To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents All Others Concerned

1. To achieve efficiency in delivering quality basic education services, the Department of Education (DepEd) directs the creation of the Special Programs and Projects Office (SPAPO) which shall be constituted by the personnel and staff from both the Special Events Unit (SEU) and the Culture and the Arts Office (CAO).
2. The merging of the SEU and the CAO aims to synchronize their functions and organizational structures to achieve well-coordinated special programs, projects and activities which are primarily of historical, cultural or artistic in nature and which emanate from other government agencies or inter-agency working groups to be coordinated by the DepEd Central Office and to be implemented by all the DepEd regional and division offices per Executive Order No. 80 dated March 5, 1999.
3. In the interim, personnel and staff of the DepEd Central Office SEU and CAO shall be transferred to the SPAPO.
4. Heads of both units are directed to submit the names, assignments, and brief resume of their personnel to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects designated by the Secretary to determine their respective assignments and personnel requirements. All authorized activities, events, or engagements for 2012 each unit shall be reviewed by the designated Assistant Secretary.
5. Expenses for these activities shall be charged to OSec Funds and/or other sources based on their approved authority to conduct. The person with primary responsibility for these activities shall be determined by the designated Assistant Secretary without prejudice to those who already made initial preparations.
6. Likewise, all regional and division counterparts of both SEU and CAO shall be merged to create the Regional SPAPO and the Division SPAPO which shall have the following functions:
   a. manage or coordinate activities delegated to this Department in relation to or in support of government-initiated national, historical, cultural and arts celebrations or ceremonies, and those activities of private organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), foreign embassies, international organizations, and other groups working with the Department on a common program/project;
   b. oversee the activities at the school level in relation to national celebrations or ceremonies and activities duly authorized by the Office of the Secretary (OSec);
   c. lead or assist in planning, preparation, and supervision of central, regional, or division office activities not yet handled or led by an office or unit; and
   d. promote awareness and develop appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage among DepEd employees.
7. Likewise, the SPAPO shall perform similar tasks relative to their respective management or operational levels.
8. Authorized expenses of this Office relative to the performance of its functions shall be charged to OSec Funds subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
9. Provisions of DepEd Order Nos.: 6, s. 2011; 71, s. 2007 and DECS Order No. 97, s. 1999 inconsistent with this Order are hereby updated or rescinded as the case may be.
10. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

References:
DepEd Order: (Nos. 6, s. 2011; 71, s. 2007 and 97, s. 1999)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CHANGE
CULTURAL EDUCATION
ORGANIZATION
PROJECTS
POLICY
UNIT

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