The resolution granting civil service eligibility to Sanggunian Members has been amended.
This, after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) promulgated Resolution No. 2300882 on 15 September 2023, amending CSC Resolution No. 1300486 dated 06 March 2013. This new rule adopts and prescribes the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10156, also known as “An Act Conferring Upon Members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, and Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the Appropriate Civil Service Eligibility under Certain Circumstances, and for Other Purposes.”
“Their wealth of experience and expertise constitutes a valuable contribution to the 1.9 million-strong civil service workforce.”
Pursuant to R.A. 10156, Sanggunian Member Eligibility (SME) may be granted to the following Sanggunian Members, who have been elected after the effectivity of the Local Government Code of 1991:
● Vice Mayor, as presiding officer for the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod;
● Vice Governor, as presiding officer for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan; and
● Regular Sanggunian Members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
SME shall not be applicable to the following Sanggunian Members, who were not elected at large or by political district:
• President of provincial, city, or municipal chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay;
• President of the panlalawigan, panlungsod, and pambayang Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan; and
• Sectoral representatives to the Sanggunian Panlalawigan, Bayan, or Panlungsod.
CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles said the amendment aims to encompass a broader range of Sanggunian Members seeking to apply for career service positions.
“By amending the eligibility requirement for Sanggunian Members, we hope to recognize the years they have committed to serving the public as frontliners in local government units. Their wealth of experience and expertise constitutes a valuable contribution to the 1.9 million-strong civil service workforce,” he said.
The first level SME is open for those who have served as Sanggunian Member for an aggregate period of six (6) years and have completed at least seventy-two (72) units leading to a baccalaureate or bachelor’s degree, while the second level SME is for officials who have served as Sanggunian Member for an aggregate period of nine (9) years and have completed a baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree.
In both cases, the degree program must be recognized by Commission on Higher Education and obtained from a Private Higher Education Institution in the Philippines, or from a State/Local College with baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree included in its Charter, or baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree duly approved by its Board of Trustees/ Board of Regents. (CSC Resolution No. 1801099, 09 October 2018).
Under the new CSC resolution, the years of service which have already been included in the computation of the aggregate years for the grant of the Sanggunian Member First Level Eligibility may now be included in the computation for application of the Second Level Eligibility.
However, the computation of aggregate years of service does not include years of service in other positions held in the Sanggunian in which the functions do not belong to that of a Sanggunian Member, as well as the years of service of the Sanggunian Member in the Sanggunian during the term in which their supposed election was recalled by appropriate authority.
The Sanggunian Member First Level Eligibility is applicable for entrance and promotion to first level career service positions, while the Sanggunian Member Second Level Eligibility is applicable for entrance and promotion to first level and second level career service positions.
Furthermore, under the new resolution, all applications for SME previously denied may be refiled by any interested applicant following these amendments and upon compliance and resubmission of the requirements.
The prescriptive period of filing of application has been also removed, allowing qualified applicants to apply at any time as long as they meet all the requirements.
However, the grant of eligibility based on the amendments under said resolution shall take effect only for applications filed anew or upon the effectivity of the amended IRR.
Interested applicants may view the complete provision and information on SME at the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph.
CSC Resolution No. 2300882 was published in a newspaper of general circulation on 15 December 2023 and 10 February 2023. It took effect on 26 February 2024.
