LETTER OF IMPLEMENTATION NO. 63, March 16, 1978
RELATIVE TO THE PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE
WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 495 promulgated the general policies applicable to it;
HOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby approve the following rules and regulations to be observed in the payment of compensation for personnel of the national government stationed abroad:
1.0 Coverage
1.2 The Departments and agencies covered by this Letter of Implementation are the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor, Department of Public Information, Department of Tourism, Department of Finance, National Science Development Board, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Trade and others as may be duly approved.
2.0 Salary
2.2 Officers and employees other than those of the Department of Foreign Affairs whose present salaries are equal to or higher, than the minimum of the class and grade of their assimilated ranks shall continue to receive their present salaries: Provided, however, that their overseas allowance shall be adjusted to the extent not to exceed the difference between the total of the minimum rates of the class and grade of their assimilated ranks as established under Presidential Decree No» 905 plus the overseas allowance prescribed for such rank under Letter of Implementation No. 58 less their present salaries.
2.3 Effective January 1, 1978, payment of salaries shall be made in Philippine pesos or its equivalent in foreign currency, computed on the basis of the prevailing exhange rates as established by the Central Bank of the Philippines.
2.4 Officers and employees outside of the Department of Foreign Affairs when recalled to the Hone Office shall be paid in accordance with the national compensation plan for hone office personnel and shall cease to be considered foreign service personnel for purposes of compensation.
3.0 Assimilated Ranks
Name of Agency
Pos.
RankDepartment of Agriculture
Agriculture Attache FSO III Agriculture Analyst FSSO I Department of Finance
Office of the Secretary Revenue Attache FSOII Bureau of Internal Revenue Revenue Attache FSO II Revenue Representative FSO II Assistant Revenue Attache FSO I Assistant Revenue Representative FSO I Department of Labor Labor Attache FSO I Department of National Defense Colonel/Navy Captain FSO I Lieutenant Colonel/Commander FSO II Major/Captain/Lieutenant Commander / Lieutenant, Senior Grade FSO III First Lieutenant / Lieutenant, Junior Grade FSO IV Second Lieutenant / Ensign FSO IV Master Sergeant FSSO I Technical Sergeant FSSO II Staff Sergeant FSSO III Sergeant FSSO III Corporal FSSE I Confidential Agent FSSO I Department of Public Information Foreign Information Attache II FSSO I Foreign Information Attache I FSO I Department of Tourism Tourism Coordinator FSO I Tourism Attache FSO II Public Relations Officer IV FSSO I Administrative Assistant I FSSO II Tourism Promotion Assistant FSSO III Department of Trade Commercial Attache FSO I Commercial Attache FSO II Foreign Trade Analyst FSSO I Commercial Analyst FSSO II National Science Development Board Science Attache FSO I Overseas Employment Development Board Overseas Employment Analyst FSSO I Overseas Employment Researcher FSSO III Philippines Overseas Construction Board Commercial Attache FSO II
3.3 The assignment abroad of personnel in any department, bureau or office of the government, including appointments to said positions, shall have the prior clearance of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
3.4 The assignment of assimilated rank to personnel of the Philippine Government stationed abroad shall remain with the President who shall act on the basis of the recommendation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Commissioner of the Budget.
3.5 The assimilated ranks referred to in 3.1 above are for purposes of compensation only and shall not confer diplomatic rankings for purposes of protocol. Civil Attaches shall always rank after the lowest ranking Foreign Service Officer in the post.
3.6 The assimilated ranks assigned to the above positions whose incumbents are presently stationed abroad and duly accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs shall be confirmed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the manner and form to be prescribed by him.
4.0 Overseas Allowance
Rank a) Chiefs of Mission Heads of Diplomatic Mission Others including those assigned as Consul General b) Career Ministers c) Foreign Service Officers including those with assimilated rank Class 1 Class II Class III Class IV d) Foreign Service Staff Officers Class I Class II Class III e) Foreign Service Staff Employees
Class I Class II Class III
The overseas allowance accrues on the date of departure from Manila and ceases on the date of arrival in Manila when recalled to the Hone Office; provided, however, that said allowance shall be adjusted in accordance with the DFA index on the date of arrival at the post of assignment.
4.3 DFA Index
Argentina Buenos Aires 105% Australia Canberra 125 Sydney 125 Austria Vienna 155 Belgium Brussels 155 Brazil Brasilia 125 Burma Rangoon 90 Canada Ottawa 125 Vancouver 125 Cuba Havana 100% Egypt Cairo 100 France Paris 155 Gabon Libreville 140 Germany West Badgodesberg 160 Hamburg 160 India New Delhi 100 Indonesia Djakarta 115 Menado 95 Tarakan 90 Iran Teheran 125 Israel Tel Aviv 120 Italy Rome (Holy See) 120 Japan Tokyo 160 Kobe 160 Kenya Nairobi 100 Korea Seoul 110 Laos Vientiance 130 Libya Tripoli 140 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 115 Mexico Mexico City 100 Netherland The Hague 140 Nigeria Lagos 125 New Zealand Wellington 120 Pakistan Islamabad 100 Papua New Guinea Port Moresby 120 Peoples Republic of China Peking 120 Romania Bucharest 120 Saudi Arabia Jeddah 150 Senegal Dakar 110 Singapore Singapore 115 Spain Madrid 120 Sri Lanka Colombo 90 Switzerland Berne 160 Geneva 160 Thailand Bankok 115 United Kingdom London 130 United States Agana 120 San Francisco 120 Los Angeles 120 Seattle 115 New Orleans 115 Chicago 120 United States Washington, D.C. 120% Honolulu 120 New York 120 U S S R Moscow 135 Vietnam Hanoi 100 Yugoslavia Belgrade 120 Hongkong 120
4.3.3.2 The DFA index on overseas allowance shall not be applied while a foreign service officer or employee is enroute to his post of assignment or to Manila.
5.0 Family Allowance
When used in these rules and regulations, the following terns shall mean:
5.1.1 “dependent spouse” means wife or husband who is legally married to, resides with, and depends upon an officer or employee for support.
5.1.3 “family” means either dependent spouse or dependent children, or both, of an officer or employee, who is a citizen of the Philippines.
5.1.4. “dependent children” means legitimate, legitimated, recognized, or adopted.children who reside With, and wholly depend upon, the officer or employee for support, and where such children are not more than 21 years of age, unmarried, and not gainfully employed or where such children, regardless of age, are not capable of self support because they are mentally or physically defective.
5.2 Person entitled and amount
An officer or employee who is assigned abroad, except alien clerks and employees, whose family resides with his/her in the post of assignment shall be entitled to commutable family allowance equivalent to:
b) US$360 per annum for each dependent child but not exceeding three in number.
The above rates of allowance shall be payable en a monthly basis which may be revised by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Commissioner of the Budget.
5.3 Date of accrual
The family allowance accrues on the respective dates of arrival at the post of assignment of the dependent spouse and children of an officer or employee who join and reside with hiiVher thereat.
5.4 Termination of payment
The payment of the family allowance shall terminate:
5.4.2 upon departure of the officer or employee for hone assignment.
5.4.3 upon the death of the spouse and attainment of majority age or emancipation of dependent children.
5.4.4 upon departure of spouse and children on authorized return to the Philippines.
5.5 Adjustment
There shall be a reduction of the family allowance in the following circumstances:
5.5.2 when the number of qualified dependent children changes by reason of death, emancipation, employment, attainment of majority age or absence from the residence at the post without intention to return.
5.6 Claim certificate
For every first payment of family allowance in the post and whenever there is adjustment due to the changes in family status and/or number of dependents in the post or application of new regulations, a verified certificate, approved by the head of the department, copy attached, shall be accomplished by the claimant to be used as supporting sub-voucher effecting the payment. Subsequent payrolls or cash vouchers shall bear reference to the number and date of the last payroll or cash voucher to which such certificate was attached. Such certificate shall further be supported by certified true copies of (a) marriage certificate (b) birth certificate of the dependent children and (c) proofs of date of arrival and residence of family in the post as attested by the Chief of Mission/Principal Officer.
5.7 Meritorious cases
Subject to the prior personal approval of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, full allowance based on family status may be paid to any claimant:
5.7.2 who, for the convenience of the Government, must live alone without any or all the members of his family at his post of assignment;
5.7.3 All other meritorious cases as warranted by the circumstances and the exigencies of the service.
6.0 Education Allowance
6.2 Non-payment of education expenses
The following shall not be included as educational expenses, However, if included, the herein expenses shall be deducted from the tuition fees and/or matriculation fee:
6.2.2 school transportation fees
6.2.3 board and lodging
6.2.4 private tutor fees
6.2.5 vocational training or apprenticeships
6.2.6 examination and diploma fees
6.3 Countries excluded
This allowance shall not be granted to children of foreign service personnel who are assigned to the following countries abroad:
6.3.2 Australia
6.3.3 New Zealand
6.3.4 United Kingdom and Ireland
6.3.5 Canada
6.4 Enrolment in the countries mentioned in item 6.3
Corollary to item 6.2 hereof, in cases of foreign service officers or employees assigned in posts where the required facilities for learning are inadequate as determined by the Department of Foreign Affairs, who decide to enrol his/her children in the country above-listed or to any other country of his/her choice, the round trip transportation cost from post of assignment to the place of schooling for each child enrolled in the primary and elementary grades but not exceeding three in number for every school year shall be borne by the Department concerned in an amount not exceeding US$1,000 for each child in lieu of education allowance.
7.0 Representation allowance
Subject to availability of funds, the following shall be the annual rates of reimburse-able representation allowance:
a) Chief of Mission (not head of diplomatic mission) b) Career Minister c) FSO I d) FSO II e) FSO III f) FSO IV g) ranking FSSO
For purposes of this allowance, the foreign service establishments are hereby categorized into high cost posts, medium cost posts and Low cost posts:
Accordingly, the following classification of posts is hereby made until otherwise revised:
- High Cost Posts: Vienna, Brussels, Paris, Libreville, Badeodesbere, Hamburg, Tokyo, Kobe, Tripoli, The Hague, Jeddah, Geneva, Moscow, Berne.
- Medium Cost Posts: Buonos Aires, Canberra, Sydney, Brasilia, Ottawa, Vancouver, Djakarta, Teheran, Tel-Aviv, Rome, Holy See, Seoul, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Lagos, Wellington, Port Moresby, Peking, Bucharest, Dakar, Singapore, Madrid, Bangkok, London, Agana, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans, Chicago, Washington, D.C. Honolulu, New York, Belgrade, Hongkong.
- Low Cost Posts: Rangoon, Menado, Tarakan, Colombo, Havana, Cairo, New Delhi, Mexico City, Islamabad, Hanoi, Nairobi, Vientianne.
Notwithstanding chiefs of mission and principal officers who are granted representation allowances under existing regulation, the following officers shall be granted reim-burseable representation allowance:
7.3.2 foreign service officers
7.3.3 ranking foreign service staff officers as authorized by the Department of foreign Affairs.
7.4 Charge d’ Affairs
Any foreign service officer acting as charge d’ affairs or principal officer shall not be entitled to the allowance during the period he performs said duties temporarily, such eventuality being covered by Section 4 of Executive Order No. 495.
7.5 Accrual and termination
The representation allowance accrues on the first day of the month following the date of arrival at post and ceases on the end of the month of departure when recalled to the Home Office.
7.6 Manner of Payment
Representation allowances may be paid in advance but no earlier than the first day of the month, subject to such rules and regulations as may be approved by the Commission on Audit.
7.7 Expenses chargeable to representation
In addition to the specific purposes set forth in Sec. 12 of Executive Order No, 495, representation allowances nay be utilized, if justified by circumstances and customs at the locality, for such other representation expenses as are allowable under existing regulation.
7.8 Approval of expenditure
Expenses charged to representation must be supported by proper receipts or vouchers if the individual amount of expenditure exceeds US$50 or its equivalent. If proofs of expenses incurred are not immediately available and they exceed US$50, explanations satisfactory to the Commission on Audit shall be submitted and must be attached to the corresponding cash voucher. Where expenses are incurred for entertainment, the voucher must be accompanied by a statement of the officer concerned or by such proof, e.g., guest list, as nay be shown that the expenses have been made in the public interest.
7.9 Provisions to govern expenditures
Reimbursements or credits to cash advance accounts due to expenditures incurred for representation purposes shall be governed strictly by the foregoing provision of the above Presidential Decree and Executive Order and by applicable auditing and accounting regulations promulgated by the Commission on Audit.
8.0 Living Quarters Allowance
a) Chief of Mission: 1. Head of Mission 2. Other including those assigned as Consul General b) Career Minister c) FSO I FSO II FSO III FSO IV d) FSSO I FSSO II FSSO III e) FSSE I – III
8.2.1 With family
Foreign service officers or employees, who are living with their spouse and dependent children defined in item 5.1 at the post of assignment or where said officer or employee lives with two or more dependents.
8.2.2 Without family
Upon assignment to the post, the officer or employee is single, widower or legally separated with only one dependent or married with no dependent.
8.3 Personnel occupying quarters on lease-purchase terms
Foreign service personnel entitled to living quarters allowance occupying quarters on lease-purchase terns shall be entitled to the adjusted quarters allowance equal to 50% of the rental value of the quarters: provided, that it does not exceed the allowable allowance. The Chief of Mission or Principal Officer, as the case maybe, jointly with the Administrative Officer shall certify under their official oath the rental value on the face of the cash voucher.
8.4 Adjustment
The living quarters allowance shall be adjusted in accordance with the following: DFA index on housing until otherwise revised:
Argentina Buenos Aires Australia Canberra Sydney Austria Vienna Belgium Brussels Brazil Brasilia Burma Rangoon Canada Ottawa Vancouver Cuba Havana Egypt Cairo France Paris Gabon Libreville Germany West Badgodesberg Hamburg Hongkong India New Delhi Indonesia Djakarta Menado Tarakan Iran Teheran Israel Tel-Aviv Italy Rome (Holy See) Japan Tokyo Kobe Kenya Nairobi Laos Vientiance Libya Tripoli Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Mexico Mexico City Netherland The Hague Nigeria Lagos New Zealand Wellington Pakistan Islamabad Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Peoples Republic of China Peking Romania Bucharest Saudi Arabia Jeddah Senegal Dakar Singapore Spain Madrid South Korea Seoul Sri Lanka Colombo Switzerland Berne Geneva Thailand Bankok United Kingdom London United States of America Agana Chicago Honolulu Los Angeles New Orleans New York San Francisco Seattle Washington, D.C. U S S R Moscow Vietnam Hanoi Yugoslavia Belgrade
In cases where, because of acute housing shortage or other circumstances justifying two or more foreign service personnel to rent one quarters jointly, and provided the same is previously reported to the Department concerned, the personnel concerned shall be entitled to receive only 50% of their commutable living quarters allowance, from the first day of the month following their living in the same rented quarters.
A certificate to item 8.5 duly verified by the head of office, shall be attached to the first voucher covering payment of the 50% living quarters allowance and subsequent vouchers shall make reference to the number and date of said first payment.
8.6 Accrual and termination
The living quarters allowance accrues on the first day of the month following the date of arrival at post and ceases on the end of the month following departure therefrom. No per diems shall be paid in lieu of living quarters allowance.
8.7 Exceptions
Provisions to the contrary notwithstanding, the Department head concerned nay authorize the payment of actual rental of quarters occupied by foreign service personnel assigned abroad in lieu of quarters allowance as may be warranted by the housing situation in the post of assignment, subject to availability of funds.
9.0 Clothing Allowance
Subject to availability of funds, the following shall be the annual rates of clothing allowance which varies in accordance with the climatic conditions prevailing in the post of assignment:
Bank a) Chief of Mission Principle Officers b) Foreign Service Officers c) Foreign Service Staff Officers and Employees
10.0 Medical Allowance
Foreign Service personnel and their dependent spouse and legal children not exceeding three in number as defined in 5.l.2 and 5.1.4 hereof may be required by the Department Head concerned, to subscribe to a medical insurance scheme available in the host country. Subject to availability of funds, twenty-five percent (25%) of the corresponding premiums shall be payable by the personnel concerned and seventy-five percent (75%) thereof shall be borne by the government as its contribution.
10.2 Countries without medical insurance scheme
In the event of illness or injury requiring hospitalization of a foreign service personnel, not the result of vicious habits, intemperance or misconduct on his part, the government shall, subject to availability of funds, reimburse the cost of medical expenses provided that no medical insurance scheme is available in the post of assignment.
10.3 Medical Expenses
The medical expenses shall cover the cost of hospitalization and/or payment of the services of the attending physician, including travel expenses to and from the hospital or clinic and such other incidental expenses as nay be incurred in connection with such hospitalization treatment but not to exceed the amount of US$1,000. If the foreign service personnel is too ill to travel un-attended, the travel expenses of the attendant shall also be paid by the Department concerned.
10.4 Dependents covered
Only legal dependents of those mentioned in 10.1 hereof living with the officer or employee at the post shall be entitled to the medical allowance.
11.0 Foreign service officers and employees on Official consultation or detail in Manila
Foreign service officers and employees regularly assigned abroad including Chiefs of Mission who travel to Manila on official consultation or detail shall, for the duration of the stay, be entitled to the same per diem rates prevailing for other officials and employees of the Philippine Government as recommended by the Travel Rates Committee and approved by the President, They shall be entitled to overseas allowance but not beyond thirty (30) days from date of arrival in Manila unless otherwise personally approved by the President.
12.0 Foreign service officers and employees called to the Home Office.
13.0 Taxation
14.0 Availability of Funds
15.0 Responsibility of the Head of Agency
16.0 Supplementary Regulations
17.0 Saving Clause
18.0 Effectivity
Done in the city of Manila, this 16th day of March, in the year of Our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.
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(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
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President
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Republic of the Philippines
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| By the President: | |||
| (Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE | |||
| Presidential Executive Assistant |