Adopted: 07 March 2012
Date Filed: 12 March 2012
Section 1. Legal Basis and Justification

1. Book V, Title I, subtitle A, Chapter 1, Sec. 1 of Executive Order No. 292 or otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, enjoins the government to adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, and integrity in the Civil Service.
   
   
2. Sec. 42, Chapter 7, Subtitle B, Book V, Title 1, of Executive Order No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987 requires that œall moneys and property officially received by a public officer in any capacity or upon any occasion must be accounted for as government funds and government property. 
   
   
3. Executive Order (EO) No. 605, (Institutionalizing the Structure, Mechanisms and Standards to Implement the Government Quality Management Program Amending for the Purpose Administration Order No. 161, S. 2006) calls for adoption of measures that would promote stronger accountability; ethical, economical, efficient and effective operations; improved ability to address risks to achieve general control objectives; better systems of responding to the needs of citizens; and quality outputs and outcomes and effective governance.
   
   
4. Republic Act No. 6713 or otherwise known as the œCode of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees  espouses high ethical standards and a responsive, accountable and accessible public service.
   
   
5. Section 1, Chapter 1, Subtitle B, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987, provides that œ[all] resources of the government shall be managed, expended or utilized in accordance with law and regulations and safeguarded against loss or wastage through illegal or improper disposition to ensure efficiency, economy and effectiveness in the operations of government. The responsibility to take care that such policy is faithfully adhered to rests directly with the chief or head of the government agency concerned. 
   
   
6. Executive Order No. 608, entitled, œEstablishing a National Security Clearance System for Government Personnel with Access to Classified Matters and for Other Purposes,  states that, œit is the duty and responsibility of all government departments, agencies and offices to implement security measures that will protect and ensure the integrity and sanctity of classified or sensitive materials or information they have access to or in their possession 
   
   
7. Section 87 of the Foreign Service Act empowers the Secretary to issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the Act as well as the provisions of acts, decrees, and orders which are not inconsistent with it;
   
   
8. There is a need for the Foreign Service to take into account the frequent changes in personnel, ensure the continuity of service, preserve institutional memory and accomplishments with an institutionalized system of turnovers.

Section 2. Coverage

1. All personnel of the Department occupying an officially designated position with the following status: assignment or transfer to Foreign Service Posts or Office, separation from the Service, resignation, retirement, job rotation or reassignment within the same Office or Post shall accomplish a turnover report upon departure from the position.
   
   
2. All officers and employees of the Department in the Home Office, the Regional Consular Offices, Foreign Service Posts and all attached agencies, whether they are regular, permanent, temporary, substitute, contractual, trainee or casual employees are covered by this Order.
   
   
3. This Order also covers duly appointed Special Envoys, Honorary Consuls, attached service personnel, locally-hired employees in the Philippine Foreign Service Posts, consultants, detailed or seconded personnel, under the disciplinary jurisdiction of the President or the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, healthcare provider staff, and other persons who are under job/service contract with the Department.
   
   
4. All employees who are going on extended leaves, scholarships, secondment or volunteer work of a calendar month or more or as determined proper by the immediate supervising authority. The Order shall also include vacation, study or other leaves that consist of more than a month of absence. Further, personnel on prolonged suspensions due to disciplinary action are covered by this Order.
   
   
5. Exceptions to this Order include those who are dropped from the rolls or have been separated from the Service due to sudden incapacity, death or illness or those who go on extended emergency leave due to sudden illness or death of immediate family members. In the absence of a turnover report, the supervising authority and/or subordinate will submit an alternative report outlining applicable sections of the turnover report.

Section 3. Elements of a Turnover Report

The preparation of a Turnover Report will include the following sections, as applicable:

1. Organizational chart or outline of chain of command
   
   
2. Description of Position ™s Mandate, Mission, Responsibilities, Duties and Functions
   
   
3. Key outputs of the Position
   
   
4. An Inventory and location of labeled files (physical and electronic) and resources
   
   
5. Property, accountable forms and funds
   
   
6. Contracts
   
   
7. Ongoing, pending and upcoming projects, programs, cases and activities
   
   The following template shall be adopted for this section of the Turnover Report
   
   

   Project/Program/Case/Activity	Status (Ongoing, pending, upcoming)	Description	Desired Outcome	Milestones	Contacts

   
   
   
8. Membership or positions held in any off ice, board, committee, technical working group or any other temporary organizational arrangement that involves the commitment of the personnel.
   
   
9. Accomplishments and contributions in meeting the approved work plan of the Office.
   
   
10. Recommendations and Acknowledgments

Section 4. Implementation

1. The Office of Personnel and Administrative Services (OPAS) and administrative officers will be tasked to monitor compliance with this Order. OPAS is also tasked to provide seminars on the proper submission of Turnover Reports.
   
   
2. The turnover report procedures should form part of the orientation for incoming personnel and replacements and will primarily be the task of the Administrative Officer.
   
   
3. The departing personnel should, as much as practicable, be personally available to provide a transition period for the incoming personnel. Contact information of the departing personnel should be available for subsequent inquiries on the work of the position. The contact information should include postal address, email address, and contact number/s.
   
   
4. An outgoing Finance Officer may stay at the post up to a maximum of thirty (30) days from the date of arrival thereat of the incoming Finance Officer. An outgoing Property Officer, on the other hand, is authorized to stay up to fifteen (15) days from the time the incoming Property Officer arrives thereat. The following positions at a foreign service post shall be allowed to stay up to a maximum of ten (10) days from the date of arrival of the incoming replacement:
   
   
   1. Deputy Chief of Mission
      
   2. Minister, First Secretary and Consul
      
   3. Second Secretary and Vice Consul
      
   4. Third Secretary and Vice Consul
      
   5. Secretary of the Head of Post
      
   6. Administrative Officer
      
   7. Economic Officer
      
   8. Political Officer
      
   9. Cultural Officer
      
   10. Communications/Information Officer
       
   11. Protocol Officer
       
   12. Records Officer
       
   13. Property Officer
       
   14. Translator/Interpreter
       
   15. Driver
   
   
   The prescribed period for overlaps between incoming and outgoing officials may be in addition to the reglementary period of sixty (60) days prescribed for reassigned personnel. The grace period herein authorized, however, does not apply if the incoming accountable officer is already a member of the staff.
   
   
5. Whenever possible, the incoming accountable officer should arrive at the post within the authorized period of sixty (60) days and before the outgoing accountable officer should depart for his new post of assignment.
   
   
6. The supervising officer and/or Head of Office/Post shall ensure that all the prescribed elements of a turnover report are incorporated and that all information contained therein are sufficiently comprehensive to aid incoming personnel in assuming the roles and responsibilities of the office.
   
   
7. Turnover reports are to be prepared and submitted prior to the arrival of the replacement, preferably a month prior to official movement from office or post or as deemed necessary.
   
   
8. Upon assuming charge of a position, the incoming personnel shall request for the turnover report of the predecessor from the Administrative Officer.
   
   
9. Turnover reports follow a uniform matrix format but this shall not preclude the option of submitting the document in a narrative format. An appropriate cover memo shall be included in the submission of a Turnover Report.
   
   
10. Examination of turnover reports should form part of any performance audit undertaken by the Internal Audit Service (IAS)
    
    
11. The submission of a turnover report shall be one of the requirements for the issuance of a clearance by the Head of Office/Post through the personnel ™s immediate supervisor, and with a copy furnished to the Administrative Officer of the Office.
    
    
12. The turnover report shall form part of the 201 files of the departing personnel. Submission/non-submission of the turnover report shall form part of the review of the personnel ™s next tour of duty. Performance Appraisal Reports (PARs), and basis for promotions. OPAS-PMD shall note the compliance of personnel of this Order.

Section 5. Briefing Module

OPAS shall prepare a briefing module on the institution of Turnover reports in the Department for implementation by Administrative Officers.

OPAS shall provide a briefing of the implementation of the Department Order upon request from incoming Administrative Officers.

Section 6. Review by PRAISE (Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence) COMMITTEE

A certified true copy of the Turnover report which shall also serve as an Accomplishment report shall be forwarded to the PRAISE Committee for evaluation for possible qualification for any award, recognition or incentives.

Section 7. Funding

The funding requirements in the institution of turnover reports shall be appropriated and incorporated in the General Appropriations Act.


Section 8. Administrative Liability

Any violation or non-compliance with this order shall be considered a serious offense and shall be punishable in accordance with civil service rules and regulations. The filing of an administrative case against any erring personnel or officer does not preclude the filing of any other appropriate criminal or civil case for the same violation/s. Complaints of non-compliance or failure to meet standards set by the supervising authority or the Department shall be filed with OPAS for appropriate action.

Section 9. Repealing Clause

All Department Orders, circulars and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any provisions of this order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 10. Effectivity

This order shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its filing with the University of the Philippines Law Center.

(SGd.) ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs