Why not reward merit?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Career officials all over the country were dismayed when outgoing Civil Service Commissioner Karina Constantino David gave a very serious indictment against the happenings in that agency, that had reflected very badly on the image of what is supposed to be the clearing house for those who want to go into government service.

Among the most lamentable revelations made by David, which she supported with statistics and other data, was the fact that less than 50 percent of the officials appointed by Malacañang into what are supposed to be civil service positions, were “unqualified”.

Aside from that, she also revealed, many or most of those appointed got their positions, not because of merit, but because of connections or as some payback for favors or support. The most appalling of all her disclosures was that many of those named to the highest paying jobs, or sinecures were without the proper educational background or experience for them.

There were some feeble explanations from the usual Palace apologists but none of those who have been in the service, had gotten their posts through merit and by qualifying through the standard examinations, were convinced. But our people have become so used to so many strange aspects of governance now that nobody did anything about it.

The recent appointment of a Malacañang undersecretary as head of the Commission was, therefore, like rubbing salt on the wounds of the true eligibles. While it cannot be denied that Undersecretary Ricardo Saludo is bright, has headed some important entities, and so forth, none of them were civil service ones, and he is not also known to ever have passed a civil service examination. While it is also true that, being a cum laude graduate, gives him automatic second level eligibility, this has never been applied, and it is, at most, just a perk of his college honors. He may also be a writer, an editor even, but those are not the preparations needed to head such an office as the CSC.

Why couldn’t the President have picked a career official for the position? Such a one would not have to study the workings of the commission and its people and would not have to go through a “breaking in”. Also, it would have proved to all in the CSC and those covered by it, that this administration picks its highest executives through merit, and will doubtless, be inspired by it.*