Philippine Civil Service

Commission
Functions, History and
Development

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 Philippine Civil Service
Commission
The Civil Service Commission (CSC)
is the central personnel agency of
the Philippine government. One of
the three independent
constitutional commissions with
adjudicative responsibility in the
national government structure, it is
also tasked to render final
arbitration on disputes and
personnel actions on Civil Service
matters.
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 Philippine Civil Service
Commission
RESPONSIBILITY
Recruitment, building,
maintenance and retention of a
competent, professional and
highly motivated government
workforce truly responsive to the
needs of the government's client
- the public.

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 Philippine Civil Service
Commission
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS
leading and initiating the
professionalization of the civil service;
promoting public accountability in
government service;
adopting performance-based tenure in
government; and
implementing the integrated rewards
and incentives program for
government employees.

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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Effective and Strengthen CSC's
Efficient contempt power to
ensure
Administrative implementation of
Justice CSC Resolutions
Speedy disposition of Take a lead role in
cases
the Inter-Agency Anti-
Develop a monitoring Graft Coordinating
mechanism to check
Council
aging of cases,
Institute mechanisms Enhance CSC's quasi-
to declog case judicial functions
dockets Implement special
Intensify conciliation project on "Women
and mediation as Against Graft"
modalities for Ensure consistency of
resolving non-
decisions
disciplinary cases

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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Professionalizing Improve the
Ethical/Moral Standards
the Civil Service of Key Sectors through
Strengthen the Third Design incentive
Level packages to encourage
Develop policies the young professionals
granting CSC and the best to join
authority to appoint government service and
and discipline those to retain competent
below ASEC level workers
Implement HRD Integrate gender
Interventions development concepts
Re-thinking HRD in CSC policies and
interventions/training programs
s to correspond to Rationalize policies on
specific needs of 1st, contractuals, job
2nd and 3rd level orders, consultancy
services

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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Improving Public
Service Delivery
Enhance Rewards and Create a Common
Sanctions Data Base for CSC,
Implement "Text CSC GSIS, DBM and BIR
Project" for easy access on
government
Monitor Process Flow
personnel
Chart, Service Pledge
information
and Service Standards
by agencies Develop programs
for LGUs to
Strengthen the
improve services
"Mamamayan Muna,
at the local levels
Hindi Mamaya Na
and to increase
Program"
awareness of CSC
rules

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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Harnessing Public
Sector Unionism
Strengthen
coordination and
partnership with other
agency members of
PSLMC
Review rights and
privileges as well as
existing mechanisms
with respect to labor-
management relations
Intensify education and
information campaign
on responsible Public
Sector Unionism
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Strengthen PSUs to
serve as watchdog in
every agency
Encourage unions to
register and accredit
with CSC
Implement more
effective conciliation
and mediation services
Develop proactive and
quick reaction
mechanisms for
resolving labor-
management conflicts
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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Strengthening
External
Relations
Strengthen advisory
role to the President
on all matters
pertaining to human
resource management
in government
Take a lead role in
inter-agency
committees involved in
good governance
Develop and implement
a Civil Service Public
Information
Communication Plan
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Develop programs that
will follow through our
"jump start" programs
for LGUs
Devolve personnel
management functions
to agencies particularly
at the regional,
provincial and
municipal levels
Actively participate in
legislations pertaining
to civil service matters
Review relationship
between CSC and the
OSG re: handling of
appealed cases before
the CA and SC
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CSC's SERVICES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 6
KEY REFORM AREAS
Managing Support Develop and implement
an Organization Public
Services Information and
Reorganize CSC Education Plan for CSC
structure (OPIEC)
Develop Prudent Expand the use of
Expenditure Information Technology in
Management Program all CSC Operations
Strengthen the Internal Rationalize fiscal policies
Audit System Revisit Performance
Enhance/streamline Evaluation Monitoring
internal systems and System (PEMS)
procedures Ensure passage of Civil
Develop an efficient Service Code
and effective model of Review structure of and
governance within CSC support to field offices
Create Develop relevant and
feedback/monitoring needs-based staff
mechanism development programs

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 Historical Developments
The civil service system in the Philippines was
formally established under Public Law No. 5
("An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance
of Our Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the
Philippine Island") in 1900 by the Second
Philippine Commission. A Civil Service Board
was created composed of a Chairman, a
Secretary and a Chief Examiner. The Board
administered civil service examinations and set
standards for appointment in government
service. It was reorganized into a Bureau in
1905.

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 Historical Developments
The 1935 Philippine Constitution
firmly established the merit
system as the basis for
employment in government. The
following years also witnessed the
expansion of the Bureaus
jurisdiction to include the three
branches of government: the
national government, local
government and government
corporations.
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 Historical Developments
In 1959, Republic Act 2260, otherwise
known as the Civil Service Law, was
enacted. This was the first integral law
on the Philippine bureaucracy,
superseding the scattered
administrative orders relative to
government personnel administration
issued since 1900. This Act converted
the Bureau of Civil Service into the
Civil Service Commission with
department status.

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 Historical Developments
In 1975, Presidential Decree No. 807 (The Civil Service
Decree of the Philippines) redefined the role of the
Commission as the central personnel agency of
government.
Its present mandate is derived from Article IX-B of the
1987 Constitution which was given effect through Book
V of Executive Order No. 292 (The 1987 Administrative
Code).
The Code essentially reiterates existing principles and
policies in the administration of the bureaucracy and
recognizes, for the first time, the right of government
employees to self-organization and collective
negotiations under the framework of the 1987
Constitution.

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How do we compare the
Philippine Civil Service
with the other ASEAN
countries?

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 PCS vs. ASEAN
More than half of the civil
servant population in
Cambodia and Laos are
male. In Thailand, the male
population is only slightly
higher than the female
population. In the
Philippines, more women are
in the civil service than men.
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 Country Total Male Female
Population (%) (%)
Cambodia 166,381 69 31

Lao PDR 70,354 64 36

Philippines 1,445,498 47 53

Thailand 1,296,688 52 47

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 Employment
The main qualifications
cited as basic
requirements for
eligibility to become a
civil servant in the
countries studied
include nationality, the
age requirement,
education, physical and
mental capabilities,
experience, training and
professional eligibility.
One of the basic
qualifications for
employment in
government in
Cambodia, the
Philippines and
Thailand is nationality.
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Two countries,
Cambodia and Thailand,
have a minimum age
requirement. In both
countries, one must be
at least eighteen years
of age.
In three of the countries
studied, specifically in
Laos, the Philippines
and Thailand, the
recruitment system is
decentralized.
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 Pay Ranges
All of the six countries studied had existing
pay structures / wage scales on which they
base the pay of the civil servants. The pay
structures correspond to different factors,
such as the salary grades indicated in their
specific schemes, job classifications, current
levels / rank of the civil servant in the pay
structure.
In Indonesia, seniority is also a consideration.
Aside from their base wage, civil servants also
receive allowances, which depend, not only on
their level in the pay structure, but on the
function of their jobs as well. In Laos, the
government does not have a government wide
job classification system. It allows individual
ministries to develop their own system.
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 Country Exchange Lowest Highest
Rate
CMB Riels US$1 4,000 $7.50 30,000 $41.25 165,000

IND Rupiah US$1 9,000 $42.55 382,950 $84.00 755,783

SNG Sng$ US$1 1.70 $480.00 818.00 $1,436 2,442

THL Baht US$1 40.00 $102.50 4,100 $1,475 59,000

PHL Pesos US$1 56.00 $108.00 5,082 $1,031 57,750

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 Benefits
In the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, the
employees are also entitled to non-financial
benefits such as leave benefits (vacation, sick /
medical leave, maternity and study leaves). In
the Philippines and Singapore, aside from
maternity leave, civil servants may apply for
paternity leave.
Singapore grants childcare leave, marriage
leave (3 days) and unrecorded leave. In
Thailand, civil servants may also avail
themselves of religious and military leave. In
these countries, civil servants also enjoy
health insurance, disability and housing loan
benefits.

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 Retirement
There are compulsory ages for retirement in Cambodia, Laos, the
Philippines and Thailand. However the age requirements vary
between 55 to 65 years old.
In Cambodia, the higher the educational attainment, the more years
of service are required. In the Philippines, the compulsory age for
retirement for uniformed personnel police and the military is 55.
For civilian employees, the compulsory retirement age is 65. In
Laos, the compulsory age requirement depends on the gender.
Females are required to retire by the age of 55, while the males can
only retire by the age of 60.
Civil servants must render a minimum number of years of service
to be eligible for retirement benefits. In Cambodia and Thailand,
civil servants are required to render at least 25 years to receive
retirement benefits. In Laos, they are required to render at least 30
years of service.

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 Working Hours
In Cambodia and in the Philippines,
civil servants are required to render
eight (8) hours of work per day. In the
Philippines, it is exclusive of time for
lunch. In Thailand, civil servants only
have to accomplish 7 hours a day.

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