COMMISSION ON AUDIT CIRCULAR NO.

79-104 June 19, 1979

TO : COA Managers/Regional Directors and Employees concerned

SUBJECT : Guidelines on PBL Memorandum No. I, dated February 26, 1979, entitled
"Promulgating Consolidated Revised Policies, Rules and Regulations Governing
the Paglilingkod: Bagong Lipunan Program."

Pursuant to Section II.2, Sub-paragraph 5, of PBL Memorandum Circular No. I, Series

1979, entitled "Promulgating Consolidated Revised Policies, Rules and Regulations governing
the Paglilingkod: Bagong Lipunan Program," the following implementing guidelines are hereby
issued for the compliance of all concerned:

I. WHO SHALL RENDER RURAL SERVICE:

1. Career and Non- career employee who have served for at least one (1) year shall render
15-day rural service.

1.1 Career Service Employee

1.1.1 Open career positions

1.1.2 Closed career positions

1.1.3 Positions in the Career Executive Service (CES)

1.1.4 Career Officers, other than those in the Career Executive Service, who are
appointed by the President

1.1.5 Personnel of Government Corporation excluding their subsidiaries

1.1.6 Permanently appointed laborers, whether skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled

1.2 Non-Career Service Employee

1.2.1 Contractual personnel

1.2.2 Emergency or casual personnel

2. Detailed Employees.

2.1 The Rural Service Order (PBL Form No. 3) of detailed employee shall be issued by
the Head of Office where they are detailed.

II. AREAS OF THE PBL RURAL SERVICE:

1. National government officials/employees shall have the option to render rural service in
their hometowns. If they are natives of Metro Manila or if their hometowns are 200
 kilometers or more from Manila, they can choose any province outside of the National
Capital Region.

1.1 Those who selected to render rural service in place other than their hometowns shall
report to the Provincial/City Rural Service Secretariat for assignment.

2. Areas of any barangay within commuting distance may be chosen by female employees
for any of the following reasons:

2.1 Force majeure.

2.2 Those taking care of retarded or sick children/husband/siblings/1st degree relatives

and aged parents.

2.3 Head of the family.

2.4 Abortion on miscarriage.

3. National and regional government employees assigned in the regional offices shall render
rural service within the region; national and provincial/city employees in the provincial
offices, within the province/city; national and municipal offices, within the municipality.

III. GENERAL PROVISIONS:

1. All government ministries/offices/agencies/corporations shall require officials/employees to

adopt a depressed barangay wherein they shall render rural service for three (3)
consecutive years. They are also encourage to return to the adopted barangay from time
to time, even if not on rural service, to visit or render such assistance as may be needed.
A special report by the rural service worker concerned must be submitted to the Head of
Agency for outstanding performance record, copy furnished the Rural Service Secretariat
concerned.

2. Government employees retiring, resigning or going abroad after April 30, 1979 or after
January 31, every year thereafter, shall be required to render rural service before the
effectivity of their retirement, resignation or departure for abroad.

2.1 Government officials/employees who are retiring shall present proof of compliance
with LOI 559 to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) before they could
be entitled to receive their retirement pay.

2.2 Government officials/employees who are resigning shall present of compliance with
LOI 559 to the Head of Office concerned before they could be entitled to receive
terminal pay and other emoluments due them.

2.3 Government officials/employees who are going abroad for personal reasons, shall
present proof of compliance with LOI 599 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before
they could be granted travel visa.
3. Government officials/employees found physically fit to render rural service shall submit a
medical certificate to the Head of Agency as basis for issuing the Rural Service Order
(PBL Form No. 3) as required under Memorandum Circular No. 1036, series of 1978.

3.1 Medical Certificate of physically unfit government employee shall likewise be

submitted to the Head of Agency, copy furnished the Rural Service Secretariat
concerned for record purposes.

3.2 Ministries offices and agencies without medical officers may avail of the services of
government hospital, puericulture centers and clinics for the required medical
certificate.

4. Exemption.

4.1 Those over 65 years of age.

4.2 Female employee on family way which shall be counted as nine (9) months during
normal pregnancy plus three (3) months after delivery or total of twelve (12) months
to be certified by a government physician.

4.3 Those who are physically incapacitated as certified to by a government physician,

during the period of incapacity.

5. All heads of the National Government Offices in Metro Manila shall submit the names of
the employees who are exempted from rendering rural service and the reason/s for their
exemptions to the National Rural Service Secretariat for record purposes.

6. Commutation of Leave - the following shall not be entitled to commutations of leave.

6.1 Employees receiving of monthly salary of more than P1,500.00.

6.2 Employees rendering rural service in the Metro Manila area.

6.3 National Government employees rendering rural service in the provinces of Rizal,
Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and Pampanga, unless authorized by the
Ministry Head upon sufficient proof that they are assigned to a remote rural area to
which they are not commuting from their place of work.

6.4 Local government employees rendering rural service in the municipality or city of
which they are employed.

6.5 Employees of regional offices of the various ministries, bureaus and offices of the
National Government rendering rural service within the province or city where their
regional offices are located.

7. Applicable Civil Service laws and rules are those provided under "Administrative Penalties
for Specific Offenses" specifically:

7.1 Willful violation of the provisions of Civil Service Act.

 7.2 Willful violation of office regulations and/or refusal or neglect to comply with such
provisions.

7.3 Dishonesty.

7.4 Neglect of duty.

7.5 Misconduct

7.6 Inefficiency or incompetence in the performance of official duties.

7.7 Falsification of official documents.

7.8 Refusal of person to perform official duty.

8. Under the Civil Service laws and rules, heads of ministries, bureaus and instrumentalities,
provinces, cities and municipalities have the original disciplinary jurisdiction over the
officers and employees.

8.1 The disciplinary authority may impose the penalty of:

8.1.1 Removal from service.

8.1.2 Transfer.

8.1.3 Demotion in rank.

8.1.4 Suspension for not more than one (1) year without pay.

8.1.5 Fine in an amount not exceeding six (6) month's salary, or

8.1.6 Reprimand.

9. Rules and regulations, guidelines, memoranda, and other issuances inconsistent herewith
made by the Sub-Cabinet Committee, PBL, and the National Rural Service Secretariat are
repealed or revoked accordingly. However, the Regional Rural Service Committee may
adopt policies relevant to local conditions but such policies shall not inconsistent with
national policies.

These implementing instructions shall take effect May 1, 1979.

(SGD.) FRANCISCO S. TANTUICO, JR., Acting Chairman