CSC Walks to End Violence Against Women

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) supported the 2014 Walk to End Violence Against Women on Novermber 25, 2014 at the Quezon City Memorial Circle with CSC GADvocates (Gender and Development Advocates) joining over 5,000 participants from various government agencies.

CSC GADvocates (Gender and Development Advocates) join the Walk to End VAW.

CSC GADvocates (Gender and Development Advocates) join the Walk to End VAW.

The activity is one of the highlights of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) and their Children which started in November 25 and shall culminate on December 12.  This year’s campaign revolve around the theme, “End Violence Against Women Now! It’s Our Duty” which highlights the crucial role of every ordinary Juan and Juana in ending VAW.  The entire campaign is led by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) in coordination with national government agencies and non-government organizations.

CSC’s Role in Ending VAW

The CSC’s transformation journey marks its shift from transactional to strategic human resource management. The institution has achieved milestones in its pursuit to upgrade HR systems and make them at par with global HR standards. However, the persistence of sexual harassment in the workplace hinders the full development of HR in the Philippines.

Gender issues such as sexual harassment have been a concern of the CSC. As a response, the CSC has issued a number of initiatives to battle gender-based discrimination and violence. In 1994, CSC issued Memorandum Circular No. 19 entitled Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy in the Workplace. SH related cases are chronicled in the recently published Compendium on Sexual Harassment Volume 3. In 2005, the CSC issued Memorandum Circular No. 12, s. 2005 advocating the use of non-sexist language in all official documents, communications, and issuances in government.

In the course of gender mainstreaming, the CSC has continued to strengthen its connection with government agencies who are equally concerned with the same, such as the Philippine Commission on Women, Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, among others.

As a member of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children, the CSC is tasked to find ways of creating environments that are safe from gender-based violence. It has actively participated in policy making, implementation, and advocacy initiatives with the Committee on Women and Gender Equality (CWGE), the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and other institutions on the enhancement of gender-related bills and policies, and in crafting the Women’s Empowerment, Development, and Gender Equality or Women’s EDGE Plan, which is a part of the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (PPGRD).

The CSC also established the CSC Referral System on Violence Against Women and their Children.  Implemented nationwide, it aims to strengthen GAD mechanisms and support system for employee victim-survivors of gender-based violence. This move ensures their recovery and reintegration. This program also serves to strengthen partnerships within different government entities keen to support anti-VAWC efforts, especially in the workplace.

The gender dimension has been integrated in the career service examinations through test questions and in Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) through gender-based indicators.n

PCSC hosts ASEAN Conference-Workshop on Examination Writing

Representatives of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) civil service bodies gathered for a five-day capacity-building event to learn and share lessons on effective examination and testing processes in the civil service.  The event was held from November 24 to 28 at Astoria Plaza, Pasig City.

–Philippine Civil Service Commission (PCSC) Chairperson Francisco T. Duque III (6th from left) welcomed representatives of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) civil service bodies who are in the country for a five-day capacity-building event to learn and share lessons on effective examination and testing processes in the civil service. With him are (from R to L) Hajah Maimunah Binti, Brunei Darussalam; Vicheakunthy Pich, Cambodia; Christina Nailiu, Indonesia; Thongvanh Thammavong, People’s Democratic Republic of Lao; Mohamad Nazmi Ismail, Malaysia; Soe Soe U, Myanmar; Phatcharinporn Sarnthoy, Thailand; Dao Manh Hoan, Vietnam; Katsuya Yamashita, Japan; and Kanghee Lee, South Korea.

The Philippine Civil Service Commission (PCSC), through the Examination, Recruitment, and Placement Office (ERPO) spearheaded the conduct of the Conference-Workshop on Examination and Testing to provide a venue for information exchange and assist ASEAN Member States establish or enhance their recruitment/selection and promotion system.

The event is in line with the action plan of the ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM), a sectoral committee under ASEAN, to strengthen the capacity of Member States and learn from each other’s best practices.

“We are honored to host this learning activity for our ASEAN counterparts. This will be instrumental in the alignment and improvement of examination and testing standards within the region. The PCSC is also grateful for this opportunity to share the Philippines’ expertise in administering competitive examinations,” said PCSC Chair Francisco T. Duque III.

The PCSC established in 1995 the ASEAN Resource Center on Examination and Testing and, as such, has taken the lead in providing trainings and promoting information exchange in the field of recruitment/selection, promotion, and examination processes within the ASEAN region.

PCSC Commissioner Robert S. Martinez said, “This training aims to strengthen Item A7 of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan 2, which is Building Civil Service Capability. We strongly believe that by empowering and enhancing the civil service systems of our nations, we help fight the human capital crisis in public service.  Not only that, we also help develop and nurture the next generation of public servants.”

ASEAN delegates include Hajah Maimunah Binti, Brunei Darussalam; Vicheakunthy Pich, Cambodia; Christina Nailiu, Indonesia; Thongvanh Thammavong, People’s Democratic Republic of Lao; Mohamad Nazmi Ismail, Malaysia; Soe Soe U, Myanmar; Phatcharinporn Sarnthoy, Thailand; Dao Manh Hoan, Vietnam; Katsuya  Yamashita, Japan; and Kanghee Lee, South Korea.  Ms. Desevina Uniaty from the ASEAN Secretariat also attended the conference.n