DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2015: Publication and Filling-up of Anticipated Vacancies

DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2015, dated July 20, 2015, sets the Guidelines on the Publication and Filling-up of Anticipated Vacancies. It lets DepEd Regional Offices and Schools Division Offices post a position before it becomes vacant because of compulsory retirement or an approved resignation. This lets recruitment start early, so a qualified replacement is ready when the incumbent leaves. The order was signed by then Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC.

On this page 7 sections

Key points

• Post vacancies in advance. In the past, offices usually posted a vacancy only after the incumbent had officially left. Civil Service rules allow recruitment to begin earlier, and this order directs DepEd field offices to do so.
• Basis in Civil Service rules. The guidelines follow the Civil Service Commission’s Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Personnel Actions, which state that “anticipated vacancies may be published simultaneously with the existing vacant position/s” (Rule IX, Sec. 4).
• Applications and selection can start early. Offices may accept applications and begin evaluation and selection right after publication.
• No early appointment. The selected candidate cannot be appointed until the incumbent has officially vacated the position.
• Existing hiring rules still apply. Current DepEd orders on selection, ranking, and appointment of teaching and non-teaching personnel must still be strictly followed.

Who it covers

The order covers only anticipated natural vacancies caused by:

• compulsory retirement, and
• approved resignation

of both teaching and non-teaching DepEd personnel. It is addressed to undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, bureau directors, directors of services, centers and heads of units, regional directors, schools division superintendents, heads of public elementary and secondary schools, and all others concerned.

What schools and offices need to do

The Administrative Officer in charge of personnel at the Regional Office (RO) or Schools Division Office (SDO) has these duties:

Cause of vacancy	When to post	Where to post	Report to CSC
Compulsory retirement	At least 3 months before the incumbent officially leaves	Three conspicuous places in the office	Send the position’s qualification standards to the CSC not later than the 10th day of every month
Approved resignation	At least 1 month before the incumbent officially leaves, or as soon as the resignation is approved	Three conspicuous places in the office	Send the position’s qualification standards to the CSC not later than the 10th day of every month

What the vacancy notice must include

• Specific job title
• Job requirements
• Job description
• Qualification standards
• Recruitment process
• Deadline for submission of applications
• Date of posting

Monitoring and evaluation

• The Policy Research and Development Division (PRD) gathers feedback from all field offices and reviews the policy from time to time to improve it.
• The Policy Planning and Research Division (PPRD) of each Regional Office checks that SDOs comply with the guidelines and submits the results to the PRD as input for policy review.

Effectivity

The policy takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. All earlier DepEd orders, issuances, rules, and provisions that conflict with these guidelines are repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly.

Full text of DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2015

July 20, 2015

DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2015

Guidelines on the Publication and Filling-up of Anticipated Vacancies

To:

• Undersecretaries
• Assistant Secretaries
• Bureau Directors
• Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
• Regional Directors
• Schools Division Superintendents
• Heads, Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
• All Others Concerned

1. The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed Guidelines on the Publication and Filling-Up of Anticipated Vacancies, which aims to facilitate a more efficient recruitment and hiring process in the Department.

   
   

2. The added measures to be taken in the publication and filling-up of anticipated vacancies shall guide the DepEd field offices in conducting the recruitment and selection process in a more effective and timely manner.

   
   

3. All DepEd Orders and other related issuances, rules and regulations, and provisions which are inconsistent with these guidelines are hereby repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly.

   
   

4. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

   
   

BR. ARMIN A. LUISTRO FSC
Secretary

Enclosure: Guidelines on the Publication and Filling-up of Anticipated Vacancies

I. Rationale

1. The Department of Education (DepEd) recognizes that an efficient recruitment and hiring process is vital for the successful delivery of basic education services. Thus, it is critical that the process be conducted in a timely and effective manner.

   
   

2. Whereas the common practice has been to post vacancies after natural vacancies occur or when the incumbent officially vacates a position, Civil Service rules provide that recruitment may begin before the position is officially vacated by the retiring or resigning incumbent. By posting vacancies in advance, the application and selection process can begin earlier, thereby already positioning a qualified replacement in time for the incumbent’s departure.

   
   

3. In view of the above, this Order aims to provide DepEd field offices with added measures in the conduct of the recruitment and selection process in order to obviate human resource gaps in education services.

   
   

II. Scope

4. This Order shall only cover the publication and filling-up of anticipated natural vacancies caused by compulsory retirement and approved resignation of teaching and non-teaching DepEd personnel.

III. Policy Statement

5. The DepEd hereby enforces the added measures described in this Order to facilitate the efficient filling-up of anticipated natural vacancies. These guidelines are consistent with the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Personnel Actions, which provides that “anticipated vacancies may be published simultaneously with the existing vacant position/s” (Rule IX, Sec. 4).

IV. Procedures

6. Regional Offices (ROs) and Schools Division Offices (SDOs) of the DepEd shall take the following measures:

   
   

   a. For the publication and filling-up of anticipated natural vacancies due to compulsory retirement

   
   

   It shall be the duty of the RO or SDO’s Administrative Officer in charge of personnel to post in three (3) conspicuous places of their offices the anticipated vacancy at least three (3) months before it is officially vacated by the incumbent, and to transmit a copy of the qualification standards required of the position to the Civil Service Commission not later than the tenth day of every month.

   
   

   b. For the publication and filling-up of anticipated natural vacancies due to approved resignation

   
   

   It shall be the duty of the RO or SDO’s Administrative Officer in charge of personnel to post in three (3) conspicuous places of their offices the anticipated vacancy at least one (1) month before it is officially vacated by the incumbent or as soon as the resignation is approved, and to transmit a copy of the qualification standards required of the position to the Civil Service Commission not later than the tenth day of every month.

   
   

7. The publication of expected vacant positions shall include the specific job title, job requirements, job description, qualification standards, recruitment process, and the deadline for submission of applications. The date of posting shall be indicated in the notice.

   
   

8. The acceptance of applications as well as the evaluation and selection process may begin after publication. However, the selected candidate shall not be appointed until after the incumbent has officially vacated his/her position.

   
   

9. Existing DepEd Orders and other issuances on processes for selection, ranking, and appointment of teaching and non-teaching personnel shall be strictly followed.

   
   

V. Monitoring and Evaluation

10. The Policy Research and Development Division (PRD) shall continuously gather feedback on the implementation of the policy from all field offices. It shall conduct a period review of this policy to further enhance its provisions and effectiveness.

    
    

11. The Policy Planning and Research Division (PPRD) of ROs shall likewise conduct policy compliance monitoring to ensure that SDOs comply with these guidelines. Results of the policy compliance monitoring shall be submitted to PRD as an input for policy review.

    
    

VI. References

12. All DepEd Orders and other related issuances, rules and regulations and provisions which are inconsistent with these guidelines are hereby repealed, rescinded or modified accordingly.

VII. Effectivity

13. This policy shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

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