MALACAÑANG issued an executive order (EO) revoking the policy granting Career Executive Service (CES) rank to graduates of the Master of National Security Administration (MNSA) program of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP).

Signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last July 2 by the authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., EO 63 aims to synchronize the standards and procedures for conferring the CES rank.

The executive order revokes EO 145, which was issued by then-president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Palace, in issuing EO 63, pointed out that under the Constitution, appointments in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined by competitive examination.

Last February, the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) recommended the revocation of the policy of granting CES rank to graduates of the MNSA program to synchronize the standards and procedures for conferring CES rank.

"The Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all Executive departments, bureaus and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful execution of laws," EO 63 said.

"The CESB is mandated to promulgate rules, standards and procedures on the selection, classification, compensation and career development of members of the CES," it added.