To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau/Cultural Agency Directors
Regional Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
All Others Concerned

1. In compliance with Memorandum Circular 111 of the Office of the President dated January 17, 1995, directing heads of departments, agencies, and other government instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations and local government units, to ensure smooth flow of transactions in government and prompt and efficient delivery of services, the Central Office and the regional/division/district offices shall observe regular duty hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays effective immediately.
2. Relative thereto, the guidelines specified in a Memorandum of this Office dated January 12, 1995, establishing a DECS Frontline Service Unit shall be strictly observed at the Central Office as well as in all regional, division and district offices nationwide and shall observe duty hours from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p/m. on Mondays to Fridays and from 8:00 to 12:00 noon on Saturdays and Holidays.
3. In order to achieve the objective of Section 4 of MC No. 111 which mandates that “corresponding information centers in departments/agencies shall operate 24 hours a day seven days a week” in coordination with the Office of Press Secretary (OPS), the Central Office Frontline Service Unit which shall be established is hereby subsumed under the Technical Service. As authorized, two representatives from the staff bureaus, centers and services, security unit and radio communications unit shall compose the Frontline Service unit.
4. Each head of bureau/office is hereby given the flexibility to schedule the personnel in his/her unit to meet the above schedule. For this purpose, all previously approved flexi-time schedules which are not in conformity with the abovementioned work schedule are hereby cancelled accordingly.
5. All regional/division/district offices issuing permits and certifications shall observe, the mandated 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. work schedule effective immediately. The DECS 24 hours information desk shall continue to operate.
6. It is hereby reminded that this Order shall be implemented within the 40-hour week law and likewise does not contemplate the provision of overtime work. It is therefore incumbent on heads of bureaus/offices to schedule their personnel in such a manner as to comply with the abovementioned provision.
7. Each head of bureau/office concerned shall submit his/her list of personnel for the Frontline Service Unit on a weekly basis to the Personnel Division and Technical Service every Monday, copy furnished the supervising Undersecretary/Assistant Secretary and the Office of the Secretary. The list shall likewise be posted on the bulletin board or similar conspicuous place in the respective bureau/office.
8. Each bureau/office head and the Technical Service shall carefully monitor the proper implementation of the Order and institute necessary corrective measures.
9. This Order shall take effect immediately.
10. For the guidance and compliance of all concerned.

Reference:
DECS Order: No. 83, s. 1991
Unnumbered Memorandum dated January 12, 1995
Allotment: 1-2-3–(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
BUREAUS & OFFICES
EMPLOYEES
OFFICIALS
POLICY
RULES & REGULATIONS

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