Rationalization of the Office of Presidential Chief of Staff

January 13, 2006

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 138

RATIONALIZING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF AND STAFF SUPPORT TO THE PRESIDENT

WHEREAS, Administrative Order No. 109 dated 16 February 2000 created the Office of the Chief of Staff;

WHEREAS, Administrative Order No. 62 dated 12 February 2004 created the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff;

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title II, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987 gives the President the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President;

NOW, THEREFORE I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1.Roles and Functions. — The Presidential Chief of Staff shall have the rank and emoluments of a Cabinet Secretary and shall have the following roles and functions:

1. Care of the President:

1.1. Together with the Cabinet Officer for Presidential Engagements (COPE), control the schedule of the President:

a. Together with the COPE, principal manager of the President's trips activities engagements.

b. Ensure focus on agreed theme of Presidential activities. CDTHSI

1.2. Together with the COPE, control access to the President.

2. Policy Adviser:

2.1. Provide good, wise and honest counsel on important matters of policy and politics, including right timing for decisions.

2.2. Review papers coming to the President.

2.3. Act as Vice Chairman of the Strategic Management Team, which shall be chaired by the Executive Secretary.

3. Presidential Advocate:

3.1. Advocate strategic policy and program initiatives of the President.

3.2. Build and maintain "bridges" with critical stakeholders (Cabinet, Congress, Judiciary, Private Sector, lobbyists, etc.)

3.3. Guard the President's interests. Protect the President from forces that could destroy the Administration.

4. Other functions that may be directed by the President.

SECTION 2. Relationship with the Executive Secretary. — The Executive Secretary shall continue to perform the functions traditionally associated with his Office, including but not limited to the following:

1. Malacanan Palace Manager:

1.1. Overseer of everything.

1.2. Oversee the personal staff of the President, including the Internal Household Affairs Office through the Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration, and the functioning of the Malacanan Palace processes. Coordinate everything, provided that the Chief of Staff shall oversee the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Appointments Office and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), and shall supervise the Protocol Office, the Social Secretary's Office, the Correspondence Office, and the Speechwriting Group; provided further that the supervision of the Malacanan Museum shall be transferred from the PMS to the Executive Secretary.

1.3. Convene regularly Malacanan Palace staff meetings.

2. Presidential Adviser:

2.1. Provide good, wise and honest counsel on important matters of policy and politics, including right timing for decisions.

2.2. Review papers coming out of the President.

2.3. Convene regularly Strategic Management Team (SMT) meetings.

3. Presidential Communicator:

3.1. Communicate to all stakeholders and public Presidential decisions and initiatives (ensure that information is communicated in the right way, at the right time and to the right people).

3.2. Build and maintain "bridges" with critical stakeholders (Cabinet, Congress, Judiciary, Private Sector, lobbyists, etc.).

3.3. Guard the President's interests. Protect the President from forces that could destroy the Administration.

3.4. Create the desirable "public face/image" of the President.

4. Other functions that may be directed by the President.

SECTION 3. Staff Complement. — The Presidential Chief of Staff shall assisted by three (3) Undersecretaries. The Chief of Staff shall recommend and appropriate staffing pattern for the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, for approval of the Executive Secretary. Secondment and detail of personnel from other offices in the Office of the President and from the Departments and other government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations, may be undertaken whenever necessary. cdasia1uplaws06

SECTION 4. Funding. — Funds for the personnel and operations of the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff and for the operation of the SMT created hereunder shall be sourced from the budget of the Office of the President and from the unprogrammed funds of the National Government.

SECTION 5. SMT. — There is hereby created a Strategic Management Team (SMT) in the Office of the President. It shall be composed of the following:

 

Chairman	Executive Secretary
Vice-Chairman	Presidential Chief of Staff
Members	Press Secretary
Political Advisor
Director-General National Security Council
Secretary, DILG

 

 

The Chairman shall designate other officials/members, as deemed appropriate. Concerned government officials and private sector leaders shall be invited to participate, whenever necessary.

 

SECTION 6. Functions of the SMT. — The Strategic Management Team shall have the following functions:

1. Monitor developments in all sectors and recommend to the President strategic directions, plans and programs.

2. Provide guidance in the formulation and implementation communications programs and campaigns.

3. Perform other functions that may be directed by the President.

SECTION 7. PMS. — The PMS shall provide and administrative and technical staff support to the SMT.

All offices in the Office of the President and agencies of government are hereby directed to provide support and assistance to the SMT.

SECTION 8. All orders, rules, regulations and issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Administrative Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of January 2006.