Presidential Management Staff (Philippines)

The Philippines' Presidential Management Staff is an agency attached to Malacañang that is tasked to manage the development and formulation of the projects and policies of the Office of the President. There are three heads of the Presidential Management Staff:
*Presidential Chief of Staff: "Vacant"
*Presidential Management Staff: Cerge M. Remonde
*Cabinet Secretary: Ricardo L. Saludo.

History

The Presidential Management Staff can trace its lineage to the Program Implementation Agency (PIA), which was created by President Diosdado Macapagal to serve as his technical staff for the socio-economic projects, which his administration was implementing. It was created on August 24, 1962 under the leadership of Assistant Executive Secretary Sixto K. Roxas and Armand Fabella, who was appointed Director-General.

The PIA reported directly to the President and conducted socio-economic planning, formulate policy recommendations, established priorities, and programmed the utilization of public funds, manpower resources, materials and equipment. It also ensured that the projects of the Office of the President were completed on-time as as planned.

On February 1, 1966, President Ferdinand E. Marcos dissolved the PIA and established the Presidential Economic Staff (PES) in its place through Executive Order No. 8. The PES retained all the functions of the PIA and in addition, it was tasked to establish ties with international financial institutions to help the government and the private sector to tap foreign credit and assistance. The PES was headed by Placido Mapa and Apolinario Orosa and translated the economic targets of the National Economic Council into actual projects.

On July 29, 1970, President Marcos then issued Executive Order No. 250, which created the Development Management Staff (DMS) under the Office of the President. The DMS was located at the Arlegui Guest House.

In 1972, Internal Reorganization Plan was implemented and the PES was abosrbed by the National Economic and Development Authority and the DMS was retained as an attached agency of the Office of the President, serving as the principal information and staff resource of Malacañang on matters involving monitoring, coordinating, and controlling development programs at execution. Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor was appointed to run the DMS; he then proceeded to hire 50 young men and women, including Colonel Luis M. Mirasol, whom he would appoint as Managing Director.

The DMS held office at the New Executive Office Building (San Miguel Building) and produced regular status reports for 21 priority programs as well as provided staff to various government programs and agencies. The priority programs included projects related to land reform, housing, education, and rural electrification. These status reports would then be used for briefings as well as Cabinet Meetings.

On July 8, 1976, Presidential Decree No. 955 reorganized the Office of the President, renaming the DMS as the Presidential Management Staff.

The PMS this millennium

The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) has ably assisted the President and the Cabinet in setting up the necessary support mechanisms and has helped the Office of the President in the exercise of decision-making. By being non-partisan, its technocrats and experts have maintained a high level of professionalism in providing staff support to the President for policy and management matters. In supporting the Presidency, PMS' involvement necessarily cut across the broad spectrum of economic, social, and political concerns, e.g., social and economic reforms, poverty alleviation, people empowerment, labor, education, welfare and development, infrastructure, agriculture, trade, industry, tourism, environment, judicial reforms, energy, and energizing the bureaucracy, among others.

Functions

PMS' mandate as the primary technical arm of the Presidency dictates that it perform multifarious functions which can be categorized under five (5) specific areas of accountability

1. Timely, reliable, accurate and comprehensive information to the President and the Executive Secretary in the exercise of Presidential decision-making 2. Competent and responsive support to Presidential fora 3. Thorough and efficient coordination of Presidential activities 4. Effective implementation of special assignments as directed by the President 5. Efficient internal administration

tructure

The PMS Head, with the rank of Secretary and concurrently Cabinet Secretary, exercises direct control and supervision over the operations and resources of the organization. Assisting the PMS Head is the Deputy Head with the rank of Undersecretary. A Management Team (MANTEAM) composed of all PMS officials and Unit Heads serves as venue for increasing the level of involvement and degree of participation of key PMS officials in the management of the affairs of the organization. The PMS has eight (8) functional units, which provide technical inputs to the President and the Office of the President. These units are structurally and functionally created by sector to comprehensively address Presidential concerns and to ensure efficient coordination among concerned departments/agencies/bodies. These units are as follows

- Macroeconomy and Political Affairs Office (MPO) - Agri-Industrial and Infrastructure Policy Office (APO) - Social Policy Office (SPO), Corporate Affairs Office (CAO) - Development Administration Office (DAO) - Office for Regional Concerns (ORC) - Office for Special Projects (OSP) - Regional Field Units (RFUs).

They are tasked to monitor issues and developments focusing specifically on those that shall impact on the Presidency and national interest, translate Presidential insights/perpectives into operational terms, provide alternative opinions/recommendations on policy and program issues, and conduct policy reviews within their sectoral jurisdiction. A Speechwriting Group answers the speech requirement of the President. PMS also has support units which assist other PMS Units and PMS programs and projects in the performance of their tasks -- Administrative and Management Office (ADMO), Conference Management Office (CMO), Editorial and Visual Design Office (EVIO), Legal Office (LO), and Information Technology Office (ITO). All the PMS units operate with the benefits of computer technology. As the world soars into a high-technology era, PMS ensures that it keeps abreast with the fast-changing trends in IT to provide an even better, more responsive staff work for the Presidency. General Manpower Attributes PMS Has a multi-disciplinary staff that enables it to be more responsive to the various tasks it handles. About 60% of its staff performs managerial, supervising or technical functions. By academic discipline, the officials and employees of PMS are graduates of some of the finest schools and educational institutions here and abroad. About 65% are graduates of the following fields of specialization, either masteral or bachelor's degree level: public/business administration; economics; behavioral and social sciences; engineering; computer education; accounting; agriculture-related courses; law; education; and organizational/mass communication. The PMS is composed of relatively young employees. Close to 70% are between 20 to 40 years old.

Development Performance Evaluation System

The Development Performance Evaluation System is tasked by the President to conduct audits of the Executive Departments. It aims to pinpoint problems and subsequently recommending solutions to align the different departments towards development objectives.

References

* [http://www.op.gov.ph/pms/about/default.asp Presidential Management Staff]
* [http://www.opnet.ops.gov.ph/pms-index.htm The Presidential Management Staff, Official Site]