Palace ends operations of 10 agencies under president's office

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has started winding up the operations of the 10 agencies under the Office of the President abolished for duplication of functions.                                                    

President Aquino issued Executive Order 18 on Dec. 9, giving employees of the abolished agencies until yesterday to vacate their offices.                                                     

Employees of the abolished agencies will be able to avail of the benefits under pertinent laws.                 

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte earlier said the employees of the agencies know their tenure is co-terminus with their respective agencies.

“My understanding is that their (term) is co-terminus with their offices, although I don’t have an idea how many personnel are affected,” she told state-run radio station dzRB.

“If the projects are finished, their services have also come to an end. This is the nature of locally-funded projects.”                                                                                    

The agencies abolished were the Mindanao Development Council, Office of the North Luzon Quadrangle Area, Office of External Affairs, Minerals Development Council, the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region, Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Centers.

The agencies have not been provided with allocations in the recently signed P1.645-trillion national budget for this year.                                                    

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the elimination of the 10 agencies would result in savings of up to P304.6 million.