As kick off activity for the first ever observance of the National Time Consciousness Week from January 1 to 7, government offices, led by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will hold their first flag ceremony of the year simultaneously on Monday, January 6, at exactly 8AM, Philippine Standard Time (PhST).

Along with the simultaneous flag ceremony,  all government offices will display the PhST in prominent areas, per Civil Service Commission announcement No. 1,s. 2014. PhST is provided by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the country’s official timekeeper.

The activity is part of the government’s campaign for the usage of PhST, which was enacted through Republic Act 10535 or the Philippine Standard Time Act of 2013, signed into law by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on May 15, 2013. The newly-enacted law assigns every first week of the year as the National Time Consciousness Week.

DOST’s PhST campaign, dubbed as Juan Time (Pinoy Ako On Time Ako) aims to synchronize all timepieces in the country and promote the new definition of “Filipino Time” which is on time. The highlight of the campaign was the New Year countdown using PhST, which was adopted by major television networks and telecommunication giants.

“Our Juan Time campaign seeks to reverse the negative connotations of ‘Filipino Time’ from tardiness to punctuality, discipline, and utmost regard for other people’s time. Lateness often leads to missed opportunities. What we want is for Filipinos to arrive on time as the new norm,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said.

Know more about the Juan Time campaign. Visit our official social media pages.
www.facebook.com/PhilippineStandardTime
www.twitter.com/PhST_DOST