/ 
, 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'11 
MAR 31 
P5:22 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2775 
RECEIVimB~ 
Introduced by: Senator Lacson 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill aims to declare the conferment of a masteral degree equivalent to 
professional eligibility 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 
subprofessional 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. 
PANF~k1CSON 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
~"I'lllb.' 
f$Hltr of tljl! ~p:Hh:lf~ 
First Regular Session 
) 
'11 
MAR 31 
P5 :22 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2775 
R EC E 1\' ,.: 1» BY :H==-
Introduced by: Senator Lacson 
AN ACT 
DECLARING THE CONFERMENT OF A MASTERAL 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 (60) 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 (15) days after the 
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
Approved,