Lacierda clarifies Palace order on co-term officials, personnel
Presidential spokesman Edwin F. Lacierda today released the fine-tuned version of Memorandum Circular No. l, which clarified further the issue of the tenure of government officers and contractual personnel whose appointments have expired yesterday (June 30) at the close of the Arroyo administration.
Lacierda said that except for differences in language, the fine tuned version is essentially the same in content and spirit as the earlier version of the Circular signed yesterday (June 30) by new Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr.
“There is no conflict between the two. The essence of the earlier MC is there,” said Lacierda, as he forthwith furnished media with copies of new MC No. 1 signed and issued by Ochoa on the same day.
Lacierda called for a news briefing to sort out questions on the content and intent of one of Malacanang’s earliest issuances.
During the briefing he also stressed the rationale of the order and that the one- month reprieve given to personnel of the executive department with appointments co-terminous with the Arroyo administration was “in the exigency of service and to ensure continuity of government operations, official processes and transactions, as well as the delivery of service to the people.”
The Circular declared vacant effective June 30, 2010 all third level positions occupied by officials (directors, assistant secretaries and undersecretaries) who have co-terminous appointments from the previous administration.
The MC also asked non-career officials and other service contracted personnel to continue their services until July 31.
The MC:
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1
DECLARING ALL CO-TERMINOUS, THIRD LEVEL POSITIONS VACANT AS OF JUNE 30, 2010; DIRECTING ALL NON-CAREER EXECUTIVE SERVICE (CESO) OCCUPYING CAREER EXECUTIVE SERVICE (CES) POSITIONS TO CONTINUE TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; AND EXTENDING THE SERVICES OF CERTAIN CONTRACTUAL AND/OR CASUAL EMPLOYEES WHOSE CONTRACTS EXPIRE ON JUNE 30, 2010.
In the exigency of the service and to ensure continuity of government operations, official processes and transactions as well as the delivery of services to the people, the following are hereby directed:
1. All presidential appointees under coterminous status and/ or those occupying positions created in excess of the authorized staffing pattern in all departments, offices, agencies and bureaus in the executive branch, are deemed separated from the service as of noon of June 30, 2010.
2. All non-Career Executive Service Officials (non-CESO) occupying Career Executive Service (CES) positions in all agencies of the Executive Branch shall remain in office and continue to perform their duties and discharge their responsibilities until July 31, 2010, or until their resignations have been accepted and/or until their respective replacements have been appointed or designated, whichever comes first.
3. In cases where the head of agency or office has resigned and whose resignation have been accepted or is deemed separated on June 30, 2010 and no replacement has been appointed or designated, the next-in-rank and most senior official shall take over as Officer-in-Charge, to perform the duties and discharge the responsibilities of the position until July 31, 2010 or until a replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first.
4. Contractual and/or casual employees whose contracts expire on June 30, 2010 shall continue their services up to July 31, 2010, unless otherwise earlier terminated or renewed by the heads of the hiring agencies in accordance with their specific needs and requirements and subject to pertinent administrative and auditing rules and regulations.
5. Services rendered by the aforementioned officials and personnel referred to in paragraphs 2,3 and 4 in compliance with the provisions of this Memorandum Circular shall be compensated in accordance with existing civil service, budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
6. Officials and personnel referred to Sections 2,3, and 4 above are hereby finally directed to effect an orderly and complete turn over of records, documents, books, equipment and other properties of their respective offices to their successors, after the latter shall have been appointed or designated.
This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of
PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary
Palace working on shape of Truth Commission
Malacanang is now drawing up the mandate and parameters of authority of the Truth Commission that will be set up to look into allegations of corruption and abuse of power during the Arroyo administration.
In a press briefing today, Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda assured that the commission will not engage in any “witch hunting” activity, saying President Benigno Aquino III has ensured this by appointing “a person with integrity and with impartiality” to lead the agency.
In his inaugural speech, President Aquino said he will create a truth commission that will investigate anomalous transactions during the previous administration and named Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. to head the commission.
Lacierda said the commission will investigate and build a case against government officials concerned, not only against the former President, now Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of Pampanga.
“They will collect the evidence, they will make a strong case, as what President Aquino said, enough to warrant conviction and submit it to the Ombudsman,” he said.
Lacierda stressed the Palace wants the commission to be thorough in their investigation so as not to give the Ombudsman a chance to say “kulang kayo sa ebidensya” (you don’t have enough evidence).
The Presidential Spokesperson allayed fears that the commission will suffer the same fate as that of other investigating bodies which had difficulty in getting hold of evidences, much less conviction against public officials allegedly involved in anomalous transactions.
“It’s a matter of political will. We will run after them and we will close all the scandals that happened during the previous administration. There is no closure and we need a closure to move on,” he said in the vernacular.
Once finalized, Lacierda said, a memorandum order will be issued to create the Truth Commission.
P-Noy to be ‘workaholic President’-- Lacierda
Malacañang today (July 1) said President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, who assumes the role of Chief Executive, will be a “workaholic President.”
“Expect the President to be workaholic” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin F. Lacierda in a press briefing at the Palace.
According to Lacierda, President Aquino’s work ethics drastically changed during the campaign compared to his senate days.
Lacierda said the sorties during the election campaign helped President Aquino to hone up further his leadership skills.
Lacierda also said President Aquino has been accustomed to hands-on management style which he now applies and will apply during Cabinet meetings and issuances of directives.
He also said that President Aquino will have more time to deal with the affairs of the state once he decides to stay in or near Malacañang.
Also yesterday Lacierda admitted that he and his colleagues in the Aquino Cabinet are still adapting to their new jobs. ”We are still learning, he said, adding “we need though to hasten the learning process.”
P-Noy to US, Canada-based Pinoys: Help me
On his first day in office today, President Benigno “P-Noy” Simeon C. Aquino III welcomed to Malacanang some 200 Filipino immigrants from the
Accompanied by officials of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the balikbayans assembled at the Heroes Hall, all showing excitement in meeting the President on his first day at the Palace and to congratulate him and express their support for his administration.
In Pilipino, President Aquino told his callers: “I want to thank you all for coming this far and at great expense to wish me well and congratulate me. But I would like to ask your support and to help us with our work for the motherland.”
He then had photo opportunity with the immigrants by batches but this took longer than he wanted it.
Later, he went to the Rizal Hall for the photo sessions with his Cabinet and their families namely: Secretaries Alberto Romulo of the Department of Foreign Affairxs; Cesar Purisima of the Department of Finance; Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice; Rogelio Singson, of the Department of Public Works and Highways; Armin Luistro of the Department of Education; Rosalinda Baldoz, Department of Labor and Employment; Gregory Domingo of the Department of Trade and Industry; Paquito Ochoa, Executive Secretary; Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare; Proceso Alcala, Department of Agriculture; Virgilio de los Reyes of the Department of Agrarian Reform; Alberto Lim of the Department of Toursim; Ramon Jesus, of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Enrique Ona, Department of Health; Jose de Jesus of the Department of Transportation and Communication; Mario Montejo, Department of Science and Technology; Florencio Abad, Department of Budget and Management; Rene Almendras, Department of Energy; Edwin Lacierda, Spokesperson; Eduardo de Mesa, Presidential Legal Counsel; Ging Deles, Peace Process and Julia Abad, Presidential Management Staff.
