Job robbed
The hot topic for the week is all about Presidential political appointments made hotter by placing emphasis on an appointee being a “Hottie” turned government official. Adding fuel to the fire is the “roll call” of Generals appointed to various cabinet posts and government agencies dubbed by a prominent Radio personality as “the PMA Homecoming” in government.
Both sides of the hot topic have their defenders and self-styled experts largely defending their own lifestyle or political preference. Sadly no one even thought or talked about the real victims in the deal. No one seems to have realized that for every political appointment given – someone, a long-term career officer in government was robbed of a position, promotion or as I titled it experienced yet again, the phenomenon called: JOB ROBBED.
We all draw swords and scrimmage over the propriety and sense of political appointees but never about the deep wounds and damage such “malpractice” causes across the board for the thousands of Filipino civil servants. People are fighting over waist size and belly dancing or ragged old men in uniform but what about people who’ve spent years to acquire double degrees, certificates of competency, six months to two-year study programs and 20 to 30 years receiving below industry pay grade. Behind all those requirements also come kissing ass, suppressing personal opinion, imposed submission to local and national politicians who among many are corrupt, immoral and most painful of all, professionally illiterate and incompetent.
If that were not enough, our “civil servants” are regularly viewed, treated or maltreated like domestic servants by many Filipinos, yes by you and me, who in our moments of entitlement or frustration, pressure, provoke or openly insult government employees much the same way Filipinos lash out at maids, drivers, even office secretaries. Whether in line for passport, licenses, clearance, or online where we rant or rave about the service we got or our “image” of government employees, the fact is we have largely mistreated government people. We as a whole don’t even use the proper term “civil servant” that comes with respect if not admiration. Our emphasis and reference is on “servant” and many times never “civil.”
The presumption is that many political appointees are competent and qualified for the post or brings in best practices and expertise to the job. Historically that is a myth, a lie, and the exemption rather than the rule. Many important or critical political appointments are not merely about payback or sharing the spoils, many are about placing someone who represents industry vested interests such as power and natural resources. Others are “planted” for income generation whether for corrupt or political purposes such as the defunct DOTC that took away the powers of the LTO then used those powers to launch the RFID, new car plates, new car registrations etc. all of which earned millions of pesos that went to corrupt officials and businessmen while the LTO and its people were left with the empty bag to face the anger of the public. Nobody believed the whistleblowers about the MRT scams until we got stuck with 20 to 30 plus useless wagons.
Unfortunately, much of the “analysis” especially in broadcast media is focused on persons and politics but never real victim and real long-term consequence. Many TV shows now are games or attempts to win international awards by capitalizing on poverty or social injustice, but who ever talks about government employees except to degrade them? Many senior and middle managers in government have lost their mandate, authority and eventually their voice after being subjugated by political appointees. Many agencies have lost their authority to conduct projects and procurement as well as decision making powers after being subjected to centralization in aid of operational control and corruption by political appointees.
When Executives in government keep seeing the ceiling for promotion getting lower and lower, we will reach a point where government jobs will become more like internships and temporary placement until better opportunities open up here or abroad then a constant exodus will become a way of life. Subsequently, our Civil Service will be full of “second choice” goffers that are in for employment, a steady paycheck and the hope of retirement. Ultimately we will get what we deserve: Servants!
I have said before, if we cannot stop presidents and politicians from bringing political appointees, our senators and congressmen should at the very least craft a law requiring that political appointees have the same educational, professional and career accomplishments as the civil servants they ROBBED of Jobs.
* * * In connection with promoting the quality and stability of our Civil Service, allow me to “copy-paste” an announcement from the Development Academy of the Philippines for scholarship opportunities. For the record, I teach at the DAP and I strongly endorse and invite applicants to join us.
“The Public Management Development Program under the DAP would like to invite nominations from heads of agencies for the two classes that are set to open this year (2017): Senior Executives Class Batch 6 /June; and Middle Managers Class Batch 16/September. The SEC is designed for directors currently in place, OICs of permanent executive positions, not yet CESO, below 55 years old and with salary grade 25. The MMC is for division and section chiefs, 50 years old or below holding a permanent position with a salary grade 18 to 24.
Both programs are residential trainings held at the DAP Center in Tagaytay City conducted by seasoned faculty members from government, the private sector and the academe. MMC graduates who complete the residential training and re-entry project plan are awarded a diploma in development management and those who successfully complete and implement their re-entry plans are conferred a master in development management. Graduates for the senior executive program are awarded a diploma in development management when they complete the residential training and Capstone paper.
Running for five years now, the PMDP is a revival of the career executive service development program and has already produced 610 graduates from 135 government agencies. For more details call (02) 6335573/6310921 or www.dap.edu.ph/pmdp or PMDPParaSaBayan.
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