In celebration of National Time Consciousness Week (NTCW), the Department of Science and Technology emphasized punctuality’s importance in developing different aspects of society.
From January 1 to 7, the government disclosed the celebration of NTCW, which aims to tackle different topics related to being time-conscious individuals not only during work but also in their everyday lives in general.
Even though the said event is commemorated each year, DOST still wanted to emphasize the presence of time in the bigger picture.
According to the government agency, Filipinos should have a “critical need for a cultural shift” when it comes to time-consciousness to have respect for everyone’s time.
“By cultivating an understanding of the essence of time early on, the department believes that young Filipinos can harness this knowledge as a powerful tool in shaping their personal and professional trajectories,” DOST stated.
Based on prior studies, the term Filipino time was commonly associated with Pinoys and is described as being not on time, which was practiced in informal events before but was also seen even in formal settings in the current generation.
This year, DOST disclosed a theme of “G na G! Oras Pinas para sa Bagong Pilipinas” to encourage Filipinos to have synchronization when it comes to dealing with time, as this may have a bigger effect on their lives.
“Beyond the mere ticking of the clock, the department envisions a broader impact on the fabric of society, recognizing that the habit of being on time is a cornerstone in all aspects of businesses and activities,” DOST said.
With this, a law was implemented to mandate all government agencies and media companies to have a display of PhST on their time devices that are based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration’s rubidium atomic clock to comply with the current time of the country.
Along with this, the government assigned the PAGASA to be the official timekeeper in the country, monitoring the right delivery of time in the country.
The law requires all government agencies and media companies to adhere to and display the PhST on their official time devices based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) rubidium atomic clock.
As of this writing, the government is still coming up with other solutions regarding this matter; hence, it is still looking at the rubidium atomic clock as the most effective solution yet for addressing time consciousness, following previous international studies.