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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
SEN
S.B. NoNMy
23 MJG15 P 3 59
RLCE'iVtD SY.
Introduced by Senators SONNY ANGARA and JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
UPGRADING AND CREATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF 
THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 878 DATED 4 MARCH 1983, AS AMENDED BY 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 299 DATED 26 JULY 1987
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Even as the President may have vetoed the OGCC bill passed during the 
Eighteenth Congress, he particularly recognizes the need to strengthen the OGCC 
given the growth in the number of government corporations in the recent years 
coupled with the complexity of their requirements brought on by current business 
conditions. The additional complement of lawyers and the upgrading of existing 
positions in the OGCC are necessary to strengthen its organizational structure, 
improve the service that it provides, and accord its men and women the privileges 
and benefits presently enjoyed by their counterparts in the Judiciary and the Justice 
Sector which includes the National Prosecution Service (NP5), the Public Attorney's 
Office (PAO), and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
Government corporations have a crucial role in the country's economic 
development. They annually contribute tens of billions to the nation's coffers 
(approximately PhP375 Billion in 2022), and are the indispensable partners of the 
National Government in nation building, particularly in the pursuit of government 
projects, programs, and initiatives. Notably, the number of government corporations 
has greatly increased to seven hundred thirty-two (732) to date.
The OGCC's vital role in nation building is evident in its stalwart legal support 
to its client corporations. The assistance it renders is based on institutional 
knowledge and specialization, given the vast experience and collective wisdom which 
it has achieved in almost a century of public service which began in 1935,
However, the evolution and broadening of the scope of activities of 
government corporations have resulted in an increase in the volume, complexity, 
and importance of the work of the OGCC. Thus, it is necessary to strengthen the 
OGCC's current complement to maintain its effectiveness in addressing the legal


needs of its clients, particularly corporations which do not have Internal legal 
departments.
The proposed legislative measure shall strengthen the applicable laws and 
issuances on the organizational structure of the OGCC, to create new positions in its 
hierarchy and augment the OGCCs present complement with an additional thirty-six 
(36) lawyer positions, thus:
Position
Current number of
Proposed
positions
number of 
positions
Assistant Government Corporate Counsel
10
12
Government Corporate Attorney IV
10
12
Government Corporate Attorney III
14
14
Government Corporate Attorney II
17
17
Government Corporate Attorney I
4
12
Associate Government Corporate Attorney 
II
0
12
Associate Government Corporate Attorney
I
0
12
Total number of lawyers
55
91
The upgrading of the rank, salary grades, privileges, and benefits of the 
OGCC lawyers is designed to keep them at par with the ranks, salary grades, 
privileges, and benefits of counterpart positions in the Department of Justice and its 
attached agencies, particularly those in the NPS, the PAO, and the OSG.
The upgrade and creation of positions would also improve the efficiency and 
morale of the OGCC, effectively result in significant savings for the government, and 
minimize deputization and the engagement by client corporations of external 
counsel. The OGCC is expected to supervise the legal departments of its client 
government corporations, assist its growing number of client corporations without 
legal departments, perform necessary corporate tasks, and handle more cases and 
concerns of its clients which, due to the lack of adequate personnel, would 
previously require the engagement of external counsel.
It is significant to note that the OGCCs organizational structure and the 
number of its personnel have remained unchanged since the 1980's, or for 
approximately four decades. Notably, the strengthening of its counterpart agencies, 
specifically the PAO, OSG, and NPS, had been approved in the years 2007 and 2010 
and implemented through Republic Act (R.A.) 9^06 (2007), R.A. 9417 (2007), and 
R.A. 10071 (2010), respectively.
The need to undertake dispute resolution such as compulsory arbitration, 
enhance legal risk management, and improve remedial structures has exponentially 
grown to include actions filed in international fora which require expeditious and


diligent attention. The rigors of arbitration, whether domestic or international, in this 
decade alone requires additional manpower particularly given the financial impact of 
such arbitration cases and the magnitude of their effect on public welfare.
Thus, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
JOEIZ VILLANUEVA,
Y ANGARA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
SEN
S.B. Nomh
23 AUG 15 P4«0 
.. .
RECEIVED SV:
Introduced by Senators SONNY ANGARA and JOEL VILU\NUEVA
AN ACT
UPGRADING AND CREATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF 
THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 878 DATED 4 MARCH 1983, AS AMENDED BY 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 299 DATED 26 JULY 1987
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Section 1 of Executive Order (EO) No. 878, as amended by EO
2 
No. 299, is hereby further amended, as follows:
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SECTION 1. The Office of the Government Corporate Counsel
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(OGCC) shall be headed by the Government Corporate Counsel whose
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rank, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS,
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emoluments and privileges, shall be the same as those of the Presiding
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Justice of the Court of Appeals. He shall be assisted by a Deputy
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Government Corporate Counsel whose rank, SALARY, RETIREMENT
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AND PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, emoluments, and privileges
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shall be the same as those of an Associate Justice of the Court of
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Appeals, and [ten—(40)] TWELVE (12) Assistant Government
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Corporate Counsels WITH THE rank, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND
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PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, emoluments, and privileges [shaH-be
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OF AN ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS. THE
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SALARY GRADE CORRESPONDING TO THE POSITION OF THE
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DEPUTY GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL SHALL BE FOUR
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(4) STEPS ABOVE THE SALARY GRADE CORRESPONDING TO


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THE POSITION OF AN ASSISTANT GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
COUNSEL.
[The—GGverftFBent—Gorpefate—Counsel;—Deputy- Govefomont 
Ger-pe^^ete—Geunsol —and -Assistant—Government-Corper-etc Counsels
NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE COUNSEL, DEPUTY GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
COUNSEL, OR ASSISTANT GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
COUNSEL UNLESS HE OR SHE IS A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN 
OF THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST 
FIFTEEN (15) YEARS.
The incumbent Government Corporate Counsel, Deputy 
Government Corporate Counsel, and Assistant Government Corporate 
Counsels shail be entitled to the RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT 
AND PENSION BENEFITS, rights, emoluments and privileges vested 
upon them BY THIS ACT as of the time of their appointments, AND 
without need of further appointments.
SEC. 2. Section 4 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby 
further amended, as follows:
SEC. 4. The number, rank, qualifications for appointment, 
emoluments and privileges of the other members of the legal staff of 
OGCC shall be as follows:
Ger-per-ate-Atterneys


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A. TWELVE (12) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY IV (GCA IV) POSITIONS. A GCA IV SHALL 
HAVE THE RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND 
PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, EMOLUMENTS, AND 
PRIVILEGES OF A JUDGE OF A REGIONAL TRIAL 
COURT. NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED AS GCA IV 
UNLESS HE OR SHE IS A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF 
THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST TEN (10) YEARS;
[(b)—A second—brecket—af- seven—(-7-)—State—Gofperate
at Igq5t -thr-co-<-3-)-yeaF5
B. FOURTEEN (14) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY III (GCA III) POSITIONS. A GCA III 
SHALL HAVE THE RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND 
PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, EMOLUMENTS, AND 
PRIVILEGES OF A JUDGE OF A METROPOLITAN TRIAL 
COURT. NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED GCA III 
UNLESS HE OR SHE IS A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF 
THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST FIVE (5) YEARS;
[(e)-A third-and—a—teaftla-bradcct of seven (7)—State


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C SEVENTEEN (17) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY II (GCA II) POSITIONS. A GCA II SHALL 
BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES 
AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW 
IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST FOUR (4) YEARS; 
[(d>-Ten-(10) Trial- AttornoyG whoGG-annuol compcnsatlen
D. TWELVE (12) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY I (GCA I) POSITIONS. A GCA I SHALL BE A 
NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES AND 
HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN 
THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST THREE (3) YEARS; 
[(e)—A-
of the Phi!Ippifie Bar-.]
E. 
TWELVE (12) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE ATTORNEY II (AGCA II) POSITIONS. AN 
AGCA II SHALL BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF 
THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST TWO (2) YEARS; AND
F. 
TWELVE (12) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE ATTORNEY I (AGCA I) POSITIONS. AN 
AGCA I SHALL BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND A MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE 
BAR.


attaehedheretoasAnnex"A-.]
THE INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL 
STAFF SHALL BE ENTITLED TO THE RIGHTS, SALARY, 
BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES VESTED UPON THEM BY 
THIS ACT AS OF THE TIME OF THEIR APPOINTMENT 
WITHOUT NEED OF FURTHER APPOINTMENT.
es-tiG moy-deem-pr-epef-te
in authorized, or who-fefuses -sued
oppointmenty—shaU—be paid the
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SEC. 3. Section 5 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby
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further amended, as follows:
[SEC...5-.-..The-
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net-quallfy-uRdeF-any
SEC. 5. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. - THE 
GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO 
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE OGCC, AND 
SHALL HAVE CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OVER THE OGCC 
AND ITS CONSTITUENT UNITS. THE GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE COUNSEL SHALL PROMULGATE THE NECESSARY 
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF


THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT. UNLESS OTHERWISE 
DETERMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL, 
THE LEGAL STAFF SHALL BE DIVIDED INTO TEAMS, EACH TO 
BE HEADED BY AN AGCC.
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THE OGCC SHALL BE SUPPORTED BY SUCH NUMBER OF 
NON-LEGAL PERSONNEL NECESSARY AND COMMENSURATE 
TO THE OGCC'S WORK REQUIREMENTS, AS RECOMMENDED 
BY THE OGCC AND APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 
BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT. NON-LEGAL PERSONNEL SHALL 
HAVE THE SAME SALARIES AND BENEFITS AS THOSE OF 
THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR 
GENERAL.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE OGCC SHALL 
BE COMPOSED OF ITS SECRETARIAL AND LEGAL SUPPORT 
SERVICE; TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND PUBLICATION 
SERVICE; FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE; HUMAN 
RESOURCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICE; CASE AND RECORDS 
MANAGEMENT SERVICE; LIBRARY MANAGEMENT AND 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE; CORPORATE 
PLANNING SERVICE; AND PROPERTY AND SUPPLY SERVICE. 
THE LEGAL AND NON-LEGAL PERSONNEL OF THE OGCC 
OCCUPYING THE POSITIONS AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES 
EMBODIED IN THIS ACT AT THE TIME OF ITS APPROVAL 
SHALL THEREAFTER OCCUPY AND DISCHARGE THE DUTIES 
AND FUNCTIONS OF THE UPGRADED POSITIONS AND 
RECEIVE THE CORRESPONDING SALARY, BENEFITS, 
EMOLUMENTS, AND PRIVILEGES WITHOUT NECESSITY OF 
NEW APPOINTMENTS.


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SEC. 4. Section 7 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby 
further amended as follows:
-Geunsel,.the sovings-of -t-he-sal-d-efficeH^-^W?
APPROPRIA TIONS,
- THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE UPGRADING OF 
POSITIONS AND SALARIES, OFFICE RIGHT-SIZING, PHYSICAL 
EXPANSION, AND PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS, 
PENSION, PRIVILEGES, AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS PROVIDED 
IN THIS ACT SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE FUNDS AND BUDGET 
OF THE OGCC UNDER THE ANNUAL GENERAL 
APPROPRIATIONS ACT.
SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in 
full force and effect.
SEC 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof that are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed and/or modified 
accordingly.
SEC 7. Effectivity. - This act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its complete publication in the official gazette or in a newspaper of 
general circulation.
Approved,