Question & AnswerQ&A (MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 79)
Operational capacity is defined as the number of employees or workers who can be permitted or required to physically report to work on-site in a particular government agency, generally expressed as a percentage of the total workforce in such agency.
Skeleton workforce refers to the operational capacity which utilizes the smallest number of people needed for a government agency to perform its basic functions.
Government agencies and instrumentalities under MECQ shall adopt a skeleton workforce up to a maximum of 50% operational capacity at any given time, unless a higher operational capacity is required for agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, border control, and other critical services.
The offices of the legislative and judicial branches of government, independent constitutional commissions and bodies, and local government units (LGUs) located in areas placed under MECQ are strongly urged to adopt the provisions of this Circular.
The purpose is to ensure that the delivery of services of government agencies is not hampered or impaired despite the limitations on physical workforce during MECQ, by adopting the most appropriate alternative work arrangements in compliance with Civil Service Commission rules.
All heads of government agencies are responsible for adopting the most appropriate alternative work arrangements for their respective agencies while maintaining compliance with the operational capacity guidelines.
Memorandum Circular No. 79 took effect immediately upon its signing on August 3, 2020.
All government agencies and instrumentalities of the executive branch, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), located in areas under MECQ are covered under the operational capacity guidelines.
Agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, border control, and other critical services may require higher operational capacity than the 50% maximum allowed for other government agencies.
It acknowledges and builds upon the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines issued by the IATF and the CSC Memorandum Circular No. 10 (s. 2020) on Revised Interim Guidelines for Alternative Work Arrangements during the national emergency due to COVID-19.