Article 155p. 155

ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND LAW OF PUBLIC OFFICERS TEXT AND RULES

RULE I Coverage

SECTION 1. These Rules shall cover all officials and

employees in the government, elective and appointive,

permanent

or

temporary,

whether

in the career or

non-career

service,

including

military

and

police

personnel, whether or not they receive compensation,

regardless of amount.

RULE II Interpretation

SECTION 1. These Rules shall be interpreted in the

light of the Declaration of Policy found in Section 2 of the

Code:

"It is the policy of the State to promote a high

standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and

employees shall at all times be accountable to the people

and

shall

discharge

their

duties

with

utmost

responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, act with

patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold

public interest over personal interest."

RULE III Reforms on Public Administrative

Systems

SECTION 1. Every department, office and agency shall,

as soon as practicable and in no case later than ninety

(90)

days

from

the

effectivity

of

these

Rules, start

conducting value development programs for its officials

and employees in order to strengthen their commitment

to public service and help promote the primacy of public

interest over personal interest in the performance of their

duties. Such programs and other parallel efforts on value

development shall include, among other things, the

following subjects:

(a) Ethical and moral values;

(b)

Rights,

duties

and

responsibilities

of

public

servants;

(c) Nationalism and patriotism;

(d) Justice and human rights;

(e) Democracy in a free and just society;

(f) Philippine history, culture and tradition; and

(g)

Socio-economic

conditions

prevailing

in

the

country, especially in the depressed areas, and the need

for a Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards.

Continuing refresher courses and seminars and/or

workshops to promote a high standard of ethics in public

service shall be conducted.

SECTION 2. Professional, scientific, technical trainings

and education programs shall enhance to the highest

degree, professionalism, excellence, intelligence and skills

in

the

performance

and

discharge

of

duties

and

responsibilities

of

officials

and

employees.

These

programs

shall

be

conducted

in

all

offices

of

the

government

and

may

include

subjects

that

are

enumerated in the preceding section.

SECTION 3. It is the responsibility of every head of

department, office and agency to ensure that officials

and employees attend the value development program

and participate in parallel value development efforts.

SECTION 4. Every department, office and agency

shall conduct continuing studies and analyses of their

work systems and procedures to improve delivery of

public

services.

Towards

this end, such studies and

analyses shall: (1) identify systems and procedures that

lead or contribute to negative bureaucratic behavior; (2)

simplify rules and procedures to avoid red tape; and (3)

devise or adopt systems and procedures that promote

official and employee morale and satisfaction.

Each department, office or agency shall develop a

service guide or its functional equivalent which shall be

regularly updated and made available to the transacting

public. A workflow chart showing procedures or flow of

documents

shall

likewise

be

posted in conspicuous

places

in

the department, office or agency for the

information and guidance of all concerned.

Upon

request,

the

Department

of

Budget

and

Management

shall

assist

departments,

offices

and

agencies in the evaluation and adoption of work systems

and procedures that will institutionalize a management

climate conducive to public accountability.

SECTION 5. Every department, office and agency shall

consult the public they serve for the purpose of gathering

feedback and suggestions on the efficiency, effectiveness

and

economy

of

services.

They

shall

establish

mechanisms

to

ensure

the

conduct

of

public

consultations and hearings.

SECTION 6. Every department, office and agency shall

continuously conduct research and experimentation on

measures and adopt innovative programs which will

provide motivation to officials and employees in raising

the level of observance of public service ethical standards.

SECTION 7. Every department, office and agency

shall, in consultation with the Office of the Ombudsman,

appoint or designate a resident Ombudsman who shall

act immediately on all requests for public assistance

referred to him by the Ombudsman and his Deputies. He

shall

be

held

accountable for the disposition of all

requests for assistance.

SECTION

8.

Government

officials

shall

make

themselves available to their staff for consultations and

dialogues.

RULE IV Transparency of Transactions and

Access to Information

SECTION

1.

Subject

to

reasonable

conditions

prescribed by law, the State adopts and implements a

policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions

involving public interest.

SECTION

2.

It

is

the

responsibility

of

heads

of

departments, offices and agencies to establish measures

and standards that will ensure transparency of and

openness in public transactions in their respective offices,

such

as

in

biddings,

purchases,

other

financial

transactions including contracts, status of projects, and

all other matters involving public interest.

They shall establish information systems that will

inform the public of the following: (a) policies, rules, and

procedures;

(b)

work

programs,

projects,

and

performance targets; (c) performance reports; and (d) all

other documents as may hereafter be classified as public

information.

Such

information shall be utilized solely for the

purpose

of

informing

the

public

of

such

policies;

programs and accomplishments, and not to build the

public image of any official or employee or to advance his

own personal interest.

SECTION 3. Every department, office or agency shall

provide official information, records or documents to any

requesting public, except if:

(a) such information, record or document must be

kept secret in the interest of national defense or security

or the conduct of foreign affairs;

(b) such disclosure would put the life and safety of an

individual in imminent danger;

(c) the information, record or document sought falls

within the concepts of established privilege or recognized

© Compiled by RGL

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