After its suspension last year, Malacañang has officially revoked the policy grating Career Executive Service (CES) ranks to graduates of master’s studies of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), citing the need to synchronize the standards and procedures for the conferment of the said ranks.

Executive Order (EO) No. 63 was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on July 2.

Based on the EO, it was the Career to Executive Service Board (CESB) that recommended revoking the policy of granting CES rank to the graduates of the NDCP's Master of National Security Administration (MNSA) Program to synchronize the standards and procedures for the conferment of CES ranks.

With this, the CESB, in coordination with concerned government agencies, is tasked to formulate and issue guidelines necessary for the effective implementation of EO 63.

In October last year, the Palace suspended the granting of CES ranks to NDCP graduates due to the need to provide ample opportunity to study and re-assess the justifications for, as well as the policy implications of the grant of CES rank to graduates of NDCP's MNSA program.

Among the reasons that Malacañang cited for the moratorium was the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which aims “to guarantee competent and agile human resources in the government, which includes strengthening the CES through the continuous updating of its programs, and the development of a new competency framework for the public sector.”

It also underscored the need to “reevaluate” the foregoing policy of granting the CES rank to ensure that the objectives and policies are still consistent with the prevailing laws, rules, and regulations.

Initially, a provision under EO 696 (1981) granted NDCP graduates belonging to government service the rank of Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) III with corresponding compensation and other privileges in the CES.

In 2021, EO No. 145 amended a provision under EO 696 and said that NDCP’s MNSA graduates may be granted a CESO rank as long as they are already occupying CES positions.

The NDCP is an educational, training, and research agency of the government located inside Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. It provides continued and intensive studies of the diverse problems relating to national defense and security.

Efforts have been previously made by the CESB and the NDCP to integrate the CES eligibility process into the MNSA program of the NDCP.