Guidelines and Procedures for the Grant of Compensation to Chairpersons and Members of Various Professional Regulatory Boards of the Professional Regulation Commission

March 11, 2002

DBM-PRC JOINT CIRCULAR NO. 1-02

 

1.0 PURPOSE

This Circular is being issued to prescribe guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of Section 10 of Republic Act (RA) No. 8981, "The PRC Modernization Act of 2000",relative to the compensation of members of various Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs),as implemented by Section 2 of Rule III of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the said Act issued jointly by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC),Department of Budget and Management (DBM),Commission on Higher Education (CHED),Philippine Association of Board Examiners (PABE) and the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA).

2.0 NATURE AND AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION

2.1 Each Chairperson or Member of the PRBs shall be granted compensation in the form of honoraria, at rates stated hereunder:

	Maximum Rate of
	Honoraria Per Month
a.	Chairperson	Equivalent to basic salary per
		month of the Third (3rd) Step
		of Salary Grade 28
b.	Member	Equivalent to the basic salary
		per month of the First (1st)
		Step of Salary Grade 28

2.2 The Chairpersons and Members of various PRBs are not entitled to other allowances/benefits, including retirement or separation benefits which under existing laws are granted only to salaried officials and employees appointed to regular plantilla positions and whose appointments are in the nature of a regular official/employee of the National Government.

3.0 SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

3.1 The honoraria shall be paid on a monthly basis, and shall be subject to the usual income tax withholding under existing laws.

3.2 The rate of honoraria shall be increased/adjusted when an increase/adjustment in the monetary value corresponding to each of the Salary Grades/Steps of the existing Salary Schedule shall have been authorized.

3.3 The Chairpersons and Members of various PRBs may be allowed full payment of claims for reimbursement of traveling and related expenses incurred in the course of official travel outside of their permanent official station, provided that such are authorized/certified by the PRC, and duly supported by receipts. Said expenses shall be chargeable against the allotment for traveling expenses of the PRC, subject to the provisions of Executive Order Nos. 248 and 248-A, both series of 1995. For this purpose, the PRC Manila Office shall be considered the permanent official station of all PRB Members. DHCcST

3.4 For purposes of this Circular, any Chairperson and/or Member of the PRB who at the same time is employed on a full time basis in any branch of the Government of the Philippines shall, subject to the concurrence of his mother office, be considered on special assignment to the Board concerned. As such:

a. he is entitled to, and will be paid by the PRC, only the difference between the honoraria herein prescribed and his actual basic salary in his mother office, in case the honoraria is higher than his actual basic salary;

b. he will continue to be paid by his mother office all allowances and benefits he is entitled to under existing laws as regular official and/or employee of the National Government; and

c. he will continue to earn leave credits in his mother office.

4.0 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHAIR/MEMBERS OF PRBs

The Chairpersons and Members of PRBs shall submit to the PRC their respective annual work program with a clear and definite statement as to how they are going to undertake their mandated functions and responsibilities under RA No. 8981. They shall likewise submit a report of accomplishment on a quarterly basis.

5.0 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEAD OF THE PRC AND ALL OTHERS CONCERNED

The Chairperson of the PRC and all other officials/employees concerned shall be jointly and severally held responsible and liable for the grant of any honoraria and/or other forms of compensation not in accordance with the provision of this Circular, without prejudice, however, to the refund of any excess payment received by the PRB Chairperson and/or Member concerned.

6.0 FUNDING SOURCE

The budgetary requirements for FY 2002 shall be charged against the P17,584,000.00 approved appropriation of the PRC for the purpose under RA No. 9162, the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for FY 2002. Thereafter, funding requirements for the purpose shall be proposed to Congress for funding in the annual GAA, subject to the availability of funds.

7.0 RESOLUTION OF ISSUES

Issues and conflicts arising from the implementation of this Circular, and cases not covered by the provisions herein shall be resolved jointly by the PRC and DBM.

8.0 RECALL OF PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS/AUTHORIZATIONS

All previous approval and authority granted by the PRC and the DBM and all other administrative authorizations which are inconsistent with this Circular are hereby recalled and shall no longer be valid, and payment pursuant thereon shall not be allowed. Likewise, this Circular shall supersede all existing policies on the grant of compensation to Chairpersons and Members of PRBs.

9.0 EFFECTIVITY

This Circular shall take effect on January 1, 2002. However, its implementation shall be made on a staggered basis subject to the availability of funds. The initial implementation, which may be made effective January 1, 2002, shall be subject to the following conditions:

a. the grant shall be at a rate where the total amount that will be required for FY 2002 shall not exceed the P17,584,000.00 authorized appropriation for the purpose under RA No. 9162;

b. any form of compensation received from January 1, 2002 up to the date of actual implementation of this Circular shall accordingly be adjusted; and aESICD

c. no additional funding support/releases shall be required from the National Government as a consequence thereof.

(SGD.) EMILIA T. BONCODINSecretaryDepartment of Budget and Management

(SGD.) ANTONIETA FORTUNA-IBEChairpersonProfessional Regulation Commission