THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) is preparing reforms to speed up government hiring and give it a clearer view of long-unfilled positions and delayed promotions across agencies starting in 2027.
CSC Chairperson Marilyn Barua-Yap told a Senate budget hearing that the commission is moving toward competency-based screening, which would allow agencies to immediately determine whether applicants have the technical skills required for a specific position instead of relying only on minimum qualification standards.
‘Hopefully in 2027, we can make this as an official policy of the Civil Service Commission. Kasi ang shift po naman natin ngayon is all competency-based, hindi na lang po iyong basta minimum basic qualifications [Our shift now is toward competency-based hiring, instead of relying only on minimum basic qualifications],’ Barua-Yap said.
The CSC earlier issued Resolution 2600005, directing government agencies to develop competency-based human resource management systems covering recruitment, performance management, employee development and other personnel functions.
Barua-Yap said the existing process can be slow because applicants who meet basic requirements in education, training, eligibility, and experience still go through several stages even when they lack the specific technical competency required for the job.
Under the proposed approach, an applicant for an internal audit post, for example, could be screened early for an auditing background instead of proceeding through the entire recruitment process despite lacking relevant competencies.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo raised the issue after questioning why thousands of funded plantilla positions remain vacant and why some long-serving government workers complain of being repeatedly passed over for promotion.
‘Who persuades this agency’s head? Can you do that? Can you ask them, like, Secretary, kailan po kaya ma-fill up ito [When can this be filled up]?’ Tulfo asked.
Barua-Yap said appointment and promotion decisions ultimately remain with agency heads, limiting the CSC largely to reminders and oversight under the present setup.
She said a planned human resource information system could give the commission real-time access to personnel records, vacancies, publication of openings and promotion proceedings.
‘Makikita mo, hindi ninyo fini-fill up ito, bakit? Ito pala, marami naman puwedeng i-promote. Bakit hindi kayo nagpo-promote [We will be able to see why a vacancy is not being filled when there are employees who can be promoted]?’ Barua-Yap said.
She said records of agency human resource merit promotion and selection boards would also be uploaded to the system, allowing the CSC to identify staffing gaps and take remedial action based on actual personnel data.
Tulfo said the reforms could help address complaints from qualified government workers who believe they have been bypassed in favor of other applicants.
Barua-Yap acknowledged that the CSC receives such complaints but said the appointing authority retains discretion over whom to select, provided qualification requirements are observed.
She said the CSC is also overhauling qualification standards and strengthening the certification of government human resource officers as part of the shift toward a more competency-based personnel system.
The reforms were discussed as the CSC defended its proposed 2027 budget and sought the restoration of P783 million in unfunded requirements, including modernization and field-operation needs. PNA