Palace extends authority of OICs in the executive dep’t until December 2022

The facade of the Malacañan Palace. FILE PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VAL HANDUMON

MANILA, Philippines — The Palace has extended the authority of designated officers-in-charge of departments and agencies from July 31 to December 31 this year or until a replacement has been appointed.

Memorandum Circular No. 3 (MC3), signed by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on July 27 and shared to the media on Thursday, amended and supplemented Memorandum Circular No. 1 (MC1), which declares vacant certain posts in the executive department.

“The Executive Secretary, under the authority of the President, has issued a supplement to MC1 numbered Memorandum Circular No. 3. This extends the authority of Officers in Charge until December 2022, unless a replacement has been designated or appointed, whichever comes first,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a statement.

READ: With new admin, Palace declares certain posts in executive dep’t vacant

MC1 mandates that the “OIC shall perform the duties and discharge the responsibilities of the office until 31 July 2022, or until a replacement has been appointed or designated.”

MC3, however, amended this by extending the authority of OICs until December 31 this year.

“All OICs of departments, agencies, bureau and office, non-career executive service (CES) officials occupying CES positions and contractual or casual employees covered herein shall continue to perform their duties and discharge their functions until 31 December 2022 or until a replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first,” MC3 stated.

“All officials and employees covered by this Memorandum Circular are mandated to lawfully perform their duties and functions, and submit bi-monthly performance reports to their respective heads of the department, agency, bureau, office, or instrumentality; otherwise, they will be held accountable,” it added.

The amended circular further stated that except for those involved in the food, transportation, and energy sectors, or except when authorized by the President in meritorious cases, the following shall not enter into new contracts or projects or disburse extraordinary funds:

• OICs of departments, offices, agencies, instrumentalities and bureaus;
• GOCCs, government instrumentalities with corporate powers, government corporate entities, and government financial institutions, until such time that new sets of appointive directors have been appointed and chief executive officers elected in accordance with their respective charters, articles of incorporation, and by-laws in relation to Republic Act No. 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011; and,
• the free port and special economic zone authorities, until such time that new sets of appointive directors have been appointed and chief executive officers elected.

EDV