DepEd Manual Reviewer

CHAPTER V: Communications and Information Policies and Procedures
Terms, Notations and Important Concepts

1. Note on Information and Dissemination

DepEd (DECS) maintains a Press Corps at the Central Office and Information Officers at the Regional Offices.

2. The Service Manual

It contains the basic regulations, instructions and information which guide DECS Central Office and the field personnel in carrying out the tasks of the Department. Subsequent amendments are issued to the field through orders, memorandums and bulletins.

3. Handbooks

These are issued to provide handy reference materials to the field on DECS policies on certain educational issues and procedures in the implementation of its programs and projects. Leaflets, foldouts and the like are also issued to disseminate information on specific programs/projects being implemented by the DECS.

4. Publications

These are published on a regular basis and are distributed to inform the field and other stake holders on various activities undertaken by DECS toward the development of quality basic education in the country.

5. DECS / DepEd Orders

These are issuances on policies, guidelines, or regulations which are generally permanent in nature and are in effect until rescinded.

6. DECS / DepEd Memorandum
These are issuances containing certain instructions and information which are temporary in nature and are usually applicable only during the year of issuance. These include announcement of conferences, seminars, examinations, surveys, competitions and celebrations.

7. Bulletins

These are primarily informative issuances. These include educational statistics, statistics, curricular materials, and professional papers, on academic, industrial, health concerns, etc. DECS memoranda, orders, bulletins are numbered consecutively starting with the first issuance in January every year.

8. Unnumbered Memorandums

It contains instructions or information which is limited in application and concerns only a few regions or offices.

9. Office Orders

It contains policies/instructions or regulations which are of general application in the Central Office.

10. Office Memorandums

It contains certain instructions or information which are office-specific.

11. EMIS

Known as the “Educational Management Information System”
It provides information to education administrators in the planning and delivery of educational services.

12. Data Bulletin

It is the final output of the EMIS at the district, division and regional levels.

13. Notes on the Subsystems of EMIS

• Pupil/Student Management Information System
• Personnel Management Information System
• Curricula Implementation Information System
• Regulation and Control Information System
• Physical Facilities Management Information System
• Financial Management Information System
• Community Services Information System

14. Notes on the Preparation and Correspondence

• Where a letter or endorsement requires more than one (1) sheet, the page number should be indicated at the top of the page.
• Enclosures to correspondence should be indicated/listed on the lower left-hand corner of the page.
• The use of the first and second persons when reference is made to the writer and to the recipient should be avoided.
• The content of a communication should be limited to only one (1) subject.
• A higher authority should be addressed as “Sir” or “Madam”
• In addressing one of the equal rank or a subordinate, the less formal salutation of “Dear Sir” and “Dear Madam” may be used.
• The complimentary close of formal official letters should be “Very truly yours”
• Envelopes of official correspondence should be plainly addressed and should identify the sender.
• In official correspondence, the name of the office should be used not the name of the official unless expressly necessary for identification purposes.
• In writing a memorandum, use “To” if it is addressed to an employee of a lower rank.
• In writing a memorandum, use “For” if it is addressed to an employee of a higher rank.
• In making an endorsement, use “Respectfully forwarded” to an office of higher rank.
• In making an endorsement, use “Respectfully transmitted” to an office of equal rank.
• In making an endorsement, use “Respectfully referred” to a subordinate office.

15. Under-endorsement system

This means that an endorsement maybe written on the space following the conclusion of a letter or preceding endorsement, or it may commence on a new set of paper.

16. Contents Noted

It is written, indicated and signed by the sender where no new significant information or opinion is given. Such action should not go beyond the fifth endorsement.

17. Note on Signing Protocol

Except when required by law or regulation, and as may be expedient, any written action or decision must have no more than three (3) initials or signature.