CSC Resolution No. 061053

August 18, 2006 BIR MEMORANDUM TO : All Revenue Officials and Employees Concerned SUBJECT : CSC Resolution No. 061053 For the information and guidance of all concerned, please disseminate in all Bureau Offices the attached copy of CSC Resolution No. 061053 dated June 20, 2006 re: DIVISION CHIEF (SG 24 POSITION) Supplemental Policy on Qualification Standard. You are enjoined to post the copy of this issuance in your Office Bulletin Board, or in a conspicuous place within your Office, to ensure that it shall be given the most extensive publicity possible. (SGD.) VIRGINIA L. TRINIDAD Deputy Commissioner Resource Management Group ATTACHMENT June 20, 2006 CSC RESOLUTION NO. 061053 WHEREAS, Section 2 (2), Article IX-B of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, mandates that: " [A]ppointments in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined, as far as practicable, and, except to positions which are policy-determining, primarily confidential, or highly technical, by competitive examination; " WHEREAS, Section 12 (7), Chapter 3, Book V of Executive Order No. 292, the Administrative Code of 1987, empowers the Civil Service Commission to " control, supervise and coordinate Civil Service examinations "; WHEREAS, in Resolution No. 96-3539, the Commission resolved to establish a roster of eligibles for appointment to Career Service Executive Positions by administering the third level Career Service Executive Examination (CSEE) consisting of two phases: the written phase and the interview phase; WHEREAS, pursuant to Sections 1, 2 and 5, Part III, Article IV of the Integrated Reorganization Plan, as approved by Presidential Decree No. 1, as amended, the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) conducts the Career Executive Service Eligibility examination consisting of four stages, namely, the Management Aptitude Test Battery (MATB), the Assessment Center, the Board Interview and the Performance Validation On-The-Job; WHEREAS, the CSEE and the CES examinations are given to those who hold at least a bachelor's degree, inter alia , to measure the examinees' verbal, analytical, managerial skills/competence, social awareness, leadership qualities, personal effectiveness, integrity and performance on the job; WHEREAS, in its MC No. 42, s. 1991 and MC No. 29, s. 1995, the Commission prescribed the master's degree requirement for appointment to Division Chief or equivalent rank positions in the government to enable a person to acquire higher learnings and practical skills, and to prepare himself/herself for managerial duties and responsibilities; WHEREAS, the Commission believes that a third level eligibility is a strong indication of one's managerial aptitude, capability and competence; WHEREAS, there are third level eligibles who are deemed ready and qualified for a position with much bigger responsibilities, such as a Director position, but cannot qualify as Division Chief for lack of the required master's degree; NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission resolves to consider that a third level eligibility will suffice for appointment to the Division Chief position in lieu of a master's degree requirement, provided the experience and training requirements are also met. Thus, the qualification standards for the position of Division Chief (SG 24) or equivalent rank, are as follows: Division Chief (24) or equivalent rank Education : Master's degree* Experience : 4 years in position/s involving management and supervision Training : 24 hours of training in management and supervision Eligibility : Career Service (Professional) Second Level Eligibility * A third level eligibility is also sufficient for permanent appointment This policy supplements Item No. 12, Part II (On Education) of MC No. 12, s. 2003 on the Revised Policies on Qualification Standards. This Resolution shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publication in a newspaper general circulation. Quezon City, June 20, 2006. (SGD.) KARINA CONSTANTINO-DAVID Chairman Pls. see attached Dissenting Position (SGD.) CESAR D. BUENAFLOR Commissioner (SGD.) MARY ANN Z. FERNANDEZ-MENDOZA Commissioner Attested by: (SGD.) JUDITH D. CHICANO Director IV Commission Secretariat and Liaison Office OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER CESAR D. BUENAFLOR OCOM-C Memo No. 21, s. 2005 MEMORANDUM FOR : Chair KARINA CONSTANTINO-DAVID Commissioner J. WALDEMARM V. VALMORES SUBJECT : POLICY TO CONSIDER 3RD ELIGIBILITY EQUIVALENT TO A MASTER'S DEGREE FOR PERMANENT APPOINTMENT TO A DIVISION CHIEF POSITION With all due respect, for reasons of the principle of meritocracy enshrined in the Constitution and the rationale for the institutionalization of the masteral degree programs in various graduate schools under the oversight functions of the Commission on Higher Education, I am not inclined to support the proposed policy due to the divergent underlying principles involved in the afore-cited subjects. The main reason or function for the existence or requirement of Meritocracy and masteral degree is quite different and diverse. Specifically, the reasons stated in the 7th and 8th WHEREASES of the proposed draft resolution, while meritorious to a certain degree are insufficient to support the proposed policy in the light of the differing operating principles applicable to each of the subject matter. To underscore the point, eligibility is a Constitutional requirement based on (2), Sec. 2, Art. IX, of the Constitution which states" THAT APPOINTMENTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE SHALL BE MADE ONLY ACCORDING TO MERIT AND FITNESS TO BE DETERMINED, AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, . . ., BY COMPETITIVE. While masteral degrees are formal education based on programs offered by accredited educational institutions authorized by law to grant masteral degrees based on approved curriculum for the purpose of acquiring higher specialization in the field of endeavor. Lastly, (1) and (2), Sec. 22, Chapter 5, Book V, E.O. 292 provide, thus: 1. A qualification standard expresses the minimum requirements for a class of positions in terms of education, training and experience, civil service eligibility , physical fitness, and other qualities required for successful performance. 2. The establishment, administration and maintenance of qualification standards shall be the responsibility of the department or agency, with the assistance and approval of the Civil Service Commission and in consultation with the Wage and Position Classification Office. In fine, unless provided by law or authorized therein, to consider 3rd level eligibility equivalent to a master's degree for permanent appointment in the career service would not sit well with the definition and requirement of the afore-quoted provisions of law on the Qualification Standards since it enumerated distinctly education and civil service eligibility as separate requirements. Otherwise, it may be said that a masteral degree may be equivalent to a 3rd level eligibility. For judicious consideration by the Commission. (SGD.) CESAR D. BUENAFLOR Commissioner August 23, 2005. Published in The Manila Times on August 2, 2006.