All Department Secretaries and Officials with Cabinet Rank are hereby directed to refrain from designating Acting Secretaries/OICs over their respective departments, agencies, or offices in the event of their temporary absence or inability to discharge their office. Instead, each Department Secretary and Cabinet-ranking Official shall, within three (3) working days from receipt of this Memorandum Circular, submit to this Office a list of at least two (2) selected subordinates from which the President may choose an Acting Secretary/OIC whenever the need arises.

It shall be the responsibility of the Department Secretary or Cabinet-ranking Official to inform this Office of any update or modification to the aforesaid list.

The submission of the list mentioned above shall not diminish the President ™s authority to designate any person of his own choice pursuant to Section 17, Book III of the Administrative Code (E.O. 292 series of 1987).

For your compliance.

Done this 26th day of December, 2012 in the City of Manila.

By authority of the President:

(SGD.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.