18,000 take civil service exams

MANILA, Philippines - At least 18,577 people wanting to work in government or get promoted took the civil service examinations in various testing centers nationwide yesterday.

Employees affected by the rationalization of various government agencies comprise 48.32 percent or 8,966 of the examinees for the Career Service Professional and Sub-professional examinations.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said this would give them a chance to obtain civil service eligibility and be considered for employment under the rationalized structure of the agencies.

These workers may also include casual and contractual personnel, as well as those hired under job order and contract of service.

 Regions with the most number of affected employees include the National Capital Region with 3,387 examinees; Davao Region with 990; Southern Tagalog, 747; Cagayan Valley, 588, and Northern Mindanao, 547.

The CSC said the special exams were supposed to have been held last Nov. 10, but was moved due to the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Regular professional and sub-professional exams were administered to 7,464 examinees in Zamboanga City, Lamitan City, and Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

The CSC has deferred the conduct of exams in these areas last Oct. 13 due to the Zamboanga crisis.

Some 1,844 examinees took the Fire Officer Examination  and 283 examinees for the Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer.