CSC exec bats for third-party rating system for gov’t workers

FILE: CSC officials and employees witness the welcome ceremony for newly-appointed CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada. (PIA Photo)

MANILA – Civil Service Commission (CSC) commissioner Aileen Lizada on Wednesday said she is planning to propose a third-party rating system to assess the performance of government officials and employees.

During a Laging Handa public briefing aired over state-run PTV4, Lizada cited the need for such policy.

“I asked the CSC Head of Policy if we have a policy that rates government employees who have been charged or found guilty of an administrative case and I learned that we do not have a policy that rates officials and employees’ performance rating especially those who have been indicted and charged. And so on our end, I think it is high time that we propose to the Commission to come up with a policy as well,” Lizada said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Lizada said the CSC has the Individual Performance Commitment and Review (IPCR) which is done by a government employee.

She added that there is also the Office Performance Commitment and Review (OPCR) that contributes to the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) indicating if an agency is able to hit its target.

Aside from dismissal from service, Lizada added that since there is no mechanism for those who have been repeatedly charged with or found guilty of a criminal or administrative case, a person continues to work in the government.

If there is a rating system, Lizada said what happens is that if an employee is close to his immediate boss, even if he or she is performing poorly, he or she may be given a satisfactory or even an outstanding rating.

Lizada said there should be a third party to rate the performance of an official or an employee to look into the charges filed against them.

“Siguro may corresponding demerit din iyon kasi hindi naman ho tayo puwedeng maging haven ng mga tiwaling empleyado o opisyal ng gobyerno because we are based on merit and fitness and we are assuming that everyone is on that level (Maybe there should be a corresponding demerit because we cannot be a haven for corrupt officials or employees because we are based on merit and fitness and we are assuming that everyone is on that level),” Lizada said.

Currently, employees are rated by their immediate supervisor but not the CSC, Lizada said.