To: Deputy Ministers
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Cultural Agency Directors
Chief of Service and Heads of Units/Centers
Vocational School Superintendents/Administrators
Head Executive Assistant
Chief of Divisions

1. Effective immediately, the authorized signature on official correspondence and financial matters emanating from the Central Office of this Ministry shall be as indicated in this Order.
   1. To be signed by the Minister:
      1. All official correspondence addressed to the following officials: The President of the Philippines, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Batasan Pambansa, Heads of Ministries and officials of the same rank, Mambabatas Pambansa, the Chief Justice and Justices of Supreme Court, the Presiding Justice and Associate Justices of the Intermediate Appellate Court.
      2. All correspondence involving policy decisions.
      3. All official correspondence which, under existing laws, rules and regulations require the signature of the Ministry Head.
      4. Ministry orders, memoranda and other instructions which affect the bureau and offices under the Ministry.
      5. Recommendations for appointment to career executive service positions and other positions appointment to which is vested in the President.
      6. Authority to travel of CESOs as well as domestic travel on official business of other officials and employees exceeding thirty (30) days but not more than three (3) months exclusive of travel time.
      7. Authority to travel abroad.
      8. Recommendations to the President for travel of officials for more than three (3) months.
      9. Appointments, assignments, transfers, details, retirement, separations, reinstatement of assistant division chiefs in the Central Office and of schools division superintendents, vocational school superintendents, and assistant schools division superintendents.
      10. Acceptance of resignation of officials mentioned in A (9) above.
      11. Order of preventive suspension and confirmation of decisions involving dismissal of subordinate officials and employees.
      12. Approval of leave of absence of CESOs
      13. Permits and revocation of permits of private schools, colleges, and universities.
      14. Matters related to tuition and other school fees and policies involving private schools, colleges and universities, except as otherwise delegated.
      15. Decisions on protested appointments and administrative cases.
      16. Recognition and revocation of recognition of private schools, colleges and universities.
      17. Grant of university status to private colleges.
      18. Grant of honoris causa degrees
      19. Approval of national level conventions, conferences, seminars, and workshops.
      20. Papers on financial transactions as follows:
          1. Programs of Expenditures, Financial and Work Plan, and Request for Obligation of Allotment in excess of P150,000.
          2. Cash Disbursement Ceiling in excess of P100.000.
          3. Approval of suballotment advice.
          4. Certificate No. 5 of disbursement voucher in excess of P150,000.
          5. Request for fiscal agency service for amounts in excess of P150,000 re GOP contribution to international organizations like SEAMES.
          6. Countersigns Treasury Warrants and TCAA checks in excess of P150,000.
          7. Travel expense vouchers for foreign and domestic travel lasting more than thirty (30) days but not more than three (3) months.
          8. Purchase Order and contracts involving amounts of more than P150,000.
          9. Memoranda of agreement between or among MECS and other agencies involving any amount where signatories are of cabinet rank.
      21. Nominations for scholarship/fellowship abroad.
   2. To be signed by the Deputy Minister for general administration, administrative and related matter. (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. All matters involving personnel (appointments, promotions, transfers, details, reassignment, reemployment, separation, reinstatement, retirement, resignation, leave of absence, etc. except as otherwise provided herein and those delegated to regional directors and school superintendents.
      2. Approval for the hiring of contractual employees and casuals.
      3. Transmittal of appointment of CESOs.
      4. Committee decisions on protested appointments.
      5. Financial transactions as follows:
         1. Program of Expenditure of regional offices and MECS proper, upon recommendation of the assistant secretaries for Administrative Service and Financial and Management Service, not exceeding P150,000.
         2. Certificate No. 5 of disbursement vouchers covering settlement of obligations in excess of P30,000 but not over P150,000.
         3. Approval of Cash Disbursement Ceiling Advices for regional offices not exceeding P100,000.
         4. Memoranda of agreement between or among MECS offices and other agencies involving amounts not less than P50,000 but not more than P150,000.
         5. Financial and Work Plan and Request for Obligation of Allotment in excess of P50,000 but not more than P150,000.
         6. Purchase Orders, Requisition and Issue Vouchers, and contracts involving amounts over P5,000 but more than P150,000.
         7. Signature on TCAA check and Treasury Warrants in excess of P150,000.
         8. Countersignature on TCAA check and Treasury Warrants over P50,000 but not over P150,000.
      6. All matters pertaining to general administration, including planning, publications and information service.
      7. Others matters delegated by the Ministers.
   3. To be signed by the Deputy Minister in Charge of Programs, Projects and Special Activities in Elementary, Secondary, etc. (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. All matters related to programs, projects and special activities on elementary education, secondary education, continuing education, educational testing, health and nutrition, population education, scholarship and student loan assistance, teacher education, child and youth research.
      2. Recommendations for appointment/promotion of personnel in units under her jurisdiction.
      3. Agreements with other agencies on areas mentioned above.
      4. Communications to boards, committees or commissions where she sits as member or as representative of the minister.
      5. Other matters delegated by the Minister.
   4. Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Voc-Tech. Education, Sports Development, EDPITAF, State Colleges and Universities, Cultural Agencies, and Private Schools.
      (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. All matters related to programs, projects and special activities on abovementioned areas, except teacher education.
      2. Recommendations for appointment/promotion of personnel of units under his jurisdiction.
      3. Agreements with other agencies on areas mentioned above.
      4. Communications to boards, committees or commissions where he sits as member or as representative of the Minister.
      5. Other matters that may be delegated by the Minister.
   5. To be signed the Deputy Minister for legislative and legal matters, administrative cases,
      school building program and matters with significant regional components. (To sign: for
      the Minister).
      1. Communications on proposed legislation, including budget proposals.
      2. Communications/decisions on administrative and other legal cases, including change of name of pupils and students.
      3. Communications on security matters.
      4. Recommendations for appointment/promotion of personnel under the legal division.
      5. Matters relative to the school building program.
      6. Matters with significant regional components, like the sports programs, allocation of funds for repair and construction of school buildings.
      7. Other matters delegated by the Minister.
   6. To be signed the Assistant Secretary for Administrative Service (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. Authority for local travel of officials and employees below CESO level for a period not exceeding five (5) days exclusive of travel time.
      2. Leaves of absence of officials and employees in the Central Office below assistant chief of division.
      3. Request for exemption from payment of customs duties.
      4. Approval of request for transfer without cost of government property.
      5. Recommendations for repair of equipment including motor vehicles.
      6. Referral of routine communications on administrative matter.
      7. Request for condemnation of unserviceable property.
      8. Property inventories.
      9. Transmittal of request for transfer of Central Office employees.
      10. Recommendations for appointment/promotion of officials and employees in the administrative service.
      11. Financial transactions:
          a. Certificate No. 3 of Disbursement Voucher covering payment of obligations for supplies, materials and equipment.
          b. Signs Treasury Warrants and TCAA checks not exceeding P50,000 and in the absence of the Deputy Minister for Administration, signs TWs and TCAA for cash advance for salaries and wages of MECS officials and employees.
          c. Purchase Orders for supplies, materials and equipment not exceeding P5,000.
          d. Disbursement vouchers and payrolls for salaries and wages of central office personnel.
          e. Travel vouchers and vouchers for previously approved transactions not exceeding P50,000.
      12. Initials all communications involving personnel and legal matters, procurement, disbursement, security, custodial work, and general administration prepared for the signature of high officials.
      13. Urgent matters for the signature of either or both of the two other assistant secretaries when they are out-of-town.
   7. To be signed by the Assistant Secretary for Financial and Management Service. (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. Referrals of routine financial matters.
      2. Recommendation for approval of Programs of Expenditure of Central Office and regional offices.
      3. Recommendation for appointment/promotion of personnel in the Financial and Management Service.
      4. Papers on Financial transactions:
         a. Recommendation for Cash Disbursement Ceiling Advices for regional offices.
         b. Request for Obligation of Allotment of not more than P50,000.
         c. Signs Treasury Warrants and TCAA checks in excess of P50,000.
         d. Countersigns Treasury Warrants and TCAA checks not exceeding P50,000.
         e. In the absence of the Deputy Minister for Administration, countersigns TWs and TCAA checks covering cash advances for salaries and wages of Central Office personnel.
         f. Financial and Work Plan and Obligation of Allotment and Special Budget covering amounts of P50,000 and below.
         g. Advice of countersigned TWs and TCAA checks.
         h. Certificate No. 5 of disbursement vouchers for amounts less than P30,000 and vouchers covering stipends, book allowances, review fees and related allowances of MECS scholars and cash advances not more than P50,000.
         i. Initials all disbursement vouchers for signature of higher officials.
      5. Other matters delegated by the Minister.
      6. Urgent matters for the signature of the other two assistant secretaries when they are out-of-town.
   8. To be signed by the Assistant Secretary for Planning (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. Plans and programs for the Ministry.
      2. Correspondence related to work plans and programs for submission to other offices.
      3. Correspondence related to planning and similar matters.
      4. Replies to queries related to plans, programs and school buildings.
      5. Other matters that may be delegated by the Minister.
      6. Urgent matter prepared for signature of the other two assistant secretaries when they are out-of-town.
   9. To be signed by the Bureau Directors and Heads of Units Directly Under the Minister. (To sign: for the Minister).
      1. All communications relating to implementation of policy at their respective levels.
      2. Correspondence relative to implementation of programs and projects at their respective levels.
      3. Correspondence concerning faculty-staff development.
      4. Correspondence relative to evaluation of programs/projects.
      5. Correspondence relative to development of educational standards.
      6. Correspondence relative to curriculum development not requiring policy decisions.
      7. Other matters referred to them by the Minister for appropriate action.
      8. Approval of payrolls for regular and casual employees of their respective units.
      9. ROA chargeable to their respective offices.
   10. To be signed by the Director of Teachers Camp (To sign: for the Minister).
       1. Correspondence relating to the use of the camp, except policy decisions.
       2. Request for ROA chargeable against camp funds.
       3. Approval of payrolls and vouchers for salaries and approved travel for camp personnel.
       4. Approval of Purchase Orders and RIV involving amounts less than P20,000.
       5. Countersign TCAA checks in payment of obligations drawn from camp funds.
       6. Signs checks drawn from its revolving fund in payment of incurred obligations, to be countersigned by the camp auditor.
       7. Recommends for approval of higher authority the following
          a. Authority to travel of camp personnel.
          b. Personnel matters.
          c. Appointment of regular and casual employees.
          d. Work programs and projects.
   11. To be signed by the Head Executive Assistant. (To sign: for the Minister).
       1. Replies to inquiries relative to cultural matters.
       2. Replies to foreign applicants for employment.
       3. Other matters as may be delegated by higher officials.
   12. To be signed by the Chief, Personnel Division. (To sign: for the Minister).
       1. All payrolls for personal services shall be verified by the Chief, Personnel Officers. He shall sign:
          a. Certificate No. 3 of disbursement voucher covering settlement of obligations for personal services.
          b. Certifies service records employment of all personnel.
          c. Certificate of appearance of personnel traveling to Manila.
          d. Advice of payment/suspension of salaries of personnel.
          e. Leaves of absence of level 1 employees not exceeding 60 days.
          f. Routine communications involving personnel matters.
          g. Approval of Equivalents Record Forms (ERF) on classified teaching positions (elementary, secondary and tertiary levels) as to their range assignment, salary range and schedule of salary.
          h. Recognition of graduation as to change of educational attainment of teachers.
   13. To be signed by the Cashier III
       1. Agency treasury checks not exceeding P5,000. In his absence, Cashier II can sign.
       2. Advice of countersigned treasury checks.
2. This Order rescinds all previous Orders on the same subject.

(SGD.) LOURDES R. QUISUMBING
Minister

Reference: MECS Orders: Nos. 13, 47 and 57, s. 1985
Allotment: 1-2–(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual – Index under the following subjects:
APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, REAPPOINTMENT
PERMIT
CHANGE
POLICY
CORRESPONDENCE
RULES & REGULATIONS
LEAVES
SALARY
OFFICIALS
TRAVEL
PERMIT

DO_s1986_11