REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4516

House Bill No.

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN Ill

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Through the years, the function of Congress has evolved from just plenary work alone, to
include the conduct of committee hearings and legislative inquiries on various socio-
economic and political issues. Legislative research, bill drafting and administrative
management are also additional roles that must be performed efficiently in order to
complement the lawmaking functions of our legislators.

In this manner, there is a need to ensure that the people employed in Congress are able to
provide administrative and technical support to our legislators. There now arises a need to set
qualification standards for legislative personnel that must conform not only to Civil Service
rules but to parliamentary rules, precedents, practices, and traditions, as well.

This proposed measure seeks to establish a Legislative Career Service that would allow the
admission and training of competent and qualified civil servants in Congress. It also seeks to
create a Legislative Career Service Board and a Legislative Academy that would ensure the
recruitment and training of a pool of properly selected and development-oriented legislative
personnel.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought

van ‘ABOCHAN III

Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4516

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN II

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING AND RATIONALIZING THE CAREER SERVICE OF THE
CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES BY ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE
CAREER SERVICE AND A LEGISLATIVE ACADEMY AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SEC. 1. Legislative Career Service. - There shall be established a Legislative Career
Service (LCS) for the Congress of the Philippines composed of:

a) The Legislative Career Service Officers (LCSO) - to include the positions of
Deputy Secretary of the Senate, Deputy Secretary General of the House of
Representatives, Deputy Secretary of the Commission on Appointments, and
their equivalents, Executive Director, Bureau Director, Assistant Bureau
Director, Service Chief, down to Director I Level, equivalent levels which
involve professional and technical work in a supervisory capacity;

db

The Legislative Career Service Employees (LCSE) - to include Legislative Staff
Officer positions which involve professional and technical work in non-
supervisory capacity; and

c) The Legislative Sub-career Service (LSCS) - to include the Legislative Staff
Assistant employee positions which involve clerical, trades, crafts and custodial
services in anon- supervisory capacity.

SEC. 2. Coverage. - The Legislative Career Service (LCS) shall include the career
officers and employees of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Commission on
Appointments.

SEC. 3. Objective. - This Act aims to professionalize, upgrade and strengthen the
work force of the Legislative Branch to ensure that Congress and its members shall be
provided with qualified, efficient and effective legislative, administrative and security support
services.

Towards this end, a continuing pool of competent and development-oriented
legislative career service officers and employees shall be maintained.


SEC. 4. Legislative Career Service Board. - There shall be a Legislative Career
Service Board hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be composed of the Secretary of the
Senate and the Secretary General of the House, as Co-Chairpersons; one (1) Career Official
to be designated by the President of the Senate, one (1) Career Official to be designated by
the Speaker of the House, and the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission. The two (2)
Career Officials for both Houses shall serve for a term of three (3) years.

SEC. 5. Functions of the Board. - The Board shall:
a) Determine and evaluate the qualification of the applicants for LCSO positions;

1)

Prepare the examination questions for LCSO positions and conduct the
‘examination, correct and rate examinations papers in coordination with the Civil
Service Commission and submit the results to the President of the Senate and
Speaker of the House;

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Conduct an annual review of the qualifications of LCSO and recommend
deserving officers for appointment to the rank of LCSO;

qd

Establish and conduct a performance evaluation system for LCSOs;

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Keep a roster of those who have passed the LCSO examinations; and

£) Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the President of the Senate
of the Speaker of the House pursuant to its mandate.

SEC. 6. Legislative Career Service Officers' (LCSO) Eligibility. - LCSO eligibility
shall be conferred by the Board to any person who meets such managerial and legislative
experience and competence, leadership qualities and other relevant qualifications, and who
passes the examination prescribed by the Board. The examination shall consist of two stages:
(a) Legislative Management Aptitude Test; and (b) Assessment of managerial capability and
competence.

Those who pass the managerial assessment will be subject to a validation process
involving their superiors in order to ascertain their on-the-job performance. Successful
completion of the managerial assessment and favorable results of the validation process and a
final interview by the Board shall qualify the candidate for the grant of LCSO eligibility. An
incumbent officer or employee who is a holder of a Career Executive Service (CES)
eligibility prior to the effectivity of this Act shall automatically be conferred LCSO
eligibility.

SEC. 7. Qualification Requirements. An applicant for LCSO examination must
possess the following minimum qualifications:

a) Holder of at least a Bachelor's degree;
b) Must have had at least three (3) years of supervisory work experience;

©) Must be a citizen of the Philippines; and


d) Must not have been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of a crime
involving moral aptitude

SEC. 8. Appointments. - Appointments to appropriate positions in the Legislative
Career Service shall be made by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Chairman of the Commission on Appointments, as the case may be. No
person shall be eligible for appointment to any position in the Legislative Career Service
unless he/she meets the qualification standards approved by the Legislative Career Service
Board (LCSB) which shall at least be at par with the standards set by the Civil Service
Commission

SEC. 9. Incumbents. - Upon approval of this Act, all incumbent officers and
employees who hold permanent regular positions shall continue to hold such positions in a
permanent capacity and receive the corresponding salary grade of the positions including
their salary step level.

SEC. 10. Legislative Academy. - There shall be established a Legislative Academy,
hereinafter referred to as the Academy, which shall be a separate component unit of the
Congress of the Philippines and shall operate under the administrative control and
supervision of both the Senate, House of Representatives and the Commission on
Appointments.

SEC. 11. Functions of the Academy. -The Academy shall serve training school for
legislators, legislative staff officers and employees and aspirants for legislative positions. For
this purpose, it shall provide and implement a curriculum for legislative education and shall
conduct seminars, workshop, other training programs designed to upgrade legislative
knowledge, moral efficiency and capability. It shall perform such other functions and duties
as maybe necessary in carrying out its mandate.

SEC. 12. Board of Trustees. - The Academy shall have a Board of Trustees to be
composed of the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission as Chairman, the Secretary of
the Senate, the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the
Commission on Appointments, one Deputy Secretary of the Senate to be designated by the
Senate President, one Deputy Secretary General of the House of Representatives to be
designated by the Speaker of the House, and the Chancellor of the Academy as members.

SEC. 13. Special Fund. - All legacies, gifts, and donations to the Academy shall
constitute a special fund to be known as the Legislative Academy Fund which shall be
administered by the Board of Trustees exclusively for the use of Academy. All legacies, gifts,
donations for the benefit of the Academy, shall be exempt from donor's tax as provided for
under the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the current appropriations of the Congress. The President of the
Senate, with respect to the Senate and the Commission on Appointments, and the Speaker,
with respect to the House of Representatives, are hereby authorized to realign any portion of
their respective appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act.


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SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly promulgate such rules and regulations
for the proper implementation of this Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause.- Any portion or provision of this Act that may be
declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or provisions
thereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given effect in their

entirety.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations, and
other issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent herewith, are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,