The country’s network giants synchronized their timepieces with the official Philippine Standard Time (PhST) in greeting the New Year after consultations with officials from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) led by Secretary Mario G. Montejo.
President Benigno Aquino III signed into law Republic Act 10535 or the Philippine Standard Time Act of 2013 requiring all national and local government offices as well as broadcasting organizations to display PhST as provided by the DOST’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the country’s official timekeeper.
The new law also provides for the observance of the National Time Consciousness Week starting on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2014, with the theme “Juan Time: Pinoy Ako, On-Time Ako!”
“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 Montejo said.
For his part, DOST Assistant Secretary Raymund Liboro noted that the arrival of the New Year is the right moment for Filipinos to start following PhST. He added that the leading telecommunications service providers have already been synchronized with PhST.
"Smart is pleased to be an active partner of the ‘Juan Time’ PhST Campaign of DOST,” said Ramon Isberto, Head for Public Affairs of Smart Communications.
“The theme ‘Pinoy Ako, On Time Ako’ is very appropriate in the context of keeping our diverse country of more than 7,000 islands in step with the world. Smart is committed to do its part in making sure that its 50 million subscribers will benefit from this Philippine Standard Time campaign," he added.
Yoly Crisanto, Corporate Communications Head of Globe Telecoms, echoes their support for the observance of the National Time Consciousness Week through the reach of its modernized network and social media.
“With the implementation of the Philippine Standard Time, we are one with our countrymen in starting 2014 on time and observing thereafter Filipino Time as being always ‘On Time,’" she said in a statement.
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