QuestionsQuestions (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 346)
Executive Order No. 346 is anchored on Section 76 of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1177 (which governs when subsistence may be granted), and it also considers the requirement under Section 5 of PD No. 1597 that allowances/fringe benefits must be subject to Presidential approval upon recommendation of the Secretary (Commissioner) of the Budget.
It applies to the officials and employees enumerated in Section 76 of PD No. 1177—i.e., those specific categories allowed to receive subsistence under the conditions stated in that provision.
It generally prohibits giving subsistence the cost of which is payable from any fund, unless the case falls within the listed exceptions and only when there is a specific appropriation. Exceptions include certain personnel (e.g., marine officers/crew of government vessels when abroad, lightkeepers authorized to receive subsistence, personnel required to render continuous service within hospitals/penal institutions/leper institutions/military installations including meal time, and laborers temporarily fielded to isolate or unsettled districts who are given usual rations or their cash equivalent).
It increases the rate to Php 18.00 per day or Php 6.00 per meal for the officials and employees covered by Section 76 of PD No. 1177.
EO No. 346 provides two equivalent rates: Php 18.00 per day or Php 6.00 per meal, meaning the per-meal amount is intended to compute consistent daily subsistence.
It states that due to increased prices of commodities, the previous rate is no longer adequate to meet food costs, and it also seeks to rationalize and standardize the subsistence allowance rates among the covered government positions.
EO No. 346 references EO No. 257, which already increased subsistence allowance for certain AFP personnel (and specific uniformed personnel in training/reserve status) from Php 12.00 to Php 18.00 per day. EO No. 346 aims to standardize/rationalize subsistence allowance rates for other covered officials and employees.
EO No. 346 takes effect not earlier than CY 1989, depending on the availability of funds for the purpose or savings from the 1989 appropriation of each agency concerned.
No. Section 2 expressly states it shall take effect not earlier than CY 1989, conditioned on fund availability or savings from each agency’s 1989 appropriation.
DBM must issue the necessary guidelines to implement EO No. 346.
PD No. 1597 requires that allowances, honoraria, and other fringe benefits that may be granted to government employees are subject to Presidential approval upon recommendation of the Secretary (Commissioner) of the Budget. EO No. 346 mentions this to support the legality/approval mechanism for the allowance increase.
Officials and employees required to render service within the premises of hospitals, penal institutions, leper institutions, military installations, and similar institutions for a continuous period including meal time may be allowed full subsistence when required to live in those premises to make their services available at any and all times.
It allows personnel entitled to subsistence allowance to request it when there are no mess halls, or when mess halls are inadequate, subject to approval by the department head at authorized rates chargeable against the appropriation for supplies and materials in the General Appropriations Act.
PD No. 1177 requires specific appropriation before subsistence costs can be paid from public funds, and EO No. 346 similarly makes implementation/effect dependent on the availability of funds or savings from an agency’s appropriations for 1989.
It was signed by President Corazon C. Aquino with the Executive Secretary’s attestation (Catalino Macaraig, Jr.). This indicates it is an Executive issuance with presidential authority, meant to implement lawful administrative compensation rules for government employees.