# Administrative Code of 1987/Book IV/Chapter 1

Source: Supplement to the Official Gazette. Vol. 83, No. 38. Manila. National Printing Office. 1987. pp. 26–27.
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Chapter 1—The Departments
Section 1. Purpose and Number of Departments.—The Executive Branch shall have such Departments as are necessary for the functional distribution of the work of the President and for the performance of their functions.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.—(1) The Departments shall be organized and maintained to insure their capacity to plan and implement programs in accordance with established national policies;
(2) Bureaus and offices shall be grouped primarily on the basis of major functions to achieve simplicity, economy and efficiency in government operations and minimize duplication and overlapping of activities; and
(3) The functions of the different Departments shall be decentralized in order to reduce red tape, free central officials from administrative details concerning field operations, and relieve them from unnecessary involvement in routine and local matters. Adequate authority shall be delegated to subordinate officials. Administrative decisions and actions shall, as much as feasible, be at the level closest to the public.
Sec. 3. Department Proper.—(1) Unless otherwise provided in this Code or by law, the Department proper shall include the Office of the Secretary and the staff units directly under it. The Office of the Secretary shall consist of the Secretary and the Undersecretary or Undersecretaries, together with the personnel in their immediate offices;
(2) Every Secretary shall be assisted by such number of Undersecretaries as may be provided for by this Code or by law;
The Undersecretary shall perform the functions as provided in Chapter 2 of this Book;
(3) Whenever necessary, Assistant Secretary position or positions may be created to form part of the Department proper; and
(4) In the absence of special provisions, the major staff units of each department shall be the services which shall include: the Planning Service, the Financial and Management Service, the Administrative Service, and when necessary, the Technical and Legal Services.
Sec. 4. Jurisdiction over Bureaus, Offices, Regulatory Agencies and Government Corporations.—Each Department shall have jurisdiction over bureaus, offices, regulatory agencies, and government-owned or controlled corporations assigned to it by law, in accordance with the applicable relationship as defined in Chapters 7, 8, and 9 of this Book.
Sec. 5. Assignment of Offices and Agencies.—The President shall, by executive order, assign offices and agencies not otherwise assigned by law to any department, or indicate to which department a government corporation or board may be attached.
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