President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure granting him authority to reorganize and streamline executive branch agencies in a bid to create a more responsive and efficient bureaucracy.
Republic Act (RA) 12231, or the Government Optimization Act, was signed and published in the Official Gazette on Monday as Mr. Marcos departed for a five-day state visit to India.
The new law, a priority measure of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), authorizes the President to strengthen, merge, or abolish agencies and functions deemed redundant or misaligned, while safeguarding the welfare of civil servants.
The measure seeks to “promote efficiency, equity, and ethical accountability” in government operations and enhance frontline services by eliminating duplication, simplifying procedures, and promoting digitalization and e-governance.
Under the law, the President may also scale down programs better suited for local government or private sector implementation and reassign functions across agencies as necessary.
The law allows for the creation or deactivation of agencies based on recommendations from the newly formed Committee on Optimizing the Executive Branch (COEB), chaired by the Executive Secretary.
The COEB is tasked with conducting studies on the mandates, functions, programs, operations, structures, and staffing of government agencies, and preparing the optimized organizational structure and overall change management plan.
RA 12231 covers all executive branch agencies, including departments, bureaus, offices, and other entities under departmental supervision, as well as government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) not covered by RA 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011.
However, teaching and teaching-related positions, as well as military and uniformed personnel, are excluded. Similarly, the judiciary, legislature, constitutional commissions, the Office of the Ombudsman, and local government units may choose to adopt similar reforms on an optional basis.
Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday welcomed the enactment of RA 12231, calling it a landmark measure for building a more agile and responsive bureaucracy.
“The signing of the Government Optimization Act marks a pivotal step toward a more efficient and responsive bureaucracy. This reform is designed to eliminate overlapping mandates and streamline operations across government agencies, ensuring faster and more effective service delivery to the public,” Escudero said in a statement.
He emphasized that the law does not aim to downsize the bureaucracy or cut budgets, but rather focuses on structural reforms that enable better coordination among government institutions.
“Its core intent is to transform government into a well-coordinated system—one that removes institutional bottlenecks and empowers agencies to serve with greater agility and purpose,” he said.
The President is granted authority for a period of five years to reorganize the executive branch. This includes the power to merge, consolidate, transfer, divide, scale down, abolish, or create agencies as needed.
Escudero further stressed that the measure aims to professionalize the bureaucracy and instill a culture of merit and performance.
“Ultimately, the law promotes career advancement and professional growth among government personnel. By fostering a culture of merit and performance, it aims to inspire public servants to work with renewed dedication for the Filipino people,” he said.
The Government Optimization Act was among Escudero’s key legislative priorities as Senate President, in line with his administration’s push to improve the quality and speed of public service delivery.
