P-Noy returns social fund administration to Presidential Management Staff

CAGAYAN, Philippines – President Aquino reverted the management and administration of the President’s Social Fund and other special funds to the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

“Mrs. Arroyo created a new office (for the funds),” Mr. Aquino said, referring to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Under Memorandum Order No. 1 signed last July 14, Mr. Aquino cited that Executive Order 130 dated Jan. 30, 1987 mandated the PMS to be the “primary government agency responsible to the Office of the President for providing staff assistance in the presidential exercise of overall management of the development process.”

Mr. Aquino said MO 184 dated Aug. 1, 1988 and MO 184-A dated Sept. 15, 1988 designated the PMS as the unit in the Office of the President that should identify, evaluate and recommend to the President project beneficiaries of the Special Presidential Action for Regional Concerns known as the President’s Social Fund, handle the disbursement of the Fund, and monitor the implementation of approved projects.

Arroyo issued MO 56 on March 15, 2002 designating an officer-in-charge under the Office of the President to oversee the management of the President’s Social Fund and other funds under the PMS.

“Such funds and their management are logically placed under the PMS to be systematically allocated in accordance with and complementary to the administration’s programs and policies,” Mr. Aquino said in his order.

Under MO 1, the PMS, acting through its head or its duly authorized representative, was designated as the officer-in-charge to oversee the management and administration of the President’s Social Fund and other funds under it.

The PMS head or its duly authorized representative shall exercise the necessary powers for the efficient operation of the fund, including the authority to undertake the final review of all requests for assistance from the Funds and submit recommendations of the requests to the President, sign memoranda of agreement/deeds of donation covering projects and/or requests approved by the President for assistance, and receive remittances for the fund and accept donations to the same.

The PMS chief will also approve requests for revision of project specifications, project realignments and utilization of savings and/or unused funds of projects assisted by the fund, disburse vouchers to authorize payments for projects approved by the President for assistance, sign and release checks covering fund releases, and issue the appropriate guidelines to implement the order.