Office of the President

of the Philippines

Malacañang

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 757

CONSTITUTING THE MERIT INCREASE COMMITTEE IN THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND PRESCRIBING THE PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATIONS FOR MERIT INCREASE AWARD.

To further encourage excellence among the personnel in this Office by way of recognizing outstanding achievement, there is need to pursue core objectively the merit increase program established under Letter of Instructions No. 562 dated June 25, 1977. For this purpose, the Merit Increase Committee as provided for under Civil Service Memorandum Circular No. 1, s. 1981 and National Budget Circular No. 340 dated February 27, 1981, which shall evaluate proposals for merit increase awards in the Office of the President, is hereby constituted as follows:

The Presidential Staff Director

Administrative Office

–

Chairman

The Presidential Staff Director for Law of Public Officers, Legal Office

–

Member

The Presidential Staff Director for Personnel

–

Member

The Director of the Office or primary unit where the proposed awardee belongs

–

Member

The merit increase award shall be given under any of the following categories:

1. For exemplary performances of assigned functions or special assignments;

2. For introduction of significant cost-saving efficiency-enhancing innovations; and

3. For completion a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in field directly related to the employee’s work.

Nominations for any of the categories mentioned above shall be made in writing in the attached sample form by the Chief of Office concerned and submitted to the Merit Increase Committee, through the Presidential Staff Director for Personnel, not later than two(2) months after the end of each rating period.

For exemplary performance, only those obtaining “outstanding” or “very satisfactory” rating under the New Performance Appraisal System may be nominated. The nominating official shall state the justifications for grant of the award, to be accompanied by such evidence or documents as may be necessary to substantiate his justifications, including the pre-determined performance targets, the performance appraisal report, and representative samples of work and verifiable reports, whenever applicable. When a rating of “outstanding” is given, there must be submitted clear and sufficient evidence of distinct and consistent superior output and behavior on the job. When the performance of intervening targets is a decisive factor in the rating of the employee, their relevance to his primary functions shall be established and their assignment to the particular employee justified. The actually duties of the nominee shall in all cases be at least of the same level of difficulty and responsibility as those prescribed for his positions.

For cost-saving or efficiency enhancing innovation, the Chief of office recommending the award shall state the idea, suggestion or invention for which the employee is nominated, giving the value in terms of savings such idea, suggestion or innovation has generated. The conditions before and after the installation of an innovation shall be fully described and the value of savings shall be fully documented. When the innovation is not directly related to the nominee’s work his performance in his regular job assignments shall at least be satisfactory. The effective date of the award under this category shall be on the first day of implementations or application to the innovation.

In the case of educational/scholastic accomplishment, the Chief of office recommending the award shall submit a copy of the diploma or transcript of records of the employee concerned. Only those who obtained a rating of not less than “very satisfactory” during the rating period within which the employees completed or obtained the degree may be nominated for merit increase award, the award to take effect on the first day following the end of said rating period.

No proposal or nomination for merit increase award will be entertained or evaluated unless the Performance Appraisal Report of the employee concerned, as prescribed under CSC Memorandum Circular No. 2, series of 1978, has been submitted.

Only officers and employees in the office who are covered by approved position classification and compensation plans, from the ranks of Supervising Presidential Staff Officer down, may be entitled to merit increase award, provided they have no pending administrative or criminal case at the time of nomination. Proposals for merit increases award for on calendar year shall not in any case exceed 20% of the total personnel complement of the Office of the President.

The Merit Increase Committee herein constitute shall evaluate the merits of each proposal or nomination and submit its recommendations to the Presidential Executive Assistant for decision. Protects against any proposed/approved award shall be resolved in accordance with the protest mechanism outlined in the above-mentioned joint circular of the Budget and Management Office and the Civil Service Commission.

The Committee may designate its own Secretary and shall be authorized to avail of the services of any official or employee in the Office of the President for the purpose of conducting interviews or securing such documents or evidence as the Committee may deem necessary for a judicious evaluation of nomination or proposals for merit increase awards.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA

Presidential Executive Assistant

Manila, August 10, 1982

Source: Presidential Management Staff