MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 156

AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 461 (S. 2005) AND ADJUSTING THE OVERSEAS, LIVING QUARTERS, REPRESENTATION, AND FAMILY ALLOWANCES OF FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL

WHEREAS, Section 63 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7157, otherwise known as the “Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991,” provided for the overseas, living quarters, representation, and family allowances, among others, of foreign service personnel;

WHEREAS, Section 64 of RA 7157 further provides that the President shall approve, upon recommendation of the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and of Budget and Management, rates, indices, maximum allowable amounts, and policies on allowances which shall be applicable to all national government employees stationed abroad;

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 461 (s. 2005) sets the present rates of overseas, living quarters, representation, and family allowances of foreign service personnel;

WHEREAS, a 10% increase in the overseas, living quarters and family allowances for 31 posts was authorized in 2008;

WHEREAS, significant economic changes raised the cost of living abroad; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the government to provide, within its financial capability, personnel assigned abroad with adequate means to enable them to represent the country with distinction and dignity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby approve the following rates, rules, and regulations in the payment of allowances to personnel of the National Government in the Foreign Service.

SECTION 1. Base Rates of Overseas Allowance. The annual base rates of Overseas Allowance provided under EO 461 for all Philippine government personnel stationed abroad are hereby amended as follows:

RANKRATE IN US DOLLARS
FROMTO
Chief of Mission I69,59983,519
Chief of Mission II60,52172,625
Career Minister52,62663,151
Foreign Service Officer I45,76254,914
Foreign Service Officer II41,60149,921
Foreign Service Officer III37,81945,383
Foreign Service Officer IV34,38241,258
Foreign Service Staff Officer I34,38241,258
Foreign Service Staff Officer II32,74439,293
Foreign Service Staff Officer III31,18537,422
Foreign Service Staff Officer IV29,70035,640
Foreign Service Staff Employee I27,00032,400
Foreign Service Staff Employee II25,71430,857
Foreign Service Staff Employee III24,49029,388

SECTION 2. Indices of Overseas Allowance. The Overseas Allowance indices provided under EO 461 are hereby revised and the newly proposed posts are also given an index as follows:

INDEXCOUNTRY/POST
FROMTO
Argentina – Buenos Aires8283
Australia – Canberra90103
Australia – Sydney90103
Austria – Vienna96100
Bahrain – Manama9190
Bangladesh – Dhaka7785
Belgium – Brussels94100
Brazil – Brasilia8296
Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan7586
Cambodia – Phnom Penh7583
Canada – Ottawa9191
Canada – Toronto9395
Canada – Vancouver9193
Chile – Santiago8289
China – Beijing8996
China – Chongqing–95
China – Guangzhou8995
China – Hong Kong100100
China – Macau–96
China – Shanghai8996
China – Xiamen8991
Czech Republic – Prague9088
Egypt – Cairo7684
France – Paris98102
Germany – Berlin9894
Greece – Athens8988
Hungary – Budapest9288
India – New Delhi7985
Indonesia – Jakarta8188
Indonesia – Manado7070
Iran – Tehran8380
Iraq – Baghdad8492
Israel – Tel Aviv9091
Italy – Milan9699
Italy – Rome9699
Japan – Osaka128123
Japan – Tokyo128123
Jordan – Amman7788
Kenya – Nairobi7886
Kuwait – Kuwait8188
Laos – Vientiane8091
Lebanon – Beirut9092
Libya – Tripoli8281
Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur7586
Mexico – Mexico City8593
Myanmar – Yangon8391
Netherlands – The Hague9395
New Zealand – Wellington90105
Nigeria – Abuja93102
Norway – Oslo105113
Oman – Muscat8186
Pakistan – Islamabad8085
Papua New Guinea – Port Moresby8898
Poland – Warsaw8586
Portugal – Lisbon8794
Qatar – Doha7990
Russia – Moscow95110
Saudi Arabia – Jeddah8685
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh8690
Singapore – Singapore8093
South Africa – Pretoria9285
South Korea – Seoul10798
Spain – Madrid9493
Switzerland – Berne107103
Switzerland – Geneva107114
Syria – Damascus–89
Thailand – Bangkok7789
Timor Leste – Dili8994
Turkey – Ankara8694
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi8694
United Arab Emirates – Dubai8690
United Kingdom – London100105
United States of America – Agana100102
United States of America – Chicago10098
United States of America – Honolulu100102
United States of America – Los Angeles10095
United States of America – New York100100
United States of America – San Francisco10098
United States of America – Washington D.C.10094
Vatican – Holy See9699
Vietnam – Hanoi7983

SECTION 3. Rules Governing Overseas Allowance. The following are the rules governing the grant of Overseas Allowance:

a. The grant of Overseas Allowance shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 66 of RA 7157;

b. Husband and wife who are assigned in the same post shall be entitled to separate Overseas Allowances corresponding to their respective ranks;

c. In instances where the adjusted amount of Overseas Allowance is lower than the amount currently received, the new rate and index shall be applied prospectively.1a\^/phi1 The personnel concerned shall continue to receive their present Overseas Allowance for the duration of the tour of duty at the post;

d. Hardship posts, as may be determined by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, shall receive an additional five percent (5%) increase in their Overseas Allowance to meet other expenses brought about by dangerous, unhealthy, or excessively adverse living conditions prevailing at post, subject to the availability of funds; and

e. Foreign Service personnel assigned abroad who are detailed to another post shall, for the duration of the detail, be entitled to the Overseas Allowance index of the post where they are temporarily assigned.

SECTION 4. Base Rates of Living Quarters Allowance. The annual base rates of Living Quarters Allowance provided under EO 461 for all Philippine government personnel stationed abroad are hereby amended as follows:


RATE IN US DOLLARS
RANKWITH FAMILYWITHOUT FAMILY
FROMTOFROMTO
Chief of Mission I42,87160,13435,04150,112
Chief of Mission II35,72352,28629,19943,574
Career Minister31,06445,47525,39437,894
Foreign Service Officer I28,24439,54223,08032,947
Foreign Service Officer II25,67435,94220,98629,952
Foreign Service Officer III23,34132,67419,07927,230
Foreign Service Officer IV21,21829,70717,34224,754
Foreign Service Staff Officer I21,21829,70717,34224,754
Foreign Service Staff Officer II19,28828,28216,51823,573
Foreign Service Staff Officer III18,37126,94215,73122,457
Foreign Service Staff Officer IV17,49625,66114,98021,384
Foreign Service Staff Employee I15,86823,32813,58819,440
Foreign Service Staff Employee II15,86823,32813,58819,440
Foreign Service Staff Employee III15,86823,32813,58819,440

SECTION 5. Indices of Living Quarters Allowance.1βwphi1 The Living Quarters Allowance indices provided under EO 461 are hereby revised and the newly opened posts are each given an index as follows:

COUNTRY/POSTINDEX
FROMTO
Argentina – Buenos Aires9075
Australia – Canberra9785
Australia – Sydney10087
Austria – Vienna130107
Bahrain – Manama10082
Bangladesh – Dhaka6561
Belgium – Brussels130107
Brazil – Brasilia11091
Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan9575
Cambodia – Phnom Penh9073
Canada – Ottawa10285
Canada – Toronto10287
Canada – Vancouver10287
Chile – Santiago9075
China – Beijing9585
China – Chongqing–85
China – Guangzhou10085
China – Hong Kong115102
China – Macau–90
China – Shanghai10093
China – Xiamen9575
Czech Republic – Prague130107
Egypt – Cairo9577
France – Paris130107
Germany – Berlin130107
Greece – Athens130107
Hungary – Budapest130107
India – New Delhi7065
Indonesia – Jakarta9578
Indonesia – Manado7055
Iran – Tehran9577
Iraq – Baghdad10080
Israel – Tel Aviv12598
Italy – Milan130107
Italy – Rome130107
Japan – Osaka150124
Japan – Tokyo150128
Jordan – Amman10080
Kenya – Nairobi9074
Kuwait – Kuwait10082
Laos – Vientiane7065
Lebanon – Beirut12598
Libya – Tripoli10079
Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur9075
Mexico – Mexico11590
Myanmar – Yangon7066
Netherlands – The Hague130107
New Zealand – Wellington11595
Nigeria – Abuja9082
Norway – Oslo130107
Oman – Muscat10080
Pakistan – Islamabad7064
Papua New Guinea – Port Moresby115101
Poland – Warsaw130103
Portugal – Lisbon130103
Qatar – Doha10086
Russia – Moscow130107
Saudi Arabia – Jeddah10080
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh10082
Singapore – Singapore10092
South Africa – Pretoria10079
South Korea – Seoul125102
Spain – Madrid130107
Switzerland – Berne130107
Switzerland – Geneva130109
Syria – Damascus–98
Thailand – Bangkok9580
Timor Leste – Dili10083
Turkey – Ankara11091
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi10088
United Arab Emirates – Dubai10090
United Kingdom – London130107
United States of America – Agana10095
United States of America – Chicago10098
United States of America – Honolulu11098
United States of America – Los Angeles10095
United States of America – New York100100
United States of America – San Francisco10098
United States of America – Washington DC10090
Vatican – Holy See130107
Vietnam – Hanoi7063

SECTION 6. Rules Governing Living Quarters Allowance. The following are the rules governing the grant of Living Quarters Allowance:

a. The grant of Living Quarters Allowance shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 65 of RA 7157;

b. In instances where the adjusted amount of Living Quarters Allowance is lower than the amount currently received, the new rate and index shall be applied prospectively. The personnel concerned shall continue to receive their present Living Quarters Allowance for the duration of the tour of duty at the post;

c. For purposes of this allowance, personnel who are living at post of assignment with the spouse or at least one (1) qualified dependent child who is not over 18 years of age shall be considered with family;

d. Unmarried children who are mentally or physically handicapped as attested to by a medical certificate, incapable of supporting themselves, and living with the officer or employee abroad, shall be considered for this purpose, regardless of age, as dependents;

e. Payment of the allowance shall be made strictly on the basis of actual status at the post;

f. Those whose dependents have temporarily left their residence at post shall retain their “with family” status; provided, that for the duration of their absence, the personnel concerned shall not move to a cheaper or smaller lodging; provided, further, that their absence at any one time shall not exceed three (3) months; provided, finally, that the dependents have not established residence elsewhere. Gainful employment outside of post is an indication of having changed residence;

g. In the case of husband and wife who are both assigned in one (1) post, only the spouse with the higher rank shall be entitled to the Living Quarters Allowance while the other spouse shall be considered as dependent for purposes of family status;

h. Section 6 (g) above also applies to husband and wife who are assigned to two (2) different posts, as follows:

i. Philippine Embassy Jakarta and the Philippine Mission to ASEAN Jakarta;

ii. Philippine Consulate General New York and the Philippine Mission to the United Nations New York;

iii. Philippine Embassy Rome and the Philippine Embassy Vatican;

iv. Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations Geneva and the Philippine Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization Geneva; and

v. All other similar posts that may subsequently be opened.

i. In cases where two (2) or more foreign service personnel are constrained to rent one (1) apartment or housing unit jointly, due to acute housing shortage, prohibitive rental cost, or other circumstances, the claimants shall be entitled to their respective allowances; provided, that the Head of Post shall certify in the claim voucher that their individual allowance is insufficient to cover the rental of one (1) apartment or housing unit at the post;

j. In posts where there is a standard practice among landlords to require advance rental or deposit equivalent to at least six (6) months to one (1) year rental of unit, advance payment of the Living Quarters Allowance sufficient to cover the required amount may be authorized; provided, that the advance rental shall be paid directly to the landlord by the post; provided, further, that, the claimant shall submit to the Home Office a copy of the pertinent contract of lease duly certified by the Head of Post which should invariably contain a diplomatic clause; provided, finally, that, in case of recall, reassignment, or for any other reason, the unexpired portion of the amount paid shall be duly refunded to the post, subject however to the condition that in case of force majeure whereby the unexpired portion is not refunded, the claimant shall not be held accountable;

k. In places where the new lessees are invariably required at the outset to pay key money for goodwill and in places where lessees are required by the host government, or by customary business practice, to rent a house or apartment unit through an agent and pay the corresponding real estate agent’s fee or commission upon signing of the lease contract, payment of the above may be authorized, chargeable against the account of the Department concerned; provided, that the Head of Post shall certify in the pertinent cash voucher that such payments are required by the host government or customary at the post and not refunded by the owner to the lessee; provided, further, that any key money and/or real estate agent’s fee or commission that may be required upon renewal of the lease contract shall likewise be chargeable against the account of the Department concerned;

l. In lieu of commutable Living Quarters Allowance, payment of actual rental of quarters occupied by the Head of Post may be authorized, subject to the availability of funds and as may be warranted by the housing situation in the post of assignment;

m. Payment of utilities shall be in accordance with regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs;

n. The grant of Living Quarters Allowance is intended to accord foreign service personnel proper representation in the host country and not to augment salary;

o. In every case, the use of the allowance shall be in accordance with the purpose for which it has been authorized by law; and

p. In all cases, the grant of commutable Living Quarters Allowance to all foreign service personnel, or its authorized equivalent such as, but not limited to, payment of actual rental of quarters and utilities, shall be subject to regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, provided that the allowance shall not exceed the rates authorized herein.

SECTION 7. Classification of Posts for the Representation Allowance. Philippine foreign service posts are categorized into high, medium and low cost posts, as follows:

a. High Cost Posts. High Cost Posts have an Overseas Allowance index of 98 and above;

b. Medium Cost Posts. Medium Cost Posts have an Overseas Allowance index of 90 to 97; and

c. Low Cost Posts. Low Cost Posts have an Overseas Allowance index of 89 and below.

SECTION 8. Rates of Representation Allowance. The Representation Allowance per annum shall be granted in accordance with the provisions of Section 70 of RA 7157, as follows:

1avvphi1

RATE IN US DOLLARS
FROMTO
a. HIGH COST POSTS
Chief of Mission (not Head of Post)6,0007,200
Career Minister4,5005,400
Foreign Service Officer I3,6004,320
Foreign Service Officer II2,7003,240
Foreign Service Officer III1,8002,160
Foreign Service Officer IV1,8002,160
Foreign Service Staff Officer I1,4401,728
Others duly authorized by the Secretary1,4401,728
b. MEDIUM COST POSTS
Chief of Mission (not Head of Post)3,6004,320
Career Minister3,6004,320
Foreign Service Officer I2,8803,456
Foreign Service Officer II2,1602,592
Foreign Service Officer III1,4401,728
Foreign Service Officer IV1,4401,728
Foreign Service Staff Officer I1,0801,296
Others duly authorized by the Secretary1,0801,296
c. LOW COST POSTS
Chief of Mission (not Head of Post)2,7003,240
Career Minister2,7003,240
Foreign Service Officer I2,1002,520
Foreign Service Officer II1,6201,944
Foreign Service Officer III1,0801,296
Foreign Service Officer IV1,0801,296
Foreign Service Staff Officer I9001,080
Others duly authorized by the Secretary9001,080

In instances where the adjusted amount of Representation Allowance is lower than the amount currently received, the new rate and index shall be applied prospectively. The personnel concerned shall continue to receive their present rate of Representation Allowance for the duration of the tour of duty at the post.

SECTION 9. Family Allowance. The following are the rules governing the grant of Family Allowance:

a. Officers or employees, except foreign, casual, or contractual employees, assigned abroad and whose families reside with them at the post of assignment, are entitled to commutable family allowance, as follows:

i. US $250.00 monthly for the unemployed dependent spouse; and

ii. US $150.00 monthly for each dependent child not exceeding three (3) in number.

b. For this purpose, a dependent child shall mean legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated, or legally adopted child who is not over eighteen (18) years, unmarried, not gainfully employed, and living with the officer or employee at the post of assignment.

c. Unmarried children, regardless of age, who are mentally or physically handicapped as attested by a medical certificate, incapable of supporting themselves, and living with the officer or employee abroad, shall be considered, for this purpose, as dependents.

d. Subject to the prior approval of the Department Head concerned, full Family Allowance may be paid to claimants whose dependent does not live with them at the post of assignment under any of the following circumstances:

i. They are compelled to live alone due to dangerous, notably unhealthy or excessively adverse living conditions, or by any other unavoidable circumstances like lack of appropriate/reasonable educational facilities for their children; or

ii. For the convenience of the Government, they must live alone without any or all the members of his/her family at the post of assignment.

All other meritorious cases may be considered by the Department Head as the circumstances and the exigencies of the Service may warrant.

SECTION 10. Mode of Payment. Effective upon full implementation of this Order, payment of the foregoing allowances may be made either in US dollars or in the local currency computed at the prevailing market rate.

SECTION 11. Adjustment of Rates. The allowances covered herein may be comprehensively reviewed and adjusted every two (2) years by the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Budget and Management, upon approval by the President, to respond to substantial changes in the economic climate, subject to availability of funds.

In dire economic situations, such as sudden foreign exchange fluctuations and a surge in inflation rates, stop-gap adjustments may be recommended by the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Budget and Management, on a per post basis, for approval of the President, subject to the availability of funds.

In case of a newly opened post which is not included in this Order, the rates/indices/classification of the nearest post in terms of economic conditions thereat shall apply, pending Executive approval of an appropriate index for the post.

SECTION 12. Tax Exemption. All allowances, per diems, benefits received by officers and employees in consideration of their services while on assignment abroad, except their basic salaries, shall be exempt from Philippine income tax.

SECTION 13. Funding. For the initial year of implementation, the amount needed to cover the foregoing adjustments in the allowances of foreign service personnel stationed abroad shall be taken from agency savings and/or the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF). Thereafter, such amounts as may be necessary shall be incorporated in the budget of the Department or the agency concerned.

SECTION 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The Secretary of Foreign Affairs shall issue the IRR for the implementation of this Order.

SECTION 15. Repeal. This Order supersedes EO 461. All other issuances, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation. Starting 01 July 2013, the allowances covered under this Order shall be computed using the rates prescribed herein.

DONE in the City of Manila this 23rd day of December, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Thirteen.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary


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