Aquino axed Arroyo appointees on 1st day

IN 2010, on his first day in office, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III declared the services of all non-career appointees of the previous Arroyo administration terminated. Contractual employees, on the other hand, were given a one-month extension pending a review of their qualifications.

Memorandum Circular No. 1 signed by then Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. sought “to prevent the unnecessary disruption of government operations and the impairment of all official processes and transactions as well as the delivery of services to the people.”

The Aquino administration had to fill at least 4,500 positions that were coterminous with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, including those of the Cabinet and officials of government corporations and agencies attached to the Office of the President.

These were on top of the 1,000 chefs, waiters and housekeeping staff, all casual employees whose terms were also coterminous with Arroyo.

Under the circular, positions of presidential appointees without career executive service officer (Ceso) rank were deemed vacant effective June 30, 2010, while services of contractual employees whose contracts had expired, including chefs, waiters and housekeeping staff, were extended until July 31.

Until replacements were named, the most senior Ceso took over the vacant positions of Arroyo appointees as officers in charge.

Inquirer Research