The Bali Provincial Government issued an official directive (Circular No. B.39.000.8/48412/TLK/B.ORG) enforcing widespread Work From Home (WFH) and online learning for 3 days, from Thursday, October 15 through Saturday, October 17, 2026.
bsinews.id
The primary goal of the temporary restrictions is to clear road congestion so PT Pertamina can expedite delayed fuel tanker deliveries to petrol stations across the island.
Government Offices & Workplace Directives
3-Day WFH Mandate:
Applies to provincial and regency/municipal civil servants (ASN), vertical government institutions, regional state-owned enterprises (BUMD), and BUMN branches across Bali.
CNN Indonesia
Essential Services Exempt:
Direct public services (e.g., hospitals, clinics, emergency responders, port authorities, and public security forces) remain operating in-person as normal.
Kompas.com
Private Sector:
Private businesses and non-essential corporate offices have been strongly encouraged by authorities to adopt remote work to minimize commuter vehicle volume on arterial roads.
School and University Closures (In-Person)
Switch to Remote Learning:
All public and private elementary schools, middle schools, high schools (SMA/SMK), and universities/colleges across Bali have suspended in-person attendance through October 17, 2026.
Not School Holidays:
Education agencies (Disdikpora) have clarified that classes are not canceled; teachers and students are conducting sessions virtually via distance learning platforms.
Fuel Supply, Deliveries & Pertamina Status
Delivery Bottlenecks: Delays were triggered by supply and logistics bottlenecks at fuel depots and terminal tanker docks serving Bali (including Benoa and Manggis).
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Emergency Deliveries Underway:
Pertamina deployed emergency supply maritime shipments totaling over 26 million liters scheduled between October 12, 14, and 16, with fresh tanker offloading at Benoa.
Bali Exploring
24-Hour SPBU Operations: Pertamina and local governments have directed designated gas stations (SPBU) along primary corridors to operate 24 hours to clear backlogs.
On-the-Ground Impact & Gas Station Lines
Heavy Queues:
Major queues continue to be reported at gas stations across Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan, and Jembrana, with lines for Pertalite and Pertamax frequently extending 500 to 800+ meters and wait times reaching 1 to 2 hours.
YouTube
Intermittent Outages:
Individual stations may temporarily run out of specific fuel grades (notably Pertalite and Pertamax) during the day while awaiting scheduled tanker refills.
Government Offices & Workplace Directives
3-Day WFH Mandate:
Applies to provincial and regency/municipal civil servants (ASN), vertical government institutions, regional state-owned enterprises (BUMD), and BUMN branches across Bali.
CNN Indonesia
Essential Services Exempt:
Direct public services (e.g., hospitals, clinics, emergency responders, port authorities, and public security forces) remain operating in-person as normal.
Kompas.com
Private Sector:
Private businesses and non-essential corporate offices have been strongly encouraged by authorities to adopt remote work to minimize commuter vehicle volume on arterial roads.
School and University Closures (In-Person)
Switch to Remote Learning:
All public and private elementary schools, middle schools, high schools (SMA/SMK), and universities/colleges across Bali have suspended in-person attendance through October 17, 2026.
Not School Holidays:
Education agencies (Disdikpora) have clarified that classes are not canceled; teachers and students are conducting sessions virtually via distance learning platforms.
24-Hour SPBU Operations: Pertamin
Intermittent Outages: Individual stations may temporarily run out of specific fuel grades (notably Pertalite and Pertamax) during the day while awaiting scheduled tanker refills.
YouTube
Key Guidance for the Public
Avoid Panic Buying: Pertamina urges residents not to hoard or buy fuel with jerry cans, which worsens wait times and heightens fire risks in congested areas.
Limit Discretionary Travel: To assist fuel logistics convoys, avoid non-essential driving, particularly along primary avenues in Denpasar, bypass corridors, and major inter-regency transit arteries.
Editor’s Note: Perspective on the Fuel Squeeze
Having lived in Bali for three decades, I’ve learned that most crises pass quicker than our worries suggest. While our current fuel shortage is unprecedented for the island, adversity usually carries a silver lining if you care to look.
With schools closed, traffic volume has plummeted. For essential workers and those who genuinely must travel, transit times have improved significantly—except around the immediate queues choking narrow, single-lane roads. Word from trusted official channels suggests this bottleneck will resolve within forty-eight hours, and the peak of the disruption should be behind us shortly.
Going forward, the lesson is clear: establishing localized strategic storage holding a two-week reserve would safeguard Bali from future distribution snags. Yet we must also acknowledge the broader picture. The Indonesian government continues to do an outstanding job shielding 70 to 80 percent of the population through sustained fuel subsidies, preventing severe economic strain during a volatile global climate.
When you consider the global backdrop this week—heavy storms across the Americas, conflict, and mounting hardships abroad—and reflect on the recent 24-year anniversary of the October 12 bombings, perspective matters. Decades ago, a visiting tourist famously said, “Bali is still paradise.” It was true then, and it remains true today.
Keep off the roads today unless travel is essential. Take a walk by the sea, enjoy unhurried time with your family, listen to your children while they’re home, and share a good dinner tonight in appreciation of the good life we have here.
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