Malacanang on Friday issued its first order under new Marcos leadership by declaring vacant a number of positions in the Executive Department.

Memorandum Circular No. 1, signed by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez during the new administration’s first working day, ordered that all Presidential appointees whose appointments are classified as co-terminous be deemed separated from service, and their positions held by them in the departments, offices, agencies and bureaus of the Executives Department declared vacant effective immediately.

Also covered in the order are: all Presidential appointees occupying positions in excess of the authorized staffing pattern; all non-Career Executive Service Officials occupying Career Executive Service positions; and contractual and/or casual employees.

“Vacancies in the heads of departments, offices, agencies and bureaus where no replacement has been appointed or designated, shall be filled up by the next-in-rank and most senior official as Officer-in-Charge,” the order read.

According to the Palace memo, the OIC “shall perform the duties and discharge the responsibilities of the office until July 31, 2022, or until a replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first.”

As of July 1, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to name the heads of several government agencies, including the Department of Health, Department of Energy, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.