Duterte’s 1st memo: Coterminous gov’t execs to serve until July 31

The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte issued its first memorandum circular on Friday, ordering all coterminous government employees to continue serving in hold-over capacity until July 31.

Memorandum Circular No. 1, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, was issued to “ensure continuous and effective delivery of government services to the people.”

According to the memorandum, “all government officials and employees whose appointments are coterminous with the appointing authority and whose positions are within an agency’s plantilla except the head of agency” are directed to remain in their positions “unless their appointments are sooner revoked, resignations accepted, replacements appointed, or reappointments issued.”

“Pursuant to relevant laws and regulations, all coterminous positions in excess of or not covered by an agency’s plantilla are hereby considered functus officio by 12 noon of 30 June 2016, unless their occupants are otherwise directed by the head of agency/entity concerned to continue serving in hold-over capacity until 31 July 2016,” the memorandum stated.

“Subject officials whose positions have become functus officio are hereby directed to ensure a smooth transition and turnover of their records and documents, both hard and e-copies, to their successors and/or the highest career official/personnel in their respective agencies,” it added.

The circular, which takes effect immediately, was signed by Medialdea on June 30.