I.

BACKGROUND
To carry out its mandates and objectives, the Department is organized into two

major structural components. The Central Office maintains the overall administration of
basic education at the national level. The Field Offices are responsible for the regional
and local coordination and administration of the Departments mandate. RA 9155
provides that the Department should have no more than four (4) Undersecretaries and
four (4) Assistant Secretaries with at least one Undersecretary and one Assistant
Secretary who are career service officers chosen among the staff of the Department.
The creation of CHED was part of a broad agenda for reforms in the country's
education system, outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) in
1992. Part of the reforms is the trifocalization of the education sector. The three
governing bodies in the education sector are the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) for tertiary and graduate education, the Department of Education (DepEd) for
basic education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) for technical-vocational and middle level education.
In October 2004, Executive Order 366 (EO) Directing A Strategic Review of the
Operations and Organizations of the Executive Branch and Providing Options and
Incentives for Government Employees Who May Be Affected by the Rationalization of
the Functions and Agencies of the Executive Branch directed a strategic review of the
operations and organizations of the Executive Branch.

In December 2011, the Department of Education (DepEd) embarked on the

review and revision of its Rationalization Plan (RP) in light of long-term reforms needed
in the education sector notwithstanding fast-changing demands of the local and global
environment. This Department opted to submit the Rationalization Plan in two phases:
a. Phase I includes the mandate, functions and proposed organizational structure
for the agency. It also shows the indicative staffing and costing for the
proposed structure vis--vis the 2005 level.
b. Phase II includes the placement of employees into the new staffing pattern and
the names and positions of employees which will affected by the
rationalization effort of the organization.
The scope of the DepEd Rationalization efforts covers the following:
a. All Central Office Units;
b. Sixteen (16) Regional Offices excluding DepEd ARMM;
c. Schools Division Offices Proper (206 as of 30 June 2013); and
d. Personnel whose services
On November 15, 2013, the DepEd Rationalization Plan (RP) was approved by the
Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The approval included the rationalized
structure and staffing pattern of offices at the central, regional, and schools division

levels. Below is the new organizational structures, as indicated in Enclosure No. 2, shall

take effect no later than January 01, 2016.

Figure 1. The Department of Education Organizational Structure (Oct. 2015)

II.

RATIONALE
The rationalized organizational structures and staffing patterns were a result of
the thorough study of the DepEd Change Management Team (CMT) on the current
structures, functions and staffing complement of the DepEd offices vis--vis the long-term
education reforms, requirements of the learners and the changing environment, and
national government policies.
The approved organizational structures are consistent with the provisions of RA
9155 in applying the principles of decentralization and shared governance to ensure
accountability and relevance to the context, and development needs of the learners and
stakeholders of the various organizational levels.
In developing the organizational structures, the DepEd CMT also identified the
themes or organizational strands common to all levels of the Department. These
organizational strands reflect the similarity of functions and objectives of offices and units.
The organizational strands are as follows:
Office of the Secretary;
The Office of the Secretary (OSec) provides overall leadership and direction at the
national level. Attached and support agencies to DepEd are included under the OSec.
b. Curriculum and Instruction;
This strand ensures that the organization focuses on the delivery of a relevant,
responsive, and effective basic education curriculum around which all other strands and
offices provide support.
c. Strategic Management;
This strand enables the organization to focus on long-term directions and
interface with the internal and external environment and stakeholders.
d. Governance and Operations;
This strand ensures the capacity of the organization to continuously improve and
be strategic in managing the environment for which teaching and learning takes place.
In accordance with RA 9155, the Secretary of Education delegates the supervision of field

offices (regional and schools division offices) to the Undersecretary for Governance and
Operations.
1. The Office of the Regional Director provides leadership and
management of the Departments mandate at the regional level; and
2. The Office of the Schools Division Superintendent provides local
management and administration of the Departments mandate at the
schools division level.
e. Legal and Legislative Affairs;
This strand enhances capacity of the organization to deal with legal matters and
to be proactive in moving forward its legislative agenda.
f.

Finance and Administration:

This strand ensures the efficiency to support the organization as a whole to focus
on its core business and thus attain its targets through the provision of finance and
administrative services.
The following organizational actions were taken on the existing offices:
a.

Offices to be retained or renamed in the new structure;

b.

Offices to be transferred to other bureaus/services or organizational

strands;

c.

Offices to be merged or consolidated due to similarity in objectives or

functions;

d.

Offices to be upgraded or elevated to address critical functions or

adhere to existing government issuances;

e.

Offices to be abolished but whose functions will be absorbed by other

offices in the rationalized structure; and

f.

Offices to be created to address critical functions performed by ad hoc

committees or prescribed by government issuances.
Based on these actions, the following information are included in this Order:

a.

Enclosure No. 1 presents the actions taken on the existing offices at the
central, regional and schools division levels;

b.

Enclosure No. 2 presents the official organizational structures for the

DepEd central, regional, and schools division offices;

c.

Enclosure No. 3 presents the counterpart offices of each organizational

level according to the organizational strands; and

d.

Enclosure No. 4 presents the general functions of each office in the each
organizational level.
The regional and schools division offices are categorized based on size

classification. The size classification will also determine the minimum staffing complement
allocated to the following offices;
a.

Regional offices (ROs) shall be classified as small, medium or large; and

b.

Schools division offices (SDOs) shall be classified as small, medium, large,

or very large.
New offices to be established shall follow the approved organizational and

staffing standards agreed upon by the DepEd and DBM.

Transitory Provisions
Given the changes in the organizational structures and functions of DepEd
offices, the offices are given until the end of December 2015 to complete their transition
and be operational in the rationalized structures. The completion of the transition may be in
different paces for offices due to their nature and scope and their respective transition
processes.
The new Bureau of Human Resource and Organization Development (BHROD),
under the Office of the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations, shall take the lead
in managing the transition of offices and personnel to the rationalized structures. This shall
be done in collaboration with the heads of offices for each strand/bureau/
service/division/unit.
The BHROD shall identify appropriate strategies and mechanisms in the
following areas:
a.

Personnel actions e.g. placement, transfers, etc.;

b.

Human resource development programs e.g. recruitment and

selection, onboarding and capacity building;

c.

Physical infrastructure and locations of offices;

d.

Identification, revision and mapping of core work processes and

systems;

e.

Role clarification of personnel and offices based on the new

functions;

f.

Policy review and adjustments; and

g.

Communications and management of change.

The new organizational structures, as indicated in Enclosure No. 2, shall

take effect no later than January 01, 2016.
a.

b.

The following indicators shall signify that an office has

transitioned to the new organizational structure:
1.

The office is using the retained or new office title indicated

in the approved organizational structure;

2.

Personnel have been notified of their placement to the

retained or new offices in the approved organizational structure;

3.

The office is utilizing the approved staffing pattern in the

recruitment and selection process;

In support of the offices and personnel in this period of change,

capacity development activities shall continue as necessary after the said date.

As there will be vacancies due to the retirement, resignation or promotion of

incumbents, the filling up of vacant positions shall continue to proceed through the regular
recruitment and selection process.
For the DepEd Central Office, the following guidelines shall be followed:
a.

Communications will be addressed to the heads of offices;

b.

For new offices and those with no authorized head of office, the
Secretary shall designate an officer-in-charge to lead the bureau/service and manage
the transition activities;

c.

Personnel transferring to other offices may already do so

provided the following conditions are present:

1.

Agreements have been made with the current office on

the completion of deliverables and proper turn over of responsibilities to ensure
smooth transition and continuity of program operations; and

2.

Availability of physical space in the recipient office to

accommodate the transferring of employee/s.

d.

Movements of offices to new locations shall be on a staggered

basis depending on the schedule of physical renovations and repairs.
The new organizational structures, as indicated in Enclosure No. 2, at the central,

regional and schools division levels shall supercede previous issuances and policies
pertaining to the old titles and functions of the offices.
All existing DepEd Memoranda, Orders and other administrative issuances of
similar nature, which are inconsistent with this Order, are hereby deemed repealed and
superceded accordingly.

III.

ANALYSIS
Over the years, government had the tendency to over-expand and self-perpetuate
in almost every area of need of society. These areas have become regular government
priorities and responsibilities. Through the Rationalization Program, government will be able
to eliminate redundancies in its operations and focus its resources on its vital functions. The
bureaucracy can concentrate on work that must be done by government.
The rationalization program in the Department of Education could minimize, if
not eliminate, overlaps and duplications, and improve on its systems and procedures.
In the Rationalization Program, the following are expected to be achieved:
Strengthened vital government functions , more resources to fund priority programs

and projects of the government, improved and faster service delivery, more satisfied clients
of government services, increased morale among government employees. The negative thing
it would bring is it may result in the redeployment of government personnel from redundant
to vital functions.
The new organizational structure of DepEd shows that each department were
aligned according to functions and role being perform with sub-units that are arranged and
inter-related. It was characterized with complexity.
But Rationalization at school level, poses a problem especially to non-teaching
position, clerical position specifically that has been rationalized since the program was
implemented. Lack of school personnel that perform clerical functions in school gave
additional work load to teachers instead of focusing their work in teaching-learning
process. Preparation of student records, attending to other request of students that pertains
to their access to school records, updating of teachers records and the likes, acting as
liason officer of the school were additional task performed by teachers due to DepEd
Rationalization Program. Vacant clerical items were rationalized and were not given
replacement.
Each organization has the task of balancing the need for order against the need
for flexibility and individual scope, processes that contribute to the end objectives of the
organization good governance.

IV.

CONCLUSION
The reorganization is being implemented to improve the delivery of services
because the department's current structure from the central office down to the schools

should be effectively delivered. Thus it aims to improve the quality and efficiency of
agency, ultimately, to serve our learners better. To lead and manage a complex system at
the department is difficult to maintain but not impossible. It needs a clear and define
roles which are essential to define responsibilities and accountabilities within the
organization. Governance of all organizations and are the measures by which we
determine if organizations can deliver or will fail.

REFERENCES:
DO 52, s. 2015 - New Organizational Structures of the Central,
Regional, and Schools Division Offices of the Department of
Education.

Retreived

12

December

2015

http://www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do-52-s-2015
Arica, A. (3 March 2014). DepEd Organizational Structure. Retrieve 10
December 2015 https://prezi.com/kmu9frpxb6_j/copy-of-depedorganizational-structure/
Ruiz, G. (10 October 2011). The Organizational Structure of the
Philippine Educational System Retrieved 8 December 2015
http://www.slideshare.net/nars_glance/the-organizationalstructure-of-the-philippine-educational-system-9637415

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Manila

An analysis Paper on

Organizational Structure of Department of Education

In partial fulfillment of the Requirements in

Seminar in Contemporary Issues and Trends in Education

DEM 743

Presented to:
DR. CATHERINE Q. CASTAEDA
Professor

by:
LORENA S. CLUB
February 2016