MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO.

52

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 52 - PRESCRIBED UNIFORM RATES AND GUIDELINES IN THE

GRANT OF REPRESENTATION, TRANSPORTATION, CLOTHING AND QUARTERS ALLOWANCES,
AS WELL AS OVERTIME PAY AND HONORARIA IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

In consideration of existing local conditions and the inherent nature of the official functions and
responsibilities of local government officials, wherein many local government officials incur
representation and transportation expenses in the performance of their official duties and functions
which are not reimbursed from local funds in the absence of specific Presidential authority, it is
deemed necessary to provide uniform rates, standards and guidelines for the grant of allowances and
other benefits payable from local funds without need of further approval or prior authority from the
Office of the President or other national Department.

To promote equity, therefore, while complying with the Constitutional mandate on standardization of
compensation, the rules and regulations governing allowances, overtime pay and honoraria that may
be granted by local governments are hereby prescribed:

Section 1. Representation and Transportation Allowances. — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the

Sangguniang Panlungsod, and the Sangguniang Bayan may authorize the following officials of
provinces, cities and municipalities, respectively, to collect monthly commutable representation and
transportation allowances, payable from the programmed appropriations provided for their respective
offices at similar rates not exceeding the maximum rates prescribed below which shall apply to each
type of allowance:

MAXIMUM MONTHLY REPRESENTATION OR TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Local Officials Class Class Class Class Class Class

Provincial Officials

1. Provincial Governor P1120 P1008 P907 P816 P735 P661

2. Provincial Vice-Governor,
Provincial Treasurer,
Provincial Assessor,
Provincial Budget Officer,
Provincial Engineer,
Provincial Agriculturist,
Provincial Planning and
Development Coordinator 960 864 778 700 630 567

3. Provincial Secretary P800 P720 P648 P583 P525 P472

City Officials

1. City Mayor 1120 1008 907 816 735 661

2. City Vice-Mayor,
City Treasurer,
City Engineer,
City Budget Officer,
City Planning and
Development Coordinator 960 864 778 700 630 567

3. City Secretary 800 720 648 583 525 472

Municipal Officials

1. Municipal Mayor 800 720 648 583 525 472

2. Municipal Vice-Mayor,
Municipal Treasurer,
Municipal Assessor,
Municipal Budget Officer,
Municipal Planning and
Development Coordinator 960 864 778 700 630 567

3. Municipal Secretary 640 576 518 467 420 378

City of Manila

1. City Mayor 1710 1539 1385 1247 1122 1010

2. City Vice-Mayor,
Administrator, Budget Officer,
Assessor, Treasurer, Engineer,
Health Officer, Legal Officer
Planning and Development
Coordinator, Civil Registrar
Veterinarian, Social Services and
Development Officer and General
Services Officer 1120 1008 907 816 735 661

3. City Secretary 960 864 778 700 630 567

Cities of Quezon, Pasay and Caloocan

1. City Mayor 1615 1454 1308 1177 1060 954

2. City Vice-Mayor,
Administrator, Budget Officer,
Assessor, Treasurer, Engineer,
Health Officer, Legal Officer
Planning and Development
Coordinator, Civil Registrar
Veterinarian, Social Services and
Development Officer and General
Services Officer 960 864 778 700 630 567

3. City Secretary 800 720 648 583 525 472

Municipalities (Metropolitan Manila)

1. Municipal Mayor 800 720 648 583 525 472

2. Municipal Vice-Mayor,
Administrator, Treasurer,
Assessor, Budget Officer,
Planning and Development
Coordinator and Engineer 720 648 583 525 472 425
3. Municipal Secretary 640 576 518 467 420 378

Other local officials not specifically enumerated above may also be entitled to commutable
monthly representation and transportation allowances if so authorized by the Sanggunian
concerned provided that the positions they are occupying are declared or certified by the
Joint Commission on Local Government Personnel Administration or by law as equivalent in
rank to a provincial, city or municipal chief of office or department head.

The transportation allowances herein authorized, however, shall not be granted to officials
who are assigned a government vehicle or who use government motor transportation in the
performance of their official duties and functions.

Sec. 2. Uniform/Clothing Allowance. — The Sanggunian, with the approval of the local chief
executive may, grant uniform clothing allowances to local government employees at rates
not exceeding P300 each per annum.

Sec. 3. Housing or Quarters Allowance. — Provincial Governors who have no residence in

the provincial capital, may be allowed to collect monthly housing or quarters allowances
inclusive of light and water consumption in amounts not exceeding 25% of their basic
monthly salary; PROVIDED, however, that they are not furnished free quarters by the
provincial government, or they are charged only a nominal rate in government-owned
buildings used as dormitories or living quarters.

Sec. 4. Overtime Pay. — Local Government employees from division chief and below may be
allowed overtime services with pay either on meal allowances or hourly basis as directed by
the office head concerned subject to the approval of the local chief executive; to the to the
availability of funds; to all applicable laws, rules and regulations; and to pertinent auditing
and accounting requirements. Overtime payment must be within the programmed
expenditure of the office concerned.

Sec. 5. Honoraria. — Local government officials and employees who are duly assigned by
the local chief executive concerned to render service either on full-time or part-time basis
to an inter-agency group implementing special projects may, at the discretion of the Joint
Commission, be allowed to receive honoraria chargeable against project funds at such rates
it shall fix.

Government officials and employees, whether national or local, who are hired as
consultants and resource speakers by local governments because of their expertise in their
fields of specialization may be allowed to receive honoraria at such rates authorized under
existing laws, rules and regulations.

Sec. 6. Changes in Rates of Allowances. — The Joint Commission shall automatically revise
the rates of allowances herein prescribed in the event of any modification of the
corresponding allowances granted to national government employees.

Sec. 7. Limitations. — The Sanggunian concerned shall observe the following additional
rules in appropriating funds for benefits herein granted:

1. No official, whether national or local, shall be allowed to collect from any local
government unit any allowance higher than that granted to the local chief executive.

2. No official, whether national or local, shall be allowed to collect transportation and

representation allowances from more than one local Government unit.

3. Appropriation of funds for representation and transportation allowances may be allowed

only when all statutory and contractual obligations of the local government unit concerned
shall have been fully provided for in its current budget and that no fund or cash overdraft is
existing or will be incurred as a result of the implementation thereof.

4. The grant by local governments of the allowances, overtime pay and honoraria herein
authorized shall not require prior or further approval by the Office of the President or any
national Department, Bureau or Office but, in all cases, these shall be subject to the
availability of funds as certified by the local treasurer, the usual accounting and auditing
requirements and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Joint Commission shall issue the necessary rules
and regulations to implement this; Memorandum Circular except those provisions which are already
covered by existing laws, rules and regulations.

Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. — All circulars, rules and regulations, issuances or directives or part or parts
thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Memorandum Circular are hereby
revoked, repealed or amended accordingly.

Sec. 10. Effectivity. — This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

Manila, March 7, 1988.