Matrix of DepEd Issuances: Orders, Memoranda, Office Orders, and Advisories

DepEd issuances are official documents that contain policies, procedures, or information. They are released or signed by the DepEd Secretary or other authorized DepEd officials, in line with the Department’s mandate. This guide explains the five types of DepEd issuances, who signs each one, what a DepEd Order must contain, and how each type is numbered. It is useful for teachers, school heads, and staff who read, cite, or file DepEd documents.

The five types of DepEd issuances are:

• DepEd Order (DO)
• DepEd Memorandum (DM)
• Office Order (OO)
• Office Memorandum (OM)
• DepEd Advisory

On this page 7 sections

Matrix of DepEd issuances

Each type differs in content, effect, duration, scope, and issuing authority.

DepEd Orders (DO)

• Content: Establish DepEd policies. May contain accompanying procedures for carrying out the policy.
• Effect: Mandate or constrain actions or behavior among DepEd stakeholders. Create rights and obligations in furtherance of DepEd’s mandate.
• Duration: Usually long-term or permanent, unless rescinded or amended by another DO.
• Scope: Usually concern DepEd-wide issues and are usually DepEd-wide or national in application.
• Issuing authority: From the Central Office, issued and signed by the Secretary as the alter ego of the President.

DepEd Memoranda (DM)

• Content: Disseminate instructions, information, or related matters. Examples include the creation of committees or task forces; submission of lists or reports; announcements of celebrations, surveys, holidays, examinations, contests, or their results; conferences or seminars run by bureaus, centers, services, units, and divisions; and reiteration of regulations or laws issued by other agencies. May give detailed procedures to implement existing laws or policies of DepEd or other government agencies.
• Effect: May mandate or constrain actions or behavior among DepEd stakeholders. May create rights and obligations in furtherance of DepEd’s mandate.
• Duration: Usually short-term or temporary.
• Scope: May refer to DepEd-wide matters or more specific concerns, and may be DepEd-wide or specific in application.
• Issuing authority: From the Central Office, issued and signed by the Secretary or the concerned Undersecretary.

Office Orders (OO)

• Content: Operational guidelines, rules, and procedures on internal administration of DepEd’s bureaus, centers, units, or offices. Also includes notices of human resource actions or decisions.
• Effect: May mandate or constrain actions or behavior among DepEd Central Office personnel. May create rights and obligations in furtherance of DepEd’s mandate.
• Duration: Usually short-term or temporary.
• Scope: Usually limited to a bureau or unit in the Central Office. Not DepEd-wide; applies to a limited set of Central Office officials and staff.
• Issuing authority: The Secretary or the concerned Undersecretary, Assistant Secretaries, or heads of bureaus, services, or offices.

Office Memoranda (OM)

• Content: Dissemination of instructions, information, or related matters.
• Effect: May mandate or constrain actions or behavior among DepEd stakeholders. May create rights and obligations in furtherance of DepEd’s mandate.
• Duration: Usually short-term or temporary.
• Scope: Usually limited to a bureau or unit in the Central Office. Not DepEd-wide; applies to a limited set of Central Office officials and staff.
• Issuing authority: The Secretary or the concerned Undersecretary, Assistant Secretaries, or heads of bureaus, services, or offices.

DepEd Advisories

• Content: Announce programs, projects, or activities requested by local, national, and international partners outside DepEd (companies, associations, organizations, institutions, or agencies), as referred to in DepEd Order No. 8, series of 2013.
• Effect: Do not create rights and obligations.
• Duration: Short-term or temporary.
• Scope: May be DepEd-wide or specific in application.
• Issuing authority: Issued following the procedures of DepEd Order No. 8, series of 2013.

Signing authority for DepEd issuances

Issuances pass through endorsements (countersignatures) before final approval, following a Table of Authority.

DepEd Orders and DepEd Memoranda

Governance strand	1st endorsement	2nd endorsement
Curriculum and Instruction	Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects	Undersecretary for Programs and Projects
Governance and Operations	Assistant Secretary for Governance and Operations	Undersecretary for Governance and Operations
Legal	Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs	Undersecretary for Legal Affairs
Finance and Administration	Assistant Secretary for Finance and Administration	Undersecretary for Finance and Administration
Strategic Management	Service Directors or Assistant Secretary	Chief of Staff or appropriate Undersecretary

Final approving authority:

• DepEd Order: the Secretary. A DO can also be signed by a duly designated Officer-in-Charge.
• DepEd Memorandum: the Secretary for memoranda with nationwide application; the Undersecretary for memoranda with limited application (to a geographic area or to specific officials or employees). Signing of DepEd Memoranda can be delegated to the Undersecretary of each strand.

Office Orders and Office Memoranda

These apply to all strands. The endorsement goes from the Bureau or Service Director to the Assistant Secretary, with final approval by the Secretary. They may also be signed by an Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or Bureau or Service Director, under these conditions:

• An Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary can sign an Office Order or Office Memorandum only when it covers their specific area of concern or strand.
• A Bureau or Service Director can sign an Office Memorandum only when it covers their own office, bureau, or service.

The matrix also lists endorsement chains from Division Chief to Bureau Director, and from Unit Head to Division Chief.

DepEd Advisories

Advisories apply to all strands. The endorsement goes from the Bureau or Service Director to the Assistant Secretary, with final approval by the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations. No signature is needed on the advisory itself.

Basic elements of a DepEd Order

A DepEd Order containing policy has 13 elements:

1. Letterhead with the DepEd official seal and the agency name in Old English Text MT
2. Official date (the date signed by the Secretary or authorized official)
3. Control number with the series (s.) of the year disseminated
4. Concerned officials, policy proponent and implementers, and stakeholders
5. Statement of the policy
6. Objectives of issuing the policy
7. Statement on repealing, rescinding, or modifying provisions of previously approved DOs
8. Statement of publication and effectivity
9. Closing statement calling for strict compliance by all concerned
10. Issuing authority, with signature
11. Statement of enclosure
12. Related and repealed earlier issuances used as references
13. Classification in the perpetual index for easy reference and research

Contents of the policy guidelines enclosed with a DepEd Order

The policy guidelines attached to a DO follow this outline, under a title:

1. Rationale: brief background of the issue, the reasons for creating the policy, and its purpose.
2. Scope: coverage of the policy in terms of subject matter, stakeholders affected, or jurisdiction.
3. Definition of Terms (if applicable): meanings of terms as used in the policy, especially frequently used or unclear terms.
4. Policy Statement: the principles, rules, or standards the Order upholds.
5. Procedures: steps, instructions, systems, or mechanisms for implementing the policy, including actors, their roles and responsibilities, and timetables (if applicable).
6. Monitoring and Evaluation: mechanisms, time frame, and other provisions for monitoring progress and evaluating the policy.
7. References: related DepEd issuances used as references for further policy research.
8. Effectivity/Transitory Provision (if applicable): the date or period of application, including interim measures.

Numbering system for DepEd issuances

Type of issuance	Numbering format (example)	Uploaded to the DepEd website?
DepEd Order	DepEd Order No. 1, s. 2015	Yes; numbering handled by Publication
DepEd Memorandum (national circulation)	DepEd Memorandum No. 1, s. 2015	Yes; numbering handled by Publication
DepEd Memorandum (limited circulation)	DM-CI-2015-001	No
Office Order	OO-CI-2015-001	No
Office Memorandum	OM-CI-2015-001	No
DepEd Advisory	DepEd Advisory No. 1, s. 2015	Yes

Issuances with limited circulation

DepEd Memoranda with limited circulation, Office Orders, and Office Memoranda usually target a specific level and specific people. Their numbers are clustered by strand. Each number carries the acronym of the issuance (DM, OO, or OM), the strand code, the year, and the issuance number, for example DM-FA-2015-001, OO-GO-2015-001, or OM-OSEC-2015-001.

The strand codes are:

• FA: Finance and Administration
• CI: Curriculum and Instruction
• GO: Governance and Operations
• LA: Legal and Legislative Affairs
• SM: Strategic Management
• OSEC: issuances coming directly from the Office of the Secretary, including the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Internal Audit Service

Numbering is controlled by a person-in-charge under each strand (Undersecretary), and each strand develops and keeps a database of all the issuances it releases. These steps are followed in preparing and approving them:

1. The proponent office drafts the issuance.
2. The signing official signs it based on the Table of Authority.
3. Before the signed memo is circulated, the office-in-charge of each strand affixes its number for easy reference and tracking.

DepEd Advisories

Advisories follow the current numbering system (DepEd Advisory No. 1, s. 2015, with the date written as Month Day, Year). Each carries the statement that it is issued in compliance with DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2013, for the information of DepEd officials, personnel and staff, and the concerned public. Advisories should first be endorsed by the concerned strand before they are issued. You can find published issuances on the official DepEd website.

Related reading

• DOLE Issuances Relative to Senior High School (SHS) Work Immersion Program
• DepEd Guidelines for Senior High School Work Immersion
• DepEd Criteria for Entry to Senior High School (SHS) Tracks/Strands
• Updated Senior High School Voucher Program Application

Frequently asked questions