Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

g011
HOUSE BILL NO. ___

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Representative CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

AN ACT
GRANTING SUBSTITUTE CIVIL SERVICE ELIGIBILITY TO REGULAR
EMPLOYEES WHO RENDERED AT LEAST SIX CONTINUOUS MONTHS OF
MERITORIOUS GOVERNMENT SERVICE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution upholds the full protection to labor. Section 3 of Article XIII
States that, “the State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and
unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for
all.” Likewise, all workers “shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work,
and a living wage.”

Executive Order No 292 or the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 outlined the
requirements and standards for recruitment of public employees. Section 21 (1) of Chapter
Book V of EO 292 states that “opportunity for government employment shall be open to all
qualified citizens and positive efforts shall be exerted to attract the best qualified to enter the
service. Employees shall be selected on the basis of fitness to perform the duties and assume
the responsibilities of the positions.” Section 21 (7) of the same further states that
“qualification in an appropriate examination shall be required for appointment to positions in
the first and second levels in the career service in accordance with the Civil Service rules...”

Various laws granted special civil service eligibilities outside the career service examinations.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) is granting eleven (11) different cligibilities under
special laws to qualified individuals, including Bar/Board Eligibility (RA1080), Barangay
Health Worker Eligibility (RA7883), Barangay Nutrition Scholar Eligibility (PD1569),
Barangay Official Eligibility (RA 7160), Electronic Data Processing Specialist Eligibility
(CSC Res. 90-083), Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility (CSC Res. 1302714), Honor
Graduate Eligibility (PD907), Sanggunian Member Eligibility (RA 10156), Scientific and
Technological Specialist Eligibility (PD 997), Skills Eligibility - Category II (CSC MC 11, s.
1996, as Amended) and Veteran Preference Rating (EO. 132/790).

* http://www.cse.gov.ph/2014-08-26-07-36-12/eligibilities-granted-under-special-laws-and-
esc-issuances.html



Republic Act No. 6850 signed in 1990 or the Rasul Law granted civil service eligibility to .
all government employees holding career civil service positions appointed under provisional
or temporary status who have rendered at least a total of seven (7) years of efficient service
that will qualify them for permanent appointment to their present positions.

While many public sector employees benefitted from the Rasul Law and special laws
granting eligibilities, many more public employees who have rendered years and even
decades of service continue to have no civil service eligibilities. Many were hired prior to the
institutionalization of the civil service requirements, or were hired in positions not requiring
civil service eligibility. These employees have no opportunity for promotions to higher
positions requiring civil service eligibility, despite years of service, meritorious performance
or mastery of their tasks. According to the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition, and
Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), most of these employees belong to
sub-professional categories in Salary Grades 1 to 3 and have no opportunities to be promoted
to higher positions thereto.

Such situation results to low morale among many public employees, especially those who
have dedicated their productive years working in the government yet were never qualified for
any promotions. Many have retired or would be retiring stuck in their long-held positions
forever.

In one public hospital in Metro Manila, when the Department of Health approved new
positions for the hospital, several utility workers who have worked for years were
disappointed. They could not apply for promotions because they lack civil service eligibility,
even as they have met all other qualification requirements for the several new positions, have
acquired adequate experience and familiarity to contribute to quality and adequate services to
the patients of the hospital.

This Act extends the granting substitute civil service eligibility to all permanent government
employees who have rendered at least six continuous months of meritorious services in any
government agency or instrumentality. Such will keep many experienced employees in
government service and provide them with greater opportunities for promotion and career
service development.

Passage of this bill, thus, is earnestly sought.

Approved,

mY
ney TRON Soe

Bayan Muna Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session
9011
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Representative CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

AN ACT
GRANTING SUBSTITUTE CIVIL SERVICE ELIGIBILITY TO REGULAR
EMPLOYEES WHO RENDERED AT LEAST SIX CONTINUOUS MONTHS OF
MERITORIOUS GOVERNMENT SERVICE

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

SECTION 1. Title. —This Act shall be known and cited as the “Civil Service Eligibility for
Regular Employees in Government Act of 2019.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — Public employees, being vital components of the
State's human resources, shall be afforded their constitutional rights to security of tenure, full
employment and employment opportunities.

Positive efforts shall be exerted by the State to keep and attract the skilled, experienced, and
best performing workers to enter the government service.

SECTION 3. Grant of Substitute Eligibility for Long-Time Regular Government
Employees. Substitute civil service eligibility is hereby granted to all regular employees in
government service who were able to render at least six (6) months of continuous meritorious
service and/or at least with a satisfactory rating in the government including the national
‘government agencies, LGUs, SUCs and GOCCs and all other government instrumentalities.

As used in this Act, substitute civil service eligibility refers to the qualification acquired by
an individual after serving for at least six (6) continuous months in any government agency or
instrumentality, for entrance into and promotion in the civil service.

In the case of substitute civil service eligibles, merit and fitness to perform the duties and
assume the responsibilities of the position are deemed to have been acquired through the
individual's daily performance of his or her work continuously for six (6) months or more and
to be recognized by the government agency or instrumentality which utilized his or her
services for the said period.


SECTION 4. Appropriations. The initial funding required for the implementation of this Act
shall be sourced from the budget of the agencies concerned. The funds needed in subsequent
years shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 5. Penalty Clause. Any violation or circumvention of the provisions of this Act
shall make the involved officials of the government agency or instrumentality criminally and
administratively liable.

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Civil Service Commission shall
issue the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act within
ninety (90) days after its approval.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. Should any provision herein be declared unconstitutional,
the remaining provisions not otherwise affected shall be valid and subsisting.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or other
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby modified or
repealed accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or one (1) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,