[ LETTER OF IMPLEMENTATION NO. 58, January 13, 1978 ]

BASIC SALARY AND ALLOWANCES OF FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

TO:
The Secretary of foreign Affairs
   
  The Commissioner of the Budget
   
  Heads of Departments with Staff Members Stationed Abroad

WHEREAS, P. D. No. 1285 and Executive Order No. 495 have been promulgated, establishing and defining a foreign service compensation plan for the national government;

WHEREAS, adjustments need to be made in the compensation structure of foreign service personnel, to take into consideration the need to rationalize the existing system and to take into account the increased cost of living in most posts abroad;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby issue the following instructions:
  1. Pursuant to P.D. No. 905, the practice of paying the basic salary of officers and employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs who are assigned abroad at the rate of P2.00 - US$1.00 shall be discontinued effective January 1, 1978.  In lieu thereof, payment shall be made in Philippine pesos or equivalent foreign currency computed using the prevailing rates as established by the Central Bank of the Philippines.
  2. The full adjustment of the salary of each class and grade of personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the rates established, under P.D. No, 905 is hereby authorized, effective January 1, 1978: Provided, That increases in salary shall be based on the class and grade to which each official and employee, is actually appointed as of December 31, 1977.
  3. In order to make up for the financial loss resulting from the discontinuation of the old preferential conversion rate previously applicable to salaries and allowances of foreign service personnel stationed abroad, the payment of Overseas Allowance denominated in US dollars is hereby directed, as follows:
      Rank
    Rates
            a) Chief of Mission:               Head of Diplomatic Mission
       
    $119,700
        Others including those assigned
    as Consul General
    17,500
         
      b) Career Minister
    14,400
         
      c) Foreign Service Officer including those with assimilated rank:
                Class I
    12,150
        Class II
    10,800
        Class III
    8,900
        Class IV
    7,800
         
      d) Foreign Service Staff Officer               Class I
    7,000
        Class II
    6,350
        Class III
    5,600
              e) Foreign Service Staff Employees               Class I
    4,950
        Class II
    4,300
        Class III
    3,750
     
  4. The existing amounts and conditions of allowances granted to foreign service, personnel shall remain in force except as may be approved by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Commissioner of the Budget.
  5. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Commissioner of the Budget and the heads of agencies with staff members assigned abroad shall evaluate the compensation structure and policies pertaining to staff members of agencies other than the Department of Foreign Affairs stationed abroad and shall recommend to the President such transitional measures and changes as may be necessary to achieve compliance with P.D. No. 1285 and Executive Order No, 495: Provided, that no adjustments in basic salary, allowances and benefits shall be made for such agencies, pending approval of the recommendations directed under this Letter.
Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.

     
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
     
President
     
Republic of the Philippines
       
       
  By the President:    
       
  (Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE    
  Presidential Executive Assistant