PRESCRIBING THE GUIDELINES IN THE GRANT OF LOYALTY AWARD FOR OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE SUPREME COURT AND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL

A public office is a public trust. The holder thereof is a public servant. A public servant who faithfully observes and lives the virtues and values demanded by the Constitution from holders of a public office deserves recognition.

One of the ways to express recognition is to grant a loyalty award. However, in the grant of loyalty award to deserving officials and employees of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), the following guidelines should be observed:

Section 1. To Whom Awarded. – Loyalty Award shall be granted to an official or employee of the SC or PET, whether permanent, temporary, coterminous or casual for ten (10) years of continuous and satisfactory service in the Judiciary or in the government pursuant to CSC Memorandum Circular No. 6, series of 2002, and for every five (5) yea,rs of such service thereafter, provided that

(a) Prior to 1 January 2002, only continuous and satisfactory service in the Judiciary shall be considered except as provided in Section 2 (a) and (b) (1).

(b) Effective 1 January 2002, continuous and satisfactory service in the government for purposes of granting loyalty award shall include services in one or more government agencies without any gap.

Section 2. Computation of the Length of Service. – The computation of the length of service may be affected by factors such as authorized vacation leave without pay (VLWOP) and previous separation from the service:

a. Effect of Authorized Vacation Leave Without Pay (VLWOP)

(1) An aggregate of not more that fifty (50) days authorized VLWOP within the ten (10) year period shall not interrupt the continuity of the service. However, if the total number of authorized VLWOP is more than fifty (50) days, the grant of the award shall be delayed for the same number of days that the awardee has been on authorized VLWOP).

(2) An aggregate of not more than twenty five (25) days authorized VLWOP within the succeeding five (5) year period shall not interrupt the continuity of the service. However, if the total number of authorized VLWOP is more than twenty five (25) days, the grant of the award shall be delayed for the same number of days that the awardee has been on authorized VLWOP.

b. Effect of Break in the Service Due to Separation from the Service

(1) Services rendered in the Judiciary prior to the reemployment or reappointment of an official or employee who was previously separated from the service for cause not within his control shall be included in the computation of length of service provided, however, that the break in the service does not exceed six (6) months.

(2) Services rendered prior to the reemployment of an official or employee who was previously separated from the service due to resignation, retirement or dropping from the rolls shall not be included in the computation of length of service even if the break in the service does not exceed six (6) months.

Section 3. Disqualifications. – The following are grounds for disqualification from receiving the Loyalty Award: (a) an unsatisfactory performance rating; (b) absence without official leave (AWOL) for an aggregate of five (5) days or more; (c) a finding of guilt in any administrative case with a penalty of fine, or suspension, or reprimand in at least two (2) cases, within the period covered by the grant.

An official or employee shall not be disqualified to receive the Award merely on the basis of a pending administrative case against him.

Section 4. Loyalty Award. – The loyalty awardee shall receive a Loyalty memorabilia or souvenir as follows:

10 and 15 years	–	bronze silver pin
20 and 25 years	–	silver service pin
30 years	–	gold service pin
35 years	–	gold service pin with pearl
40 years	–	gold service pin with ruby
45 years	–	gold service pin with diamond
50 years	–	gold service ring

Section 5. Additional Loyalty Cash Incentive. – In addition to the Loyalty memorabilia or souvenir, the Loyalty Awardee shall receive a loyalty cash incentive, subject to the availability of fund as approved in the CFAG Resolution No. 85, dated 20 September 2002, based on the following rates:

 

 

 

Number of Years of Service Considered	Considered Year of Entitlement	Amount of Loyalty Cash Incentive
10	10th year	P5,000
15	15th year	P3.000
20	20th year	P3,500
25	25th year	P4.000
30	30th year	P5,000
35	35th year	P7,500
40	40th year	P10,000
45	45th year	P15,000
50	50th year	P20.000

Section 6. Cases Not Covered in These Guidelines. – Other cases not specifically covered in these Guidelines shall be submitted to the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) Committee for study and recommendation. The Committee’s report thereon shall be submitted to the Chief Justice for appropriate action.

Section 7. Implementation. – The PRAISE Committee shall implement this Administrative Circular and give it widest publicity.

Section 8. Effectivity. – This Administrative Circular shall take effect immediately and shall be the basis in the determination of Loyalty Award for the Calendar Year 2004 and thereafter.

Issued this 11^th day of June 2004.

Copy furnished:

Office of the Chiefjustice
Offices of the Associate Justices
The Presiding Justice, Court of Appeals
The Presiding Justice, Sandiganbayan
The Presiding Justice, Court of Tax Appeals
The Court Administrator
The Clerk of Court
The Philippine Judicial Academy
The Office of Administrative Services, SC
The Fiscal Management and Budget Office
The Management Information Systems Office
The Program Management Office
The Public Information