CSC chair levels legacy of landmark policies

MANILA, Philippines — Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chair Alicia dela Rosa-Bala served her last day in office yesterday, leaving a legacy of landmark policies such as the rules on the resolution of administrative cases in the civil service and strengthening the merit system of appointment of state workers.

Appointed by the late president Benigno Aquino III on Oct. 9, 2015, Bala officially ended her seven-year fixed term.

“She brought her expertise and years of experience in social work to the CSC to introduce policies and programs that empower and uplift civil servants and promote social change and development, bringing ‘malasakit’ to public sector HR (human resource) management,” the CSC said in a press statement.

Prior to her appointment to the CSC, Bala served in the Department of Social Welfare and Development for 39 years, specifically as undersecretary from 2005 to 2015 and as deputy secretary-general for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community based in Jakarta, Indonesia from September 2012 to September 2015.

The CSC, under Bala’s term, issued two landmark policies – the Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service for the speedy disposition of administrative disciplinary and non-disciplinary cases and the Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions in the Civil Service, which enforces a merit system when it comes to appointment of civil servants and other HR actions.

Under Bala’s helm, the CSC promulgated guidelines to institutionalize occupational safety and health standards as well as mental health programs in the public sector. The CSC has also issued rules on mandatory random drug testing among civil servants in support of the government’s anti-drug campaign.

Also issued were the guidelines in the administration of the Career Service Examination-Pen and Paper Test to persons with disabilities, pregnant women and senior citizens, as well as to female examinees wearing Muslim covering/clothing, in order to make the test procedures more inclusive.

In partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, the CSC, under Bala’s term, also helped draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the grant of 105-day expanded maternity leave to female workers, as well as the 60-day adoption leave for qualified adoptive parents.

In partnership with the Anti-Red Tape Authority and Department of Trade and Industry, the CSC also helped draft the IRR for Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

During Bala’s term, the CSC began conducting an annual job fair in 2018 to help bridge hiring agencies and unemployed Filipinos. The CSC also partnered with BDO Foundation Inc. and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to establish the Financial Education Program for Civil Servants.

During Bala’s last two years in office, the CSC issued interim guidelines promoting the safety and welfare of civil servants while ensuring continued delivery of public services amid the COVID pandemic.

These guidelines offered government agencies the option to adopt alternative work arrangements, and civil servants to avail themselves of excused absence with pay for not being able to report for work due to quarantine, isolation or treatment, adverse events following immunization and community quarantine restrictions, among others.