Republic Act No. 2260

This Act shall be known as the Civil Service Act of 1959.

The general purpose of this Act is to insure and promote the constitutional mandate regarding appointments only according to merit and fitness, and to provide within the public service a progressive system of personnel administration to insure the maintenance of an honest, efficient, progressive and courteous civil service in the Philippines.

The Philippine Civil Service shall embrace all branches, subdivisions and instrumentalities of the Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and appointments therein, except as to those which are policy determining, primarily confidential or highly technical in nature, shall be made only according to merit and fitness, to be determined as far as practicable by competitive examination. Positions included in the civil service fall into three categories; namely, competitive or classified service, non-competitive or unclassified service and exempt service The exempt service does not fall within the scope of this law.

The competitive or classified service shall include positions for appointment to which prior qualification in an appropriate examination is required.

The non-competitive or unclassified service shall be composed of positions expressly declared by law to be in the non-competitive or unclassified service or those which are policy-determining, primarily confidential or highly technical in nature.

The following specific officers and employees shall be embraced in the non-competitive or unclassified service:

The exempt service shall consist of the following:

There is hereby established a Civil Service Commission, the head of which shall be known as the Commissioner of Civil Service and who shall be responsible for the discharge of the duties and functions of the Commission. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and shall hold office for a term of nine years and may not be reappointed. The commissioner may be removed from office only for cause and after investigation. The Commissioner of Civil Service shall have the rank of a Department Secretary and shall be an ex-officio member of the cabinet.

There shall be a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Service appointed in the same manner as the Commissioner who shall assist the Commissioner and perform such duties and functions as may be assigned to him by the Commissioner and such as may be imposed upon him by law. In the absence of the Commissioner, he shall act as head of the Commission.

The Commissioner of Civil Service may, as the public interest may require, establish regional offices of the Civil Service Commission at Dagupan City, Tuguegarao (Cagayan), Naga City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Tacloban City, City of Cagayan de Oro, Davao City and Zamboanga City, to provide expetitious service to the various branches, subdivisions and instrumentalities of the government in the areas to which the respective Regional Offices are most conveniently accessible.

The Heads of such offices shall be appointed by the Commissioner and shall perform such functions and exercise such authority as may be specifically delegated by the Commissioner.

The head or chief of each regional office shall be provided with the necessary office personnel who shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Civil Service in accordance with the Civil Service Law and rules.

The Wage and Position Classification Office shall be responsible for the classification of positions in the civil service and shall standardize the salaries of the group or groups of positions so classified: Provided, That the range of minimum and maximum salaries allowable for civil service eligibilities shall be:

| Eligibilities | Minimum | Maximum | | --- | --- | --- | | First Grade | P 2,400 | No limit | | Second Grade | 1,800 | P3,720 | | Third Grade | 1,440 | 2,400 | | Senior Stenographer | 2,400 | No limit | | Junior Stenographer | 1,800 | 3,720 | | Senior Typist | 1,920 | 3,720 | | Junior Typist | 1,560 | 2,400 |

It shall be transferred to the Civil Service Commission as an integral agency of the Civil Service system by executive order of the President upon the full implementation of the classification and pay plans.

The Department Head is responsible for personnel administration in his Department and with the assistance of the personnel officer of the Department shall take all personnel actions in accordance with the Civil Service Law and with the rules, standards, guidelines and regulations set by the Civil Service Commission.

There shall be a Civil Service Board of Appeals composed of a Chairman and two members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments who shall be full-time officials, and who shall hold office during good behavior unless sooner relieved for cause by the President. The Chairman and members of the Board shall have the same qualifications as Justice of the Court of Appeals.

The Chairman shall receive an annual compensation of twelve thousand pesos and the other members shall each be paid at a compensation of ten thousand pesos per annum.

Hearings of the Board shall be open to the public; and no meeting or hearings of the Board shall be held unless at least two of the members of the Board are present. The Board shall keep records and minutes of its business and official action, and such records and minutes shall be public records open to public inspection, subject to such rules as to hours and conditions of inspection as the Board may establish,

There is hereby created a Council of Personnel Officers to be composed of chief personnel officers of the different executive departments and of agencies with the category of department that the Commissioner of Civil Service shall select for membership. Except for its Executive Officer who shall be designated by the Commissioner from among the appropriate officials in the Civil Service Commission, the Council is authorize to elect such other officers from among its members and to fix its own rules of procedure concerning attendance at meetings, approval of policy declarations, and other business matters. Provisions for necessary facilities and clerical assistance for the Council shall be made in the annual budget of the Commission.

The Council shall have the following functions:

Subject to approval by the proper Head of Department, the Commissioner of Civil Service may select suitable persons in the government service to act as members of examining committees, special examiners or special investigators. Such persons shall be designated examiners or investigators of the Commission and shall perform such duties as the Commissioner may require in connection with examinations, appointments, promotions and investigations; and in the performance of such duties they shall be under his exclusive control. Examining committees, special examiners or special investigators so appointed may be allowed additional compensation for their service, to be paid out of the funds of the Commission, at a rate to be determined by the Commissioner.

To be eligible for appointment as Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of Civil Service, a person should be a citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty-five years of age, sufficiently familiar with the principles and methods of personnel administration and known to be in sympathy with the merit system and should have at least five years of responsible and progressive experience as an executive: Provided, That nothing in this law shall affect the tenures of office of the incumbent Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of Civil Service.

The annual salary of the Commissioner shall not be less than twelve thousand pesos and the salary of the Deputy Commissioner shall not be less than ten thousand pesos.

It shall be among the powers and duties of the Commissioner of Civil Service

The Regional Director shall be the immediate representative of the Commissioner of Civil Service and, subject to the exclusive control and supervision of the Commissioner, shall perform within the territorial limits of his region such duties as the Commissioner may assign or require in connection with examinations, appointments, promotions, investigations, and the enforcement of the Civil Service Law, rules and regulations.

The Civil Service Board of Appeals shall have the following powers and duties:

It shall be the duty of all public officers of the Republic of the Philippines to comply with and to aid in all ways in carrying into effect the provisions of this law and the rules and regulations prescribed thereunder.

The Commissioner may, at his discretion and in the interest of the public service, delegate to Chiefs of Divisions or other heads of primary units in the Civil Service Commission, or to the Heads of Departments and agencies of the National Government, provinces, chartered cities, municipalities and other instrumentalities of the Republic authority to act on personnel matters and to enforce the provisions of this law in accordance with standards, guidelines and regulations set by the Commissioner: Provided, however, That the provincial treasurers of provinces are hereby deputized as deputies of the Commissioner of Civil Service for the purpose of attesting, in accordance with Civil Service law and rules, appointments made by provincial governors and municipal mayors, and city treasurers of chartered cities are hereby deputized as deputies of the Commissioner of Civil Service for the purpose of attesting, in accordance with the said law and rules, appointments made by city mayors. Appointments by provincial governors, city mayors and municipal mayors shall become effective upon issuance of such appointments and upon attestation by the provincial treasurer in the case of appointments made by provincial governors and municipal mayors and by the city treasurer in the case of appointments made by city mayors. Appointees of provincial governors and municipal mayors shall be entitled to collect the rate of compensation fixed for these appointments once said appointments have been attested to by the provincial treasurer in his capacity as representative of the Commissioner of Civil Service. Appointees of city mayors shall likewise be entitled to collect the rate of compensation fixed for these appointments once said appointments have been attested to by the city treasurer in his capacity as representative of the Commissioner of Civil Service in the city. All appointments made by the provincial governors, municipal mayors and city mayors shall, after being attested to by the respective provincial treasurer or city treasurer, be forwarded within ten days to the Commissioner of Civil Service for review pursuant to Civil Service law and rules. If, within one hundred eighty days after receipt of said appointments, the Commissioner of Civil Service shall not have made any correction or revision, them such appointments shall be deemed to have been properly made: Provided, furthermore, That the authority herein granted to provincial and city treasurers shall automatically cease upon the establishment of regional offices which comprise their respective provinces and/or cities. Periodic review of actions in the discharge of delegated authority shall be made by the Commissioner to insure compliance with standards or regulations, and the findings and recommendation shall be embodied in an annual report which should contain an adequate evaluation of the progress and problems encountered in the conduct of the merit system in the various services and instrumentalities.

Each department of the National Government and whenever necessary each agency of office and each province and chartered city shall have a personnel office headed by a personnel officer who, subject to the authority of the head of the organization concerned, shall be responsible for personnel management and maintenance of effective liaison with the Commission.

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Government to provide equal pay for equal work and to base differences in pay upon differences in duties, responsibilities, and qualifications requirements of the work. Due regard shall be given to appropriate increases in pay for seniority, longevity, efficiency of service and the just demands of a family living wage.

Opportunity for government employment shall be open to all qualified citizens and positive efforts shall be exerted to attract the best qualified to enter the service.

Employees shall be selected on the basis of their fitness to perform the duties and assume the responsibilities of the positions whether in the competitive or classified or in the non-competitive or unclassified service.

Whenever a vacancy occurs in any competitive or classified position in the government or in any government-owned or controlled corporation or entity, the officer or employee next in rank who is competent and qualified to hold the position and who possesses an appropriate civil service eligibility shall be promoted thereto: Provided, That should there be two or more persons under equal circumstances, seniority shall be given preference: Andprovided, however, That should there be any special reason or reasons why such officer or employee should not be promoted, such special reason or reasons shall be stated in writing by the appointing official and the officer or employee concerned shall be informed thereof and be given an opportunity to be heard by the Commissioner of Civil Service, whose decision in such case shall be final. If the vacancy is not filled by promotion as provided therein, then the same shall be filled by transfer of present employees in the government service, by reinstatement, by reemployment of persons separated through reduction in force, or by certification from appropriate registers of eligibles in accordance with rules promulgated in pursuance of this Act.

Qualification in an appropriate examination shall be required for appointment to positions in the competitive or classified service in accordance with the civil service rules, except as otherwise provided for in this Act: Provided, That whenever there is a civil service eligible available for appointment, no person who is not such an eligible shall be appointed even in a temporary capacity to any vacant position in the competitive or classified service in the government or in any government-owned or controlled corporation: Provided, further, That no-eligible employees who, upon the approval of this Act, have rendered five years or more of continues and satisfactory service in classified positions and who meet the other qualifications for appointments to their positions, shall, within one year from the approval of this Act, be given qualifying examinations in which their length of satisfactory service shall be accorded preferred consideration: Provided, further, That those who fail in those examinations as well as those who fail or refuse to take the examinations when offered shall be replaced by eligibles: Andprovided, finally, That for the period of ten years from the approval of this Act and in line with the policy of Congress to accelerate the integration of the cultural minorities, whenever the appointment of persons belonging to said cultural minorities is called for in the interest of the service as determined by the appointing authority, with the concurrence of the Commissioner of Civil Service, the examination requirements provided in this Act, when not practicable, may be dispensed with in appointments within their respective provinces if such persons meet the educational and other qualifications required for the office or employment. For appointment to positions in the non-competitive or unclassified service, qualification in an appropriate examination may be required if the appointing official so directs.

The results of any particular civil service examination shall be released simultaneously. The names of the competitors who attain the required passing grades in an examination shall be entered in a register of eligibles in the order of their average ratings.

Whenever used with reference to this Act, any action denoting the movement and progress of personnel in the civil service shall be known as a personnel action. Such an action shall included appointment, promotion, transfer, demotion, separation and reinstatement.

Whenever it becomes necessary because of lack of work or funds or due to a necessary change in the scope or nature of an agency's program. or whenever it is advisable in the interest of economy to reduce the staff of any department, office, bureau, or agency, those in the same group or class of position in one or more bureaus or offices within the particular Department wherein the reduction is to be effected, shall be reasonably compared in terms of relative fitness, efficiency and length of service, and those found to be least qualified for the remaining positions shall be laid off. The Commissioner of Civil Service shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subsection.

The development and maintenance of a high level of employee performance is a primary concern of the Government. It shall be the policy of the government that a continuing program of employee training, supervisory, career and executive development be established under the leadership of the Civil Service Commission for all government personnel at all levels.

Each department, bureau, office or agency shall have an appropriate training staff and shall establish its own in-service training program in accordance with standards laid down by the Commission.

The Commission may request technical assistance from the Budget Commission, the Institute of Public Administration and other professional and technical organizations in connection with the promotion of government training programs.

To help insure the availability of a pool of trained administrators in the executive and senior levels, and to further improve the competence and performance of executives in the different branches, subdivision and instrumentalities of the Philippine Government, the Institute of Public Administration of the University of the Philippines with the cooperation of the Budget Commission, the Civil Service Commission and the National Economic Council shall organize and carry out a continuing program of executive development.

There shall be established a performance rating system, which shall be administered in accordance with rules, regulations and standards established by the Civil Service Commission for all officers and employees in both the competitive and non-competitive service. Such performance rating system shall be administered in such manner as to continually foster the improvement of individual employee efficiency.

Each department, bureau, office, or agency may, after consultation with and approval by the Commission establish and use one or more performance rating plans appropriate to the various groups of positions in the department, bureau, office or agency concerned. No performance rating shall be given or used as a basis for any personnel action except under a performance rating plan and on the forms and in accordance with standards and procedures approved by the Commission: Provided, That each employee shall be informed periodically by his supervisor about his efficiency rating.

There shall be established by the Civil Service Commission a government-wide "Employee Suggestions and Incentive Award System" which shall be administered under such rules, regulations and standards as may be promulgated by the Commission. The Commission shall report annually the results of the program together with recommendations to the President and to Congress.

In accordance with rules, regulations and standards to be promulgated by the Commission, the President of the Philippines or the Head of each Department is authorized to pay cash awards and to incur whatever necessary expenses are involved in the honorary recognition of subordinate officers and employees of the Government who by their suggestions, inventions, superior accomplishments and other personal efforts contribute to the efficiency, economy or other improvement of the Government operations, or who perform such extraordinary acts or services in the public interest in connection with or related to their official employment.

The Commission shall prescribe the standards and the appropriate schedule of monetary or other awards under this system, provided that each monetary award shall not exceed one thousand pesos, to be paid out of the savings of the Department concerned.

Employee Relations and Services (a) Employee-Employer Relations. Every head of department, bureau, office or agency shall take all proper steps toward the creation of an atmosphere conductive to good employee-supervisor relations and the improvement of employee morale. For this purpose, the head of each department, bureau, office or agency shall make provisions for employees' health, welfare, counseling, recreation, and similar services.

Officers and employees in the civil service, whether in the competitive or classified, or non-competitive or unclassified service, shall not engage directly or indirectly in partisan political activities or take part in any election except to vote. Nothing herein provided shall be understood to prevent any officer or employee from expressing his views on current political problems or issues, or from mentioning the names of candidates for public office whom he supports.

As used in this section, the word "relative" and members of the family referred to are those related within the third degree either of consanguinity or affinity.

No officer or employee in the Civil Service shall receive additional or double compensation unless specifically authorized by law.

No officer or employee in the civil service shall be removed or suspended except for cause as provided by law and after due process: Provided, That a transfer from one position to another without reduction in rank or salary shall not be considered disciplinary when made in the interest of public service: Provided, further, That no complaint against a civil service official or employee shall be given due course unless the same is in writing and subscribed and sworn to by the complainant: And provided, finally, That the respondent shall be entitled to a formal investigation if he so elects, in which case he shall have the right to appear and defend himself at said investigation in person or by counsel, to confront and cross-examine the witnesses against him, and to have the attendance of witnesses and production of documents in his favor by compulsory process of subpoena or subpoena duces tecum.

The Commissioner may, for dishonestly, oppression, misconduct, neglect of duty, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, notoriously disgraceful or immoral conduct, improper or unauthorized solicitation of contributions from subordinate employees and by teachers or school officials from school children, violation of the existing Civil Service law and rules or of reasonable office regulations, or in the interest of the service, remove any subordinate officer or employee from the service, demote him in rank, suspend him for not more than one year without pay or fine him in an amount not exceeding six months' salary.

In meting out punishment, like penalties shall be imposed for like offenses and only one penalty shall be imposed in each case.

The President of the Philippines may suspend any chief or assistant chief of a bureau or office and in the absence of special provision, any other officer appointed by him, pending an investigation of the charges against such officer or pending an investigation of his bureau or office. With the approval of the proper Head of Department, the chief of a bureau or office may likewise preventively suspend any subordinate officer or employee in his bureau or under his authority pending an investigation, if the charge against such officer or employee involves dishonestly, oppression or grave misconduct, or neglect in the performance of duty, or if there are strong reasons to believe that the respondent is guilty of charges which would warrant his removal from the service.

When the administrative case against the officer or employee under preventive suspension is not finally decided by the Commissioner of Civil Service within the period of sixty (60) days after the date of suspension of the respondent, the respondent shall be reinstated in the service. If the respondent officer or employee is exonerated, he shall be restored to his position with full pay for the period of suspension.

The decision of the Commissioner of Civil Service rendered in an administrative case involving discipline of subordinate officers and employees may be appealed by the respondent to the Civil Service Board of Appeals within thirty (30) days after receipt by him of the decision.

No petition for reconsideration of the decision rendered by the Commissioner of Civil Service will be entertained if not filed within the period for appeal as provided in this section: Provided, That only one petition for reconsideration shall be entertained: Andprovided, further, That the filling of a petition for reconsideration shall suspend the running of the period for appeal.

The Commissioner shall be informed by the office of the respondent of the dates mentioned in this provision.

The President of the Philippines may, in meritorious cases and upon recommendation of the Civil Service Board of Appeals, commute or remove administrative penalties or disabilities imposed upon officers or employees in disciplinary cases, subject to such terms and conditions as he may impose in the interest of the service.

The Commissioner of Civil Service in his discretion may prescribe an equitable schedule of fees for admission to civil service examinations, not exceeding two pesos for each candidate. Applicants whose applications have been disapproved shall be entitled to the refund of the examination fees paid by them. The funds collected from the examination fees shall constitute a special fund of the Civil Service Commission and shall be used exclusively for the expenses of the Commission.

There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of two hundred fifty thousand pesos to finance the salaries, maintenance and other operating expenses of the regional offices and for the salaries of certain positions provided under this Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and sixty. Thereafter, the needed sum shall be included in the General Appropriation Act.

No public officer or employee acting for a public officer shall be permitted to require an applicant for employment or any employee to sign any paper or document whereby such applicant for employment waives any right or rights accruing to him under this law.

Officers, attorneys and examiners of the Commission may administer such oaths as may be necessary in the transaction of official business and the Commissioner of Civil Service or other persons conducting any authorized by the Commissioner to administer oaths shall have such authorization in writing.

Except as may otherwise be provided, it shall be unlawful for a treasurer, or other fiscal officer to draw, retain from the salary due an officer or employee any amount for contribution or payment of obligations other than those due the government or its instrumentalities, sign or issue, or authorize the drawing, signing or issuing of any warrant, check or voucher for the payment of any salary or compensation to any officer, or other persons except temporary laborers, unless proper certification is made by the Commissioner of Civil Service or his duly authorized representative that the appointment or employment of such officer or employee has been approved as provided by the Civil Service Law and rules and the official making such payment shall be personally liable for any salaries or wages paid to any person whose appointment has not been duly approved, without prejudice to his administrative or criminal liability.

No person employed in the civil service in violation of the Civil Service Law and rules shall be entitled to receive pay from the Government; but the appointing authority responsible for such unlawful employment shall be personally liable for the pay that would have accrued had the employment been lawful, and the disbursing official shall make payment to the employee of such amount from the salary of the officers so liable.

Whoever makes any appointment or employs any person in violation of any provision of this Act, or the rules made thereunder, or whoever violates, refuses or neglects to comply with any of such provisions or rules, shall upon conviction be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand pesos or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

The following are hereby repealed: Sections six hundred fifty-nine to six hundred sixty-two, six hundred sixty-four to six hundred sixty-five, six hundred sixty-eight to six hundred seventy-four, six hundred eighty, six hundred eighty-two, six hundred ninety, six hundred ninety-four to six hundred ninety-six of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended; Commonwealth Act Numbered Five hundred ninety-eight; and such other laws or part of laws, executive orders, administrative orders, circulars and memoranda inconsistent with this Act.

If any part, section or provision of this Act shall be held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provision thereof shall be affected thereby.

This Act shall take effect upon its approval: Provided, however, That except as otherwise provided in this Act, rights or privileges vested or acquired under the provisions of the Old Civil Service Law, rules and regulations prior to the effectivity of this Act shall remain in force and effect.