Authorizing Payment of Communication Expenses of the Department of Education Personnel

AMENDMENT TO DEPED ORDER NO. 038, s. 2020

(Guidelines Authorizing Payment of Communication Expenses of the Department of Education Personnel Relative to the Implementation of Alternative Work Arrangement for the Year 2020)

1. Pursuant to the Department of Budget and Management Circular Letter No. 2021-7 issued on July 1, 2021 1, this is to amend the following provisions of DepEd Order (DO) No. 038, s. 2020 titled Guidelines Authorizing Payment of Communication Expenses of the Department of Education Personnel Relative to the Implementation of Alternative Work Arrangement for the Year 2020.

2. The following provisions are amended to read as follows:
a. Section Il (Scope) – These guidelines shall cover payment through reimbursement of communication expenses (mobile and internet) for those regular, casual and/or contractual employees under a WFH arrangement at the DepEd Central Office (CO), Regional Offices (ROs), Schools Division Offices (SDOs); and
b. Section X (Effectivity) – This Order shall take effect retroactively from January 1, 2021 until August 31, 2021.

3. Payment shall also be subject to availability of funds2 , and in compliance with the criteria and processing requirements as indicated in the Department of Budget and Management Circular No. 2021-7 (see Sections 5.0 and 6.0).

4. Starting July 1, 2021, the distribution of DepEd Connectivity Load3 will take effect. Thus, reimbursement of communication expense shall only cover employees not eligible to receive the Connectivity Load4 and those who are already eligible to reimburse communication expense provided in DO o. 017, s. 2019 titled Guidelines on the Provision and Use of Official Mobile Phones, Postpaid Lines, and Prepaid Loans, and DO No. 004, s. 2020 titled Amendment to DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2019, which remain to be in effect.

5. Once Connectivity Load is already issued to the participants, all communication expenses indicated in Activity Request (AR) or Authority to Conduct (ATC) to be paid to participants in DepEd related activities from July 1 to December 31, 2021 amounting to PSO per day per pax shall not be allowed.

6. All DepEd orders, memoranda, and other related issuances, rules, regulations, and provisions, which are inconsistent with this Order are repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly.

7. This Order shall take effect upon its approval. Certified true copies of this DepEd Order shall be filed with the University of the Philippines Law Center-Office of the National Administrative Register (UPLC-ONAR), UP Dillman, Quezon City.

8. For more information and queries, please contact the concerned offices below.

• On concerns regarding reimbursement of said expense:
  Office of the Undersecretary for Finance
  Email Address: [email protected]. ph
  Telephone umbers: (02) 8633-9342, (02) 8638-3703 & (02) 8637-4211, (02) 8470-6628
• On concerns regarding the release of connectivity load: Office of the Undersecretary for Administration Email Address: [email protected]
  Telephone Numbers: (02) 8637 -6207 and (02) 8633-7203

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

Read DepEd ORDER No. 035, s. 2021 for more details.