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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
There is a distinct class of workers among us that have kept the government, in every 
administration, running smoothly as a well-oiled machine, impervious to political changes 
and bureaucratic realignments. They walk the corridors of power serving elected leaders with 
extreme dedication and patriotism; they reach the far lengths of the archipelago executing 
the national agenda as public workers, division superintendents, regional directors, scientists, 
health professionals, district engineers, members of the defense establishment and law 
enforcement, immigration and customs officers, legal officers, or otherwise professionals in 
their respective fields. They are everywhere: in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial 
branches of government. But they are not so ordinary, for they comprise the “third level” or 
managerial class of workers in government. They are the Career Executive Service 
professionals, or otherwise known as Career Executive Service Officers (CESOs). 
The Career Executive Service (CES) was created under the Integrated Reorganization 
Plan (IRP) as embodied in Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 1 dated 24 September 1972, to 
form a continuing pool of well-selected and development- oriented career administrators who 
shall provide competent and faithful service.1
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1 Section 1, Article IV, Part III, Chapter V, Integrated Reorganization Plan (IRP)/P.D. No. 1 (s. 1972) 
2 Section 7 [3], Chapter 2, Subtitle A, Title I, Executive Order [E.O.] No. 292 (s. 1987) or the Administrative Code of 1987 
Introduced by Representative Robert Ace S. Barbers 
February 21, 2023
6:19 pm
7280


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Members of the CES shall be classified according to rank based on broad levels of 
responsibility and on personal qualifications and demonstrated competence. Salary and status 
shall be based on rank, not on the position occupied at any given time.5 
As of 31 December 2022, the total number of occupied CES positions is 2,208 out of 
2,802 total number of CES positions, and out of the 2,208 filled CES positions, only 989 are 
CESOs and CES eligibles.6 This means that of the 2.4 Million workers in government7, less 
than one thousand (1,000) CESOs and CES eligibles indispensably take the role as managers 
and prime movers in the bureaucracy to ensure the continuous, unhampered, efficient, and 
faithful implementation of government programs and the national agenda. As members of 
the CES, these officers are required to continuously upskill and upgrade their competencies 
as leaders and managers, and remain faithful to their tenure in government service for the 
rest of their professional careers until they reach the age of mandatory retirement. 
Demonstrably, members of the CES possess those rare qualities of competence, 
innovation, and development or career-orientation. As a result of their sterling qualities, they 
are given more responsibilities, work longer hours, attend more meetings and trainings, but 
unfortunately, at the end of the day, receive equal pay as their peers who are non-CESOs 
with the same salary grade, in spite of the mandate of the IRP/P.D. No. 1 that members of 
the CES shall be compensated according to rank and shall be provided with attractive 
salaries, fringe benefits and reasonable allowances, and required the employing agency to 
provide the funds for the purpose.8
Said provision of the IRP/P.D. No. 1 is consistent with the declared policy of the 
State to provide equal pay for substantially equal work and to base differences in pay upon 
substantial differences in duties and responsibilities, and qualification requirements of the 
positions.9
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3 Section 5[a], Article IV, IRP/P.D. No. 1 
4 Section 7[3], Chapter 2, Book V, E.O. No. 292 (s. 1987), Section 5[c], Article IV, Part III, IRP/P.D. No. 1 (s.1972) 
5 Section 5[b], Article IV, IRP, P.D. No. 1 (s. 1972) 
6 Source: CES Occupancy Figures, Career Service Executive Board 
7 Inventory of Government Human Resource as of June 30, 2022, the Civil Service Commission 
8 Section 5[d], Article IV, IRP, P.D. No. 1 (s. 1972) 
9 Section 2, Republic Act (R.A.) No. 6758 or the Salary Standardization Law 


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It is, therefore, the intent of this measure to give due recognition to our hard-working 
members of the Career Executive Service by giving them salaries, reasonable special 
allowances, retirement benefits and privileges commensurate to their CES ranks and to give 
added value to their faithful and exemplary service to the government over the years. 
For these reasons, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
ROBERT ACE S. BARBERS 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 
AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CAREER 
EXECUTIVE SERVICE (CES) IN EFFECTIVELY UPHOLDING, PURSUING, AND 
MAINTAINING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN PUBLIC 
SERVICE BY GRANTING THEM SALARIES, SPECIAL ALLOWANCES, 
RETIREMENT BENEFITS, AND PRIVILEGES COMMENSURATE TO THEIR CES 
RANKS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the “CES Recognition Act of 
2023.” 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
maintain and keep a roster of qualified, committed, and efficient members of the Career 
Executive Service (CES) in the government by providing them with salaries, special 
allowances, retirement benefits and privileges commensurate to their CES ranks. 
Section 3. Members of the CES; Qualification Requirements. – A person who meets 
such managerial experience and other requirements and passes such examinations as may 
be prescribed by the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) shall be included in the 
register of career service eligible and, upon appointment by the President of the Republic of 
the Philippines to an appropriate rank, shall become an active member of the CES. 
The Members of the CES shall occupy the positions of Undersecretary, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau Director, Assistant Bureau Director, Regional Director, Assistant 
Regional Director, Chief of Department Service and other officers of equivalent rank as may 
be identified by the CESB, all of whom are appointed by the President. 
Introduced by Representative Robert Ace S. Barbers 
7280


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Notwithstanding the provision of the preceding paragraph, this provision shall also 
include third-level career executives in government institutions who by their legislative 
charters or by the nature of their government offices are not Presidential appointees and yet 
occupying positions classified by the CESB as equivalent to Undersecretary, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau Director, Assistant Bureau Director, Regional Director, Assistant Regional 
Director, and Chief of Department Service. They shall also be conferred with appropriate 
Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) ranks by the President upon the recommendation 
of the CESB after successfully completing the four-stage CES eligibility process and 
conferred with appropriate CES eligibility by the CESB. 
 
An incumbent of a CES position who does not possess the appropriate qualification 
shall undergo the CES eligibility process prescribed by the CESB, within one (1) year from 
appointment to qualify for the CES position and avail of the benefits provided under this 
Act. 
 
The CESB and the concerned government agency shall ensure that only CES 
eligibles and with appropriate CESO ranks shall be given preference to occupy available 
CES positions. 
 
Section 4. Grant of Salaries Commensurate to CES Ranks. – Members of the CES 
shall be compensated according to rank based on broad levels of responsibility and on 
personal qualifications and demonstrated competence, and shall be provided with salaries 
commensurate to their CESO ranks, to be determined by the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM), CESB, and the National Union of Career Executive Service Officers, 
Inc. (NUCESO). 
 
Section 5. Grant of Step Increments Due to Meritorious Performance. – Members 
of the CES shall be granted step increment(s) due to meritorious performance in any given 
year, provided they have complied with the following performance ratings: 
➢ “Outstanding” performance rating within a calendar year – two (2) step increments 
➢ “Very Satisfactory” performance rating within a calendar year – one (1) step 
increment. 


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Section 6. Grant of Automatic CESO Rank and One-Step Salary Adjustment. – A 
CESO appointed to a higher CES position shall be automatically conferred by the President 
of the Republic of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the CESB, with the 
appropriate CESO Rank commensurate to the position he/she has been appointed to, without 
undergoing the usual CES eligibility process for the promotion or adjustment of rank, and 
shall be entitled to one-step salary adjustment in the salary grade attached to his/her new 
position. 
 
Section 7. Effects of Subsequent Salary Increases. – Upon implementation of any 
subsequent increases in the salary rates provided under Republic Act. No. 6758, as 
amended, all special allowances granted under this Act to the CES members shall be 
considered as an implementation of the said salary increases as may be provided by law. 
The special allowance equivalent to the increase in the basic salary as may be provided by 
law shall be converted as part of the basic salary. 
 
Section 8. Grant of Special Allowances. – To carry out the declared policy of this Act, 
all CES members, with an eligibility and with a rank, shall be granted special allowances in 
the amount to be determined by the DBM, CESB and NUCESO. The grant of special 
allowances shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the basic salary of said CES 
members, as provided in Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the Salary 
Standardization Law, as amended. 
 
Section 9. Retirement Benefits. – When a CES member who possessed a CESO rank 
for at least three (3) years and who has rendered at least fifteen (15) years of service in any 
branch of government, retires for having attained the age of sixty-five (65) years or resigns 
by reason of incapacity to discharge the duties of his/her office, he/she shall, during  the  
residue  of  his/her  natural  life,  in  the  manner  hereinafter provided, receive a retirement 
pension based on the highest monthly salary, plus the highest monthly aggregate of 
transportation, living and representation allowances, which he/she was receiving at the time 
of his/her retirement or resignation. 
 
When a CES member who possessed a CESO rank for at least three (3) years, has 


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attained the age of sixty (60) years and has rendered at least fifteen (15) years of service in 
government, he/she shall likewise be entitled to retire and receive during the residue of his/her 
natural life the same benefits provided for in this section: Provided, however, that those with 
less than fifteen (15) years of service in the government shall be entitled to a pro-rata pension 
computed as follows: 
 
 
Upon retirement, a CES member shall be automatically entitled to a lump-sum of 
five (5) years gratuity computed on the basis of the highest monthly salary, plus the highest 
monthly aggregate of transportation, living and representation allowances, which he/she was 
receiving on the date of his/her retirement and thereafter upon survival after the expiration 
of five (5) years, to further annuity payable monthly during the residue of his/her natural life. 
 
This provision shall likewise apply to third-level officials in the government who are 
non-Presidential appointees by reason of their legislative charters or by the nature of their 
government offices, and who have been occupying positions classified by the CESB as 
equivalent to Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, Bureau Director, Assistant Bureau 
Director, Regional Director, Assistant Regional Director, and Chief of Department Service, 
and been conferred by the CESB with CES eligibility, after passing the four-stage eligibility 
process, provided that he/she possessed the CES eligibility for at least five (5) years and been 
conferred with appropriate CESO rank by the President by virtue of this Act. 
 
Section 10. Survivorship Pension Benefits. Upon the death of a CES member, if such 
CES member has retired, or was eligible to retire optionally at the time of death, the surviving 
legitimate spouse shall be entitled to receive Survivorship Pension Benefits. The surviving 
legitimate spouse shall continue to receive such retirement benefits until the surviving 
spouse's death or remarriage. 
 
   No. of years 
In Government  X  15 years 
Basic Pay Plus the Highest 
Monthly Aggregate of 
Transportation, Living and 
Representation 
Allowances 


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Section 11. Automatic Increase. – All pension benefits of retired CES member shall 
be automatically increased whenever there is an increase in the salary and allowance of the 
same position from which he/she retired. 
 
Section 12. Limitations. – A CES member shall not be entitled to special allowances 
and retirement benefits under this Act if he/she is already covered by any law providing the 
same allowances and benefits, unless the special allowances and retirement benefits under 
this Act are higher, in which case, he/ she shall receive the higher allowances and benefits. 
When a CES member covered under this Act shall assume an elective public office, he/she 
shall not, upon assumption of office and during his/her term, receive the monthly pension 
or any of the allowance due to him/her. 
 
Section 13. Retroactivity. – The benefits mentioned in Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall 
be granted to all those who retired prior to the effectivity.  
Section 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DBM, CESB, and NUCESO 
shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act 
not later than ninety (90) days from approval hereof. 
Section 15. Appropriations. – The amount needed for the initial implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the concerned 
agencies. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
Section 16. 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. 
Section 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
administrative orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
Section 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,