Assignment of Government Extension Workers in Rural Areas

September 10, 1977

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 599

WHEREAS, the drive towards nation building necessarily focuses attention upon the rural areas where most of the development programs are implemented;

WHEREAS, this means that greater efforts must be exerted to further intensify rural development to uplift the living conditions of the masses of our people;

WHEREAS, the civil service, no less than the rest of our citizenry, must be actively involved in this great and noble task;

WHEREAS, it has been observed that the administrative levels of the government are overstaffed even as manpower requirements for rural work are not adequately met;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and direct:

1. All heads of departments, bureaus and agencies of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations and local governments, shall make an inventory of their respective personnel to determine who among them could be assigned to the different regions of the country to perform extension work and assist the farmers, homemakers and the rural youth in production endeavors.

 They shall further see to it that a larger percentage of their workforce, preferably 70% shall be assigned to such extension service.

2. The Budget Commission shall draw up a new salary plan for extension workers in order to provide encouragement to those employees who will be selected for this type of work, as it is my intention to give a premium for the service of these workers.

 This plan should be submitted to me soonest for approval.

3. The Civil Service Commission and the Department of Local Government and Community Development shall devise a training course for extension workers which shall, among others, provide these government employees with the necessary skills to interact with the recipients of their services in the rural areas, and with the knowledge necessary for effective extension work.

This Letter of Instructions shall take effect immediately. acd

DONE in San Fernando, La Union, this 10th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Seven.