NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 2416
, (* i'cnra
J ;0Dfrffp oC tl:c €
d
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 878 DATED 4 MARCH 
1983, AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 299 DATED 26 3ULY 
1987, TO UPGRADE AND CREATE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN 
THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Government corporations have a crucial role in the country's 
economic development. They annually contribute tens of billions to the 
nation's coffers and are the national government's indispensable partners 
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 Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), as the 
statutory counsel and the principal law office of government corporations, 
serves to protect their legal interest and ensure the proficient discharge 
of their mandate.
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.
However, the evolution and broadening of the scope of activities of 
GOCCs have resulted in an increase in the volume, complexity, and 
importance of the work of the OGCC. Thus, it is necessary to strengthen


the OGCCs current complement to maintain its effectiveness in 
addressing the legal needs of its clients.
The proposed legislative measure shall amend the applicable laws 
and issuances on the organizational structure of the OGCC. The proposed 
increase in the OGCCs present complement shall require an additional 
twenty-two (22) lawyer positions. The upgrading of the rank and salary 
grades of the OGCC lawyers is to keep them at par with the ranks and 
salary grades of counterpart positions in other government agencies.
The budget necessary to implement this Act, if passed into law, 
would have minimal to nil impact on the National Budget but is expected 
to have maximum yield. The necessary budget would improve the 
efficiency of the OGCC and effectively result in significant savings for the 
government. The OGCC is expected to 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 OGCC's organizational structure and 
the number of its personnel remained unchanged since the late 1980's. 
Therefore, it is imperative to strengthen the OGCC to make it more 
responsive to the needs of its clients in a corporate environment wrought 
by extensive socio-economic development, technological advancement, 
and globalization.
In view of the foregoing, the Immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
L" N. TOLENTINO


■
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 2416
:5 - ; s^rnaii
of tl)P
23 AUG 17 PI :06
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 878 DATED 4 MARCH 
1983, AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 299 DATED 26 JULY 
1987, TO UPGRADE AND CREATE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE 
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 1 of Executive Order (EO) 878, as amended by 
EO 299, is hereby further amended, as follows:
SECTION 1. The Office of the Government Corporate 
Counsel (OGCC) shall be headed by the Government Corporate 
Counsel whose rank, qualifications for appeintmont, SALARY, 
RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS, emoluments and 
privileges, shall be the same as those of the Presiding Justice 
of the Court of Appeals. He shall be assisted by a Deputy 
Government Corporate Counsel whose rank, omolumonts and 
privileges shall be the same as those of on Associate Justice of
the Court of Appeals, and ten (10) TWELVE (12) Assistant 
Government Corporate Counsels whose rank, SALARY, 
RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, emoluments 
and privileges shall be the same as those of Regional Trial 
Judge of the Regional Trial Courts an Associate Justice of the 
Court of Appeais. THE SALARY GRADE CORRESPONDING TO 
THE POSITION OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
COUNSEL SHALL BE ONE STEP ABOVE THE SALARY GRADE 
CORRESPONDING TO THE POSIITON OF AN ASSISTANT 
GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL
The Government Corporate Counsel, Deputy Government
Corporate—Counsel,—and -Assistant—Government—Corporate


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Gewscis must be officers -teamed in—law-of recognized
eempctcncc, with experience in the practice of law for at least
ten (10) years, and at-lcast thirty-five (35) years of age.
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 shall 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.
Section 2. Section 4 of EO 878 is hereby amended, as follows:
Section 4. The number, rank, qualifications for 
appointment, emoluments and privileges of the other members 
of the legal staff of OGCC-shall be as follows:
(a)—A first bracket of ten (10) State Corporate Attorneys
whe—Shan—have—the rank,—qualifications—for
appointment,—emoluments—and----privileges—ef
Metropolitan Trial Judges;
A. FOURTEEN (14) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY IV (GCA IV) POSITIONS. A GCA IV 
SHALL HAVE THE RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT 
AND PENSION BENEFITS, PRIVILEGES AND 
EMOLUMENTS, 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;
(h)-A-- second bracket of seven (7) State Corporate
Attorneys whose -annual—compensation shall be as


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
provided in PrcsidcntiQl-DccrcG No. 1726 and who
must be members of the Philippine Bor and have at
least three (3) years experience in the practice of law;
B. TWENTY-EIGHT (28) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY III (GCA III) POSITIONS. A GCA III 
SHALL HAVE THE RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT 
AND PENSION BENEFITS, PRIVILEGES AND OTHER 
EMOLUMENTS, 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;
(€)—A"third and a- fourth brocket of seven (7) State
Corporate Attorneys each whose annual compensation
shall be as provided in Presidential-DecrGe No. 1726
and who must be members of the Philippine Bar and
have at least two (2) years experience in the practice
of law;
C. TWENTY-EIGHT (28) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY II (GCA II) POSITIONS. A GCA III 
SHALL BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST FOUR (4) YEARS;
(d) -Ten (10) Trial Attorneys whose annual compensation
each shall be as provided in Presidential DecreG No.
-1726 and who must be members of the Philippine-BaF
and hove at least one (1) year experience-in the
practice of law;
D. TWENTY-EIGHT (28) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 
ATTORNEY I POSITIONS. A GCA I SHALL BE 
NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES 
AND HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF 
LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST THREE 
(3) YEARS.
(e) —A-Senior Research Attorney and five (5) Research
Attorneys whose annual compensation shall be as


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
provided in PrcsidcntiQl DccrcG No. 1726 and who
must be mcmberG of the Philippine Bar.
E. FOURTEEN (14) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE ATTORNEY II POSITIONS. AN AGCA II 
SHALL BE NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST TWO (2) YEARS.
F. FOURTEEN (14) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT 
CORPORATE ATTORNEY I POSITIONS. AN AGCA I 
SHALL BE NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT 
LEAST ONE (1) YEAR.
TT^e—fwmber—and—safaries/compensation—et—the
members of the Administrative and support staff of
the OGCC shall be those indicated in the Staffing
Pattern arKl-salary schedule attached hereto as Annex
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.
Section 3. Section 5 of EO 878 is hereby amended, as follows:
SEC. 5. The Government Corporate Counsel is hereby
authorized to reorganize his legal and administrative/support
staff within three months in such manner as he may deem
proper to promote the efficiency of the service. Any-member of
the staff not otherwise selected/appointed by the Government
Gcnperate Counsel as a result of the reorganization herein
authorized, or who refuses such appointment, shall be paid the
money value of his accumulated vacation and sick-leave, and
such retirement gratuity as may be due him under existing
retirement laws. Anyone not appointed-who does not qualify
under any existing retirement law may be paid-one month
salary for every year of service, payable in lump sum, from out


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
of the salary lopscs in the Office of the Government Corporate
Counsel.
SECTION 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.
THE OGCC SHALL BE SUPPORTED BY SUCH NUMBER OF 
NON-LEGAL PERSONNEL NECESSARY AND COMMENSURATE 
TO THE CURRENT WORKLOAD, 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 ARM; 
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, AND 
PRIVILEGES WITHOUT NECESSITY OF NEW APPOINTMENTS.
THE SALARIES, BENEFITS, AND PRIVILEGES OF THE 
PERSONNEL OF THE OGCC GRANTED UNDER THIS ACT SHALL 
BE INCREASED TO KEEP IN STEP WITH ANY CORRESPONDING 
INCREASE IN SALARIES AND PRIVILEGES GRANTED TO THEIR 
RESPECTIVE COUNTERPARTS IN THE JUDICIARY.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
Section 4. Section 7 of EO 878 is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION 7. In addition to the appropriation for the Office 
of the Government Corporate Counsel-the savings of the said
office, if any, may be used to carry out this Exec-titive Order.
APPROPRIATIONS. - THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT 
THE UPGRADING OF POSITIONS AND SALARIES, OFFICE 
RIGHT-SIZING, PHYSICAL EXPANSION, AND PAYMENT OF 
RETIREMENT BENEFITS PROVIDED IN THIS ACT SHALL BE 
TAKEN FROM THE FUNDS AND BUDGET OF THE OGCC UNDER 
THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT.
Section 5. A Section on repeal is hereby added:
SECTION 8. REPEALING CLAUSE. - ALL OTHER LAWS, 
ACTS, PRESIDENTIAL DECREES, EXECUTIVE ORDERS, 
PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATIONS, ISSUANCES, RULES AND 
REGULATIONS, OR PARTS THEREOF WHICH ARE NOT 
CONTRARY TO OR INCONSISTENT WITH ANY OF THE 
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE 
AND EFFECT.
Section 6. Section 8 of EO 878 is hereby re-numbered as Section 9 
and amended as follows:
SEG—8;—This—Executive—Order—shaH—take—effect
immediately.
SECTION 9. EFFECnVITY. - THIS ACT SHALL TAKE 
EFFECT FIFTEEN (15) DAYS AFTER ITS PUBLICATION IN THE 
OFFICIAL GAZETTE OR IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL 
CIRCULATION.
Approved.