Guidelines for Providing Free Quarters to Officials

Applies to officials and equivalents assigned or transferred outside their domicile without owning housing
Covered officials include:
- Department Regional Directors (Category A)
- Department Assistant Regional Directors (Category A)
- Bureau Regional Directors (Category B)
- Assistant Bureau Regional Directors (Category B)

Not applicable to:
- Public Health Workers covered by RA 7305 (Magna Carta of Public Health Workers)
- Uniformed personnel of DILG, DND, and NAMRIA
- Officials with free quarters expressly provided by existing laws, rules, or regulations
- Officials stationed abroad

Heads of national government agencies, GOCCs, and financial institutions may provide free quarters within office premises to covered officials reassigned/transferred outside domicile without housing
No DBM approval needed for such provision
If insufficient space within premises, agencies may rent housing at reasonable rates as per prevailing local rental costs and manual standards
Rental contracts to be entered between agency and dwelling unit owner, payments made to owner, not commuted to official
Prescribed maximum rental rates by category and locality:
- Special Cities (e.g., Manila/QC): P3,000 (A), P2,500 (B)
- Highly Urbanized Cities/Capital Center: P2,500 (A), P2,000 (B)
- Others: P2,000 (A & B)
Rental rates inclusive of telephone, water, and electricity charges
Officials desiring more expensive quarters may secure these at their own cost for the difference

National government agencies charge expenses to Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allotment; included in annual office building rental as mandatory expenses
GOCCs and financial institutions charge expenses to their corporate funds

Issues not covered by Circular submitted to the Department of Budget and Management for resolution