CLARIFICATORY GUIDELINES ON THE GRANT OF VACATION SERVICE CREDITS TO TEACHERS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021 IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
DepEd MEMORANDUM No. 065 , s. 2021 (Download)

To: 
Undersecretaries 
Assistant Secretaries 
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors 
Schools Division Superintendents 
All Others Concerned

1. DepEd Order (DO) No. 53, s. 2003, titled "Updated Guidelines on the Grant of Vacation Service Credits to Teachers," provides for the grant of vacation service credits for work beyond regular functions or beyond regular work hours/days where payment of honorarium or overtime pay is not possible.

3. Under DO 53, s. 2003, as supplemented by DO 84, s. 2003, service credits may be granted for the following activities:
a. services rendered during registration and election days as long as these are mandated duties under existing laws;
b. services rendered during calamity and rehabilitation when schools are used as evacuation centers;
c. services rendered in connection with the conduct of remedial classes during the summer or Christmas vacation or outside of regular school days; 
d. services rendered in connection with early opening of the school year; 
e. services rendered during school sports competitions held outside of regular school days; 
f. services rendered by those who train teachers in addition to their normal teaching loads;
g. teaching overload not compensated by honoraria;
h. teaching in non-formal education classes in addition to teaching in formal education classes carrying a normal teaching load;
i. work done during regular school days if these are in addition to the
normal teaching load;
j. conduct of testing activities held outside of school days; and
k. attendance/participation in special DepEd projects and activities which are short-term in duration such as English, Science, and Math Mentors' Training, curriculum writing workshop, planning workshop, etc., if such are held during the summer vacation or during weekends or during holidays.

4. In line with the implementation of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) during the time of the COVID- 19 Pandemic and pursuant to DO No. 007, s. 2020, titled "School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2020-2021," teachers started rendering service on June 1, 2020 to attend orientation and training activities on distance learning delivery modalities, prepare instructional materials, conduct enrollment activities, and plan the organization of classes despite the deferral of the formal opening of classes. DO No. 030, s. 2020, which amended DO No. 007, s. 2020, provided that schools shall formally start the conduct of teaching and learning activities on October 5, 2020 and shall end on June 11, 2021. Likewise, the said Order provided that the days prior to the formal school opening starting September 21, 2020, which are devoted to the pre-opening activities that are essential for the attainment of learning objectives for the school year shall be counted as class days. DO No. 012, s. 2021, which amended DO 30, s. 2020, adjusted the quarters of the school year and extended the last day until July 10, 2021, to address the learning gaps and give pedagogical time to teachers for the different learning delivery modalities.

5. DO No. 53, s. 2003, as amended, is hereby expanded to recognize the following additional activities for the grant of service credits if done during weekends or holidays from June 1, 2020 to July 10, 2021, viz:
 
a. orientation and training activities related to the implementation of distance learning delivery modalities, including writeshops; 
b. enrollment activities, including the encoding of the accomplished enrollment form in the Learner Information System (LIS) enrollment module; 
c. activities related to Brigada &slavela and OpIan Balik Eskwela; 
d. activities related to Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd; 
e. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities; 
f. pre-school opening assignments exploring foundational topics for deepening during the year, orientation of learners on the implementation of the _ learning delivery modalities and utilization of learners' materials; and 
g. development, quality assurance, production, and delivery of learning •

6. The claim for vacation service credits shall be supported by a memorandum or letter of authority from the Schools Division Superintendent and/or the Regional Director, as the case may be; duly signed and approved recommendation/request by the office/school head (Enclosure No. 1); and Individual Daily Log and Accomplishment Report (IDLAR), or other official attendance monitoring mechanisms that are recorded and veritable. Vacation service credits shall not be granted for services rendered without previous authority.

7. One workday of vacation service credit shall be granted per accumulated eight hours of service rendered.

8. Vacation service credits granted under this Memorandum are used to offset absences of a teacher due to illness or to offset proportional deduction in the vacation salary due to absences for personal reasons or late appointment, in accordance with Civil Se ice Commission Memorandum Circular (CSC MC) No. 41, s. 1998, as amended by CSC MC No. 9, s. 2012.

9. Under this Memorandum, the 15-day limitation under DO No. 53, s. 2003 is suspended to allow the teachers to claim service credits exceeding 15 days. 

10. This Memorandum shall be without prejudice to other benefits and privileges that may be afforded to public school teachers.

11. For any clarifications or inquiries, please contact the Bureau of Human Resource and Organisational Development-Office of the Director through email at bhrod.od@deped.gov.ph.

12. Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES
Secretary

DepEd MEMORANDUM No. 065 , s. 2021 (Enclosure No. 1 to DepEd Memorandum No. , s. 2021):
Free to download: