. However, essential services such as health care, disaster response, and other vital functions will continue their operations during this time.
The suspension of work in private companies and offices has been left to the discretion of the respective employers. It is anticipated that a significant number of Filipinos will travel to their provinces to observe the Holy Week, as 85 million or 78.8 percent of the population are Roman Catholic.
Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has cautioned the public about the prevalence of travel scams circulating through text messages, social media platforms, and email during the holiday season.
Secretary Ivan John Uy has advised citizens to exercise caution with regard to fraudulent offers such as fake discounts and promos, especially when they involve clicking on suspicious links. To address these issues, the DICT has launched the Online Bantay Lakbay 2024 campaign in collaboration with other government agencies.
Additionally, multinational cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has urged travelers to remain vigilant against online scams and phishing attacks, which tend to increase during peak travel periods like the Holy Week. They emphasized the importance of verifying the legitimacy of websites before making any transactions and recommended purchasing tickets and hotel accommodations directly from reputable sources.
In response to the increasing number of travel scam reports, the public is encouraged to report suspicious activities to the anti-scam hotline 1326 for further investigation and legal action against perpetrators.
As the Lenten season approaches, the government and various organizations are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the public amidst potential fraudulent activities and the surge in holiday travel.
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