To:     Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Directors of Bureaus, Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Heads of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
All Others Concerned

1. On November 15, 2013, the Rationalization Plan (RP) of the Department of Education (DepEd) was approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The approval included the rationalized structure and staffing pattern of offices at the national/central, regional and schools division levels.
2. As provided in the approved DepEd RP, personnel whose plantilla items were affected by the rationalization had the following options:
   1. Remain in government service through converting their respective items from regular to Co-terminus with the Incumbent (CTI) status, either in DepEd, including schools, or in other agencies; or
   2. Avail of retirement/separation package with the applicable incentives.
3. As further provided in the approved DepEd RP, the School Health and Nutrition (SHN) personnel occupying medical and allied-medical items who opted to convert their items from regular to CTI shall be “transferred only to DepEd-supervised priority schools to cater to the needs of the school children.” Notwithstanding this arrangement, in the exigency of service, the medical/allied-medical personnel concerned could be required by their supervisors to provide health-related services to other schools near to where they are reassigned.
4. Concerns were raised by the incumbent DepEd SHN personnel regarding their status after the approval of the DepEd RP. In addition, concerns were also raised regarding the approved allocation of positions for SHN in the regional offices (ROs) and schools division offices (SDOs).
5. In view of this, the Office of the Undersecretary for Regional Operations initiated the review and revision of the approved staffing pattern for the SHN units in the ROs and SDOs, in collaboration with representatives from the key associations of the SHN personnel.
6. The joint proposal on staffing adjustments was submitted to the DBM on October 14, 2014 and a preliminary meeting was conducted with the DBM representatives on October 29, 2014. While consultations are on-going, the DBM has approved the DepEd request to defer the implementation of the placement actions specifically for the SHN personnel.
7. The scope of this issuance covers all the DepEd SHN personnel from the central office (CO), ROs and SDOs whose plantilla items were affected by the rationalization efforts and hence, have opted to remain in government service in DepEd. This does not include the following SHN personnel:
   1. those who have opted to avail of the retirement/separation package under Executive Order 366 s. 2004; and
   2. those who have opted to transfer to agencies/offices outside of DepEd.
8. The medical and allied-medical positions which will be covered in this issuance are the following:
   1. Medical Officers I, II, III, and IV
   2. Dentists I, II, and III
   3. Nurse II
   4. Nutritionist-Dietitians I and II
   5. Dental Aide
   6. Health Education Promotion Officers II and III
9. In this regard, these guidelines are being issued to provide direction and clarity regarding the status of the SHN personnel in the implementation of the DepEd RP.

As indicated in the letter from DBM dated November 11, 2014, “in the meantime that the DBM action on the proposed replacement of HEPO items by health and nutrition-related items is yet to be issued, the request to “put on hold”/defer the processing and the issuance of the NOSCA for subject health and nutrition-related positions in the ROs and SDOs concerned is considered.”

10. DepEd CO, ROs and SDOs shall be guided by the following provisions:
    1. There shall be no conversion of items to CTI, movements, transfers, hiring and appointments of SHN personnel until such time that the DBM issues their action/resolution to the proposed staffing adjustments;
    2. In the event that the Notice of Organization, Staffing and Compensation Action (NOSCA) is issued by the DBM prior to the DBM resolution for the SHN items, the DepEd offices are prohibited from implementing the following personnel actions for SHN positions:
       1. transferring of personnel;
       2. converting items to CTI; and
       3. hiring of and appointing personnel for positions in the rationalized staffing pattern
    3. The incumbent SHN personnel shall continue to perform their functions and duties at their current place of deployment prior to the approval of the DepEd RP in November 2013;
    4. While waiting for the DBM resolution, the SHN personnel may already  work and collaborate with the offices/units in the rationalized structure where the School Health and Nutrition Units (SHNUs) will be part of:
       1. Bureau of Learner Support Services in the Central Office (Health and Nutrition Center (HNC) and its divisions);
       2. Education Support Services Division in the ROs; and
       3. School Governance and Operations Division in the SDOs.
    5. The Secretary may assign the HNC personnel to perform other functions. The SHN personnel may still perform other functions as may be assigned by their respective Regional Directors (RDs)/Schools Division Superintendents (SDSs); and
    6. The SHN personnel shall continue to be entitled to the benefits and allowances attached to the performance of their functions, subject to existing DepEd and government rules and regulations.
11. These guidelines shall take effect immediately until such time that another Order is issued regarding this matter.
12. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

BR. ARMIN A. LUISTRO FSC
Secretary

Encl.:
As stated