REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMISSION ON AUDIT
Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
RESOLUTION
No. : 2004-001A Date : January 27, 2004
SUBJECT : Restatement with amendments of COA Resolution No. 2002-002, dated February 7, 2002, otherwise known as the Implementing Guidelines on Study Leave for Bar/Board review and examination or completion of Master's Degree.
WHEREAS, the Comm ission recognizes t he importance of every ever y member of the organization whose self-development and general well-being are its concern and therefore is supportive of various human resource development activities within and outside COA; WHEREAS, WHEREAS, with this commitment, the Commission has implemented the Study Leave Program under COA Resolution No. 2002-002 dated February 7, 2002, in line with Memorandum Circular No. 14, s. 1999 of the Civil Service Commission (CSC-MC No. 14, s. 1999); WHEREAS, this WHEREAS, this Commission effected changes in the organizational structure pursuant to the Organizational Plan for a More Effective Commission on Audit provided in COA Resolution No. 2002-005, dated May 17, 2002; WHEREAS, the WHEREAS, the Organizational Plan necessitated the clustering of agencies whereby the distribution of audit responsibility and the pattern of supervision have shifted from a regional basis to an agency-nationwide basis; WHEREAS, WHEREAS, to conform with the new COA organizational structure, there is a need to modify some administrative procedures pertaining to the grant of the above-captioned study leave; NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission Pr oper resolves, as it does hereby r esolve to adopt the herein restatement with amendments of COA Resolution No. 2002-002 as recommended by the Scholarship Board, as follows:
I
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS The applicant for study leave – leave – 1.
Must be a permanent employee employee of the Commission.
2.
Must have rendered at least two (2) years of service in the Commission at the time of application.
3.
Must have graduated with a Bachelor's Degree which consequently requires passing the Bar/Board licensure examination. For thesis writing or comprehensive examination, the official/employee must have completed all the academic requirements for a Master's Degree.
4.
Must not have failed twice in any major subject in his bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Laws, Accounting, Engineering) or Master's Degree.
5.
Must have at least very satisfactory performance rating for the last two (2) semesters, and must be favorably recommended by his Cluster Director or Head of Office.
6.
Must have no pending administrative and/or criminal case.
7.
Must have no current local or foreign scholarship grant.
8.
Must have fulfilled the service obligation for any previous local or foreign scholarship.
9.
Must not be more than fifty-five (55) years of age.
10.
II.
Must not have previously failed the same examination under a government scholarship grant.
PRIVILEGES OF THE GRANTEE If the study leave is approved, the applicant –
III.
1.
Shall be authorized to avail himself of the study leave on a full time basis for a period not exceeding six (6) months on official time.
2.
Shall continue to receive his salary and all authorized allowances or benefits.
3.
Shall enjoy continuous services during the period of the study leave and shall earn the corresponding leave credits.
RESPONSIBILITIES/OBLIGATI ONS OF THE GRANTEE 1.
Applicants for study leave shall submit their application to the Cluster Director or Head of Office, through their immediate supervisor.
2.
The grantee shall sign a Study Leave Contract, and abide by the terms and conditions stipulated therein.
3.
For the grantee of study leave for Bar/Board review and examination – a.
Upon approval of the study grant, the grantee shall enroll immediately in a school of his choice and complete all requirements to qualify for admission to take the Bar/Board examination for which the study leave
was granted. b.
After taking the Bar/Board examination, he shall immediately submit the following documents to the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) for monitoring and updating purposes: Certificate of enrollment in a review school Proof of having taken the Bar/Board examination Certificate of assumption after the study leave Report of Rating (for Bar/Board passers) upon release by the Supreme Court of the Philippines/ Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC)
4.
For the grantee of study leave for completion of Master's Degree – a.
He shall furnish the HRMO a copy of his thesis proposal and/or certification from the Dean of the Graduate School of having completed the academic requirements and is qualified to take the comprehensive examination and/or complete his thesis.
b.
After the study leave for completion of Master's Degree, he shall submit the following:
5.
Diploma and Transcript of Records Copy of thesis/research paper or its equivalent Certificate of assumption
The grantee shall render the required service obligation reckoned from the date of assumption after the study leave, as follows: No. of Years Service Obligation
Period of Study Leave
Three (3) years
More than three (3) months to six (6) months
Two (2) years
6.
IV.
One (1) month to three (3) months
In the instance that the grantee fails to complete his Bar/Board review and examination and/or his Master’s Degree, he shall immediately inform the Scholarship Board through the HRMO of the same.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CLUSTER DIRECTOR OR HEAD OF OFFICE/REGIONAL CLUSTER DIRECTOR (RCD)/REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR (RA) 1.
Accept and initially screen applications for study leave under their respective jurisdiction using the qualification criteria mentioned in Item I.
2.
Forward/submit to the HRMO (thru the Cluster Director for RCD and thru the Assistant Commissioner for Administration for RA) the application(s)
together with the required documents in one (1) copy, as follows: a. b. c.
Personal Data Sheet (PDS) Service Record (SR) Transcript of Records/Certification of Grades issued by the School Registrar (TOR/CG) in Law Proper, for those applying for Bar review and examination in Accountancy/Engineering etc. for those applying for Board review in Master’s Degree showing completion of all academic requirements for comprehensive examination and/or thesis writing Performance ratings for the past two (2) semesters Certification of no pending administrative/criminal case Certification that the applicant is not enjoying another scholarship grant with the government and that he has no pending service obligation for any previous local or foreign scholarship to be signed by the Cluster Director or Head of Office/Regional Cluster Director or Regional Administrator as the case may be.
d. e. f.
3.
V.
Maintain a record of grantees under their respective supervision and monitor their compliance with the herein guidelines and the terms and conditions of the Study Leave Contract. Submit a semestral report to the Scholarship Board through the HRMO on the status of the study leave granted to their personnel, using the prescribed form (marked as Annex "A").
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HRMO 1.
Evaluate applications received to ensure that the applicant meets the requirements under Item I hereof and return application papers of applicants who do not meet the qualification requirements.
2.
Ensure that the limitation on the number of grantees per Office/Cluster (see Annex "B") is strictly observed so that t he study leave shall not in any way prejudice/hamper the smooth operation of offices/clusters.
3.
Inform the Scholarship Board of applications that have been returned for failure to meet the qualification requirements.
4.
Submit the evaluated applications of qualified applicants to the Scholarship Board for appropriate action.
5.
Advise the applicant through his Cluster Director or Head of Office/Regional Cluster Director or Regional Administrator of the action of the Scholarship Board and require the signing and submission of the Scholarship Contract. The Director, HRMO, shall sign the contract for and in behalf of the COA Chairman.
6.
Upon receipt of the duly notarized Study Leave Contract, prepare the office order for the signature of the COA Chairman authorizing applicant to avail
himself of the study leave. 7.
Furnish the Assistant Commissioner/Cluster Director/Head of Office/Regional Cluster Director/Regional Administrator concerned of a copy of the scholarship contract and office order.
8.
Act on requests for reconsideration on returned applications.
9.
Submit to the Scholarship Board appeals on applications denied by the HRMO.
10.
VI.
VII.
Maintain a record of all grantees, monitor their compliance with the herein guidelines and the terms and conditions of the Study Leave Contract, and submit a semestral report on the status of scholarships to the Scholarship Board using the prescribed form (see Annex "A").
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOLARSHIP BOARD 1.
Act on study leave applications submitted to the Board.
2.
Recommend to the COA Chairman, for approval, study leave applications favorably acted upon; return to applicants, thru HRMO, applications disapproved by the Board/applications that do not meet the herein guidelines.
3.
Evaluate and recommend to the COA Chairman, action on requests for reconsideration/appeals of applicants.
4.
Evaluate whether the reasons behind the scholar’s non -completion of his review classes and/or Master’s Degree and/or failure to take the Bar/Board examination are justifiable or not and recommend appropriate action thereon.
5.
Evaluate and recommend to the COA Chairman, action on requests for deferment.
6.
Review semestral monitoring report submitted by the HRMO and submit the same to the COA Chairman.
7.
Oversee the implementation of the policy on study leave and imposition of sanctions on violations of the Study Leave Contract.
MECHANISM FOR APPEAL 1.
An applicant who feels aggrieved by an adverse action on his application shall follow the levels of appeal, as follows: st
1 level - Scholarship Board nd 2 level - COA Chairman rd 3 level - Commission Proper
VIII.
2.
Appeals at all levels should be filed within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the advice of disapproval. Appeals filed beyond the prescribed period shall no longer be entertained.
3.
The decision of the Commission Proper on appeals shall be final and executory.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND IMPLEMENTING CONTROLS 1.
As a general rule, a grantee who fails to complete review classes and/or take the examination within the period authorized for his Bar/Board review and examination or complete his Master’s Degree shall refund the salaries and allowances received during the period of the study leave and disqualify him from availment of future scholarships or study grants in the Commission. However, in exceptional cases where reasons are justifiable as determined by the Board, the grantee may be allowed to avail himself of the unexpired portion of the six-month period without refunding salaries and allowances received during the period of the study leave, subject to the approval of the COA Chairman.
2.
A grantee who fails to render in full the required service obligation on account of voluntary resignation, optional retirement, separation from the service through his own fault, or other causes within his control, shall refund the gross salary, allowances and other benefits received while on study leave based on the following formula: R =
(SOR-SOS) SOR
X TCR
where: R = refund TCR = Total Compensation Received (Gross salary, allowances and benefits) SOS = Service Obligation Served SOR = Service Obligation Required 3.
A grantee is given fifteen (15) days from receipt of notice of refund to settle the amount. If the grantee fails to refund within the reglementary period, the refund shall be effected through salary deduction to be determined by the Finance Office.
4. Allocation of grantees shall be in accordance wit h Annex “B”. For clusters/offices with the maximum allocation of six (6) slots, grantees shall not be more than two (2) for every bar/board examination including master’s degree completion in a given period. However, should the slots intended for each purpose have not been filled up within a given period, the same may be used for any of the three (bar, board and master’s degree). 5.
The study leave may be availed of more than once, provided the service obligation on the study leave previously availed has already been rendered. Provided further that the study leave application shall not be for the same examination/master’s degree previously availed of. It should be understood, however, that priority shall be given to new applicants.
IX
6.
For clusters/offices with a maximum allocation of less than six (6), the slots should, as far as practicable, be equally allocated among the three (3) purposes of the study leave.
7.
The study leave shall take effect at the start of the review classes.
AMENDMENT AND/OR REPEALING CLAUSE COA Resolution No. 2002-002 dated February 7, 2002 is hereby superseded.
X.
EFFECTIVITY This COA Resolution takes effect immediately. Quezon City, Philippines.
