MANILA, Philippines – The Palace issued a memorandum extending the authority of people who serve as officers-in-charge of their respective government agencies until December 31, 2022, unless their replacement has already been designated.

Memorandum Circular No. 3, signed by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, amends Memorandum Circular No. 1, which declared vacant certain positions in the executive department and designated OICs until July 31 only.

“All OICs of departments, agencies, bureau and office, non-career executive service officials occupying CES positions, and contractual or casual employees covered herein shall continue to perform their functions until December 31, 2022, or until a replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first,” the memo dated Wednesday, July 27, reads. CES stands for Career Executive Service.

The latest memorandum also prohibits department OICs from “[entering] into new contracts or projects or disburse extraordinary funds,” unless authorized by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., or “except for those involved in the food, transportation, and energy sectors.”

“There is a need to supplement MC No. 1 in order to ensure that no new contract, project, or disbursement of extraordinary funds is made by a department, agency, bureau, and office until the appointment is made by the President,” the memorandum reads.

Also covered by the prohibition are:

• Government-owned or -controlled corporations, government instrumentalities with corporate powers, government corporate entities, and government financial institutions, until such time that new sets of appointive directors have been appointed and chief executive officers elected
• Free port and special economic zone authorities, until such time that new sets of appointive directors have been appointed

Some government agencies, like the Department of Health, still have no appointed secretaries, and are currently headed by the next-in-rank and most senior officials.

– Rappler.com