fi-
^raaii'
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
of till'
25 AUG 14 P2 '45
RECEIVED 8V:
SENATE
S. No. 1187
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
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
This Bill reintroduces the previously vetoed bill on the Office of the Government 
Corporate Counsel (OGCC), subject to certain revisions to address the Veto Message 
dated 22 July 2022 of His Excellency President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr.
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 (NPS), 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 OGCCs 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 OGCC's present complement with an additional thirty-six 
(36) lawyer positions, thus:
Position
Current
number of
positions
Proposed
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 PAD, and the OSG, thus:
LAWYER POSTIIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Required
Present
Proposed
OSG
NPS
PAD
number
OGCC
OGCC
Position
Position
Position
of years
Position
Position and
and Salary
and Salary
and Salary
in the
and Salary
Salary Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
practice
Grade
of law
Executive
(Proposed Act)
Republic Act
Republic Act
Republic Act
Order No.
9417
10071
9406
878, as
(2007)
(2010)
(2007)
amended
15
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Prosecutor
Deputy Chief
Government
Government
Solicitor
V
Public
Corporate
Corporate
General
(Senior
Attorney
Counsel
Counsel
Deputy
(same salary
State,
and privileges
Regional,
as the
Provincial or
counterpart
City
position in the
Prosecutor)
NPS)
(SG 29)
(SG 30)
(SG 30)
(SG 30)
Present
Proposed
Regional
Associate
Associate
Associate
Trial Court
Justice of the
Justice of
Justice of
Judge level
Court of
the Court of
the Court of
Appeals level
Appeals
Appeals
level
level


10
Government
Government
Senior State
Prosecutor
Public
Corporate
Corporate
Solicitor
IV
Attorney V
Attorney IV
Attorney IV
General
(Deputy
(same salary
State,
and privileges
Regional,
as the
Provincial, or
counterpart
City
position in the
Prosecutor)
NPS)
(SG 28)
(SG 29)
(SG 29)
(SG 29)
Present
Propos^
Metropolitan
Regional Trial
Regional
Regional
Trial Court
Court Judge
Trial Court
Trial Court
Judge level
level
Judge level
Judge
5
Government
Government
State
Prosecutor
Public Attorney
Corporate
Corporate
Solicitor II
III
IV
Attorney III
Attorney III
(Senior
(same salary
Assistant
and privileges
State,
as the
Regional,
counterpart
Provincial or
position in the
City
Prosecutor)
NPS)
(SG 27)
(SG 28)
(SG 28)
(SG 28)
Present
Proposed
Metropolitan
Metropolitan
Metropolitan
Trial Court
Trial Court
Trial Court
Judge level
Judge level
Judge level
4
Government
Government
State
Prosecutor
Public
Corporate
Corporate
Solicitor I
II
Attorney III
Attorney II
Attorney II
Assistant
(same salary
State,
and privileges
Regional,
as the
Provincial or
counterpart
City
position in the
Prosecutors
NPS)
(SG 26)
(SG 27)
(SG 27)
(SG 27)
Present
Proposed
Municipal
Municipal
Trial Court
Trial Court
Judge in
Judge in
Cities level
Cities level


3
Government 
Corporate 
Attorney I
Government 
Corporate 
Attorney I
Associate 
Solicitor III
Prosecutor
I
Associate 
Provincial or 
City
Prosecutors
Public 
Attorney II 
(same salary 
and privileges 
as the 
counterpart 
position in the 
NPS)
(SG 25) 
Present
(SG 26)
Proposed
(SG 26)
(SG 26)
2
No position
Associate 
Government 
Corporate 
Attorney II
Associate 
Solicitor II
Public Attorney
I
(same salary 
and privileges 
as the 
counterpart 
position in the 
NPS)
(SG 25)
Proposed
(SG 25)
0
No position
Associate 
Government 
Corporate 
Attorney I
Associate 
Solicitor I
Associate Public 
Attorney II 
(same salary 
and privileges 
as the 
counterpart 
position in the 
NPS)
(SG 23)
Propos^
(SG 24)
The budget necessary to implement this proposed legislative measure, if passed 
into law, would have minimal to nil impact on the National Budget, but is expected to 
have maximum yield.
It is worthy to note that, to date, the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM) allowed the OGCC a total number of eighteen (18) coterminous lawyer positions


(referred to as BBM and PPP lawyers) in recognition of the need to augment its present 
complement. In this regard, the intended creation of additional plantilla positions 
would be far more expedient. There would be minimal budgetary requirements in view 
of the OGCC's present structure which already incorporates the expenses for 18 
coterminous lawyer positions.
The required budget would improve the efficiency and morale of the OGCC, 
effectively result in significant savings for the government, and minimize deputation 
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 OGCC's 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.) 9406 (2007), R.A. 9417 (2007), and R.A. 10071 (2010), 
respectively.
Given its growing number of clients and insufficient number of lawyers, the 
OGCC was constrained to confirm and ratify its client corporations' requests for the 
engagement of external counsel, for additional manpower and to ensure that its 
clients' cases were properly handled. 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 required additional manpower particularly given 
the financial impact of such arbitration cases and the magnitude of their effect on 
public welfare.


The OGCC's workforce should, therefore, be augmented to sufficiently address 
the developing requirements and legal concerns of the government corporate sector.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


of till' 
»
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. NO. 1187
25 AUG U P2 ul5
received BV;
Introduced by Senator Manuel ''Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
UPGRADING AND CREATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF
3 
THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
4 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 878 DATED 4 MARCH 1983, AS AMENDED BY
5 
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:
6 
Section 1. Section 1 of Executive Order (EO) No. 878, as amended by EO No.
7 
299, is hereby further amended, as follows:
8 
SECTION 1. The Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) shall
9 
be headed by the Government Corporate Counsel whose rank, SALARY,
10 
RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, emoluments and
11 
privileges, shall be the same as those of the Presiding Justice of the Court
12 
of Appeals. He shall be assisted by a Deputy Government Corporate
13 
Counsel whose rank, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS,
14 
RIGHTS, emoluments, and privileges shall be the same as those of an
15 
Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, and [ton (10)] TWELVE (12)
16 
Assistant Government Corporate Counsels WITH THE rank, SALARY,
17 
RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, emoluments, and
18 
privileges [shall bo the same as those] of [Regional Trial Judge of the
19 
Regional Trial Courts] AN ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE COURT OF
20 
APPEALS. THE SALARY GRADE CORRESPONDING TO THE POSHION OF
21 
THE DEPUTY GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL SHALL BE FOUR (4)
1


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STEPS ABOVE THE SALARY GRADE CORRESPONDING TO THE POSITION
2 
OF AN ASSISTANT GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL.
3 
[The Government Corporotc Counsel, Deputy Government Corporotc
4 
Counsel, and Assistant Government Corporate Counsels must be officers
5 
learned in law, of recognized competencerwith-experience in the practice
6 
of law for at least ten (10) yearsrand-at- least thirty-five (35) years-ef-agcr]
7 
NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL,
8 
DEPUTY GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL, OR ASSISTANT
9 
GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL UNLESS HE OR SHE IS A NATURAL-
10 
BORN CmZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE
11 
PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15)
12 
YEARS.
13 
The incumbent Government Corporate Counsel, Deputy Government
14 
Corporate Counsel, and Assistant Government Corporate Counsels shall be
15 
entitled to the RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND PENSION BENEFITS,
16 
rights, emoluments and privileges vested upon them BY THIS ACT as of the
17 
time of their appointments, AND without need of further appointments.
18 
Sec. 2. Section 4 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby further
19 
amended, as follows:
20 
Section 4. The number, rank, qualifications for appointment, emoluments
21 
and privileges of the other members of the legal staff of OGCC shall be as
22 
follows:
23 
[(a) A first bracket of ton (10) State Corporate- Attorneys-who shall have
24 
the rank, qualifications for appointment,—emoluments-and-prtvilegGS-ef
25 
Metropolitan Trial Judges;]
26 
A. TWELVE (12) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE ATTORNEY IV (GCA IV)
27 
POSITIONS. A GCA IV SHALL HAVE THE RANK, SALARY, RETIREMENT AND
28 
PENSION BENEFITS, RIGHTS, EMOLUMENTS, AND PRIVILEGES OF A
29 
JUDGE OF A REGIONAL TRIAL COURT. NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED
2


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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 bracket of seven (7) State Corporate Attorneys whose annual
compensation shall be as provided in Presidential Decree No. 1726 and who
must bo members of the Philippine-Baf and have at least three (3) years
oxporionco in the practice of law;]
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;
[(c) A third and a fourth bracket of seven (7) State Corporate Attorneys
each whose annual compensation shall be as provided in Presidential
Decree Ne.-1726-and who must be members of the Philippine Bar and have
at least two (2)-years experience in the practice-of law;]
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)-Tcn-(-lQ) Trial-Attorneys whose annual compensation each shall be as
provided in Presidential Decree No. 1726 and who must be members of the
Philippine-Bar-and-have-at least one-(l-)-year experience in tbe practice of
D. TWELVE (12) GOVERNMENT CORPORATE ATTORNEY I (GCA I) 
POSITIONS. A GCA I SHALL BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE


1 
PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE
2 
PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST THREE (3) YEARS;
3 
{(g) A Senior Reseafch-Attorncy and five (5) Research Attorneys whose
4 
annual compensation shat! be as provided in Presidential DGcree No. 1726
5 
and who-must be members of the Philippine Barr]
6 
E. TWELVE (12) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE ATTORNEY II
7 
(AGCA II) POSITIONS. AN AGCA II SHALL BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN
8 
OF THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW
9 
IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST TWO (2) YEARS; AND
10 
F. TWELVE (12) ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE ATTORNEY I
11 
(AGCA I) POSITIONS. AN AGCA I SHALL BE NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF
12 
THE PHILIPPINES AND A MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE BAR.
13 
pFhe—number and—salaries/compensation—of the—members—of the
14 
Administrative and support staff of the OGCC shall be those indicated in the
15 
Staffing Pattern and salary schedule attached hereto as Annex "A-'-'t^
16 
THE INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL STAFF SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
17 
THE RIGHTS, SALARY, BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES VESTED UPON THEM
18 
BY THIS ACT AS OF THE TIME OF THEIR APPOINTMENT WITHOUT NEED
19 
OF FURTHER APPOINTMENT.
20 
Sec. 3. Section 5 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby further
21 
amended, as follows:
22 
[SEC. 5. The Government Corporate Counsel is hereby authorized-te
23 
reorganize his legal-and administrative/support staff within three months in
24 
such manner os he may deem proper to promote the efficiency of the
25 
service. Any member of -the-staff not otherwise sclectcd/appointcd by the
26 
Government-Gerperate Counsel as a result of the reorganization herein
27 
authorized; or whe-refuses such appointment, shall be paid the money
28 
value of his accumulated vacation and sick leave, and such retirement
29 
gratuity as may be due him under existing retirement laws. Anyone not
4


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appointed who docs not qualify under any existing retirement law may be
paid one month salary for every year of service, payable in lump sum, from
eat of the salary lapses in the Office of the Government Corporate CounGol.]
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 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.
3 
Sec. 4. Section 7 of EO No. 878, as amended by EO No. 299, is hereby further
4 
amended as follows:
5 
SECTION 7. [In- addition to the appropriation for the Office of -the
6 
Government Corporate Counsel, the savings of the said office, if any, may
7 
be used to carry out this Executive OrderT^ APPROPRIATIONS. - THE
8 
AMOUNT NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE UPGRADING OF POSITIONS AND
9 
SALARIES, OFFICE RIGHT-SIZING, PHYSICAL EXPANSION, AND PAYMENT
10 
OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS, PENSION, PRIVILEGES, AND OTHER
11 
EMOLUMENTS PROVIDED IN THIS ACT SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE
12 
FUNDS AND BUDGET OF THE OGCC UNDER THE ANNUAL GENERAL
13 
APPROPRIATIONS ACT.
14 
Sec. 5. Repealing Clause- All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and
15 
regulation which are inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed,
16 
amended and modified accordingly.
17 
Sec. 6. Separability Clause - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act, or
18 
any part thereof, is declared invalid or unconstitutional, all other sections or provisions
19 
not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.
20 
Sec. 7. Effectivity-This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication
21 
in the Official Gazette and two (2) newspapers of national circulation.
22 
Approved,