The Department of Education issued its Omnibus Travel Guidelines for All Personnel, enclosed in the DepEd Order 43, series 2022. In this order, DepEd provided the processes and requirements for DepEd personnel requesting authority to travel, whether local or foreign and for personal or official purposes. It contains guidelines and regulations for all DepEd officials and personnel from all offices, governance levels, and its attached agencies. Additionally, the department issued the DepEd Order 46, series 2022, to amend the guidelines specified in the initial policy.
Also Read: About DepEd Partnerships Database System (DPDS)
Under DepEd Order 46, the department stipulated supplementary provisions regarding official foreign and local travel. The order also contains the recommending and approving officers for issuing travel authority to DepEd personnel and its attached agencies. In addition, this order species general guidelines about personal travel and pre-departure modification. Thus, all concerned should disseminate and strictly adhere to this order.
What is DepEd Order 46
On October 17, 2022, the Department of Education circulated the DepEd Order (DO) 46, series (s.) 2022, titled the Amendments to DepEd Order No. 043, 2022 (Omnibus Travel Guidelines for All Personnel of the Department of Education). Nevertheless, Omnibus Travel Guidelines require flexibility to deal with all the possible circumstances that may come to light throughout DepEd operations. Considering the escalating concerns in explaining some provisions in DO 43, s 2022, the department released a clarification and amendment in this order.
Also Read: Brigada Eskwela Program: How to Participate in Your School
Similarly, DepEd Order 46, series 2022, conforms with the DepEd Secretary’s directive, resulting in the preparation and circulation of internal guidelines on local and foreign travels within the department and its attached agencies. This order aims to provide supplementary protection and safety measures, which are most applicable to agency conditions and distinctive characteristics and guarantee the rational utilization of public funds.
Amendments to DepEd Order No. 043, 2022 (Omnibus Travel Guidelines for All Personnel of the Department of Education)
Recommending and Approving Authorities for Foreign and Local Official Travel
This order updates and clarifies the following provisions under DO 43, s 2022, or the Omnibus Travel Guidelines regarding the Recommending and Approving Authorities for Foreign and Local Official Travel, namely:
A. For Official Foreign Travel
The provisions of Item IV(B)(4)(b) and its table of recommending and approving authorities for foreign travel read as follows:
- The table below indicates the recommending and approving officers for the circulation of official foreign travel authority to DepEd officers, employees, and its attached agencies:
B. For Official Local Travel
The provisions of Item IV(B)(4)(b) and its table of recommending and approving authorities for official local travel read as follows:
- The table below specifies the recommending and approving officers for the issuance of official foreign travel authority to DepEd officers, employees, and its attached agencies:
C. Use of Locator Slips
The following clarified and amended provisions of Item IV.C.2.b regarding the utilization of Locator Slips for such day trips:
- For activities, errands, events, or performance of a designated task that requires a DepEd official/employee to be outside of their permanent station/workplace during office hours within a day/for an entire day/for a period not exceeding one (1) day, a Locator Slip (Revised Annex E), duly approved by the Head of Office/Authorized Representative and signed/certified by the authorized personnel from the visited office/place, may be utilized as authority to travel.
- As a substitute for the signature/certification of the person, obtain a Certificate of Appearance from the office visited.
- The signed and accomplished Locator Slip will serve as the authority to travel. Furthermore, utilization of the Locator Slip is only for actual transportation expenses reimbursement and never for personal business.
The image below shows the Revised Annex E (DepEd’s Locator Slip):
Personal Travel
The provisions of Item V of DO 43, s 2022, or the Omnibus Travel Guidelines on Personal Travel, its table of recommending and approving authorities for foreign personal travel, are simplified to read as follows:
General Guidelines
- Authorized Personal Foreign Travel – No DepEd official or employee should be permitted to leave for any personal foreign travel except if they have duly accomplished the necessary leave forms and secured travel authorization. However, the Approving authority should only grant the travel authorization once proven that the absence of the requesting official or employee will not delay or slow down the operational efficiency in their respective office.
- Recommending and Approving Authority for Personal Foreign Travel – The recommending and approving offices for the issuance of personal foreign travel authority to DepEd offices, employees, and its attached agencies are specified in the table below:
- Before applying for authority to travel, DepEd officials or employees who have obtained and pursued scholarships/training and other related activities in their own capacity should inform their immediate supervisor or head of the office.
- Personal Local Travel – The concerned DepEd official or employee should complete the necessary leave form from the approving authority.
Supplementary Amendments
- The 2nd and 3rd paragraph of Item IV(BX2) on Pre-Departure is revised to read as follows:
- Consultants or those involved under the Contract of Service by DepEd should not qualify for foreign travel authorities and are not entitled to government funding for such trips unless in highly commendable conditions (such as unavailability of qualified employees in extremely technical or specialized fields) and following submission of written justification to the authorized approving officials. Nonetheless, local travel authorizations may be contractually specified/permitted by law or regulation.
- DepEd Order 46 should not prevent the Secretary of Education from signing documents, if required, in the interest of service and from exercising her authority and mandate under Republic Act (RA) No. 9155, Executive Order No. 292, s 1987, and other prevailing laws.
Also Read: List of Attached Agencies under DepEd
DepEd Order 46 Full Memo Download
To access and download the complete PDF of DepEd Order No. 46, series of 2022, a direct link is available on this page. By clicking the download button below, you can easily obtain a copy of DepEd Order 46 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 46 memo file: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DO_s2022_046.pdf
Video: DepEd Teacher Travel Abroad? Madali nalang this 2023 (DepEd Order#46,s. 2022)
As discussed in the video, DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel should complete the requirements and apply for travel authority whenever traveling abroad. The DepEd Order 46, series 2022, enclosed the amendments to DO 43, s 2022, titled the Omnibus Travel Guidelines for All Personnel of the Department of Education. If personally traveling abroad, DepEd personnel should ask permission via a letter from the immediate head/school head and School division Superintendent. Once approved, submit the approval letter to the Division HR in charge of travel abroad.
DepEd personnel should also complete the list of requirements, such as the approved letter, CSC Form 6 (approved), Division Clearance, Certificate of No Pending Case, Teacher’s Clearance (School Level), Out of Undertaking Duly Notarized, Travel Order, GSIS SOA, Leave Form, and other relevant clearances applicable to the requester’s position. Also, ensure that all signatories approve the documentary requirements. Hence, DepEd teachers and non-teaching staff can travel abroad for personal reasons, given they comply with the requirements.
Summary
To sum up, DepEd Order 46, series 2022, provides clarification and amendments regarding the Omnibus Travel Guidelines for All Personnel of the Department of Education. With this policy, DepEd officers and personnel, including its attached agencies, will have clear guidelines about the process and conditions for obtaining authority to travel. Therefore, we advise all officers, teaching, and non-teaching staff of DepEd to comply with this order.