No career executive rank for NDCP grads for now — Palace

Malacañang suspended the granting of Career Executive Service (CES) ranks to graduates of master’s studies of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), citing “a need to re-evaluate the foregoing policy of granting” the said ranks.

National Defense College of the Philippines (Photo from NDCP website)

In Memorandum Circular No. 35, which was uploaded on the Official Gazette, the Palace said it is imposing a moratorium on Executive Order (EO) No. 145, which gives the CES status to NDCP graduates once they enter government.

The moratorium would affect granting CES ranks to graduates of NDCP’s Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program “to provide ample opportunity to study and re-assess the justifications for, as well as the policy implications of the grant of CES rank to graduates of the MNSA program of the NDCP.”

“The implementation of EO No. 145 is hereby suspended, pending the study of the policy implications of EO No. 145, and consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the NDCP, to be conducted by the CESB (CES Board),” the memo read.

It added that the CESB must submit to the Office of the President (OP), through the Office of the Executive Secretary, a “comprehensive report on its findings together with its recommendations which shall include either the lifting of the moratorium or the revocation of EO No. 145, as may be appropriate” within 60 days from the issuance of the circular.

The memorandum was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on behalf of President Marcos on Oct. 2.

Among the reasons Malacañang cited for the moratorium are the strategies on good governance under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

It said that to guarantee “bureaucratic efficiency,” the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 aims “to guarantee competent and agile human resources in the government, which includes strengthening the CES through the continuous updating of its programs, and the development of a new competency framework for the public sector.”

It also underscored the need to “reevaluate” the foregoing policy of granting the CES rank to ensure that the objectives and policies are still consistent with the prevailing laws, rules, and regulations.

— Raymund Antonio

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