Tugon ng Lingkod Bayani: Malasakit
September marks the 117th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary. This year, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is responding to the clamor on public service excellence with malasakit. With the theme “Tugon sa Hamon ng Pagbabago:
Malasakit ng Lingkod Bayani,” this year’s celebration highlights the achievements and contributions of our civil servants, who are also servant-heroes or lingkod bayani. They are the ones implementing human resource or HR reforms that directly translate to improvements and innovation in public service.
THROWBACK
More than a century ago, the Philippine Civil Service was born through the enactment of Public Act No. 5, “An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of Our Efficient and Honest Civil
Service in the Philippine Islands,” on Sept. 19, 1900 by the Second Philippine Commission. A Civil Service Board was created composed of a chairperson, a secretary, and a chief examiner. From a bureau in 1905, it became a commission in 1959 with the enactment of the Civil Service Law (Republic Act No. 2260), and was elevated into a constitutional body by the 1973 Constitution.
Fast forward to 2017: the CSC now stands as the premier human resource management and organization development (HR and OD) institution of the Philippine government. It has successfully initiated HR reforms within the organization and across the Philippine government, transitioning from transactional to strategic HR. Gone are the days when HR was isolated from agency strategy, dedicating its time and energy in traditional paperwork. HR is now a dynamic management tool that is engaged in the organization’s goal setting and goal fulfillment.
These HR reforms are done with public service excellence as the end in mind. However, all the highly technical work poured into HR reforms will never be translated into customer satisfaction if the public cannot feel and witness the change.
#MALASAKITPAMORE
Malasakit is the answer. This is the government’s response to the public’s clamor for better, faster, and easier transactions. Malasakit is the heartbeat of public service excellence. It is the currency through which service is rendered for customer satisfaction. It is the language through which citizens understand the kind of government they have.
That is why the CSC is championing malasakit as the translation of best HR and OD practices. The CSC is here to mold civil servants to become servant-heroes who exemplify compassion in public service — mga lingkod bayaning may malasakit sa kapwa at sa bayan.
RUNNING FOR FALLEN HEROES
Now on its seventh run, the CSC once again held the R.A.C.E. to Serve Fun Run on Sept. 3 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, with simultaneous fun runs in different regions across the country. This is a yearly event that gathers civil servants in support of the Pamanang Lingkod
Bayani or PLBi. PLBi is a program honoring public servants who died in the line of duty. CSC grants cash incentives of P100,000 each to the families left behind. Proceeds from the fun run are turned over to the PLBi fund. PLBi recipients include 44 members of Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who were killed during an armed encounter in January 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, as well as uniformed and civilian personnel who perished in rescue efforts during Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Since the implementation of the PLBi program in 2011 until August 2017, the CSC has given P13.4-million worth of financial assistance, as well as scholarship opportunities to the loved ones they left behind.
Around 19,000 runners signed up for the 3K, 5K, and 10K categories of the 2017 fun run.
The CSC National Capital Region (CSC-NCR), headed by Director IV Judith Dongallo-Chicano, organized this year’s fun run, with the support of its sponsors: Pag-IBIG Fund, Social Security System, Maynilad, and the Government Service Insurance System.
SPECIAL TREATS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
Civil servants will be given special treats from various establishments starting this month.
The SM Store, SM Appliance Store, Star City, Manila Ocean Park, Ramada Hotel Manila, Hotel H2O, J.CO, Payless Shoesource, Dermcare, Great Image, Posh Nails, Inkrite, and Ideal Vision are all offering discounted packages and freebies.
As a minimum requirement to avail of the freebies and discounts, all civil servants must present their valid government office ID or GSIS ID. For more details, visit www.csc.gov.ph/pcsa2017.
SINGING THE MELODY OF MALASAKIT
Another highlight of the PCSA celebration is the Government Choral Competition to be held on Sept. 20 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Pasay City.
The eight grand finalists vying for the prize are the Tagum City Chamber Chorale — the twotime defending champion Commission on Audit Central Office/National Capital Region Chorale, Government Service Insurance System Chorale, City Choir of San Fernando, Department of Education Catanduanes Division Chorale, Palayan City Employees Chorale, Bayugan City Educators Chorale, and DepEd Cabadbaran City Chorale. The competition piece Mamamayan
Mamamayani, originally performed by Gary Granada and arranged by Jay-el Viteño, was selected as it mirrors the theme of this year’s Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.
The grand champion will receive P200,000 as cash prize, while first, second and third runnersup will receive P150,000, P100,000, and P75,000, respectively.