Camille Naredo

Civil Service Commission, Quezon City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Civil Service Commission

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The “padrino” system in entering government service cannot be denied, but only those qualified will be approved by the Civil Service Commission to stay in plantilla positions, according to CSC Chairperson Marilyn Yap.</p><p>During CSC’s budget briefing before the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday, Yap said “nepo” appointments seeking plantilla positions in the government will have to go through CSC’s processes, and those who lack qualifications will be rejected.</p><p>“Hindi po namin pwedeng ikaila that realities on the ground, these things are being practiced, ‘yung iginagarahe muna ang mga ilang posisyon, and then they fill it up with the people they prefer, and sadly, we cannot control the discretion of the heads of offices of different agencies, because they are the ones responsible for selecting the people they should be placing,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/13/party-list-files-bill-vs-padrinos-in-government-service-1004">No more &#x27;palakasan&#x27;?: Party-list files bill vs &#x27;padrinos&#x27; in government service</a></div><p>&quot;However, mayroon namang tsansa na kung ito ay mga plantilla position, dadaan at dadaan sa amin ang kanilang appointments, at doon namin makikita kung ito ay patronage-based. Like for example, ‘pag maraming nepo appointments, dadaan at dadaan sa amin, ibabalik namin ‘yan. Idi-disapprove ‘yung appointment,&quot; said Yap.</p><p>&quot;Kung kulang siya ng qualifications, pumasa sa merit and promotions board sa kanila sa baba, pag akyat sa amin, mahuhuli naman ‘yan eh. I think maaari ngang ipa-appoint sa simula, pero pagdating sa dulo, babalik ‘yan at hindi ika-qualify ng Civil Service Commission.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>JOs and COS</strong></div><p>CSC Commissioner Ryan Acosta, meanwhile, admitted that some government offices engage the services of job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers to “circumvent” the laws.</p><p>“Karamihan po kasi ng mga trabaho ng mga JOs and COS usually necessary and desirable. Kaya nga paulit-ulit sila na nilalagay dyan eh. Biruin mo mga JO and COS 10 years doing the same job? Napakatalamak po talaga ng JOs and COS sa gobyerno natin. And would you agree with me that the number one violator of the Labor Code is the government itself?” Kamanggagawa Party List Rep. Eli San Fernando asked. </p><p>“If we are to use as a metric ‘yung engagement ng COS or JOS, may valid point po kayo, by saying na nava-violate ng government ‘yung Labor Code. Pero I don’t know kung we can term ourselves as number one violator, kasi we don’t know kung ano ‘yung metrics na gagamitin,” Acosta replied.</p><p>“I agree with you na medyo talamak po ‘yung engagement ng COS and JOs to circumvent ‘yung civil laws natin,” he added.</p><p>“Kaya ko nabanggit na number one violator ang gobyerno ng Labor Code natin, dahil ‘yung sheer number, percentage to employment ng JOs and COS ay napakalaki talaga ng mga kontraktwal… Dapat para pamarisan ng pribadong sektor ‘yung gobyerno at tutulan ang contractualization, dapat mag-umpisa tayo sa sarili nating bakod. Would you agree with me doon?” San Fernando inquired further.</p><p>“Yes, Cong,” Acosta replied.</p><p>He explained that in several LGUs, the limited budget for personnel services (PS) prevents them from hiring additional regular employees. But there are also instances when local governments engage the services of JOs and COS workers as part of “patronage politics”.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/26/21/wala-dapat-reserve-reserve-csc-head-blasts-padrino-system-in-govt">&#x27;Wala dapat reserve-reserve&#x27;: CSC head blasts &#x27;padrino system&#x27; in gov&#x27;t</a></div><p>“For example sa LGUs, if we see the data, ang LGUs ay mayroon siyang vacant positions na 75,512, pero ‘pag titingnan n’yo ang JOs and COS sa LGUs 650,571. Napakalaki po ‘yung diperensya. Siguro naman po doon sa malaking diperensyang ‘yun, mayroong JOs and COS there performing desirable and necessary na mga trabaho,” Acosta said.</p><p>“Pero tingnan din natin yung perspective ng mga LGUs. Bakit nila ginagawa ‘yun? Number one ang nakikita namin, ‘yung PS limitation. They are only allowed to have 40% ng kanilang budget for PS. Paano nila gagawin ‘yung ibang mga trabaho ng mga LGU, kung ganoon lang kaliit ‘yung PS na pwede nila gamitin sa kanilang mga empleyado, kaya siguro napupwersa sila na mag-engage ng COS and JOs para matugunan ‘yung mga serbisyo doon among others,” he explained.</p><p>“Syempre hindi ko naman tinatanggal na may mga bad eggs d&#x27;yan na nage-engage lang para sa patronage politics nila,” Acosta noted.</p><p>“Pero sa laki ng number na ito, I’m pretty sure, yung realities sa ground ay kailangan nila mag-engage ng COS kasi severely limited sila doon sa cap sa PS savings,” he stressed.</p><div> </div><div><strong>GAMBLING</strong></div><p>There is no law yet prohibiting government officials and employees from gambling, according to Yap.</p><p>She issued the statement in response to a question on CSC’s measures to prevent government employees from engaging in gambling.</p><p>&quot;Ang existing lang po na prohibition dito sa mga papasok sa mga casinos, mag-engage in gambling ay ‘yung executive order issued a few years back, which prevents government employees from entering gambling establishment during office hours,” Yap said.</p><p>“Kasi kahit anong gawin natin, kahit sabihin natin na illegal or legal ‘yan, ‘pag nakakakita ka ng empleyado ng gobyerno o opisyal ng gobyerno na nagsusugal, whether it be traditional gambling activities or online gambling activities, hindi po ito nakakatuwa. Ang problema lang po natin, pinag-aaralan natin ngayon, ano ang ating legal cover for a comprehensive ban on all employees of government in all branches of government to engage in online gambling,” she added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/7/gov-t-to-create-policy-vs-gambling-addiction-marcos-jr-1814">Gov’t to create policy vs gambling addiction: Marcos Jr.</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>HONOR GRADUATES</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the CSC has observed a significant increase in college graduates with Latin honors in recent years.</p><p>Honor graduates are not required to take the civil service exam when applying for a career in public service.</p><p>In the first semester of 2025, 27,967 eligibilities were granted. In 2024, a total of 52,465 eligibilities were granted.</p><p>“A closer look at 2025 data reveal that the largest group are the honor graduates. Dumadami na po ang ating honor graduates kaya nagkukulang na po ang nag process ng honor graduates eligibility dati po kakaunti lang po ang nakakuha ng latin honors or high honors,” Yap said.</p><p>The proposed 2026 budget for CSC is P4.188B, much higher compared to its 2025 budget of P2.783B.</p><p>“Ano po ang dahilan ng milagrong biglang lumobo?Ang pinakamalaking kagat po sa increase ay ang funding ng Philippine Civil Service modernization program, which is a World Bank funded digitalization transformation program,” Yap explained.</p>

<p>The “padrino” system in entering government service cannot be denied, but only those qualified will be approved by the Civil Service Commission to stay in plantilla positions, according to CSC Chairperson Marilyn Yap.</p>

The “padrino” system in entering government service cannot be denied, but only those qualified will be approved by the Civil Service Commission to stay in plantilla positions, according to CSC Chairperson Marilyn Yap.

'Padrino' system in entering government service cannot be denied: CSC chair

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'Padrino' system in entering government service cannot be denied: CSC chair

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2025 08:19 PM PHT

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Civil Service Commission

CSC

Padrino system

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