CSC urges fresh grads: Work in government

MANILA, Philippines —The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has urged fresh graduates as well as first-time job seekers to consider working in government, saying that they are entitled to a free Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and other common pre-employment documents.

In a press statement, CSC Chairman Karlo Nograles said that under Republic Act 11261 or the First-time Jobseekers Assistance Act (FTJAA), government agencies should no longer collect fees from a first-time jobseeker (FTJ) requesting common pre-employment documents.

An FTJ can tap this service if he or she is a Filipino citizen regardless of age, is actively looking for employment and is a resident of the barangay issuing a barangay certification.

“Offering free pre-employment documents to qualified first-time job seekers not only makes government services more accessible but also expands employment opportunities for Filipinos,” Nograles said.

One of the pre-employment documents free of charge is the COE, in which a civil service exam passer can avail oneself of an original and authenticated copy of the document.

To request a free COE, the applicant must first obtain a barangay certification from their place of residence stating that they are classified as an FTJ.

The applicant may then bring the barangay certification to any of the 16 CSC Regional Offices nationwide, regardless of their place of examination, to request original and authenticated copies of the COE at no cost.

Additional copies are subject to the current fees of P100 for the original copy and P50 per authenticated copy.

If the records indicate that an individual had applied for a COE in the past but has not yet been employed, he or she may still be granted the COE free of charge, the CSC said.

“The CSC hopes that by providing complimentary documents to FTJs, applicants will be encouraged to apply in career positions and join the 1.9 million public servants serving in various offices nationwide,” Nograles said.