QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 2700)
No. Section 2 provides that the adoption of the performance-budget system based on functions, activities and projects in terms of expected results shall not result in any manner in the laying off of classified Civil Service personnel except for cause as provided by law, nor in the reduction of actual salaries of incumbents, or demotion in rank, or change of status.
Under Section 3, with the President’s approval, savings in regular appropriations for “personal services,” “maintenance and other operating expenses,” and “equipment” of bureaus and offices under an Executive Department may be used to cover a deficit in any other item of regular appropriations (except personal services) under the same Department, subject to limits—no augmentation by more than 30% of the original appropriation for the item.
The corresponding amounts appropriated for personal services are deemed transferred, without increasing the total outlay for personal services of the Department concerned.
The Auditor General and the Commissioner of the Budget must submit separately to Congress a quarterly report on any transfer of appropriation made to cover a deficit, specifying items and funds involved, and furnish copies to each member of Congress. Heads of bureaus/offices appropriations based on the Performance Budget must separately submit to each member of Congress a quarterly report of their accomplishments.
Examples include: (1) claims under Section 699 of the Revised Administrative Code and the Workmen’s Compensation Act for deaths/injuries in line of duty; (2) commutation of money value of additional leave/extended leave/accrued leave earned by specified American and Filipino officers/employees (with conditions); (3) purchase of equipment to replace lost/damaged equipment due to accident, fire, or calamity; (4) payment of salaries of suspended employees later exonerated; (5) payment of gratuities of employees laid off due to elimination of positions in the government reorganization (with conditions). Many other enumerated items are also allowed.
Although Section 5 is broad, Section 3 and Section 6 both expressly provide the limitation that, in no case, shall any item of appropriation be augmented by more than thirty percent (30%) of the original appropriation. The text of Section 5 includes its own authorization list; student answers commonly emphasize the 30% augmentation cap applied in the related authority sections.
The President may suspend or otherwise stop the expenditure of any amount appropriated in any item(s) for the Executive Departments, upon notice to the head of office, except amounts for salaries of positions with incumbents. The funds affected then become available for other authorized expenditures in the Act, except for personal services.
The Auditor General and the Commissioner of the Budget must report separately to Congress within 30 days any suspension or transfer of funds made by the President during the previous quarter, and furnish copies to each member of Congress.
Failure to make the report within the specified period automatically causes the suspension of the payment of their salaries until they have complied.
Appropriations may be used to pay excess of actual salaries to an incumbent who is actually receiving the excess as part of salary granted upon appointment before reduction of basic pay. If the position is vacated and the successor has previously received an equal salary plus the excess in the same or another branch, the successor’s excess may also be allowed.
They are generally available only for locally manufactured items, except when none is available in the market, or when local prices exceed the Flag Law-determined prices by ten percent (10%).
No appropriation for Executive Apartments may be used to rent automobiles, jitneys, or trucks on a monthly basis, or on a daily basis for a continuous period exceeding fifteen (15) days.
No appropriation authorized in the Act may be used to purchase automobiles, jitneys, jeeps, station wagons, motorcycles and other motor vehicles unless otherwise specifically provided in the Act.
Except for the President, no government official or employee authorized to use a vehicle maintained from appropriations in this Act may use more than one such vehicle. The Vice-President, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House may be allowed to use two vehicles each. Also, an official already furnished motor transportation allowance by any government corporation or other official is not allowed to use motor vehicle transportation operated and maintained from appropriations in this Act.
Use is authorized only through issuance of a serially numbered trip ticket, duly signed by the chief or administrative officer of the bureau/office concerned; vehicles must be used strictly for official business, bear government plates only, and after office hours be kept in the garage provided by the bureau/office, except when used for strictly official business outside office hours.
No. Subject to existing civil service rules and proper administrative proceedings, no part of funds available for expenditure by any agency included in the Act shall be used to pay salary or wages of an officer/employee who engages in a strike against the Government or who is a member of an organization that asserts the right to strike against the Government, or who advocates or is a member of an organization advocating overthrow of the Government by force or violence.
No per diems in excess of fifty pesos (₱50) shall be paid to any official or employee traveling outside the Philippines.