Revised Policies on the Grant of Honor Graduate Eligibility

October 11, 2012

CSC RESOLUTION NO. 1201763

REVISED POLICIES ON THE GRANT OF HONOR GRADUATE ELIGIBILITY

WHEREAS, Section 12 (2), Chapter 3, Subtitle A, Title I, Book V of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987, provides that the Commission shall prescribe, amend, and enforce rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of the Civil Service Law and other pertinent laws; STcHEI

WHEREAS, a major function of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is the grant of Civil Service Eligibility under special laws and CSC issuances to individuals, upon meeting of set qualifications and fulfilling of requirements, without taking the regular Civil Service Examinations;

WHEREAS, one of the eight types of eligibility granted under special laws and CSC issuances is the Honor Graduate Eligibility (HGE) pursuant to Presidential Decree (PD) No. 907, as amended, being granted to individuals, upon submission of required documents, who graduated summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, or an equivalent of any of these honors in their bachelor's degree/s in colleges and universities of good standing;

WHEREAS, the Commission revisited the veracity of the following CSC resolutions/issuances pertaining to various aspects/dimensions of the HGE grant vis-à-vis the provisions of PD No. 907, as amended, including the appropriateness of HGE, and the requirement for schools, colleges, and universities to be of good standing:

1. Amended Rules and Regulations Implementing the Provisions of PD No. 907, as amended, dated September 20, 1976, pertaining to the grant of Civil Service Eligibility to graduates with honors equivalent to any of the Latin honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, the adjustable nature of the eligibility, and the five-year prescriptive period to avail of the eligibility;

2. CSC Resolution No. 86-312 dated September 24, 1986, extending the grant of Civil Service Eligibility to honor graduates of master's and doctorate degrees, and CSC Resolution No. 94-2279 dated April 20, 1994/CSC OM No. 33, s. 1994 dated April 29, 1994, extending the grant of eligibility to Filipino honor graduates of master's and doctorate degrees in foreign schools; and

3 CSC Resolution No. 010715 dated March 29, 2001, pertaining to the grant of Civil Service Eligibility to honor graduates of bachelor's degrees irrespective of the number of years of completion. ETAICc

WHEREAS, as to the grant of eligibility to graduates with honors equivalent to summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, the law does not categorically provide for equivalency. Hence, the phrase "with at least cum laude honors" found under Section 2 of PD 907, thus, should be taken as the cum laude honors being least in the lineage or family of the Latin honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, and not as to denote or insinuate equivalency;

WHEREAS, on extending the grant of eligibility to honor graduates of master's and doctorate degrees (local and foreign schools), it is emphasized that, based on the categorical title of PD No. 907 "Granting Civil Service Eligibility to College Honor Graduates", the intention of the law is to grant civil service eligibility only to individuals who have completed collegiate course with honors;

WHEREAS, as regards the grant of eligibility to honor graduates of bachelor's degrees irrespective of the number of years of completion, emerging developments in the country's education system have been witness to valid existence of colleges and universities at present times that offer college degree programs for less than four (4) years, but nevertheless, the completion of which results in possession of a bachelor's degree;

WHEREAS, on appropriateness as a civil service eligibility, the HGE, upon granting, should be precise or clear-cut in its appropriateness and applicability, considering that Civil Service Eligibility is one of the qualification standards of positions in the government;

WHEREAS, concerning the requirement of the law for schools, colleges and universities to be of good standing, the rules and regulations crafted for the implementation of PD 907 failed to render a definition for schools, colleges and universities of good standing. At present, as long as applicants graduated with honors in a college/university which is recognized by CHED, they are granted an HGE. According to CHED, the categorization of institutional status of private higher education institutions includes Deregulated status and Autonomous status. The grant of autonomous and deregulated status is in recognition of consistent exemplary performance in the provision of teaching, research and extension services. The general criteria for the grant of autonomous and deregulated status include long tradition of untarnished reputation and integrity which is a prerequisite for the grant, commitment to excellence, and sustainability and viability of operations. However, program accreditation status which is degree/program based, particularly levels II, III, and IV, is being considered as only one of the criteria for the grant of autonomous and deregulated status, among others. Thus, mere program accreditation status is not sufficient for an HEI to be "of good standing." acHCSD

WHEREAS, state universities and colleges (SUC) have four levels with Level IV as the highest. SUC Leveling indicates the SUCs' institutional performance based on criteria covering key result areas of quality and relevance of instruction, research capability and outputs, relations with and services to the community, and management of resources;

WHEREAS, the Commission promulgated CSC Resolution No. 1101645 on December 29, 2011 (Guidelines and Procedures on Grant of Civil Service Eligibility Under Special Laws and CSC Issuances, Revised December 2011), and has issued CSC OM No. 45, s. 2012 dated April 26, 2012 (Certification of No Pending Case/Non-Conviction of Any Offense for Grant of Eligibility Under Special Laws and CSC Issuances; Clarification on the Appropriateness of PD 907, PD 997, and VPR-Professional Eligibilities);

WHEREFORE, as a measure to uphold, preserve, and safeguard the integrity, credibility, and intent of the Honor Graduate Eligibility, as a Civil Service Eligibility, the Commission hereby RESOLVES to adopt and prescribe the following Revised Policies on the Grant of Honor Graduate Eligibility Pursuant to Presidential Decree (PD) No. 907, as amended:

A. The qualification requirements for the grant of Civil Service Eligibility pursuant to PD No. 907, as amended, shall be, as follows:

"To be granted a Civil Service Eligibility pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 907, as amended, an individual must meet ALL of the following qualification requirements:

1. Must have graduated summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, in his/her Bachelor's/College degree, regardless of the number of years of completion;

2. Must have graduated from school year 1972-1973, and thereafter; and CHDAEc

3. Must have graduated in a college/university in the Philippines that is governed by the Commission on Higher Education and belongs to any of the following categorization:

a. Private Higher Education Institutions with Deregulated and Autonomous status;

b. State Universities and Colleges with SUC Level III and IV; and

c. Local Universities and Colleges with LUC Level III and IV."

Corollary, the grant of eligibility pursuant to PD No. 907, as amended, is discontinued for honor graduates of master's and doctorate degrees, and graduates of bachelor's degrees with honors/distinction other than the Latin honors of cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude;

B. Regulate the grant of eligibility to honor graduates of the following colleges and universities, hereby, defined to be of good standing:

a. Private Higher Education Institutions with Deregulated and Autonomous status;

b. State Universities and Colleges with SUC Level III and IV; and

c. Local Universities and Colleges with LUC Level III and IV.

C. Uphold the provision of CSC Resolution No. 1101645 dated December 29, 2011 and CSC OM No. 45, s. 2012 dated April 26, 2012 on the appropriateness of the Honor Graduate Eligibility for first and second level positions, including executive/managerial positions in the second level that are non-presidential appointees, in the government that do not involve practice of profession and are not covered by Bar/board/other special laws; and

D. Uphold the provision of CSC Resolution No. 1101645 dated December 29, 2011 on the continuous filing of applications for the grant of eligibility pursuant to PD No. 907, as amended.

Further, the Commission RESOLVES that Civil Service Eligibilities pursuant to PD No. 907, as amended, granted and issued to the following recipients, shall not be disturbed and remain valid and recognized: DaTICc

1. To graduates of bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees with honors/distinction other than the Latin honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude, before the effectivity of this Resolution; and

2. To honor graduates of master's and doctorate degrees in both local and foreign schools before the effectivity of this Resolution.

Furthermore, the Application Form for the grant of Honor Graduate Eligibility, CS Form 101-D, is hereby revised to conform with the herein policies (Annex A).

Finally, this Resolution repeals CSC Resolution No. 86-312 dated September 24, 1986; and CSC Resolution No. 94-2279 dated April 20, 1994/CSC OM No. 33, s. 1994 dated April 29, 1994. Moreover, this Resolution further amends the Amended Rules and Regulations Implementing the Provisions of PD No. 907, as Amended, dated September 20, 1976.

Any part or provision of all other policy issuances inconsistent with the herein policies, is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. On the other hand, if any provision or part of the herein policies be declared invalid or be amended, the remaining provisions hereof not affected thereby, shall remain in force and effect. 

This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Quezon City.

 

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE IIIChairman

 

(SGD.) MARY ANN Z. FERNANDEZ-MENDOZACommissioner

 

(SGD.) ROBERT S. MARTINEZCommissioner

Attested by:

 

(SGD.) DOLORES B. BONIFACIODirector IV Commission Secretariat and Liaison Office

ANNEX A

CS Form 101-D (Revised, Dec. 2011)

Published in The Philippine Star on November 8, 2012.