No changes in DOE agencies till Oct 31, says Almendras

MANILA, Philippines - There will be no significant organizational changes in all attached agencies of the Department of Energy (DOE) until Oct. 31 this year, the country’s top energy official said.

Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras has specifically directed National Power Corp. (Napocor) president Froilan A. Tampinco and the heads of the other attached agencies of the DOE to “remain in office” until Oct. 31, 2010 or until their respective replacements have been appointed by Malacañang.

Almendras said in a memorandum dated July 30, 2010. “You are hereby directed to remain in office and continue to perform your duties and discharge your responsibilities until October 31, 2010, or until your resignations have been accepted and/or until your respective replacements have been appointed or designated, whichever comes first, unless you are reappointed in the meantime.”

The directive was in compliance with Malacañang’s Memorandum Circular 2, which amended the controversial Memorandum Circular 1, to allow all non-career executive service officials (non-CESO) occupying career executive service (CES) positions in all agencies of the Executive Branch “to remain in office and continue to perform their duties and discharge their responsibilities until Oct. 31, 2010. MC 1 originally set the deadline for such government officials to vacate their positions on July 31, 2010.

Almendras’ memo was also addressed to Antonio M. Cailao, president of the Philippine National Oil Co.; Edita S. Bueno, administrator of the National Electrification Administration; Ma. Luz L. Caminero, president of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.; and Moslemen T. Macarambon, president of the National Transmission Corp.  

Apart from the three-month extension, MC 2 also authorized the Department Secretary of the concerned agency to designate an officer-in-charge (OIC), in cases where the head of agency or office has resigned and whose resignation has been accepted, or is deemed separated on June 30, 2010, and no replacement has been appointed or designated. 

In such cases, the next-in-rank and most senior official of the agency, or a senior official of the department to which the said agency is attached, may be designated as OIC.

MC 2 also states that “any official whose service has been terminated, or whose resignation has been accepted on/or before July 31, 2010, but whose replacement has not yet been appointed or designated, shall be deemed separated from the service as of the date of termination or acceptance of resignation”.

Both MC 1 and 2 were signed and issued by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.