“Call for heroism in public service”

LAOAG CITY, September 2 – The Civil Service Commission kicked off the 113th anniversary month-long celebration of Philippine Civil Service starting today with a joint flag-raising ceremony among provincial and city employees held at the Ilocos Norte Capitol ground this morning.

Government agencies also unfurled streamers in various halls to mark the month-long event.

Director Nieves T. Duldulao, head of the Ilocos Norte field office of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), said that government agencies outside Laoag conducted similar opening celebration activities .

“All activities are in line with the theme: Tatak Lingkod Bayani: Isabuhay, Ipagmalaki ant Ipagbunyi, which aims to promote, showcase and celebrate heroism in public service and to highlight stories of triumph and sacrifice among public servants,” she said.

The other highlights of the month-long provincial celebration include a fun walk and hataw sayaw in Laoag City (September 6); HRMP team building and family day (September 19); and length of service award ceremony at the Laoag City auditorium (September 24).
“We call on public servants to participate in all activities,” she said.

The Philippine Civil Service was established in 1900 by the Second Philippine Commission during the American colonial rule.

Under the leadership of American William Howard Taft, the Second Philippine Commission passed a law, Public Law No. 5, for the establishment of a system to secure an efficient civil service in the country on March 16, 1900.

On September 19, 1900, Act No. 5 entitled “An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippines” was issued.

Also known as the Civil Service Act, this started the concept of appointments and promotions in the government being made according to merit.

In 1959, Republic Act No. 2260, also known as the Civil Service Act of 1959, amended and revised the laws relative to the Philippine Civil Service. It converted the Bureau to Civil Service Commission (CSC) with department status. In 1973, Presidential Decree No. 807 redefined the role of the CSC and it became a constitutional Commission.

The Philippine Civil Service has undergone a great number of reforms in terms of structure, size, leadership, position classification, and pay scheme, among others, under the management and regulation of the CSC. Presently, CSC’s mandate is based on Executive Order No. 292 or the Revised Administrative Code of 1987.

Through the years, the CSC has initiated various programs and issued policies towards building a highly competent, credible and motivated bureaucracy.

Its latest agenda is to elevate itself as “Asia’s leading center of excellence for strategic human resource and organization development by 2030” and to make a lingkod bayani out of every civil servant. (MCA/FGL PIA1- Ilocos Norte)