Title
Gov't Motor Vehicle Acquisition and Rental Guidelines
Law
Dbm National Budget Circular No. 446, S. 95
Decision Date
Nov 24, 1995
DBM National Budget Circular No. 446 establishes guidelines for the acquisition and rental of government motor vehicles, limiting purchases to essential vehicles and requiring approvals from designated officials to ensure efficient use of public funds.

Law Summary

General Policy on Government Motor Vehicles

  • Ensures efficient and effective use of government motor vehicles
  • Acquisition limited to necessary vehicles for authorized officials or functional transport needs

Restrictions on Use of Funds for Motor Vehicles

  • Prohibits use of government funds for motor vehicle purchase except:
    • Medical ambulances, military and police patrol vehicles, utility vehicles, road construction equipment, motorized bancas, vehicles for mass transport publicly necessary
    • Authorized by Department or agency head and DBM Secretary
    • Vehicles authorized by President, Senate President, Speaker, or Chief Justice

Authorized Official Users of Government Motor Vehicles

  • Officials authorized include: President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker, Chief Justice, Secretaries and equivalent ranks, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice, top diplomatic officials, AFP Chiefs, Heads of Constitutional Commissions
  • Additional authorization possible from top officials with costs charged to respective offices

Limitations on Rental of Motor Vehicles

  • Rental cannot exceed continuous period of 15 days without Secretary of Budget and Management approval

Authority to Purchase Motor Vehicles

  • NGAs, GOCCs, LGUs may purchase specified utility and service vehicles upon agency head and DBM Secretary approval
  • Presidential approval required for passenger cars, fully imported chassis vehicles, aircrafts, and seacrafts
  • Legislative and Judicial branches require approval of their respective heads instead of President

Vehicle Types, Classification, and Specifications

  • Purchases must comply with Motor Vehicle Classification and Specifications Guide (MVCSG)
  • DBM may reduce or alter vehicle types/specifications for cost-efficiency and suitability

Cost and Accounting of Acquisition

  • Acquisition cost strictly based on approved specifications
  • Subject to accounting and auditing regulations

Modes of Acquisition

  • Vehicles may be acquired via outright purchase or assembly with local chassis and surplus/reconditioned engines
  • Assembly permitted when new vehicles unavailable or cost-prohibitive, or suited for local terrain
  • Requires agency head and DBM Secretary approval

Official Vehicle Entitlement

  • Officials entitled by law plus assistant secretaries and bureau/regional directors upon Presidential approval
  • One vehicle per official generally; Cabinet secretaries may have a security detail vehicle pending justification and higher authorization

Replacement of Motor Vehicles

  • Criteria for replacement:
    • 7 years old and 175,000 kms for cars and service vehicles
    • 5 years old and 150,000 kms for utility vehicles
  • Early replacement allowed if unserviceable with proper inspection report or if maintenance costs exceed 30% of new vehicle price

Submission of Motor Vehicle Inventory

  • NGAs, GOCCs, LGUs must submit complete up-to-date vehicle inventory within 60 days
  • Inventory to cover all units including field offices
  • One-time submission forms the baseline for future actions
  • Agencies must notify of acquisitions/disposals for updates
  • Agencies without vehicles must submit inventory form indicating none
  • Requests without inventory submission will be rejected

Supporting Documents for Purchase Requests

  • Requests require agency head approval and must attach:
    • Motor Vehicle Inventory if not previously submitted
    • Certification of fund availability (depending on agency nature)
    • Details on vehicle number, type, specs, cost
    • User-official and intended uses
  • Replacement requests require inventory and inspection report of unit to be replaced

Rental of Motor Vehicles

  • Authorized rental up to 15 days for:
    • Agency functions requiring guests/visitors transport
    • Events needing participant transport
    • Presidential ad-hoc bodies/task forces
    • Urgent/emergency operations like disaster response
  • Rentals beyond 15 days need Secretary of Budget and Management approval
  • Requests for rental authority must include justification, vehicle details, rental duration, and fund certifications

Effectivity

  • Circular effective immediately upon issuance (Nov 24, 1995)

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