Overcoming the Procrastinator in Us and Getting Our Brand Stand Out

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd Quezon

According to Filipino Financial Expert and Leadership guru, Francis J. Kong in his article published in the Philippine Star entitled, ‘Are You the Late Juan dela Cruz,’ the way we particularly behave and show ourselves to others is our brand.  If we think that only marketed products need branding, we too need branding. 

Francis J. Kong said that “You are a brand, just as I am my own brand and your next-door neighbor is his own brand. Who we really are and what people perceive us to be – our brand – may be two different things, but as the famous line goes, “Perception is reality!”

Many of us couldn’t deny that many of us are constant procrastinator since time we could remember.  The reason why the word Filipino Time has become a negative connotation to less than we, the latecomers ourselves.   We simply love to do things between deadlines.  We always feel like we can do things better when it’s almost time.  We find it hard to start from scratch if there’s still enough time.  I don’t know but I find it easy to start and finish things while cramming.  I’m sure others would share the same experience.

However, we have to realize that it is creating a negative images or mark on our brand.  That brand is of being a peculiar procrastinator.

We may not be the only procrastinator in town but if we are popular, we would stand out as the leader of all procrastinators.  So, we have to slowly get away from this negative label.

Francis Kong reminds us that we have to remember that our constant tardiness costs the  company or the government  money, but we need to understand that it actually costs us more. It’s because our reputation is put on the line every time we are late.

“Habitually late people are usually procrastinators who have trouble resisting immediate gratification. Sometimes, they even enjoy putting something off until the last minute. Such habits become ingrained over time. Chronic lateness is like an illness – it begins with a few symptoms that grow into a full-blown sickness.”

“Despite the consequences, tardiness is often a difficult habit to break. Battling it takes more than setting the clock 10 minutes advance. That never works. Stop making up excuses, and start managing your time with these helpful tip that Francis Kong recommends:

1. Traffic is terrible, so why not simply set out early? You will never know what may go wrong while you’re off to work or to an appointment. And then there are days when just about e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g goes wrong. But if you’ve set out for work early, you can run behind yourschedule and still be on time for the call time.
2. Compute the time it takes to do other tasks.  Travel and traffic are just two things, but what about the time it’ll take for you to secure a parking space? If it’s your first time to go to a location, consider also the time you’ll spend looking for the right address and asking for directions. 
3. Better plan the night before.  The clothes you’re going to wear, the shoes you’re going to use, the things you need to bring – if all these were prepared the night before so that all you have to do is just grab them on your way out, you will definitely save a lot of prep time. So stay organized!
4. Let technology serve, not enslave you.  Cell phones, SMS, email. These things make us available to everyone 24 hours a day. Assign only a specific time for checking and returning them. Intermittent opening would take up a lot of your time without you noticing it. You should do the same even in returning clients’ phone calls. Keep in mind that there are more than two countries in this world of ours aside from “Rush-ia” and “Urgent-tina”. Don’t get caught up with long conference calls or last-minute memos. Keep it off and open it only during break times.  For emergency, give the emergency hotline of the office or the institution you are working for.  Inform your peers, friends and family members that you could only communicate with them during break time.  It would be better if your could leave your cellphones in a locker just like those working in factories and department stores.
5. Don’t just stand there… Do something!  When there’s a job for you to do, start it immediately. It’s really rare to find people who actually work best under pressure, so don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re one. Looming deadlines become less bothersome when you start working on the task early enough and when you keep at it until it’s finished.

Kong further explained that every time we make people wait, we are communicating to them that they’re not important to us. we are robbing them of their precious time. We are silently announcing to them our arrogance. 
 
So, let us be punctual. It will reflect our character. It will build our brand every day of our life. After all since time immemorial, our forefathers, are known not only in their honesty but on punctuality.

If there is an American Time, there is Filipino Time because Filipino Time is on Time!

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Reference:

Kong, Francis J., Are You the Late Juan De la Cruz?, The Philippine Star

Forbes, Gilbert M., Getting My Brand Stand Out and Overcoming the Procrastinator in Me, A Reflection Paper Submitted at the Philippine Normal University as part of the requirements in Human Behavior and Management, First Semester 2012

The Myth of Multi-tasking

If you think, multi-tasking is a boon, you have to think twice for research says that productivity actually drops by as much as 40 percent when people try to do two or more things at once according to researchers from the University of Michigan.

If you think multitasking is good, think twice. (firehow.com photo)

According to an article published in Entrepreneur Magazine, as workers' attention spans are whipsawed by interruptions, something insidious happens in the brain:  Interruptions erode an area called effortful control and with it the ability to regulate attention.  In other words, the more you checnk the messages in your email or cellphones, the more you feel to check them.

"Technology is an addiction," says Gayle Porter, a professor of Management at Rutgers University who has studied e-compulsion.  "If someone can't turn their cellphones off particularly the high end BlackBerry, there's a problem.

The cult of multitasing would have use believe that compulsive message-checking is the behavior of an always-on, hyper-productive worker.  But it's not.  It's the sign of a distracted employee who misguidedly believe he can do multiple tasks at one time.

Science disagrees.  People may be able to chew gum and walk at the same time, but they can't do two or more thinking tasks simultaneously.Say, a teacher who is writing test items while reading and checking messages from her phone.  Those are both language tasks (reading and writing) that have to go through the same cognitive channel.

Trying to do both forces, her brain to switch back and forth which results in "switching cost," forcing her to slow down.  The switching exacts other costs too-- mistakes and burnout. One of the study's authors, David Meyer, asserts bluntly that quality work and multitasking are incompatible.

Brian Bailey and Joseph Konstan of the University of Minnesota discovered that sleeve-tagging peripheral tasks triggered twice the number of errors and jacked up levels of annoyance to anywhere between 31 percent and 106 percent.  Their interrupted test workers also took 3 percent to 27 percent more time to complete the reading, counting or math problems.

In fact, the harder the interrupted task, the harder it was to get back on track.  A Microsoft study suggests it takes 15 minutes for a worker to refocus after an interruption

The damaging effects spread well beyond the office cubicle.  Kate LeVan, a communication consultant in Evanston, Illinois, coaches executives whose brains are so scrambled by electronic interruptions that they stumble during key face-to-face interactions: board meetings, investors pitches, sales presentations.

"They can't have an extended conversation for more than a few minutes.," LeVan says.  "That's the impact of having all these data going back and forth. They have problems in conversation because they can't focus."

If this problem exists among professionals, what more on ordinary young students who used to multi-tasked?

Source:  Entrrepreneur Magazine, June 2010 Issue, Philippines

Are you the cause or are you the effect?

-->From the original article of Francis J. Kong, at The Philippine Star dated September 25, 2011.  Slightly edited to fit to school setting and not become so general

There are 3 kinds of people in the world:

Those who make things happen.

Those who wait for things to happen.

Those who ask: “Why? What happened?”

Winners and achievers always make things happen. They live the philosophy that Ralph Waldo Emerson articulated many years ago: “Shallow people believe in luck. Wise and strong people believe in cause and effect.”

Is the person you are today the effect of some random event, of chance? Are you the product of someone or something which you can easily put a blaming finger on? Or are you a cause, a change agent as you make things happen today?

Every morning when you wake up, ask yourself these questions: “What do I want to cause to happen today? What do I want to produce?” I ask myself the same questions every morning, and then I qualify with “I need God’s grace and wisdom to help me carry through those tasks…” Then I move on towards my goal.

Those are the best management questions of all. People who have a hard time managing people simply have a hard time answering those two questions, because they’re always thinking about what’s happening to them instead of what they’re going to cause to happen.

Leadership means taking the initiative to make things happen. When your people see you as a cause instead of an effect, it won’t be hard to teach them to think the same way.

Teachers in particular are working leaders and managers in their own ways for they necessarily need to make things happen.  And that is learning. Weak leadership and management techniques in the classroom will be chaotic.

Now here’s an unpopular idea. You might hate me the moment you read my suggestion, but I’ll say it anyway: Stop criticizing the school management!  If there’s something to be critical and be against of are those of evil acts such as corruption and other acts in violation of the civil service and administrative laws.  This should be done in a civil legal way for this only involves the person and not the whole organization, 

In any organization, schools or institutions of learning included, there will always be jerks, those people who brighten up the room by leaving it. The question is: are you going to let them control you? Or are you going to take charge of your day, work to produce, and move forward to your success goals in life? You can cause that to happen.  Remember the young minds under your care.

When you start criticizing management, you’re inadvertently distancing yourself from them and joining the majority of whiners, moaners and mediocres sobbing the same sad stories of how victimized they are and how unfairly treated. Trust me, these negative people won’t add value to your success goals.

Whining about the management can come in various forms which you might unaware of*:

You’re quiet, but you roll your eyes every time the name of a subject coordinator or committee chairman is mentioned.

You mutter under your breath, “I don’t know why they’re doing this!”

You grumble, “They didn’t consult me because they know I wouldn’t agree to this policy….”

You get mad and say, “These jerks just do not understand what we’re doing here!”

You attend trainings and seminars for following and as a mere requirement and so none of it has changed your teaching styles since you were hired.

Notice how one word keeps appearing in all of the statements: “They”. What you’re actually doing when you’re whining is you pit “They” against “Us”. You keep people from playing as a team, and you keep other team players from working effectively. When you go from being a producer to being a critic, you start going south. Your toxicity affects other team members because you generate the following impressions about the management, destroying morale and motivation:

1. Management is unfair and they are only using us.

2. This organization has no future.

3. You, together with other leaders, are weak and powerless.

You may think you’re bonding with the losers, but criticizing like this actually leads to deep trust problems and promotes disrespect to the integrity of the organization.

Be a cause, not just an effect. If you’re a leader, have the courage to honorably represent upper management and not run it down. If you’re a team member, have the courage to work effectively and foster unity, without giving in to management gossiping. You know you’ve arrived when you stop using the word “They” and start using the word “We!”

What does Scripture say? “Obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”

That is being a cause and not being an effect.

7 Things Teachers and School Administrators Should Learn from Steve Jobs

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
www.factoidz.com posted 10/10/2011

The untimely death of Steve Jobs, the man behind the iconic Apple computers, Ipad, Iphone and Pixar has brought to life many valuable lessons in life. He is astoundingly a leader and man of vision where many who are in the area of education, leadership and management could learn from. Here are the seven striking things from the self titled article of Erick Jackson The Top Ten Lessons Steve Jobs Can Teach Us - If We’ll Listen

1. Never fear failure – Many are afraid to do experiments, even innovate and most importantly changes what one has been used to do through the years. Many, in the field of education are succumbed to that culture of fear of going out of their shell, of the box, of their comfort zones. That’s why we tend to live and follow the shadows of others whom we admire instead of just having them as our inspirations instead of doing our own marks, our own legacy. Jobs however didn’t. He went on for his passion. For it, he was later fired by the successor he picked as a CEO only to be taken again, when the Company he himself built is on the brink of collapse. It was one of the most public embarrassments of the last 30 years in business. Yet, he didn’t become a venture capitalist never to be heard from again. He didn’t start a production company and do a lot of lunches. He picked himself up and got back to work following his passion. Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he only had a few weeks to live. As Samuel Johnson said, there’s nothing like your impending death to focus the mind. From Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech:

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

2. Don’t care about being right. Care about succeeding – I am just like many who worry about what others will say about me. This most of the time limits my ability to try new things. To innovate and course things up. Jobs used this line in an interview after he was fired by Apple. If you have to benchmark on others’ great ideas to make yours better, do it. You can’t be married to your vision of how a product is going to work out, such that you forget about current reality. When the Apple III came out, it was hot and warped its motherboard even though Jobs had insisted it would be quiet and sleek. If Jobs had stuck with Lisa, Apple would have never developed the Mac.   To continue reading, just please click this link.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Full Implementation of Principal-led Approach in School Building Program is Necessary

By Gilbert M. Forbes


The country didn’t reach the target Gross Domestic Product increase as targeted for the recent quarter.  It only posted a 3.4% growth for the second quarter short of 5.9% compared to last year’s recorded annual growth rate.  Critics are partly blaming the government for its low spending though other contributing factors need to be considered.

The government however is quick to respond that it is better that way to make sure that precious government funding goes with the right place and the right time benefitting more rather than a privilege few.  In exercising care and caution in the use of public funds as pointed out in Inquirer’s editorial, the administration has not only ensured that the people get “more bang for the buck,” it has also trimmed the deficit, resulting successive rating upgrades by international credit agencies.  Putting it simply, the government is just doing its duty of ensuring that money wise, it is going at the right project, place, right people and time. 

The Learning Captain in return is reminded of the principal-led approach in school building construction tried out by DepEd. The principal-led approach not only ensure that projects went directly to school beneficiaries, it also gave the government and the people quality school buildings as compared to ordinarily contracted projects.  Most importantly, on the economic scale, the construction, since community-based generates local employment thus pump priming the economy right at the grass roots level.

It is a common knowledge that most of the time, contractors works are sub-standards be it roads, bridges, and school buildings.  Experiences tell us that during the previous regime, a Php100,000 budget school repair being done by contractors only worth Php35,000 once finished which undeniably will not be the case if the fund is channeled directly to the school and let the community as the primary stakeholder to work for it.

The efficient utilization of MOOE Funds released to schools even how meager it could be at times is a testament to it.  At present, we are witnessed how Php5,000 to Php10,000 MOOE directly released to our school leaders are making difference in our schools beauty, upkeep and most importantly, some basic operating expenses.  Although school heads could be experiencing difficulties in the liquidation process, still, they could not deny the fact that these releases are of great help to their schools no matter how small or big the amount is.

There could still be reports of missing funds or corruption due to the magnitude and level of resourcefulness and damaged moral values of some even if it already underwent strict liquidation and audit but there are already safeguards to prevent it from happening.  What the primary stakeholders at the school level should do is to know and do their respective roles being the third party particularly teachers and parents.

They should make sure that not a single peny is left unaccounted for, after all, it is no other than our children and the future generation who will benefit from their vigilance.

The field hopes that MOOE direct release to our schools will already be fully enforced and a system for a hassle and stress free liquidation process put in-placed so that it will not be traumatic to many.  Personnel who are affixing their signatures and reviewing the liquidation papers should be instructed or taught to be friendly, patient, and tactful.

Even when it is yet to be realized, the principal-led approach in school building and other facilities construction should now be fully implemented given the reported success of its pilot implementation and the positive experiences, MOOE direct release to schools had.  DepEd on its part should be fast to act on this matter because it will not only help solve school building shortages in the country but pump prime the economy as well at the very grass roots level.  It will surely benefit more and not just few greedy contractors and corrupt government officials in the higher echelon.

In this sense, the government will no longer worry of spending and whatever increase in the economic indicators is gained will be relevant to all, not just to the privilege few.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Improving the School System for Quality Learning

By Gilbert M. Forbes
Principal, Padre Burgos Central School
Padre Burgos, Quezon

Raising the standards and quality of education in our schools depends largely on the existing system that the school effectively follows and implements.  Actually, as former DepEd Secretary Lesli Lapus puts it when he took office, there is no more need to reinvent the wheel.  What school leaders, teachers and the rest of the school stakeholders need to do are to keep it rolling.

Aside from making the existing system works and the wheel rolling, Kathy O’Neill, Director of Learning Centered Development Program based in the US suggested the following which we may be acquainted already but we’re only doing some only for compliance.

• Using Data to Focus Improvement.  We have it already under our so called School Basic Education Information System.  What we need to do is to enrich it aside from looking for trend.  One way to enrich it is to take it down to the classroom level seriously.  Lots of data are generated every year.  All we need is to utilize it fully and design a workable program out of it in consultation with the stakeholders which should be integrated in the School Improvement Plan.  It should always be remembered that schools that successfully improve student achievement regularly use data to guide decisions about instruction, student support and professional development.

• Creating a High-Performance Learning Culture.  It is uncommon to see schools fully supporting a school which support a true culture of excellence due to underlying behaviorial, attitudinal, and values prevalent under the present circumstances in the Philippine School System.  If itsn’t the school leader, problems lie mainly on teachers and other stakeholders who still prefer mediocrity versus quality and excellence popularly known as ‘puwede na yan’ and ‘bakit pa’ attitude.   Schools cannot improve when the culture does not support school improvement. Often in the push to improve quickly, the school's culture is forgotten. School leaders should learn what that culture is and why it must be challenged, changed and cultivated for the better; what roles leaders play in growing the culture; and what tools and strategies are available to help leaders foster a culture that supports improvement, high expectations and the well-being of students.

• Using Root Cause Analysis to Reduce Student Failure.  Improving student learning by changing classroom and school practices both requires and results in changes to a school's culture. Culture also impacts how and what improvements are made to benefit student learning, and data can be a powerful lever to explore inequities, expose systemic biases, and change beliefs and practices needed to improve the achievement of disenfranchised pupils and stakeholders. We need to gain analytical tools to uncover the real problems that school leaders need to address to close success gaps in schools. Aside from the school leaders, teachers being at the forefront of the teaching and learning has a pivotal role in this regard.  One way to do it is the so called student tracking system long time promoted by DepEd in the late 90’s.  Another way is identification of highly at risked children through the Project REACH and DORP, the promotion of at least basic but strong guidance and counseling program, and basic parenting seminars in our schools.

• Providing Focused and Sustained Professional Development.  Professional development is a powerful tool for changing schools, yet professional development is frequently done poorly and results in little or no positive change.  This is a long time ago.  With the introduction of the NCBTS and CB-PAST, individual teachers now has a hand and a say on what professional development assistance they need.  The first and foremost need however is how could teachers fully utilized these tools when current observations point out that they usually don’t know where they really are.   This a major challenged that is seen so far which school leaders should  attend.  School leaders should lead teachers in the realization that standards are standards.  It is non-negotiable.  For one to claim that he/she is able to meet one standard or is competent of doing something should be evidenced-driven and is highly observable on varying degrees.

• Organizing Resources for a Learning-Centered School.  How can schools more effectively use time and resources for teaching, planning and professional learning?

• Building Instructional Leadership Teams That Make a Difference.  The heart of leadership is the willingness to assume responsibility. Schools that improve and sustain improvement use teams to lead school reform. A crying need exists for teachers to lead by taking a more formal and explicit role in the supervision and improvement of instruction. 

• Communicating to Engage Stakeholders in School Improvement.  Effective communication is the key to an improving school community. Often the best intentions are sidetracked by poor communication. One feature of poor communication which doesn’t promote strong stakeholders involvement is the lack of transparency and enough for full cooperation characterized by mutual understanding and democracy.  On extreme cases aside from monetary issues, clash with the PTA’s leadership come into being when school administration appear to be autocratic instead of democratic and consultative.

• Leading School Change to Improve Student Achievement.  School leaders have gotten used to the idea that "the only constant is change." Productive school leaders understand the forces that influence the change process and can direct these forces for continuous school improvement. Learn how to lead change rather than react to it.

• Benchmarking and Coaching for School Improvement.  Schools undergoing transformational school improvement processes often need external models or bench-mark and coaches to help them through the process. The main challenge however in our schools is that too few want to share their secrets of success.   While any school could benchmarked a model school, they base it merely on outside and observable indicators because more often than not, selfish desire sad to say exists due to shallowness of professional beliefs and values as successful school leader implementers would often see other school leaders as competitors to their possible rise to the educational ladder.

Certainly, there are no shortcuts in making our school continuously improve and be a quality and excellent one.  The great challenge however to achieve it in a long sustainable and continuing way is for us to change our attitudes and values for the common good.  All best systems are already there.  The only thing and the main challenge is for us is to make those systems work.

(We welcome reactions, sharing and additional ideas in relation to this article.  All that will help our schools.)

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Knowledge Should Equate Competence

From the original article entitled Knowledge and Competence

BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE) By Francis J. Kong

(The Philippine Star) Updated June 11, 2011 12:00 AM

Two pilots are trying to land an airplane. As they touch the ground, one pilot screams, “Pull up! The runway is ending!”

The second pilot swiftly gets the plane back up in the air. They make a big turn and prepare to descend again. But the moment they touch ground, the pilot screams again, “Get the plane up  the runway is ending!!!” This goes on for another round.

On their fourth descent, the first pilot says, “This is so dumb. They built this huge and expensive airport, but made such a short runway.”“I know,” answers the second pilot, “But look how wide they made it...”

Some people think that by pulling rank, bullying people or throwing their weight around, they can get others to admire them, fear them and follow them. This is so dumb  as dumb as the pilots in the story. Those pilots are certainly not very competent or very know-ledgeable in flying an aircraft.

Competence and knowledge  is there a difference (apart from the spelling, of course)?

Yes, there is. Knowing is not the same as doing. Competence means one has progressed beyond knowing what to do to doing what one knows.

There are four levels of competence:

1. Unconscious Incompetence  You do not know that you do not know.

2. Conscious Incompetence  You know that you do not know.

3. Conscious Competence  You know that you do know.

4. Unconscious Competence  What you know is already automatic with you.

If you want to gain people’s respect, enchant people and inspire them, you need to be knowledgeable in what you do and be competent at it.

I have met people who pretend to be knowledgeable, when in fact what they do is just echo others’ ideas and opinions. They read a book and suddenly become experts at the subject matter. But once you get to know them and work with them, they fall awfully short of expectations.

There are others who may know what they’re talking about but are not really competent at it. They’re the Talkers. They talk a lot. Yakitty-yakitty-yakitty-yak they go, but when it’s time to act on the things they speak oh-so-well of, they do a poor job. That’s why I feel a little awkward when people introduce me as a person who practices what I preach. I’d rather be known as someone who preaches what I’m already practicing.

Two persons were having a conversation. One said, “I don’t think success has gone to her head.” “No, just to her mouth,” the other said.

In a different conversation, a church member boasts, “My pastor is so good, he can talk on any subject for an hour.” A member of a different church responded, “That’s nothing! My pastor can talk for an hour without a subject!”

Don’t just talk without knowing. And don’t just know without being competent at it.

Learn. Do. Act. Correct. Be humble and speak less. You make less mistakes that way. But when you do open your mouth, speak of what you know and you’re competent at. People will not only listen to you  they will believe you.

Five Leadership Strategies for School Leaders

Based on the original article by Eric Sheninger entitled Five Leadership Strategies for the New Year

As the calendar turns to August, school leaders across the country are meticulously planning for the upcoming year. This process has become more difficult as mounting challenges such as budget cuts and what seems like a relentless attack on the profession of education have taken their toll on staff morale. With this being said, quality leadership becomes even more essential in order to cultivate a school culture whose primary focus is on the learning and achievement of each and every student.

Here are some of my leadership strategies for making change during challenging times. Please feel free to share any other ideas in the comments section below.  

Strategy One: Make No Excuses

Success in this endeavor relies on us to take a no-excuse attitude. Ask yourself this: What am I prepared to do to improve all facets of my school? How will I accomplish more with less? Think and reflect upon the ways to accomplish the goals you set as opposed to the challenges, roadblocks, and pushback you will experience. These are all common complications that arise during the change process and should not be used as excuses not to push forward.

We must be the pillars of our respective institutions and focus on solutions rather than problems. Succumbing to the negative rhetoric, abiding by the status quo, and having a bunker mentality will do nothing to initiate needed changes in our building to improve teaching and learning.

Each day we are afforded an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of our students through our role as education leaders. Our passion for helping all students learn and assisting staff in their growth should be the driving motivational force to make our schools the best they can be, regardless of the obstacles. Everything is changing -- the world, learners, job market, technology, access to information -- the sad reality though is that schools are not. We need to be catalysts to drive this change!

Tip: Meet with your administrative team and teacher leaders prior to the start of the school year to identify issues where excuses routinely arise. Begin to map out collective responses focusing on positive solutions to these problems.

Strategy Two: Model a Vision for Excellence

Begin by articulating a clear vision to your staff. The consensus has to be that every student can and should learn. Getting your entire staff to embrace this concept is at the heart of effective leadership. I prefer to use the word “embrace” rather than “buy-in" -- a more commonly used word synonymous with change efforts. We should not be trying to sell our staffs on pedagogical techniques and other initiatives that will better prepare our students for success once they graduate.

In order to promote the embracing of new ideas, strategies, and techniques we need to collaboratively work with staff to transform traditional classroom environments into vibrant learning communities where all students are authentically engaged.

Tip: Engage your staff in a brainstorming session during the first faculty meeting in order to develop a collective vision on how to transform the school for the betterment of all students.

Strategy Three: Embrace 21st Century Pedagogy and Curriculum

A vision begins with talk, but will only become reality with action. As society evolves due to advances in technology, we as principals must ensure that instruction follows suit or we run the risk of our schools becoming irrelevant. By irrelevant I am referring to our ability to prepare students with the skills to think critically, solve problems, demonstrate learning through creation, and compete in a global society.

As instructional leaders, it is our primary responsibility to observe and evaluate instruction. With this comes the responsibility to ensure that teachers are provided the freedom to take risks, knowledge of effective practices, resources to make it happen, and flexibility to incorporate innovative teaching strategies. With these parameters in place, principals must then be able to consistently identify, foster, support, and promote 21st century pedagogy.

Inherent within this shift is the need to re-evaluate the curriculum as the real-time web and information age present new challenges to instruction and student engagement. The time is now to lay the foundation to ensure that our students evolve into critical consumers of content, understand the importance of digital citizenship, as well as possess the ability to create, analyze, and interpret an array of media messages.

Tip: Start the year off by gathering key stakeholders to collaboratively revise your curriculum to emphasize essential skills necessary for today's learners to excel beyond your walls.

Strategy Four: Breathe Life Into Professional Development

Most teachers cringe when they hear the words “professional development” and rightfully so. The traditional model utilized by many schools forces educators into structured silos based solely on district and school goals while ignoring staff interests and passions. PD can be inspiring and fun when people are free to follow these interests and develop their own support communities.

Tip: If you thirst for an innovative culture focused on student achievement, begin the process of transitioning to Professional Learning Communities (PLC's). To take it a step further, model and encourage your staff to form their own Personal Learning Network (PLN). Then step back, give up some control, and watch your staff thrive as their passion fuels a transformation of the teaching and learning culture at your school.

Strategy Five: Stay Connected

Principals need support.  This should happen now in our country just like in other countries.

(THIS IS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG.  TO CONNECT WITH OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  THAT'S WHY UNTIL NOW, WE WELCOME SCHOOL LEADERS TO BE OUR FOLLOWERS AND CONTRIBUTORS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE FIELD AND BE CONNECTED JUST LIKE THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.  IT IS SADDENING HOWEVER THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.)

Change begins with a no-excuse mentality. Don't waste one more minute pondering what could be. There is a revolution going on right now in learning, and it is up to us to lead the way. Please share any leadership strategies that are making a difference in your building.

The writer of the article:  Eric Sheninger is principal of New Milford High School and the subject of a recentarticle in USAToday on social media in the classroom.  He is the author of Communicating Camp; Connecting With Social Media.  You can also follow him on Twitter at NMHS Principal.

(This article came to the knowledge of The Learning Captain through the post of Dr. Aniano Ogayon, SDS of the Division of Lucena City who posted it on his fb wall for the many to see and was reposted here for easy follow-up.) 

THE LEADERS WAY: Putting the best with the best

By: John C. Maxwell

The Philippine Daily Inquirer 

10:53 pm/Saturday July 16th 2011

 

(The Learning Captain's Note- Have you wondered why many good, intelligent, reform oriented and well educated educational leaders find it hard to transform their respective stations in the shortest possible way?  The article below will give us an idea.)

Imagine that you get a call from a nationally respected headhunter. She represents a company that wants to hire you. In fact, she’s offering a signing bonus and a 20-percent pay increase. Your authority would increase, and you would get an ownership stake in the company. It’s a job you know you could handle, with responsibilities you know you would enjoy.

The drawback? You would work on a team with a reputation for mediocre work. It is known in the industry for doing no more than what it takes to get by, and there’s no indication that the leadership at the company plans to change that. Mediocrity is so much the rule at that company, in fact, that you’re a little concerned that they would want you. Do they really think you’d fit into that culture?

Despite the material benefits, many of us would turn down such an opportunity, rightly recognizing that it fails to satisfy one of our most basic needs – the desire to work with people who share our commitment to excellence.

The best want to work with the best. In fact, just one weak link can dramatically influence an otherwise strong team – ultimately leading to turnover among the best producers. So if we want to recruit and keep the best people for our teams, we have to recognize the importance of a strong weakest link.

We can demonstrate the impact of the weakest link with some basic math. If you have a five-person team and all five people are “10s,” then you might add that up and say your team is a “50.” But what if one of those people goes into a funk and becomes a 5. Now your team is a 45, and its effectiveness drops by 10 percent.

That’s a pretty big impact, but it still falls short of reality. In the real world, synergy exists, so our impact on a team is more like multiplication than addition. One and two doesn’t equal three in teamwork; with synergy, one and two can equal 10.

Consider the previous example but with multiplication. 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 equal 100,000. But 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 times five equal only 50,000. One weak link reduces the team’s effectiveness by a whopping 50 percent.

Clearly, the way to keep good people is to keep them around other good people. When good people find themselves working with people who are not carrying their share of the load, dissatisfaction creeps in. Pretty soon, the productivity of the really good people begins to fall off too. They lose motivation for excellence or they just get worn out from carrying someone else’s share of the work. Eventually, the best leave for greener pastures.

Everyone on a team needs to add excellence, which means leaders first need to place people in roles that make the most of their gifts and talents. But a person with the right skills and the wrong attitude is still like the proverbial bad apple that spoils the whole batch. So if you want a team that experiences low turnover and high success, fill it with people who are both capable and committed to doing great work.

(This article is syndicated from the The Philippine Daily Inquirer which was granted with the permission from The John Maxwell Company and Inspire Leadership Consultancy. For your training needs on personal and organizational effectiveness please call us at 687-2614/706-4853. For more details visit us at www.inspireleaders.com.ph)

Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officilas and Employees (R.A. 6713)

Republic Act No. 6713

Subject:        AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, TO UPHOLD THE TIME-HONORED PRINCIPLE OF PUBLIC OFFICE BEING A PUBLIC TRUST, GRANTING INCENTIVES AND REWARDS FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE, ENUMERATING PROHIBITED ACTS AND TRANSACTIONS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies. — It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:

(a) "Government" includes the National Government, the local governments, and all other instrumentalities, agencies or branches of the Republic of the Philippines including government-owned or controlled corporations, and their subsidiaries.

(b) "Public Officials" includes elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including military and police personnel, whether or not they receive compensation, regardless of amount.

(c) "Gift" refers to a thing or a right to dispose of gratuitously, or any act or liberality, in favor of another who accepts it, and shall include a simulated sale or an ostensibly onerous disposition thereof. It shall not include an unsolicited gift of nominal or insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor from a public official or employee.

(d) "Receiving any gift" includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly, a gift from a person other than a member of his family or relative as defined in this Act, even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift is neither nominal nor insignificant, or the gift is given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor.

(e) "Loan" covers both simple loan and commodatum as well as guarantees, financing arrangements or accommodations intended to ensure its approval.

(f) "Substantial stockholder" means any person who owns, directly or indirectly, shares of stock sufficient to elect a director of a corporation. This term shall also apply to the parties to a voting trust.

(g) "Family of public officials or employees" means their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age.
(h) "Person" includes natural and juridical persons unless the context indicates otherwise.

(i) "Conflict of interest" arises when a public official or employee is a member of a board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation or owner or has a substantial interest in a business, and the interest of such corporation or business, or his rights or duties therein, may be opposed to or affected by the faithful performance of official duty.

(j) "Divestment" is the transfer of title or disposal of interest in property by voluntarily, completely and actually depriving or dispossessing oneself of his right or title to it in favor of a person or persons other than his spouse and relatives as defined in this Act.

(k) "Relatives" refers to any and all persons related to a public official or employee within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, including bilas, inso and balae.

SECTION 4. Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees. — (A) Every public official and employee shall observe the following as standards of personal conduct in the discharge and execution of official duties:

(a) Commitment to public interest. — Public officials and employees shall always uphold the public interest over and above personal interest. All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues.

(b) Professionalism. — Public officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. They shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty. They shall endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage.

(c) Justness and sincerity. — Public officials and employees shall remain true to the people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged. They shall at all times respect the rights of others, and shall refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety and public interest. They shall not dispense or extend undue favors on account of their office to their relatives whether by consanguinity or affinity except with respect to appointments of such relatives to positions considered strictly confidential or as members of their personal staff whose terms are coterminous with theirs.

(d) Political neutrality. — Public officials and employees shall provide service to everyone without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference.

(e) Responsiveness to the public. — Public officials and employees shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. Unless otherwise provided by law or when required by the public interest, public officials and employees shall provide information of their policies and procedures in clear and understandable language, ensure openness of information, public consultations and hearings whenever appropriate, encourage suggestions, simplify and systematize policy, rules and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an understanding and appreciation of the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, especially in the depressed rural and urban areas.

(f) Nationalism and patriotism. — Public officials and employees shall at all times be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride of country and people. They shall endeavor to maintain and defend Philippine sovereignty against foreign intrusion.

(g) Commitment to democracy. — Public officials and employees shall commit themselves to the democratic way of life and values, maintain the principle of public accountability, and manifest by deeds the supremacy of civilian authority over the military. They shall at all times uphold the Constitution and put loyalty to country above loyalty to persons or party.

(h) Simple living. — Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form.

(i) The Civil Service Commission shall adopt positive measures to promote (1) observance of these standards including the dissemination of information programs and workshops authorizing merit increases beyond regular progression steps, to a limited number of employees recognized by their office colleagues to be outstanding in their observance of ethical standards; and (2) continuing research and experimentation on measures which provide positive motivation to public officials and employees in raising the general level of observance of these standards.

SECTION 5. Duties of Public Officials and Employees. — In the performance of their duties, all public officials and employees are under obligation to:

(a) Act promptly on letters and requests. — All public officials and employees shall, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters, telegrams or other means of communications sent by the public. The reply must contain the action taken on the request.

(b) Submit annual performance reports. — All heads or other responsible officers of offices and agencies of the government and of government-owned or controlled corporations shall, within forty-five (45) working days from the end of the year, render a performance report of the agency or office or corporation concerned. Such report shall be open and available to the public within regular office hours.

(c) Process documents and papers expeditiously. — All official papers and documents must be processed and completed within a reasonable time from the preparation thereof and must contain, as far as practicable, not more than three (3) signatories therein. In the absence of duly authorized signatories, the official next-in-rank or officer in charge shall sign for and in their behalf.

(d) Act immediately on the public's personal transactions. — All public officials and employees must attend to anyone who wants to avail himself of the services of their offices and must, at all times, act promptly and expeditiously.

(e) Make documents accessible to the public. — All public documents must be made accessible to, and readily available for inspection by, the public within reasonable working hours.

SECTION 6. System of Incentives and Rewards. — A system of annual incentives and rewards is hereby established in order to motivate and inspire public servants to uphold the highest standards of ethics. For this purpose, a Committee on Awards to Outstanding Public Officials and Employees is hereby created composed of the following: the Ombudsman and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission as Co-Chairmen, and the Chairman of the Commission on Audit, and two government employees to be appointed by the President, as members.

It shall be the task of this Committee to conduct a periodic, continuing review of the performance of public officials and employees, in all the branches and agencies of Government and establish a system of annual incentives and rewards to the end that due recognition is given to public officials and employees of outstanding merit on the basis of the standards set forth in this Act.

The conferment of awards shall take into account, among other things, the following: the years of service and the quality and consistency of performance, the obscurity of the position, the level of salary, the unique and exemplary quality of a certain achievement, and the risks or temptations inherent in the work. Incentives and rewards to government officials and employees of the year to be announced in public ceremonies honoring them may take the form of bonuses, citations, directorships in government-owned or controlled corporations, local and foreign scholarship grants, paid vacations and the like. They shall likewise be automatically promoted to the next higher position with the commensurate salary suitable to their qualifications. In case there is no next higher position or it is not vacant, said position shall be included in the budget of the office in the next General Appropriations Act. The Committee on Awards shall adopt its own rules to govern the conduct of its activities.

SECTION 7. Prohibited Acts and Transactions. — In addition to acts and omissions of public officials and employees now prescribed in the Constitution and existing laws, the following shall constitute prohibited acts and transactions of any public official and employee and are hereby declared to be unlawful:

(a) Financial and material interest. — Public officials and employees shall not, directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.

(b) Outside employment and other activities related thereto. — Public officials and employees during their incumbency shall not:

(1) Own, control, manage or accept employment as officer, employee, consultant, counsel, broker, agent, trustee or nominee in any private enterprise regulated, supervised or licensed by their office unless expressly allowed by law;

(2) Engage in the private practice of their profession unless authorized by the Constitution or law, provided, that such practice will not conflict or tend to conflict with their official functions; or

(3) Recommend any person to any position in a private enterprise which has a regular or pending official transaction with their office.

These prohibitions shall continue to apply for a period of one (1) year after resignation, retirement, or separation from public office, except in the case of subparagraph (b) (2) above, but the professional concerned cannot practice his profession in connection with any matter before the office he used to be with, in which case the one-year prohibition shall likewise apply.

(c) Disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information. —

Public officials and employees shall not use or divulge, confidential or classified information officially known to them by reason of their office and not made available to the public, either:

(1) To further their private interests, or give undue advantage to anyone; or

(2) To prejudice the public interest.

(d) Solicitation or acceptance of gifts. — Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.

As to gifts or grants from foreign governments, the Congress consents to:

(i) The acceptance and retention by a public official or employee of a gift of nominal value tendered and received as a souvenir or mark of courtesy;

(ii) The acceptance by a public official or employee of a gift in the nature of a scholarship or fellowship grant or medical treatment; or

(iii) The acceptance by a public official or employee of travel grants or expenses for travel taking place entirely outside the Philippine (such as allowances, transportation, food, and lodging) of more than nominal value if such acceptance is appropriate or consistent with the interests of the Philippines, and permitted by the head of office, branch or agency to which he belongs.

The Ombudsman shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this subsection, including pertinent reporting and disclosure requirements.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to restrict or prohibit any educational, scientific or cultural exchange programs subject to national security requirements.

SECTION 8. Statements and Disclosure. — Public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.

(A) Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Financial Disclosure. — All public officials and employees, except those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and casual or temporary workers, shall file under oath their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and a Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections and those of their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.

The two documents shall contain information on the following:

(a) real property, its improvements, acquisition costs, assessed value and current fair market value;

(b) personal property and acquisition cost;

(c) all other assets such as investments, cash on hand or in banks, stocks, bonds, and the like;

(d) liabilities, and;

(e) all business interests and financial connections.

The documents must be filed:

(a) within thirty (30) days after assumption of office;

(b) on or before April 30, of every year thereafter; and

(c) within thirty (30) days after separation from the service.

All public officials and employees required under this section to file the aforestated documents shall also execute, within thirty (30) days from the date of their assumption of office, the necessary authority in favor of the Ombudsman to obtain from all appropriate government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue, such documents as may show their assets, liabilities, net worth, and also their business interests and financial connections in previous years, including, if possible, the year when they first assumed any office in the Government.

Husband and wife who are both public officials or employees may file the required statements jointly or separately.

The Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and the Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections shall be filed by:

(1) Constitutional and national elective officials, with the national office of the Ombudsman;

(2) Senators and Congressmen, with the Secretaries of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively; Justices, with the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court; Judges, with the Court Administrator; and all national executive officials with the Office of the President.

(3) Regional and local officials and employees, with the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions;

(4) Officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain, with the Office of the President, and those below said ranks, with the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions; and

(5) All other public officials and employees, defined in Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, with the Civil Service Commission.

(B) Identification and disclosure of relatives. — It shall be the duty of every public official or employee to identify and disclose, to the best of his knowledge and information, his relatives in the Government in the form, manner and frequency prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.

(C) Accessibility of documents. — (1) Any and all statements filed under this Act, shall be made available for inspection at reasonable hours.

(2) Such statements shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10) working days from the time they are filed as required by law.

(3) Any person requesting a copy of a statement shall be required to pay a reasonable fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of such statement, as well as the cost of certification.

(4) Any statement filed under this Act shall be available to the public for a period of ten (10) years after receipt of the statement. After such period, the statement may be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation.

(D) Prohibited acts. — It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use any statement filed under this Act for:

(a) any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or

(b) any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public.

SECTION 9. Divestment. — A public official or employee shall avoid conflicts of interest at all times. When a conflict of interest arises, he shall resign from his position in any private business enterprise within thirty (30) days from his assumption of office and/or divest himself of his shareholdings or interest within sixty (60) days from such assumption.

The same rule shall apply where the public official or employee is a partner in a partnership.

The requirement of divestment shall not apply to those who serve the Government in an honorary capacity nor to laborers and casual or temporary workers.

SECTION 10. Review and Compliance Procedure. — (a) The designated Committees of both Houses of the Congress shall establish procedures for the review of statements to determine whether said statements which have been submitted on time, are complete, and are in proper form. In the event a determination is made that a statement is not so filed, the appropriate Committee shall so inform the reporting individual and direct him to take the necessary corrective action.

(b) In order to carry out their responsibilities under this Act, the designated Committees of both Houses of Congress shall have the power within their respective jurisdictions, to render any opinion interpreting this Act, in writing, to persons covered by this Act, subject in each instance to the approval by affirmative vote of the majority of the particular House concerned.

The individual to whom an opinion is rendered, and any other individual involved in a similar factual situation, and who, after issuance of the opinion acts in good faith in accordance with it shall not be subject to any sanction provided in this Act.

(c) The heads of other offices shall perform the duties stated in subsections (a) and (b) hereof insofar as their respective offices are concerned, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Justice, in the case of the Executive Department and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in the case of the Judicial Department.

SECTION 11. Penalties. — (a) Any public official or employee, regardless of whether or not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular capacity, committing any violation of this Act shall be punished with a fine not exceeding the equivalent of six (6) months' salary or suspension not exceeding one (1) year, or removal depending on the gravity of the offense after due notice and hearing by the appropriate body or agency. If the violation is punishable by a heavier penalty under another law, he shall be prosecuted under the latter statute. Violations of Sections 7, 8 or 9 of this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, or a fine not exceeding five thousand pesos (P5,000), or both, and, in the discretion of the court of competent jurisdiction, disqualification to hold public office.

(b) Any violation hereof proven in a proper administrative proceeding shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public official or employee, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him.

(c) Private individuals who participate in conspiracy as co-principals, accomplices or accessories, with public officials or employees, in violation of this Act, shall be subject to the same penal liabilities as the public officials or employees and shall be tried jointly with them.

(d) The official or employee concerned may bring an action against any person who obtains or uses a report for any purpose prohibited by Section 8 (D) of this Act. The Court in which such action is brought may assess against such person a penalty in any amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000). If another sanction hereunder or under any other law is heavier, the latter shall apply.

SECTION 12. Promulgation of Rules and Regulations, Administration and Enforcement of this Act. — The Civil Service Commission shall have the primary responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this Act. It shall transmit all cases for prosecution arising from violations of this Act to the proper authorities for appropriate action: Provided, however, That it may institute such administrative actions and disciplinary measures as may be warranted in accordance with law. Nothing in this provision shall be construed as a deprivation of the right of each House of Congress to discipline its Members for disorderly behavior.

The Civil Service Commission is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including guidelines for individuals who render free voluntary service to the Government. The Ombudsman shall likewise take steps to protect citizens who denounce acts or omissions of public officials and employees which are in violation of this Act.

SECTION 13. Provisions for More Stringent Standards. — Nothing in this Act shall be construed to derogate from any law, or any regulation prescribed by any body or agency, which provides for more stringent standards for its official and employees.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The sum necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be taken from the appropriations of the Civil Service Commission. Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such declaration.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees and orders or parts thereof inconsistent herewith, are deemed repealed or modified accordingly, unless the same provide for a heavier penalty.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after thirty (30) days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

(SGD) RAMON V. MITRA    (SGD) JOVITO R. SALONGA
Speaker of the House of    President of the Senate
Representatives     

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 139 and House Bill No. 12069 was finally passed by the Senate and House of Representatives on October 21, 1988 and February 1, 1989, respectively.

    (SGD) QUIRINO D. ABAD SANTOS, JR.    (SGD) EDWIN P. ACOBA
        Secretary of the House of                                   Secretary of the Senate
              Representatives

Approved : February 20, 1989

(SGD) CORAZON C. AQUINO
President of the Philippines