F

The eNewsletter of the Philippine Civil Service • March 2009

or Elisa Iscala of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysicaland Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), itwas too good an opportunity to let pass. Iscala is one ofthe employees of the weather agency who opted to retireafter its rationalization plan was approved.

“The implementation of Executive Order No. 366 was timely,”says Iscala, adding, “I had earlier planned to retire when I reach 63. Atthe time of the approval of our agency’s rationalization plan, I was 62.Considering the one year difference and the amount which would begranted if I availed of the special retirement scheme, I made a go forretirement instead.”

For another state employee, the plan could not have come at abetter time. Salome Sales of the Civil Service Commission also availedof the early retirement scheme offered under E.O. 366.

“E.O. 366 worked to my advantage. Malaking tulong angadditional incentive sa pangangailangan ng aking pamilya. Besides, Ionly had to wait for a short period for the start of my GSIS pension.After retirement from government, I was still able to be employed in the

Big, bad bureaucracy?Big, bad bureaucracy?Big, bad bureaucracy?Big, bad bureaucracy?Big, bad bureaucracy?

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The National Leaf

*CSC Chair Ricardo L. Saludo

With over a million workers under its stead, the governmenteasily emerges as the country’s top employer, its personnel spreadfrom Batanes to Jolo and all the islands in between. Historicalaccounts indicate that from 6,363 Filipinos in the Civil Service in1913 (there were 2,623 American officers and employees)*, the civilservice has ballooned into over a million in the late 1970s, up to itspresent strength of 1.4 million employees. With the present populationof 82 million Filipinos, there is roughly one government employee forevery 58 citizens. The question then is exactly how many civil servantsshould this country have? How big should the civil service be?

Anahaw

Will you still have a job? That’s the scare question around the world these days. Thankfully, no tenured civil servant will bethrown into the street jobless. Even EO 366, which scraps unnecessary positions in the Executive branch, offers affectedemployees the option to stay in the government with the same pay (see story above).But we worry about family members and friends displaced by the worldwide crisis, plus the perennial bane of rising prices.Augmenting the monthly paycheck is a must. Fortunately, there is GoGobyerno, the government version of the GoNegosyo

microfinance and entrepreneurship program (page 3) for added income.Among enterprises that cooperatives and unions can set up are stores selling low-cost, non-branded consumer goods, which firms are

willing to supply. Employees save money on groceries and make money through store dividends. Then dedicated servants like mapmaker VirgilioBasa (page 5) can save more for their retirement.

Still, the best thing we in government can do in this crisis is to lay the groundwork for strong recovery through pump-priming programs andprojects – and honest, efficient service which spurs business and jobs (page 4). Let’s keep the fight going against red tape, and the economy willbe the winner.

private sector. There is indeed life after retirement.” Sales now workswith an events management company. She is happy that she isassigned tasks which she also enjoyed doing while still ingovernment. Her skills are recognized and appreciated by her co-workers in the private firm.

Despite criticisms from some quarters, Iscala, Sales andhundreds of other state workers were able to look beyond the initialadverse reaction on the government’s rationalization plan.

GRightsizinovernment

The Real Deal on EO 366

How to Fight the SlumpHow to Fight the SlumpHow to Fight the SlumpHow to Fight the SlumpHow to Fight the Slump pananaw

*History of the Philippine Civil Service by Fr. Rolando S. Delagoza, CM

• 2 •

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plan will be democratic, consultative and non-coercive. This is ourway of repaying the taxpayers with better, efficient governmentservice.”

Data from DBM show that as of January 2009, there hadbeen 41 agencies (30 mother agencies and 11 attachedagencies) which have undergone rationalization. Among theseagencies are theDepartment ofScience andTechnology,PhilippineInformation Agency,NationalConciliation andMediation Board,Home DevelopmentMutual Fund,National IrrigationAdministration andPhilippine Institutefor DevelopmentStudies. A total of4,255 employeeshave retired andavailed of thespecial retirementincentive while 116others have optedfor placement.

Iscala and Sales’ experiences illustrate three main points.One, that rationalization is not synonymous with termination.Separation from the service is mainly voluntary and employeesaffected by the program are given enough leverage to choosewhat he/she deems to be the best option. Two, that what is beingreviewed are the functions, the posts and not the person oremployee; thus there should be no fear of discrimination or willfulintent to displace an employee. And three, that the rationalizationprogram is not a retirement program for all. There are setparameters as to who may file for retirement.

The rules are clear, the benefits are available. What’s left isfor the employee to count his/her blessings – whether as a publicservant still or a retiree looking forward to life after public service. •

Get a copy of RRRRRepublic Serepublic Serepublic Serepublic Serepublic Servicevicevicevicevice, the official e-newsletter of the Philippine Civil Service, from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph or from the CSCRegional or Field Office nearest you.

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Rationalization isRationalization isRationalization isRationalization isRationalization isnot synonymousnot synonymousnot synonymousnot synonymousnot synonymouswith termination.with termination.with termination.with termination.with termination.Separation from theSeparation from theSeparation from theSeparation from theSeparation from theservice is mainlyservice is mainlyservice is mainlyservice is mainlyservice is mainlyvoluntary and em-voluntary and em-voluntary and em-voluntary and em-voluntary and em-ployees affected byployees affected byployees affected byployees affected byployees affected bythe program arethe program arethe program arethe program arethe program aregiven enough le-given enough le-given enough le-given enough le-given enough le-verage to chooseverage to chooseverage to chooseverage to chooseverage to choosewhat one deems towhat one deems towhat one deems towhat one deems towhat one deems tobe the best option.be the best option.be the best option.be the best option.be the best option.

No far shots No far shots No far shots No far shots No far shots

The real deal The real deal The real deal The real deal The real deal ... from page 1

Re-engineering, streamlining, rationalization. Thesemeasures hope to answer the question on the size of thebureaucracy. Government spends P427 billion a year or roughlyP1.17 billion a day for salaries, pensions and premium paymentsfor state employees. Thus, in 2004, all department secretarieswere directed to review operations and organization of theiragencies, including those attached to or under theiradministrative jurisdiction. The goal: for public offices to focus itsefforts and resources on core services and to improve the qualityand efficiency of government services by zapping overlaps andduplication. Each agency shall draw up a rationalization plan.What does the plan contain? The agency’s core functions,programs and services and shifts in policy directions. The planalso states what functions and programs would be scaled down,phased out or abolished.

What functions and services would be scaled down? Theplan cites some examples: if these duplicate or overlap withthose also offered by other government offices, those that do notproduce results, are not cost efficient, compete with the privatesector or devolved to local government units. In sum, the goalwas to come up with a lean and mean government workforce.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) SecretaryRolando Andaya said that “while the economic crunch hasresulted in mass layoffs in the private sector, it is not true in thepublic sphere.” He clarified that “the plan to abolish redundantpositions in government had been advanced not only because ofthe cost of maintaining such, but to improve service delivery bycutting red tape.”

A team, called the change managementteam, will review agencyoperations. The CMT shallhave at least onerepresentative of theaccredited union. If there is noaccredited union, rank-and-fileemployees vote amongthemselves their CMT rep.

What happens if one’s post is identified asredundant or is up for abolition? Personnel who may be affectedby the rationalization have two options: remain in governmentservice or avail of the retirement/separation benefits. Affectedpersonnel with permanent or temporary appointment who opt toremain in government service shall be placed by CSC in agencieswhere additional personnel are required. Personnel who opt toretire shall be given retirement benefits plus additionalincentives.

Checking the numbersChecking the numbersChecking the numbersChecking the numbersChecking the numbers

E

Go GobyernoGo Negosyo

yeing your pension for that long-awaitedvacation or shopping spree? But then thatwould not be for another 5-10 years! Or maybeyou’re among those who cannot wait for the nextpay day to buy something. Perhaps, you belongto the horde who looks forward to and who

palpitates come May and November, the “bonus”months. Yourbonus quickly and sadly disappears though upon withdrawal fromthe ATM, and your rags to riches to rags life begins the cycle again.

Sometimes, salary dependence is not enough in meetingall your needs or fulfilling your financial dreams. Thus, when thePhilippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) launched theGoNegosyo program in 2006, many sectors believed that it wasmanna and went agog in beginning their entrepreneurialadventures on the way to financial success.

That was all good if not outright fantastic but how cangovernment employees get into the entrepreneurial picture?Where should they go?

Thankfully, after the successful launch of the GoNegosyoprogram, the PCE embarked on another pioneering advocacyprogram dubbed GoGobyerno, this time focusing on providinglivelihood financing facilities for government employees.

In 2007, PCE brought together government agencies tobegin the setting up of financing programs to cater togovernment employees. The programs would grant them accessto resources and various micro, small and medium enterprises(MSME) services. The creation of livelihood financing facilitiesand programs in cooperation with government financialinstitutions thus began.

With the help of the Philippine Government EmployeesAssociation (PGEA) and the Presidential Management Staff(PMS), a series of launchings and forum-based exhibits wereheld in key cities nationwide to orient government employees on

financing, entrepreneurship, marketing and productdevelopment.

Joey Concepcion III, PCE’s founding trustee andPresidential Consultant on Entrepreneurship, says that PCE “hasalways been concerned with the upliftment of lives.” From theirGoNegosyo program, to their TourismNegosyo and Go NegosyoPara sa mga OFWs at Balikabayans, PCE is keen on promotingentrepreneurship as a means of succeeding financially. PCE alsorecognizes the need of government employees, many of whomearn meager salaries. “We want to show them the ways by whichtheir families could get into possible business ventures, andconsequently augment their earnings. We remain committed inalleviating poverty by instilling entrepreneurship as a sign ofprosperity and hope,” Concepcion added.

One case in point is Landbank of the Philippines’ servicesfor micro-small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through itslending programs. LBP’s Microfinance Program for GovernmentEmployees through employees’ cooperatives and associationsspecifically address the credit needs of state employees. It aims tosupport the government’s initiatives to provide income-augmenting businesses/projects via a wholesale credit windowwhere employees could be sub-borrowers.

Milagros J. Collado, General Manager of the PresidentialCommission for the Urban Poor Multi-Purpose Cooperative saidthat the cooperative was able to get a P2 million credit line in2008 through the LBP-NCR Lending Center under GoNegosyo.Says Collado, “Patuloy na nakakabayad ang cooperative naminsa Landbank at ipagpapatuloy namin ang GoNegosyo. Yungisang miyembro, bote’t dyaryo ang kaniyang negosyo. Maskihumina, tuloy pa rin ang negosyo at ganuun din ang pagbayadsa Landbank.”

“Tuloy-tuloy kaming maglalaan ng pera para mapahiramsa mga miyembro namin at magamit nila sa kanilang mganegosyo.” Collado added. •

• 3 •

tell us howtell us howtell us howtell us howtell us how

Need extra bucks?

Join the Nationwide Search for Outstanding Civil Servants for 2009. For guidelines and details, log on to www.csc.gov.phor call (02) 931-7993.

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Basic Lending Policies

a. Loan Purpose

b. Term of the Line

c. Term of the Loan/Mode of Payment• From Coops/

Associations toLBP

• From Employee-Borrowers toCoops/Association

d. Loanable Amount• LBP to Employees’

Cooperatives/Associations

• Coop to Employees’Sub-Borrowers

e. Interest Rate• LBP to Employees’

Cooperatives/Associations

• Employees’Cooperatives/Associations tomember-borrowers

For livelihood and providentialpurposes

One (1) year credit line

• Up to two (2) years, payablein monthly amortizations,through issuance of postdated checks, or

• Lump sum payment uponmaturity of the promissorynote (PN)

• Payable in monthlyamortization, through salarydeductions; or

• Lump sum payment uponmaturity of the promissorynote (PN)

• Based on the requirements ofmember-sub-borrowers

• Up to six (6) months of theemployee-sub-borrower’sbasic salary or P300,000,whichever is lower.

11% per annum

Depending on the coop’s policy

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

Who can borrow?

A. For Employees’ Cooperatives and Employees’Associations

• Duly registered with the CooperativeDevelopment Authority (CDA), in case ofcooperatives, and with the Security andExchange Commission (SEC) or any registeringagency, in case of associations;

• Passed LBP’s Risk Asset Acceptative Criteria;• Must be in profitable operations for the last

two (2) years;• With credit guidelines/operations manual in

place;• With well-managed records and accounting and

control systems;• With business plan for at least three (3) years

as approved by its Board of Directors/Trustees;• With capital build-up and savings mobilization

program; and• With continuing staff development/training

program• Must be authorized to borrow and lend under

its Articles of Incorporation (for EmployeesAssociation);

• With plan to convert into a full-fledgedcooperative within one (1) year friom the dateof initial loan availment with LANDBANK (forEmployees Association).

B. For Employees-Sub-borrowers

• Regular/permanent employee of the agencywith at least one (1) year in service at the timeof application.

• Cooperative/association members in goodstanding for at least one (1) year at the time ofloan application;

• With paid-up capital contribution of at leastP1,000;

• With an active savings account with the coopand/or with LANDBANK;

• With a monthly net take home pay of at leastP3,000, or an amount required by GeneralAppropriations Act (GAA) for governmentemployees

Go Negosyo ... from page 3

• 4 •

Get that entrepreneurship dreamgoing! Avail of government’s lendingfacilities to jumpstart your small businesstoday. And you may never have to wishhard for the next payday. •

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lingkod bayani

This civil servant has devoted his life to plotting grids andneatlines — his 44 years of service brimming with achievements.His map to success? Perseverance, dedication to duty, integrityand love for his country.

When asked whether government service was his firstchoice, Basa answered without hesitation: “I have always wanteda career in government. I always had lofty ideals. I dreamt that Istart small and end big.” Indeed, his dream was realized when hebagged the Dangal ng Bayan Award in 2008, one of the mostprestigious awards given to exemplary civil servants.

Starting out as a Forester at the then Department ofNatural Resources’ Bureau of Forest Development in 1965, Basarose from the ranks to become a Director at the National Mappingand Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA). He heads a team ofland surveyors that determines how to put land to its best usebased on a set of criteria. In technical parlance, it’s called landclassification.

The Philippines has a total land area of 30 million hectares.Lands of public domain can be classified into Forestland, whichcan be further classified into forest reserves, timberland, nationalparks, military and naval reservations, civil reservations, andfishpond; and Alienable and Disposable (A & D) or those notneeded for forest purposes. Land can also be classified accordingto use: agriculture, forestry, settlement, mining and quarrying,inland fisheries, and open land.

In a nutshell, Basa’s team makes sure that land to be usedfor residential purposes is suited for building houses, thatagricultural land is conducive to growing plants, and that nationalparks are not transformed as such where the natural ecologicalsetting would be disturbed.

Basa cited the Ormoc incident in November 1991 where araging flashflood killed thousands of people and left them

homeless. “The affected land, which had a 50% slope, had beendeclared inhabitable and the soil was already loose withdeforestation. In spite of these risks, squatting persisted whicheventually led to disaster,” he said.

Indeed, Basa is credited for playing a key role in sculptingthe landscape of the country. One of Basa’s majoraccomplishments was writing the procedural manual on LandClassification and Sub-classification for Integrated Land UsePlanning. He personally trained his staff based on the manual, andas a result, his office was able to classify .88 million hectares ofpublic domain as A & D and 3.8 million hectares as Forestlands.This was a record achievement in the government’s landclassification program.

Basa also issues permits for land use petitions, a taskwhich sometimes earns him the ire of illegal occupants as well asclaimants and big time developers with interest in public lands.Basa recalls the Boracay Island row when his office had to facetremendous pressure into releasing more lands for privateownership. The government has classified Boracay into 400hectares of reserved forest land for “protection purposes”, and629 hectares of A & D agricultural land. “We stuck to the criteria.In the end, the Supreme Court sustained our findings,” Basa said.

Despite the rigors of his work, he continues to serve at thepleasure of the public, and his heart remains firmly for his countrydespite more lucrative offers abroad. As an advice to his fellowpublic servants, Basa stressed the real meaning of public servicebeing a public trust.

“We are here to serve our countrymen, and we remain inour positions because of them. If we want to be first, we must putourselves last - Sila muna bago ako”, he said, stressing, “Let us beexemplars of what a true public servant should be - honest,dedicated, humble and ethical.” •

• 5 •

The Map Maker

NAMRIA Director Virgilio Basa,2008 Dangal ng Bayan Awardee

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I f Virgilio Basa were a boy scout, hewouldn’t get lost in the forest.

L Susan S. Barredo of Sta. Cruz, Manila and Erlinda Bedan ofAlvarez St., both 69, tell a different tale when they go to the RASACplayground along Avenida, Rizal where the mini-city hall for District3 is located. While social services are available at the said center,Barredo and Bedan enjoy the ballroom dancing sessions beingoffered by RASAC. “Exercise na rin itong pag-ballroom para saamin at libre pang libangan. Sana ipagpatuloy ng center angpagbibigay ng mga serbisyo.”

The most popular of the services in the mini-city halls arethe applications for business permits, free burial and interment,senior citizen ID, birth/marriage/death certificates, medicalassistance, and issuance of police clearance/community certifi-cate/health certificates. Other services rendered by the mini-cityhalls are the distribution of Philhealth cards, livelihood skillstraining, job placement and capital assistance, crisis interventionincluding provision of material assistance and relief operations.

While it has brought services closer tothe people, the satellite center also isthe city hall’s tool in getting the pulse ofManileños - what they need, when theyneed them. It has also helped decon-gest or lessen the number of peoplewho troop to the city hall everyday to

obtain permits and licenses or file requests for assistance; peoplewould rather go to the nearest satellite center and cut on transpor-tation and other expenses. The mini city halls get their share of theaction. And with the city hall administration’s innovative, efficientand upbeat systems, we may yet witness service not just withinone’s vicinity but right down one’s alley. •

ike the top cop that he was, he beat everyone tothe draw by making the City of Manila the firstlocal government unit to complete its Citizen’sCharter under the provisions of the new Anti-RedTape Act or Republic Act No. 9485.

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim recently forged an agreementwith the Civil Service Commission, through Chair Ricardo L. Saludo,for the implementation of the Anti-Red Tape Act. Among theprovisions of the law is the creation by government entities of theirrespective Citizen’s Charter which is a listing of the frontlineservices, the requirements to avail of the services, fees to be paidand the time it takes to avail of the service. Within less than amonth’s time, the city was able to craft its Citizen’s Charter, featur-ing not ten or twenty, not even 50 but 158 frontline services.

The city government though would not rest on its accomplish-ments. “We’ve moved a level higher in ensuring access to govern-ment service via setting up satellitecenters or mini city halls,” Mayor Limsaid. Six satellite centers have beenset up, one in each of the city’sdistricts, all receiving their share ofcitizens with varied concerns.

Elvira Magpayo’s weary bones do not stop her from going tothe satellite office in Dapitan where she gets free haircut andmedical check-up. At 72, this resident of Algeciras St. in Sampalocalso looks forward to the reflexology sessions. “Malaking ginhawaang satellite center dito sa Dapitan. Hindi ko na kailangangpumunta pa sa city hall para magpa-check-up.” The same mini-cityhall offers free delivery of senior citizen card to residents.

• 6 •

Service around the cornerManila’s Mini-City Halls

CSC Chair Ricardo L. SaludoCSC Chair Ricardo L. SaludoCSC Chair Ricardo L. SaludoCSC Chair Ricardo L. SaludoCSC Chair Ricardo L. Saludoand Manila Mayor Alfredoand Manila Mayor Alfredoand Manila Mayor Alfredoand Manila Mayor Alfredoand Manila Mayor Alfredo

S. Lim forge an agreementS. Lim forge an agreementS. Lim forge an agreementS. Lim forge an agreementS. Lim forge an agreementfor better public service.for better public service.for better public service.for better public service.for better public service.

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“Manila City Hall has moved “Manila City Hall has moved “Manila City Hall has moved “Manila City Hall has moved “Manila City Hall has moved a a a a a levellevellevellevellevelhigher in ensuring access to govern-higher in ensuring access to govern-higher in ensuring access to govern-higher in ensuring access to govern-higher in ensuring access to govern-ment service ment service ment service ment service ment service by by by by by setting up minisetting up minisetting up minisetting up minisetting up mini-----citycitycitycitycityhallshallshallshallshalls.”.”.”.”.”

Your GSIS personal records and access to loans inone swipe! This powerful little thing contains yourGSIS number, those digits that appear below your

name. That number gives you access to your GSISmembership information, premium payments,loans ortentative computations. Just swipe it at e-Card kiosks inGSIS offices nationwide for breezy transactions. Forqueries in applying or problems in using an e-Card,contact GSIS at their teleservice numbers: : : : : 1-800-8-847-4747 (Globe) or 1-800-10-847-4747 (Smart/PLDT).

Unless you were in awhirl, , , , , remember thosepapers given to you the day you were sworn into

office? Do you know where they are? Better startkeeping them in one neat file. Your Personal Data Sheet(PDS), appointment paper and service record are theblueprints of your career. Not only do they contain yourpersonal information, they are also very importantrecords of your stay in government.

1GSIS eCardPlus 2 Civil Service

documents

5Wristwatchor clock

W hen you are out of the office, it’s easy to lose track oftime. Wear a wristwatch to check if you already toneed to make a run for the bundy clock or to keep

you from doing an extended lunch out. A clock on the desk oroffice wall would also conveniently remind you of hours gone byand save you from holding an endless meeting, or forgetting acall you were supposed to make. In a world where being late issimply intolerable (and easily recordable), a clock is a must-have.

Do you have other items which you think no civil servant should be without? Add to this list! Email us your inputs atcsc_pr@yahoo.com or call them in at (02)931-4180.

• 7 •

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5 things every civil servant should have

3 Bureau of Internal RevenueTIN Card

A s a taxpayer, you should have your Tax IdentificationNumber card issued by the Bureau of InternalRevenue safely tucked away in your wallet or

drawer. You never know when the taxman cometh and youmight need your TIN number.

4 Statement of Assets,Liabilities and Networth

With stories of graft and corruptionpopping up everywhere, it wouldbe good for you to have your

Statement of Assets and Liabilities or SALNhandy to keep you safe from allegations orsuspicions, granting you made true entries.Keep it updated and submit it on time to yourHR.