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| (Photo courtesy of CSC) |
By Alice Sicat
MANILA (PIA) — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Monday launched the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA), calling on the country’s more than 2 million government workers to prioritize the needs of Filipino citizens above all else, in line with the Marcos Jr. administration’s push for more efficient, citizen-centered governance.
Assistant Commissioner Judith A. Dongallo-Chicano, chairperson of the PCSA celebration committee, said the anniversary belongs to the entire Philippine civil service, not the commission alone, and honors the commitment of 2,098,943 career and non-career government personnel nationwide, citing the 2025 inventory of government human resources.
“Ang PCSA ay hindi anibersaryo ng Civil Service Commission. Ito ay anibersaryo ng lahat,” Dongallo-Chicano said, describing it as the founding anniversary of the Philippine civil service itself.
Dongallo-Chicano said this year’s celebration carries the reinforced theme “Bawat Kawani, Lingkod Bayani: Puso, Dangal, at Galing Para sa Bayan,” emphasizing that public servants must place the individual citizen first and above all in every transaction.
“Ang indibidwal, ang citizen, comes first and above all,” she said, adding that public service should be treated as a sacred duty rendered “walang pag-iimbot, walang pamimili at walang pagkiling.”
She said the celebration’s messaging directly supports the government’s collective goal of a “matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay para sa lahat,” a guiding aspiration of the Marcos Jr. administration, noting that public servants are called to measure their work not only by tasks completed but by the trust built and positive change created for ordinary Filipinos.
She added that the three pillars guiding this year’s celebration – Puso sa Serbisyo, Dangal sa Tungkulin, at Galing sa Paglilingkod – call on government workers to serve with compassion, uphold integrity and ethical standards, and pursue excellence and innovation in crafting policies and programs based on the actual needs of the people they serve.
CSC Commissioner Atty. J. Luis M. Montejo, in a video message, said the anniversary traces back 126 years to the passage of Public Service Law No. 5 by the Philippine Commission on September 1, 1900, which established a merit-based system of government employment.
He said the civil service has remained “a steadfast pillar of nation-building” through generations of public servants across changing times and challenges.
The CSC outlined a lineup of nationwide activities for the month-long celebration, including:
- Lingkod Bayani Run on September 13 at the Quirino Grandstand in Pasay City, in partnership with participating agencies and private establishments;
- Lingkod Bayani Rewards Program offering discounts and privileges to government employees throughout September and a tree-planting initiative in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government;
- A nationwide essay-writing and oratorical competition for students; and
- The Himig Lingkod Bayani choral competition on September 17 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.
Trabaho at Serbisyo Hatid sa Bayan initiative from September 7 to 11, which brings employment opportunities and frontline government services directly to citizens through designated venues nationwide, an initiative officials said reflects the administration’s broader drive to make government services more accessible and responsive.
Other planned activities include:
- A tree-planting initiative in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and
- A nationwide essay-writing and oratorical competition for students and the Himig Lingkod Bayani choral competition on September 17 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.
The celebration will culminate with the Gawad Lingkod Bayani awards, during which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will formally confer national honors on outstanding public servants whose dedication, integrity, innovation and excellence have transformed lives across the country, followed by the Pasasalamat program on September 30 at CSC central and regional offices.
CSC officials said the celebration reflects the broader push for accessible, efficient and citizen-centered governance under the Marcos Jr. administration, reinforcing efforts to strengthen public trust in government institutions nationwide.
Government employees who participate in CSC-organized activities held during non-working days may be granted one day of compensatory overtime credit, the commission said. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
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