Historical Highlights

The civil service system in the Philippines was formally established under Public Law No. 5 ("An Act
for the Establishment and Maintenance of Our Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippine
Island") in 1900 by the Second Philippine Commission. A Civil Service Board was created composed
of a Chairman, a Secretary and a Chief Examiner. The Board administered civil service examinations
and set standards for appointment in government service. It was reorganized into a Bureau in 1905.

The 1935 Philippine Constitution firmly established the merit system as the basis for employment in
government. The following years also witnessed the expansion of the Bureau’s jurisdiction to include
the three branches of government: the national government, local government and government
corporations.

In 1959, Republic Act 2260, otherwise known as the Civil Service Law, was enacted. This was the
first integral law on the Philippine bureaucracy, superseding the scattered administrative orders
relative to government personnel administration issued since 1900. This Act converted the Bureau of
Civil Service into the Civil Service Commission with department status.

In 1975, Presidential Decree No. 807 (The Civil Service Decree of the Philippines) redefined the role
of the Commission as the central personnel agency of government. Its present mandate is derived
from Article IX-B of the 1987 Constitution which was given effect through Book V of Executive Order
No. 292 (The 1987 Administrative Code). The Code essentially reiterates existing principles and
policies in the administration of the bureaucracy and recognizes, for the first time, the right of
government employees to self-organization and collective negotiations under the framework of the
1987 Constitution.

An unrelated concept is a "constitutional commission" (a commission created by the constitution) as

stated in the 1987 Constitution are governmental bodies that are independent of the three main branches of
government. These are the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, and the Commission on
Elections.

CSC – The Central Human Resource Agency

The Civil Service Commission of the Philippines (Filipino: Komisyon ng Serbisyo Sibil, abbreviated as CSC) is
one of the three Constitutional Commissions of the Philippines with responsibility over the civil service. It is tasked
with overseeing the integrity of government actions and processes. The commission was founded in 1900 through
Act No. 5 of the Philippine Commission and was made a bureau in 1905.[1]
It has 16 regional offices throughout the country.
The other two Constitutional Commissions are the Commission on Elections and Commission on Audit.

Members
The 1987 Constitution staggered the terms of the members of the Constitutional Commissions. Of the first
appointees, the Chairman would serve seven years (1st line), a Commissioner would serve five years (2nd line),
and another Commissioner would serve three years (3rd line). Term refers to a fixed period, while tenure refers to
the actual period that a person held office.
The names of the first Members of the CSC since 1987 were mentioned in Gaminde v. Commission on Audit.
Incumbents
 1. Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala

2. Commissioner Leopoldo Roberto W. Valderosa Jr.

3. Commissioner Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada

4. Assistant Commissioner Ariel G. Ronquillo

5. Assistant Commissioner David E. Cabanag Jr.

Career Executive Service Board

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 891, s. 2010 the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) is mandated to
promulgate rules, standards and procedures on the selection, classification, compensation and career development
of members of the Career Executive Service. In Eugenio vs. Civil Service Commission, G.R. No. 115863, March 31,
1995, the Supreme Court recognized the existence, mandate and authority of the CESB over third level positions,
and its autonomy from the Civil Service Commission (CSC)."

Organizational Structure

 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN

 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS

 OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONERS

 OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 COMMISSION SECRETARIAT AND LIAISON OFFICE

 OFFICE FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS

 EXAMINATION, RECRUITMENT, AND PLACEMENT OFFICE

 OFFICE FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

 CIVIL SERVICE INSTITUTE

 OFFICE FOR STRATEGY MANAGEMENT

 INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICE

 HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES AND STANDARDS OFFICE

 INTEGRATED RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICE

 HUMAN RESOURCE RELATIONS OFFICE

 OFFICE FOR FINANCIAL AND ASSETS MANAGEMENT

 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION OFFICE

The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines

B. The Civil Service Commission

Section 1. (1) The civil service shall be administered by the Civil Service Commission composed of
a Chairman and two Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines and, at
the time of their appointment, at least thirty-five years of age, with proven capacity for public
administration, and must not have been candidates for any elective position in the elections
immediately preceding their appointment.

(2) The Chairman and the Commissioners shall be appointed by the President with the consent of
the Commission on Appointments for a term of seven years without reappointment. Of those first
appointed, the Chairman shall hold office for seven years, a Commissioner for five years, and
another Commissioner for three years, without appointment. Appointment to any vacancy shall be
only for the unexpired term of the predecessor. In no case shall any Member be appointed or
designated in a temporary or acting capacity.

Section 2. (1) The civil service embraces all branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities, and agencies
of the Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters.

(2) Appoints in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined,
as far as practicable, and, except to positions which are policy- determining, primarily confidential,
or highly technical, by competitive examination.

(3) No officer or employee of the civil service shall be removed or suspended except for cause
provided by law.

(4) No officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any
electioneering or partisan political campaign.

(5) The right to self-organization shall not be denied to government employees.

(6) Temporary employees of the Government shall be given such protection as may be provided by
law.

Section 3. The Civil Service Commission, as the central personnel agency of the Government, shall
establish a career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity,
responsiveness, progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service. It shall strengthen the merit and
rewards system, integrate all human resources development programs for all levels and ranks, and
institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability. It shall submit to the
President and the Congress an annual report on its personnel programs.

Section 4. All public officers and employees shall take an oath or affirmation to uphold and defend
this Constitution.

Section 5. The Congress shall provide for the standardization of compensation of government
officials and employees, including those in government-owned or controlled corporations with
original charters, taking into account the nature of the responsibilities pertaining to, and the
qualifications required for their positions.

Section 6. No candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such election, be
appointed to any office in the Government or any government-owned or controlled corporations or
in any of their subsidiaries.

Section 7. No elective official shall be eligible for appointment or designation in any capacity to
any public office or position during his tenure.

Unless otherwise allowed by law or by the primary functions of his position, no appointive official
shall hold any other office or employment in the Government or any subdivision, agency or
instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their
subsidiaries.

Section 8. No elective or appointive public officer or employee shall receive additional, double, or
indirect compensation, unless specifically authorized by law, nor accept without the consent of the
Congress, any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind from any foreign government.

Pensions or gratuities shall not be considered as additional, double, or indirect compensation.

THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC

OF THE PHILIPPINES – ARTICLE IX
ARTICLE IX

Constitutional Commissions

A. COMMON PROVISIONS

Section 1. The Constitutional Commissions, which shall be independent, are the Civil
Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

Section 2. No member of a Constitutional Commission shall, during his tenure, hold any
other office or employment. Neither shall he engage in the practice of any profession or
in the active management or control of any business which, in any way, may be affected
by the functions of his office, nor shall he be financially interested, directly or indirectly,
in any contract with, or in any franchise or privilege granted by the Government, any of
its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned or
controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.

Section. 3. The salary of the Chairman and the Commissioners shall be fixed by law and
shall not be decreased during their tenure.

Section 4. The Constitutional Commissions shall appoint their officials and employees in
accordance with law.
Section 5. The Commission shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Their approved annual
appropriations shall be automatically and regularly released.

Section 6. Each Commission en banc may promulgate its own rules concerning pleadings
and practice before it or before any of its offices. Such rules, however, shall not diminish,
increase, or modify substantive rights.

Section 7. Each Commission shall decide by a majority vote of all its Members, any case
or matter brought before it within sixty days from the date of its submission for decision
or resolution. A case or matter is deemed submitted for decision or resolution upon the
filing of the last pleading, brief, or memorandum required by the rules of the Commission
or by the Commission itself. Unless otherwise provided by this Constitution or by law, any
decision, order, or ruling of each Commission may be brought to the Supreme Court
on certiorari by the aggrieved party within thirty days from receipt of a copy thereof.

Section 8. Each Commission shall perform such other functions as may be provided by
law.

B. THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

Section 1. (1) The civil service shall be administered by the Civil Service Commission
composed of a Chairman and two Commissioners who shall be natural-born citizens of
the Philippines and, at the time of their appointment, at least thirty-five years of age,
with proven capacity for public administration, and must not have been candidates for
any elective position in the elections immediately preceding their appointment.

(2) The Chairman and the Commissioners shall be appointed by the President with the
consent of the Commission on Appointments for a term of seven years without
reappointment. Of those first appointed, the Chairman shall hold office for seven years, a
Commissioner for five years, and another Commissioner for three years, without
reappointment. Appointment to any vacancy shall be only for the unexpired term of the
predecessor. In no case shall any Member be appointed or designated in a temporary or
acting capacity.

Section 2. (1) The civil service embraces all branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities,
and agencies of the Government, including government-owned or controlled
corporations with original charters.

(2) Appointments in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to
be determined, as far as practicable, and, except to positions which are policy-
determining, primarily confidential, or highly technical, by competitive examination.

(3) No officer or employee of the civil service shall be removed or suspended except for
cause provided by law.

(4) No officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any
electioneering or partisan political campaign.

(5) The right to self-organization shall not be denied to government employees.

(6) Temporary employees of the Government shall be given such protection as may be
provided by law.

Section 3. The Civil Service Commission, as the central personnel agency of the
Government, shall establish a career service and adopt measures to promote morale,
efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service. It
shall strengthen the merit and rewards system, integrate all human resources
development programs for all levels and ranks, and institutionalize a management
climate conducive to public accountability. It shall submit to the President and the
Congress an annual report on its personnel programs.

Section 4. All public officers and employees shall take an oath or affirmation to uphold
and defend this Constitution.

Section 5. The Congress shall provide for the standardization of compensation of

government officials and employees, including those in government-owned or controlled
corporations with original charters, taking into account the nature of the responsibilities
pertaining to, and the qualifications required for, their positions.

Section 6. No candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such
election, be appointed to any office in the Government or any Government-owned or
controlled corporations or in any of their subsidiaries.

Section 7. No elective official shall be eligible for appointment or designation in any

capacity to any public office or position during his tenure.

Unless otherwise allowed by law or by the primary functions of his position, no

appointive official shall hold any other office or employment in the Government or any
subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including Government-owned or
controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.

Section 8. No elective or appointive public officer or employee shall receive additional,

double, or indirect compensation, unless specifically authorized by law, nor accept
without the consent of the Congress, any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind
from any foreign government.

Pensions or gratuities shall not be considered as additional, double, or indirect

compensation.

FISCAL AUTONOMY – Supreme court defines Fiscal Autonomy as “Freedom from outside
control, meaning an institution has full flexibility to allocate and utilize its money, and dispatch
needs that it requires.

Common Provisions Relating to the Constitutional Commissions

-The establishment of Constitutional Commissions is clearly stipulated in Sec. 1 of Article IX,

which states that the Constitutional Commissions, which shall be independent are the CSC,
COMELEC, and the COA.

Independence of the Constitutional Commissions

 1) Cannot be abolished by Law as they are created by the fundamental charter of the country.

2) Powers exercised by these agencies are granted by the Constitution and cannot be withdrawn
by law.

3) The chairmen and members of these commissions enjoy security of tenure and can only be
removed from office

4) Salaries of the Chairmen and members of these commission are fixed by law and can’t
be decreased during their tenure

5) The constitutional commissions enjoy fiscal autonomy

6) Each of these constitutional commissions is empowered to promulgate its own rules of

procedures.

Prohibitions

1) To hold any other office or employment

2) To engage in the practice of any profession

3) To engage in the active management or control of any business

4) To be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise granted by the

government.

Compensation

As stated in Article ~ 18, Section 17, the Chairperson of each commission shall receive an
annual salary of 204,000 Php, while the other commissioners or members shall receive an
annual salary of 180, 000

Rules on the Conduct of Proceedings

1) The majority rule has to be observed in all the proceedings of the constitutional
commissions.

2) Any case brought before the Commission has to be resolved within 60 day form the
date of its submission for decision

3) Any decision, order, or ruling of each Commission may be appealed to the Supreme
Court on certiorari by the aggrieved party within 30 days from the receipt of the copy
thereof.

THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

 The central personnel agency of the government whose primary goal is to professionalize the
Philippine service system by setting standard and enforcing laws and rules governing the
selection, utilization,

COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT AND TENURE

The CSC is composed of a chairman and two commissioners as members, who are appointed
by the president. Without reappointment.

 Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala – 7Years of term (First line)

 Commissioner Robert Martinez – 5 years of term (Second line)

 Commissioner Nieves Osorio – 3 years of term (Third line)

QUALIFICATIONS OF APPOINTMENT

 Natural born citizens of the Philippines

 At least 35 years of age at the time of their appointments

 With proven capacity for public administration

 Must not have been candidate for any elective position in the elections immediately
preceding's their appointment

FUNCTION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

 To establish a career service

 To adopt measure to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness and courtesy

in the civil service. To strengthen the merit and reward system

 To integrate all human resources development programs for all levels and ranks

 To institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability

SCOPE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE

 Every branch, subdivision, instrumentality and agency of the Government including

government- owned and controlled corporations with original charters are under the
jurisdiction of the civil service.

APPOINTMENTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

 Appointments in the civil service are made based on merit and fitness and
determined as far as practicable by competitive examination or the civil serviced
examination.

SECURITY OF TENURE
  All government employees and officers of the Civil Service enjoy security of tenure.
As such, they cannot just be removed from office or suspended from service except
on the ground of inefficiency or cause provided by law.
 Dishonesty, oppression or misconduct
 habitual drunkenness
 Neglect of duty
 Disgraceful or immoral conduct

WHY INDEPENDENT:

They perform vital functions of government. Their integrity is protected by the fact that
they:
1) are constitutionally created (sec. 1)
2) have independent powers of appointment (sec. 4)
3)each commission may promulgate its own procedural rules (sec. 6)
4) Have fiscal autonomy (Sec. 5)
5) Salaries may not be diminished during their office (Sec. 3)
6) Commissioners have a fixed term
7) Commissioners are removable by impeachment only.

1. Section 2. Disqualifications •Members cannot, during their tenure: 1) Hold any other
office or employment; 2) Engage in the practice of any profession; 3) Engage in the
active management or control of any business, which, in any way, may be affected by
the functions of their office; and
2. 7. 4) Be financially interested, direct or indirect, in any contract, franchise, privilege
granted by the government, any of its subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities,
including GOCC’s and their subsidiaries. Note: The Ombudsman and his deputies are
subject to the same qualifications.
3. 8. Section 3. Salaries 1) Salaries are fixed by law and shall not be decreased during
their TENURE. 2) Decreases in salaries only affect those members appointed AFTER
increase. 3) Incumbent members do not lose any salary. 4) Increases take effect
IMMEDIATELY.
4. 9. Section 6. Rules of Procedure 1) Rules: The Commissions may promulgate its own
rules EN BANC. 2) Limitation: It shall not: a) Diminish, b) Increase, or c) Modify
substantive rights.
5. 10. Section 7. Decision Making/ Appeal Decision-Making: 1.) Each commission shall
decide matter or cases by a majority vote of all the members within 60 days from
submission. 2) As Collegial bodies, each commission must act as one, and no one
member can decide a case for the entire commission.
6. 11. • Appeals: 1) Decisions, orders or rulings of the COMELEC/COA may be brought on
certiorari to the SC. 2) Decisions, orders or ruling of the CSC should be appealed to the
CA.
7. 12. The Civil Service refers to the body of employee in any government agency
including all employees of the government in general.
8. 13. Composition/Qualifications/ Term • Composition: 1) Chairman 2) Commissioners – 2
commissioners • Qualifications: 1) Natural-born citizens of the Philippines; 2) At least
35 years old at the time of their appointments; 3) With proven capacity for public
administration; and local management
9. 14. 4) NOT candidates for any elective position in the elections immediately preceding
their appointment. 5) Appointees by the President to the CSC need Commission on
Appointments (CA) confirmation.
10. 15. • Term: 1) Chairman -7 years; Commissioner1 – 5 yrs; Commissioner2 – 3 yrs 2)
Limitation: single term only, no reappointment 3) Appointment to vacancy: only for
unexpired term of predecessor 4) No temporary appointments, or appointments in
acting capacity.
11. 16. Section 2. Scope • The Civil Service embraces all: A. branches, B. subdivisions, C.
instrumentalities, D. agencies of the government, E. including GOCCs with original
charters.
12. 17. • Appointments to civil service shall be: A. Competitive positions- according to merit
and fitness to be determined by competitive examinations, as far as practicable except
to positions which are policy- determining, primarily confidential, or highly technical.
13. 18. B. Non-competitive positions- No need for competitive examinations. Non-
competitive positions are: a) Policy-determining – formulate a method of action for the
gov’t. b) Primarily confidential – more than ordinary confidence; close intimacy insures
freedom of intercourse without betrayals of personal trust. c) Highly technical–
requires technical skill to a superior degree.
14. 19. Who may be appointed? 1). RULE: Whoever fulfills all the qualifications prescribed
by law for a particular position may be appointed therein. 2). The CSC cannot
disapprove an appointment just because another person is better qualified, as long as
the appointee is himself qualified. 3). The CSC CANNOT add qualifications other than
those provided by law.
15. 20. Sections 6-7. Disqualification • 1) Losing candidates in any election a). Cannot be
appointed to any office in the government or GOCC’s or their subsidiaries. b). Period of
disqualification: One (1) year after such election • 2) Elective officials a). Not eligible
for appointment or designation ANY CAPACITY to ANY PUBLIC OFFICE or position
during their tenure.
16. 21. b). EXCEPTION: May hold ex officio positions. c). To be eligible to hold any other
office, the elected official must first resign his office d). Even Congress cannot, by law,
authorize the appointment of an elective official. 3). Appointive officials a). Cannot hold
any other office or employment in the government, any subdivision, agency,
instrumentality, including GOCC’s and their subsidiaries.
17. 22. b). EXCEPTION: Unless otherwise allowed by law, or by the primary functions of his
position. c). This exception DOES NOT APPLY to Cabinet members, and those officers
mentioned in Art. VII, Sec. 13. They are governed by the stricter prohibitions contained
therein
18. 23. Section 8: Compensation 1. Prohibitions: applies to elected or appointed officers
and employees. Cannot receive: A. Additional – an extra reward given for the same
office i.e. bonus B. Double – when an officer is given 2 sets of compensation for 2
different offices held concurrently by 1 officer C. Indirect Compensation 2) EXCEPTION:
Unless specifically authorized by law
19. 24. THE END.