City mayors urge CSC to retract circular

CEBU — Members of the executive board of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), in a resolution, asked the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to retract a circular that orders mayors to submit contracts of services and job orders for review.

The mayors, who met the other day in Lapu-Lapu City for the league’s 13th National Executive Board meeting, were clearly taken aback by the latest circular that some of them said they would disregard entirely.

The CSC, in its amended circular of 1999, did not require the submission of the contracts of services and job orders on the ground that such services were not considered government services.

The commission, however, said the practice of hiring under contracts of services and job orders entered into between government agencies and individuals has been used to circumvent civil service rules and regulations. Thus, the issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 7, CSC Resolution No. 02-0790 dated June 5, 2002, which outlines the policy guidelines for contract services.

Also, the CSC resolution further states that the contract of services, memoranda of agreement or job orders shall be submitted to the CSC regional office for review of the stipulations within 30 days from the execution and signing of the contracts.

The circular provides that no services shall be rendered under the contract of services pending the review.

CSC-Region 7 director Tomas Ramos explained to the board that the circular was meant to curb nepotism and the rehiring of dismissed and retired government employees.

Bacolod City Mayor Luzviminda Valdez said it would be difficult for mayors to recognize its implementation considering that the submission of job orders would be an added burden to local government units.

Valdez said mayors hire their own relatives because they turn out to be better workers.

Valdez lambasted the CSC for implementing the circular without consulting local chief executives.

Cebu City Mayor Thomas Osmeña said job order documentation is too costly. — Freeman News Service