CSC warned gov’t officials on nepotistic appointments

CEBU, Philippines - As the Civil Service Commission anticipates a lot of changes arising from the new leadership, it warned elected officials not to engage in nepotistic appointments.

CSC chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala in a press conference yesterday here in Cebu said that the rule of nepotism covers those related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity.

In local government services, she said that the prohibition extends to relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.

“Nepotism is classified as a grave administrative offense punishable of dismissal from the service on the first offense,” she said.

CSC Commissioner Robert Martinez however emphasized that for highly confidential positions, the local chief executive can appoint his or her own relatives, daughter or son but since majority of the positions are career positions, the appointing authority, therefore, cannot just appoint the persons mentioned.

Rosa-Bala also reiterated the prevailing CSC laws, rules and regulations contending that all appointments made in the civil service shall only be made through merit and fitness.

She said that a minimum credential, which they call as qualification standards, should be met including eligibility, education, experience and training.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Anti-Red Tape Act Report Card Survey Results of the CSC showed that of the 65 frontline agencies, only 13 were rated excellent, 43 were good, five were acceptable and four failed.

RCS is a client feedback survey used to check government service offices’ compliance with the provisions of ARTA of 2007. It provides a qualitative manner of used perception on the quality, efficiency and adequacy of public service.

Rosa-Bala said that their agency has been receiving 3,000 complaints per month nationwide and most agencies being complained of are the Land Transportation Office, the Social Security System, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Philippine Veterans Administration Office and the Land Registration Authority.

Most of the complaints were slow processing, discourteous personnel, violation of the “no noon break policy,” and presence of fixers.

Rosa-Bala was here to attend the 2016 Public Sector HR Symposium attended by around 2,000 human resource practitioners to learn about managing transactions, particularly in the context of governance and public service.

With the theme, "Managing Transitions through Strategic Human Resource and Organization Development," the symposium will bring together local and international resource speakers who will share best practices, tools and techniques that would enable people and organizations to not only cope with, but also to harness organizational changes.

The HR symposium comes at a time when the Philippine bureaucracy begins its transition from the previous to the new administration and a host of changes in policies and ways of working across government is expected.

"Civil servants need to maintain a healthy balance between continuity and change. At the same time, government managers and HR practitioners should be able to lead and guide civil servants as they navigate through uncertainties and difficulties," CSC in a statement said.

The CSC added that effective change is important in organizational functioning, especially for an organization as huge and as diverse as the Philippine bureaucracy. — (FREEMAN)