Section 38September 19, 1991, Sec./Art. 38

Rotation Plan. – The Secretary shall established a system of assignment and transfer to ensure that all qualified career service officers and employees in the Department shall alternately serve in the diplomatic and consular post in different regions of the world and in the home office. Excluded from the rotation plan are those in the non-career service and those in the career service appointed to such positions which, in the judgment of the Secretary, require a posting of longer duration in the home office.

For this purpose, Manila shall be considered a separate post. The Secretary shall promulgate the guidelines including the financial implications of the provision.

The assignments and transfers of personnel shall follow a regular rotation plan and no officer or employee shall be assigned to a post for less than two (2) or more than six (6) years. For the purpose of assignments, the home office shall be considered as another post. In no case shall an officer or employee be assigned to the same post for two (2) consecutive tours of duty unless he shall have served in other posts located in other regions where there are foreign service establishments. Assignments to hardship posts shall not exceed three (3) years.

Assignments to posts abroad shall take into consideration the particular area of concern that the Government seeks to promote so that only personnel qualified and trained, with a basic knowledge of the language, shall be assigned to said country.