The Radio Mindanao Network and the Civil Service Commission hold a day-long orientation and seminar Friday, July 3, 2009 on civil service law in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Jung Francisco)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 4, 2009) – The Radio Mindanao Network and the Civil Service Commission held a one-day orientation and seminar in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines.
Joel Sanson, Radio Mindanao Network manager, said the seminar held on Friday was aimed at orienting journalists on the civil service law and role of the media in responsible reportage involving government workers.
Macybel Sahi, Civil Service Commission regional director, led a team of senior officers in orienting dozens of journalists who were invited in the seminar. The orientation and seminar was spearheaded the Radio Mindanao Network.
City Councilman Gerky Valesco was also among the speakers.
During the seminar, journalists themselves admitted receiving many complaints from the public about discourteous and arrogant civil workers, many from the Zamboanga City Hall.
To further help the government’s public service program, the Civil Service Commission and the Radio Mindanao Network and other media groups said they would organize the so-called “Bantay Opisina,” which would monitor and receive complaints of abuses by civil servants.
President Gloria Arroyo has earlier issued Administrative Order No. 241-A to expedite implementation of the Republic Act No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.
Arroyo’s directive also required government agencies to establish in their respective offices a public assistance and complaints desk and provide the public hotline number which should be purposely set up to effectively receive feedback and monitor customer satisfaction.
Red tape in government has long been a bane to development, but the new law provides for the adoption of specific courses of action for all government agencies.
The CSC Anti-Red Tape Act promotes transparency of government frontline services and encourages public vigilance. It also helps weed out fixers.
Under the R.A. 9485, agencies are also required to draw a Citizen's Charter. It should contain a step-by-step procedure of the agency's top 20 services, including the name of employee responsible for each step, the maximum time to conclude the process, documents to be presented by the client, amount of fees, procedure for filing complaints in relation to requests and applications, feedback mechanisms, among other information.
Congress passed R.A. 9485 last year; the CSC drew up the law's implementing rules and regulations which took effect September 2008. (Jung Francisco, Jonathan Deles and Amir Mawallil)(Mindanao Examiner Photo / Jung Francisco)
Joel Sanson, Radio Mindanao Network manager, said the seminar held on Friday was aimed at orienting journalists on the civil service law and role of the media in responsible reportage involving government workers.
Macybel Sahi, Civil Service Commission regional director, led a team of senior officers in orienting dozens of journalists who were invited in the seminar. The orientation and seminar was spearheaded the Radio Mindanao Network.
City Councilman Gerky Valesco was also among the speakers.
During the seminar, journalists themselves admitted receiving many complaints from the public about discourteous and arrogant civil workers, many from the Zamboanga City Hall.
To further help the government’s public service program, the Civil Service Commission and the Radio Mindanao Network and other media groups said they would organize the so-called “Bantay Opisina,” which would monitor and receive complaints of abuses by civil servants.
President Gloria Arroyo has earlier issued Administrative Order No. 241-A to expedite implementation of the Republic Act No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.
Arroyo’s directive also required government agencies to establish in their respective offices a public assistance and complaints desk and provide the public hotline number which should be purposely set up to effectively receive feedback and monitor customer satisfaction.
Red tape in government has long been a bane to development, but the new law provides for the adoption of specific courses of action for all government agencies.
The CSC Anti-Red Tape Act promotes transparency of government frontline services and encourages public vigilance. It also helps weed out fixers.
Under the R.A. 9485, agencies are also required to draw a Citizen's Charter. It should contain a step-by-step procedure of the agency's top 20 services, including the name of employee responsible for each step, the maximum time to conclude the process, documents to be presented by the client, amount of fees, procedure for filing complaints in relation to requests and applications, feedback mechanisms, among other information.
Congress passed R.A. 9485 last year; the CSC drew up the law's implementing rules and regulations which took effect September 2008. (Jung Francisco, Jonathan Deles and Amir Mawallil)(Mindanao Examiner Photo / Jung Francisco)
