To: Deputy Ministers
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Vocational School Superintendents/Administrators

1. Reports reaching this Office are to the effect that private suppliers have been approaching schools superintendents with readymade requisitions and soliciting their signature to purchase orders with the understanding that the solicitors will work out with the officials of the Central Office for funding. The procedure is anomalous and in contravention to the existing rules of procurement requiring the schools superintendent to prepare the requisition of the division based only on the Program of Expenditures duly approved by the Minister or the Deputy Minister for Administration. Proper procedures also demand that requisitions should be duly funded before the schools superintendent and the regional director approve the same in cases where the total amount of the requisition is within the ceiling which the regional director is authorized to approve.
2. There is no evidence though to allegations that certain agents of some companies are so “closed” to certain officials of the Central Office that they could influence such MECS officials to release funds for their requisitions. However, this Office will look into the veracity of these allegations.
3. It is intention of this Order to caution the regional directors to be wary over the activities of these solicitor-agents. Regional directors shall, before approving any requisition of doubtful origin and/or unsupported by the approved Program of Expenditures, and funds, should immediately call the attention of the schools superintendent(s) concerned and require him to explain his acquiescence to such an improper deal. The regional director should check from the regional office files if the articles being requisitioned are included in the approved program of expenditures and that the funds therefor have already been released. The regional directors must also determine the source of the funds to be used in the requisition from the file copies of the CDC’s of the divisions under them.
4. Regional directors together with the schools superintendents shall be held responsible for the improper purchases of the supplies, books teaching materials and equipment done in their respective regions/divisions.

(SGD.) LOURDES R. QUISUMBING
Minister

Reference: MECS Order: (No. 68, s. 1986)
Allotment: 1-2-3–(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual – Index under the following subjects:
OFFICIALS
PURCHASE
REQUISITION

DO_s1986_64