President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued an executive order this week revising the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the scientific career system under a previous presidential order.
In issuing Executive Order No. 17, “Revising the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Scientific Career System Under Executive Order No. 901 (S.1983)”, the President said there’s a need to update the existing implementing rules and regulations of the SCS in order to effectively respond “to the evolving needs of the country’s science and technology human resources in government service.”
Under the President’s order dated February 20, the SCS will be a system of recruitment, career progression, recognition and reward of scientists in public service aimed at developing a pool of highly qualified and productive scientific personnel.
The system will be characterized by entrance to and a career progression or advancement based on qualifications, merit and scientific productivity, career path to scientists, as well as incentives and rewards to ensure attraction and retention of highly qualified personnel in the science and technology sector.
It will apply to scientific personnel with master’s and doctorate degrees in sciences who are directly involved in research and development, covering biological sciences, engineering and technology, mathematical and physical sciences, health and agricultural sciences, as well as all scientific disciplines determined by the Scientific Career Council (SCC).
The SCS’s administration system will be composed of the chairperson of the CSC as ex-officio chairperson, the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as ex-officio co-chairperson, and other ex-officio members.
A Technical Working Group and Special Technical Committees (STCs) will be established by the SCC to serve as an advisory body and screening committee.
STCs in different fields of specialization will be created with each technical committees composed of at least five members recognized by authorities in their respective fields and who will serve for two years.
The appointments of scientists under SCS will be based on rank, from Scientist 1 to Scientist V, who will be admitted to the system to the extent that they meet the minimum qualifications.
Their pay will be based on a compensation plan, which will include fringe benefits and reasonable allowances comparable to those of the Career Executive Service (CES).
The President’s order also calls for the provision of a continuing training program for all active scientists.
The SCS secretariat will be funded by the General Appropriations Act, while scientists from national government agencies, state universities and colleges will be compensated through their respective appropriations.
For scientists from government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs), they will be compensated through their respective corporate operating budgets, while for those from local government units, their salaries will be charged against their respective local funds in accordance with RA No. 7160 of the Local Government Code of 1991. (PND)
