THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
SBNo. 1839 
'04 OCT 26 P4:14 
I' 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill aims to declare the conferment of a masteral degree equivalent to 
professional eligibiIity in the civil service. 
Section 3, B, Article IX of the 1987 Constitution provides: 
"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 reward 
system, integrate all human resources development programs for all levels 
and ranks, and institutionalize a management climate conducive to public 
accountability. .." 
It envisions that appointments in the civil service be made only according to merit 
and fitness to be determined by competitive examination, except those positions which 
are policy-determining, primarily confidential or highly technical. 
Pursuant to this, the Commission regularly conducts professional and sub- 
professional examinations all over the country. 
By virtue of Republic Act No. 1080, the bar examinations and the examinations 
given by the various boards of examiners of the Government are declared as civil service 
examinations. Hence, those who passed these examinations may be appointed into the 
civil service without the necessity of passing the civil service examinations, except those 
positions requiring highly specialized knowledge not covered by the ordinary board 
examinations. 


This bill aims to grant the same if not a more fitting privilege to conferees of 
masteral degrees recognizing their educational competence and fitness for appointment or 
promotion to career positions in the civil service by reason of their having completed post 
graduate studies which are equivalent, if not more than passing the bar or board 
examinations. 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S.B. SENAfi31 
No. 
Introduced by : Senator Lacson 
AN 
ACT 
DECLARING 
THE 
CONFERMENT OF AMASTERAL 
DEGREE AS EQUIVALENT TO PROFESSIONAL ELIGIBILITY IN THE CIVIL 
SERVICE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress Assembled 
SECTION 1. The conferment of a masteral degree by an institution of higher 
learning duly accredited by the Commission on Higher Education is hereby declared as 
equivalent to professional eligibility in the civil service for purposes of appointment to 
positions requiring professional eligibility in the classified service in the Government or 
any of its branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities and agencies including government- 
owned or controlled corporations with original charters, except with regard to positions 
requiring highly specialized knowledge not covered by the masteral degree of the holder. 
SECTION 2. The registrars or other responsible officers of duly accredited 
colleges and universities offering masteral degrees shall regularly furnish the Civil 
Service Commission with a list of graduates of their respective colleges or universities 
who have been conferred with masteral degrees within sixty days from conferment. 
SECTION 3. Eligibility shall commence on the date of conferment. Provided, 
that for those who have already been conferred masteral degrees prior to the passage of 
this Act, their eligibility shall be deemed to commence from the approval hereof. 
SECTION 4. The Civil Service Commission shall promulgate the rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (I 5) days after the completion of 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved.