ONLINE NEWS
6 September 2023
What’s inside:
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[News release] CSC, ARTA join forces to improve anti-red tape reforms
[Feature] Marinduque Prov'l Gov't, nakiisa sa pagdiriwang ng PH Civil Service
Month
Digitalization spurs transparency, public engagement—DBM
DepEd assures teachers of 30 straight days of rest during 2023-2024 school
break (mentioned CSC guidelines)
CHEd officials face corruption complaints (cited a 2022 decision by the Civil
Service Commission-Davao Region)
NAIA’s leadership crisis: MIAA staff, business sector rally behind dismissed
execs (mentioned CSC rules on reassignment and designation)
[News release]
CSC, ARTA join forces to improve anti-red tape reforms
By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz | Manila Bulletin
Sep 5, 2023 01:34 PM
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) have
signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the effective implementation of
Republic Act (RA) 11032, also known as the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient
Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (EODB EGSD).
CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles and ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez, together with
CSC Commissioners Ryan Alvin Acosta and Aileen Lourdes Lizada and ARTA
Undersecretaries Gerald G. Divinagracia and Geneses R. Abot, led the ceremonial
signing of the landmark agreement on Aug. 31.
The MOA aimed to improve anti-red tape reforms and foster an environment conducive
to ease of doing business in the government sector.
“Today’s MOA signing is more than just a symbolic event because it has far-reaching
implications in the realm of public service. The CSC and ARTA are tasked under the
EODB EGSD to ensure that we promote integrity, accountability, and establish best
practices to prevent corruption in the government. This event, finally, seals the deal
between the CSC and ARTA to ultimately delineate the functions and mandates of the
offices under RA 11032,” Nograles said.
CSC Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo presented the salient provisions of the
MOA, which resulted from a series of consultations and discussions aimed at
reconciling apparent overlapping functions, clarifying agency roles and duties, and
identifying potential areas for collaboration between the two agencies.
Under the MOA, CSC’s Anti-Red Tape Division (ARTD) in the Central Office and AntiRed Tape Units (ARTUs) in its regional offices will serve as the focal points for
initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery within the civil service, as well as handle
complaints against government employees and officials for violation of RA 11032.
Meanwhile, ARTA will implement and oversee a national policy on anti-red tape and
ease of doing business; initiate an investigation into the complaints endorsed by CSC;
and assist complainants in filing necessary cases with either CSC or the Office of the
Ombudsman.
Ronquillo said ARTA will also facilitate the Report Card Survey to all government
agencies, while CSC’s ARTD and ARTU will receive, analyze, and use RCS results to
recommend improvements to service delivery in the civil service.
Access at https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/5/csc-arta-join-forces-to-improve-anti-red-tapereforms
[Feature]
Marinduque Prov'l Gov't, nakiisa sa pagdiriwang ng PH Civil Service
Month
Published on: September 05, 2023
By Romeo Mataac, Jr. | Philippine Information Agency
BOAC, Marinduque (PIA) -- Nakiisa ang Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Marinduque sa
ika-123 taong pagdiriwang ng Philippine Civil Service Month na may temang
'Transforming Public Service in the Next Decade: Honing Agile and Future-Ready
Servant-Heroes'.
Inumpisahan ang gawain sa pamamagitan ng misa ng pasasalamat na pinangunahan ni
Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, Jr., ng Diyosesis ng Boac at sinundan ng motorcade
mula sa Boac Cathedral patungo sa Marinduque Convention Center (MCC).
Isinagawa ang iba't ibang programang nagtatampok para sa mga kawani ng
pamahalaan gayundin ang pasasalamat ng mga pinuno mula sa Marinduque Provincial
Government sa pangunguna nina Vice Gov. Adeline Angeles, Provincial Administrator
Vincent Michael Velasco na kumatawan kay Gov. Presbitero Velasco, Jr., Blair Edgar
Dimaano, officer-in-charge ng Provincial Human Resource Management Office at
Jacinto Mateo III, Provincial Director ng Civil Service Commission (CSC)-Marinduque sa
MCC.
Sinabi ni Angeles sa nasabing kick-off program na mahalagang magbalik-tanaw sa
sitwasyon ng bansa noong nag-uumpisa pa lamang balangkasin ang Public Law No. 5
o ang 'Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil
Service in the Philippines' na nilagdaan noong Setyembre 19, 1900.
"Higit nating pahalagahan ang selebrasyon ng serbisyo sibil kung alam natin ang
kwento ng kasaysayan kung saan dati ang mga Pilipino ay walang karapatang
maglingkod sa pamahalaan sapagkat ibinibigay lamang ito sa mga Espanyol at
Amerikano pero dahil sa naturang kasunduan at sistema ay nabigyan tayo ng
pagkakataon na makapaglingkod at maging kabahagi ng pamumuno sa pamahalaan,"
wika ni Angeles.
"Ang ginagawa po natin ngayon ay hindi lamang pagdiriwang ng Civil Service
Commission bagkus ito ay selebrasyon nating lahat na naglilingkod sa pamahalaan
kaya mula po sa aming Chairperson Atty. Karlo Nograles, binabati ko kayo ng Happy
Civil Service Month Celebration," pahayag naman ni Jacinto.
Ipinaliwanag din ng pinuno ng CSC-Marinduque ang paksa ng pagdiriwang kung saan
ay sumasalamin aniya ito sa sama-samang karanasan ng mga manggagawa ng
gobyerno sa bagong normal kung saan ay inaasahan na dapat maging handa at
yakapin ang digital transformation para maitaguyod ang kahusayan at mataas na antas
ng paglilingkod sa taumbayan.
Sa pagtatapos ng programa ay ipinaabot ng Gobernador ang pasasalamat sa bawat
empleyado ng gobyerno, mula sa nasyunal, lokal at pambarangay dahil sa kanilang
patuloy na paglalaan ng oras at kontribusyon sa pagsusulong ng pag-unlad ng
lalawigan. (RAMJR/PIA MIMAROPA - Marinduque)
Access at https://pia.gov.ph/news/2023/09/05/marinduque-provl-govt-nakiisa-sapagdiriwang-ng-ph-civil-service-month
Digitalization spurs transparency, public engagement—DBM
BY MANILA BULLETIN
Sep 5, 2023 04:53 PM
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said transparency and public
participation have been fostered through the government’s initiatives toward
digitalization.
At the 2023 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Estonia, Budget
Secretary Amemah F. Pangandaman said there are newly issued executive orders (EO)
that push the country toward bureaucratic efficiency and fiscal transparency.
Pangandaman is also the chair of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PHOGP).
She, along with PH-OGP, the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, and the
Department of Foreign Affairs presented “Innovation Talks: Fostering Transparency and
Accountability through Open Budget Portals.” This was a session that displayed
innovative methods for processing Public Financial Management processes.
“I am proud to share that Executive Order nos. 29 and 31 were recently issued. EO 29
provides for digital transformation through full adoption of the Integrated Financial
Management Information Systems (IFMIS) while EO 31 provides for the
institutionalization of the PH-OGP,” Pangandaman said.
IFMIS is a digital platform for public financial management processes such as budget
preparation and execution to accounting and reporting.
This would help instill fiscal discipline, speed up government transactions, promote ontime delivery and implementation of services, and showcase better planning on
government spending.
She also shared the efforts of the PH-OGP that will institutionalize the Open
Government Partnership in the Philippines. This allows the government to give inclusive
access to the formulation, implementation, and public policies to the public.
Digitalization measures will also ensure that every budget allocation, decision, and
implementation involves public participation.
“Thankfully, our President recognizes the importance of both digital transformation and
having an open government,” Pangandaman said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed EO 29 last June, to let IFMIS take effect in
government agencies. Moreover, President Marcos signed EO 31 on June 20, 2023.
This allows PH-OGP to be a multi-stakeholder partner that oversees and implements
the country’s open government partnership.
“In the Philippines, the DBM ensures the timely and online publication of key budget
documents, which include the People’s Budget series to support informed public debate
on the national budget.” Pangandaman explained.
The efforts of DBM would allow them to adjust to the growing access to technology and
use it as an advantage to reinforce trust in the government.
“We have also operationalized a Civil Society Organizations or CSO Desk to respond to
requests for information and address budget-related queries,” she added. (Gabriell
Christel Galang)
Access at https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/5/digitalization-spurs-transparency-publicengagement-dbm
DepEd assures teachers of 30 straight days of rest during 2023-2024
school break
Joyce Balancio | ABS-CBN News
Posted at Sep 05 2023 06:38 PM
MANILA - Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Tuesday promised
public school teachers that they will be given 30-straight rest days during the school
break this academic year 2023-2024.
During the kick-off ceremony for the National Teachers’ Month in Tagbilaran, Bohol,
Duterte said a memorandum will be released regarding this matter.
“We made sure that in this year’s school calendar, teachers will have 30 straight days of
rest during the break without any DepEd activity that requires volunteer works. All
activities with voluntary participation is scheduled after the said 30-day break,” Duterte
said in her speech
“End of School Year Rites was already included into the official school days of the
current school calendar,” she added.
Emphasizing the important role of teachers, Duterte also announced that they intend to
increase the benefits received by teachers.
“With the vetted guidelines by both DBM [Department of Budget and Management] and
the Civil Service Commission, we are requesting a higher allocation for teaching
overload pay. We can never put a monetary value on your contributions to the country.
Rest assured that we are committed to recognizing and compensating our teachers for
their invaluable contributions. We will always advocate for teacher benefits as your
champions,” she stressed.
DepEd is also working closely with DBM to approve the hiring of 3,500 administrative
officers and 1,500 project development officers to help in the schools.
With this, soon the teachers will be relieved of administrative responsibilities, so they
focus on enhancing the learning of pupils, Duterte said.
The DepEd secretary also vowed to provide teachers with assistance for their loans.
DepEd is about to sign a memorandum of agreement with the GSIS for an exclusive
lane for teachers in all branches and a designated team to cater only to teachers’
concerns.
“Many of our school teachers are overly stressed about their financial insecurities. That
is why we are regularly engaging with GSIS [Government Service Insurance System].
We are looking to address your concerns over accrued interests or arrears of your
loans,” she said.
Moreover, DepEd will soon launch a website that will provide free legal aid for teachers
for their loan contracts.
On promotion of teachers, Duterte also guaranteed an objective system for this.
“Wala nang palakasan. We are now developing an automated system for an objective
selection in the hiring and promotion of teachers,” she said.
Access at https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/05/23/deped-assures-teachers-of-30straight-days-of-rest
Similar news: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/09/05/2294045/deped-hire5000-non-teaching-personnel-ease-teachers-admin-workload
https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/5/dep-ed-sets-30-day-straight-break-for-teachers-this-schoolyear
CHEd officials face corruption complaints
By Red Mendoza | The Manila Times
September 6, 2023
TWO commissioners of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) are facing
complaints at the Office of the President for grave misconduct, abuse of authority, bias,
and neglect of duty while in office.
The charges against CHEd commissioners Aldrin Darilag and Jo Mark Libre were filed
by a group of complainants led by Norberto Villamin, president of the Volunteers
Against Crime and Corruption.
Darilag was accused of using government funds to finance his wife and family members'
travels abroad on several occasions as well as making frequent massage bookings
during his domestic travels and charging it to the state, college and university (SUC)
funds.
In one instance, the complaint read, Darilag allegedly sent his wife, who is not a CHEd
official, to represent the commission on official business in Canada.
Libre was also charged by Villamin and his co-complainants of "arbitrarily" designating a
resource speaker in governing board meetings of SUCs and compelling the school to
pay the per-diem and accommodation and travel expenses.
He was also charged with allegedly bringing many people in his entourage when
conducting supervisory visits of SUCs and charging extravagant dining expenses
against public funds.
The complainants have also cited a 2022 decision by the Civil Service
Commission-Davao Region, where he was found guilty of grave misconduct,
serious dishonesty, falsification of public documents, and conduct prejudicial to
the best interest of service.
Villamin has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fire Darilag and Libre from the
commission and has sought their relief or transfer from their posts as chairman of the
board of trustees of their respective SUCs.
In a statement sent to The Manila Times, CHEd said that the office of the chairman has
acknowledged that it has received several complaints against the two commissioners.
It also added that the office of the chairman transmitted the complaints to the Office of
the Executive Secretary as the chairman "has no disciplining authority over the
commissioners who are presidential appointees."
"The disciplining authority over presidential appointees rests with the
President/executive secretary," it added.
It also confirmed that the two officials are still with CHEd.
Access at https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/09/06/regions/ched-officials-facecorruption-complaints/1908668
NAIA’s leadership crisis: MIAA staff, business sector rally behind
dismissed execs
By Lance Spencer | Rappler
Sept 5, 2023 5:54 pm
Just as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is gearing up for its massive
multibillion makeover, the airport management now has to weather a shake-up in its
leadership – one that’s already spurred hundreds of its employees – and even
prominent business groups – to rally behind the dismissed top executives.
In a move that surprised many, the Ombudsman recently ordered the dismissal of
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Cesar Chiong and
assistant general manager Irene Montalbo. MIAA is the agency that manages the
country’s main international airport.
The crux of the complaints centered on the reassignment of 285 MIAA employees
within a year of Chiong’s term, which the Ombudsman deemed a “willful
disregard of the rules on reassignment and designation” established by the Civil
Service Commission.
But now, MIAA employees and some of the country’s top business groups are swearing
by the “exemplary work” done by the airport executives and appealing that the
Ombudsman reconsider that decision.
And now that bidding for NAIA’s rehabilitation is underway, the sudden changes in its
top brass might just make the road to a better airport more bumpy.
While Chiong and Montalbo may have been dismissed by the Ombudsman, a manifesto
obtained by Rappler shows they still have the support of hundreds of airport employees.
The document – addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Ombudsman
Samuel Martines and written before the decision came out – called on Martires to “issue
a speedy and just resolution of the case.”
And while the Ombudsman’s decision was indeed speedy, MIAA personnel might not
find the resolution of the case “just” – as they had expected.
“We, the undersigned MIAA officers and employees, manifest our heartfelt and full
support to our beloved general manager Cesar Chiong and Irene Montalbo who were
unjustly accused by an anonymous complainant,” the document read.
Under Chiong, the employees said that they have “seen the best of MIAA,” highlighting
the following:
Increasing collections of concessionaires’ unpaid obligations through the “persistence
and firmness of Ma’am Irene Puruganan-Montalbo’s finance department
Improving policies in terms of passenger comfort and experience, such as removing the
initial security checkpoint at the departure areas
Streamlining the promotion and selection process to fill up MIAA’s vacant plantilla
positions
Approving the increase in salaries of contracted manpower service personnel
Assigning MIAA officials back to their respective plantilla positions
The manifesto also said that Chiong assigned new officials to positions that “as a
general manager’s prerogative, he thinks could help him attain his objectives towards
an improved agency in terms of finance, operations, and security matters.”
“They have given MIAA a new face and a new direction…. We need a GM that listens to
the people, sees the problem without political motivation, [one who is] a general
manager for the people,” it read.
The document obtained by Rappler was signed by around 800 MIAA employees, with
the list of signatories running for 25 pages.
So why did the Ombudsman dismiss Chiong?
Chiong took over MIAA at the invitation of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista,
both of whom worked for years together in Philippine Airlines. A month after entering
office, Chiong began reassigning employees to different departments, which he said,
was part of an “effort to improve airport operations” and its financial standing.
Then just a day after NAIA was crippled by another power outage, an order from the
Ombudsman placing Chiong under preventive suspension became public.
“Sworn statements gathered from the reassigned employees would reveal that they
were neither informed of the reason for their reassignment nor did they have pending
administrative complaints,” the order read.
After the order came out, Bautista defended the embattled ex-airport chief, saying that
he himself asked Chiong to “professionalize it” and reassign staff based on their
competencies. Chiong, too, said he was confident of “being vindicated and cleared in
the end.”
But about three months later, the Ombudsman decided that the reassignment broke the
rules.
“A number of employees, if not all, were transferred to a division/department or
designated to a position where they have no knowledge or experience and could not
very well function in a manner that the said division/department needs or the position
calls,” said the Ombudsman, citing for instance how an electrical engineer from the
electric division was reassigned as a manager of the airport police department.
In a statement made after the dismissal order came out, Chiong explained that most of
the reassignments involved moving personnel to the airport police department to bolster
the security in NAIA’s terminals.
Chiong also drew parallels with his predecessors, noting that they had also made largescale reassignments “without legal repercussions.”
What about the business sector?
But it’s not just airport employees that are rallying behind Chiong; it’s the business
community too.
In a joint statement released last August 25, a group of business organizations
proclaimed support for the dismissed MIAA executives. Among the “substantial positive
changes” cited by the business groups is the agency’s improved cash balance which
tripled – from P5 billion before Chiong took over to the current P15 billion.
Under Chiong’s guidance, MIAA also returned to profitability, earning P1.9 billion in
2022 – a marked turnaround from the P3.6 billion in combined losses during 2020 and
2021.
“Mr. Chiong and Ms. Montalbo have exhibited exemplary work as managers of the
airport,” the statement read. “Dismissing them for implementing what is a normal
management practice may send the wrong message that instituting reforms in
government is hazardous to one’s career…. So, we appeal to the Ombudsman, please
reverse this decision.”
The joint statement was issued by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Inc.; Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines; IT &
Business Process Association Philippines; Integrity Initiative; Justice Reform Initiative;
Makati Business Club; and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines
Foundation, Inc.
How will this affect NAIA?
This is a busy time for the airport as NAIA is set to finally begin the long process of
rehabilitation and privatization. In fact, the 170.6-billion private-public partnership project
has just opened for bidding.
The Department of Transportation is now courting private sector partners – who will
likely form a consortium made up of the country’s biggest conglomerates – to take on
the massive contract. And while the roadshows kick off, the airport’s general manager
will be expected to join the discussions.
“The GM – or the OIC – is an important source of information for the government and
bidders, and signs off on operational and commercial issues in the concession
agreement,” Makati Business Club executive director Francisco Alcuaz Jr. told Rappler.
But ever since Chiong’s preventive suspension and subsequent dismissal, MIAA senior
assistant general manager Bryan Co has had to step up as the officer-in-charge of the
country’s main airport – one that’s not exactly in the best shape in the first place.
(READ: [Vantage Point] Underspending left NAIA to rot)
“It was helpful that Mr. Chiong just had a lot of experience in the space and an already
good working relationship with Sec. Bautista. But we understand that the OIC, Bryan
Co, is very able, so we are hopeful the privatization, which is about to go on a
roadshow, will go smoothly,” Alcuaz said.
Co has already had to manage the fallout from another power outage that struck NAIA
Terminal 3 – the third major power disruption to the airport this year after the New
Year’s Day air traffic fiasco and Labor Day power outage. He was also part of the recent
transportation budget hearing that stretched for nearly 14 hours.
After dismissing some of the airport’s most well-respected officials, where will NAIA go
from here?
Access at https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/naia-leadership-crisisairport-staff-groups-support-dismissed-cesar-chiong/