PASIG CITY, Sept. 2 (PIA) -- The Philippine Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Tuesday assured its full support for a modern civil service through digital transformation toward a better normal.
“Because of the pandemic, we are now forced to bridge that digital divide and to come up with initiatives in the pursuit of efficient public service delivery as we collectively face the threat of COVID-19 and emerge into the better normal,” CSC Chair Alicia dela Rosa-Bala said during the virtual media briefing to kick-off the month-long 120th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.
Bala said that the CSC has rolled out critical policies to ensure that government workers are being looked after.
“Some of these are the grant of leave of credits for absences due to self-quarantine and treatment of COVID-19. The guidelines of alternative work arrangements (AWA) for the duration of the community quarantine, extension of the submission of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN), rules on appointments, and other human resource actions, and the Joint Circular with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on occupational safety and health standards,” she said.
For the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Networth (SALN) required of all public officials and employees, Bala cited that the CSC has allowed online submission of a duly executed SALN and even enjoined agencies to put in place processes and mechanisms to enable or allow online oath taking and electronic filing. However, she reminded HR practitioners to ensure that the SALN electronically filed are verifiable and authentic.
The CSC also gave the go signal for government agencies to resume filling up of vacant positions, issuance of appointments, among other human resource actions.
“In the recruitment and selection, agencies are allowed to use online recruitment and selection processes, such as online competency assessment, video conferencing for interviews and selection board deliberations.”
“The CSC is going online and taking on the challenges presented by the technology.”
The CSC chair expressed hope that other government agencies are doing the same and cited that the lull is the break needed to pursue digital transformation.
She said that the government now has the chance to review and re-engineer its processes and systems in order to change the analogue, paper-based, legacy systems, improve the ways it interacts with citizens and make public service less simple, more accessible and more citizen-centered.
“Now is the time to take full advantage of the possibilities brought about by new technology. These hold numerous prospects for improving the way we deliver services to the public.”
For instance, under RA 11032 or the ‘Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Services,’ government agencies are required to simplify, streamline, re-engineer, automate and revolutionize services deliveries, both in business and non-business transactions.
She said that RA 11032 does not settle for baby steps nor incremental changes in public service delivery as she cited the drastic transformation of services that can be accessed by the public via smart phones, anytime, anywhere
The Chair also ensures that the CSC will equip government workers to respond to the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation.
She added that the CSC intends to come up with competency development, re-training of government workers to enable them to face the hurdles of not necessarily going high-tech, but of learning the appropriate technology.
“Several months from now, when we look back at what happened, we really say we learned from the lessons of the pandemic.”
In terms of managing the public sector workforce, dela Rosa-Bala said that we have now realized that the future belongs to the most agile organizations that openly embrace disruptions and are able to quickly adopt change.
“Moreover, there is now a greater demand for public sector leaders who do not shy away from the challenging of digitalization but gravitate towards it. Those who do not see technology as threatening but who welcome and does something creative, exciting, inspiring, and enriching.”
The CSC likewise urges everyone to re-assess the ways they have been doing business, setting goals and targets, managing their people, and evaluating work performance and productivity.
Bala also called on fellow leaders in the government to help set a vision and create a path towards a modern civil service.
“Rest assured that the CSC will be with you, supporting government workers in this journey of transformation.”
To recall, September has been declared as the Civil Service Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1050, series of 1997. This is in observance of the establishment of the Philippine Civil Service by virtue of Public Law No. 5 (An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippine Islands) on 19 September 1900. (PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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