SIXTY government agencies will begin testing a new governance framework aimed at measuring whether internal systems deliver results beyond mere compliance, under the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) modernization program.
CSC rolled out the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence-Embedded Systems Governance (PRIME-ESG) Foundations Course to representatives of the pilot agencies on Aug. 17 and 18 in Quezon City.
Around 200 participants from national government agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and local government units joined the two-day course.
PRIME-ESG is designed to assess whether government systems are institutionalized, sustainable, fair and accountable, while linking these processes to organizational performance and public value.
CSC Chairperson Marilyn B. Yap said the program expands the commission’s existing meritocracy initiatives by pushing agencies to look beyond procedural compliance.
‘PRIME-ESG builds on that foundation. It asks us to look beyond compliance and to examine whether our systems are truly working, whether they are institutionalized and sustained, whether our decisions are fair and accountable, and whether our efforts ultimately contribute to better government and greater public value,’ Yap said.
The foundations course introduced agencies to PRIME-ESG’s framework, principles, terminology and operational mechanisms.
It also laid out the responsibilities of agencies and officials involved in implementing the system.
The rollout forms part of the Philippine Civil Service Modernization Project, a government initiative supported by the World Bank through official development assistance.
Pilot agencies will next undergo Operations Manual 02-Governance Level Operations on Aug. 25 and 26.
That phase will shift the focus from basic concepts to a more detailed review of governance-level processes within participating institutions.
CSC said the 60 agencies will serve as the first testing ground for translating PRIME-ESG standards into actual government operations.
Their implementation aims to help shape the broader rollout of a governance system aimed at improving institutional capability, accountability and service delivery across the civil service.