sc CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MC No. 06s, 2017 MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR To : HEADS OF CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES; DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS AND AGENCIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT; LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS; GOVERNMENT-OWNED OR CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS WITH ORIGINAL CHARTERS; STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES; AND OTHERS CONCERNED SUBJECT : Incorporating the Pre-Employment Test, the Promotional Test and the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT) as Part of Recruitment, Placement and Promotion in the Civil Service As contained in CSC Resolution No. 1601231 promulgated on November 2, 2016, the Commission has resolved to incorporate the Pre-Employment Test, the Promotional Test and the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT) as part of recruitment, placement and promotion in the civil service. The details of the above tests are, as follows: 1. A Pre-employment Test is a 100-item general ability test which measures verbal, analytical and numerical abilities of applicants to various government positions. Primarily, it is intended for first and second level positions and separate tests are given for technical/professional and executive/managerial positions. It is a human resource (HR) assessment tool given to applicants to fill up vacancies in government. It serves as a mechanism to filter applicants for certain positions in an agency. 2. The CSC Promotional Test is a general ability test comprising of 100 test items on verbal, analytical and numerical tests to be used for second level positions, both technical and managerial. For supervisory positions and above, test items on thinking strategically and creatively, managing performance and coaching for results, leading change, building collaborative and inclusive working relationships, and other leadership competency areas are the components of the test. It is another HR assessment tool that gauges the readiness and competencies (to include competency gaps) of applicants for promotion; and 3. The CSC Ethics-Oriented Personality Test or EOPT is an assessment instrument with a total of 210 items (in English and Filipino) which determines behavioral tendencies and personality profile of civil servants. Tailor-fitted for the bureaucracy, it uses the Five-Factor Model, which organizes personality Ina Raceto Serve: Responsive, Accessible, Courteous and Effective Public Service ICSC Building, 1HP Road, Constitution Hills, 1126 Quezon City + 8 931-7935/931-7939°931-£092 +H esepil@webmaiLesc gov ph gg www.cse gov phtraits into five (5) broad traits or domains and the different facets or sides for every domain. These include: (1) Conscientiousness (helpfulness, responsibility, self-discipline, orderliness); (2) Agreeableness (honesty, humility, understanding); (3) Emotional Stability (calmness, emotional maturity, capacity to withstand stress); (4) Extraversion (alertness, cheerfulness, gregariousness, novelty-seeking); and (5) Openness to Experience (openness to fantasy or creativity, openness to aesthetics, openness to ideas, openness to values). The above tests shall not replace the Civil Service examinations administered for obtaining civil service eligibility (Professional and SubProfessional). The abovementioned tests are additional forms of HR assessment tools intended to strengthen the overall recruitment, placement and promotion in all government agencies. Hence, government agencies are encouraged to integrate the conduct of all or any of the abovementioned tests in their respective Merit Promotion Plan (MPP) or internal rules. The CSC shall set a regular date for the conduct of the three (3) tests twice a year to be administered in CSC Testing Centers nationwide. For 2017, the abovementioned tests shall be conducted on May 21 and October 15. The application fee is PhP700.00 for the Pre-Employment and Promotional Tests and PhP900.00 for the EOPT. The tests shall be made available to government agencies that are in need of these services. Government agencies shall make a written request to the CSC, through its CSC Regional Office having jurisdiction over the agency, to administer any or all of the tests for its applicants. On the other hand, requests from individual test takers to take any of the tests shall be made through the agency where they applied. A Certification shall be issued by the CSC which shall be valid and effective for five (5) years from the date of issuance of certification/release of results. Correspondingly, the same Certification may be used by the holder for subsequent applications (e.g. application for another or the same position in another or the same agency) provided that the agency requires the passing of any of the tests or the Certification is still valid and appropriate to the level of position the individual intends to apply. Moreover, the Certification shall be applicable/appropriate only for the level of positions for which the examination is intended (e.g. The Pre-employment Test for the first level shall be applicable for entrance to first level positions only. The promotional Test for Executive/Managerial positions shall be applicable for promotion to the same level of positions only) For the guidance of all concerned. AMENEE Sa CIA dela ROSA-BALA Chairperson 0.3 MAR 2017 “Published in the Philippine Star on January 13, 2017, ‘and effective on January 28, 2017CSC Building, TAP Rood, Constiution Hills, 1126 Quezam CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION INCORPORATING THE Number : 1601231 PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST, THE PROMOTIONAL TEST AND THE ETHICS-ORIENTED PERSONALITY TEST AS PART OF RECRUITMENT, PLACEMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE = x Promulgated RESOLUTION WHEREAS. Article IX-B, Section 2 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that appointment in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined, as far as practicable, and, except to positions which are policy-determining, primarily confidential or highly technical, by competitive examination WHEREAS, Section 7, Chapter 2, Book V of Executive Order No. 292 otherwise known as The Revised Administrative Code of 1987. states that entrance to the career service shall be based on merit and fitness to be determined as far as practicable by competitive examination: WHEREAS, Section 12 (2), Chapter 3, Subtitle A, Title |, Book V of the same Revised Administrative Code of 1987 provides tha: the Commission shall prescribe amend and enforce rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of the Civil Service Law and other pertinent laws; WHEREAS, the CSC regularly conducts the Career Service Examination-Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) for Professional and SubProfessional levels and other Specialized Examinations such as Fire Officer Examination, Penology Officer Examination and CSE for Foreign Service Officer and administers the CSC Computerized Examination (CSC COMEX) as a new mode in taking the test WHEREAS, recruitment is undoubtedly critical in the whole human resource management (HRM) cycle since many bureaucratic ills emanate from the way people are recruited into government service. Inefficiency in government, lack of productivity, integrity and accountability in government trace their beginnings on poor recruitment. In effect, one of the potent answers to inefficiency, lack of productivity want or lack of integrity and lack of accountability s to suiengthgn recruitment in the civil service Ina: to Serve: Kesponsive, “ccessible,‘ourteous ond :ffective Public Service Boni-rms 7939) 54-8092 + © esepil webmnl.ese sor phew MW.ASE EONWHEREAS. in selecting the most fit to enter the government, the CSC places premium on meeting the Qualification Standards on education, experience, training eligibility and competency for government applicants and prescribes a wider menu of human resource (HR) recruitment, placement and promotion policies, standards and tools such as the conduct of pre-employment test, behavioral events interview. and background investigation, among others. WHEREAS. as part of internal recruitmen’, government agencies are not precluded from employing a score of other related HR standards, mechanisms and tools to include psychological test, personality test and specialized test WHEREAS, the CSC has constantly been receiving requests from government agencies to develop their pre-employment and promotional tests for their applicants and conduct the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT) as part of organizational reform and rationalization of organizetional structure: WHEREAS, government agencies recognize the value of the pre- employment, the promotional tests and the EOPT that the Commission administers as an important HR reinforcement that underpins merit-based recruitment and promotion. The CSC is also viewed by government agencies as an independent institution with a reputation for fairness and objectivity in the administration of civil service examinations: WHEREAS, the CSC for several years now has been using the EOPT as part of the selection process and conducting the pre-employment and promotional test in recruiting its personnel. WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9416 (An Act Declaring Unlawful Any Form of Cheating in Civil Service Examinations, Unauthorized Used or Possession of CSC Examinations Related Materials and Granting the Civil Service Commission Exclusive Jurisdiction Over these Cases Including Those Committed by Private Individuals) serves as a protection to the CSC for any incident of examination-related imegularities committed by government officials and employees as well as private individuals and institutions in the conduct of its Pre-Employment Test, Promotional Test and EOPT and other examinations which sha! be developed and administered in the future: . WHEREFORE, the Commission hereby RESOLVES to incorporate the Pre- Employment Test, the Promotional Test and the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT) as part of recruitment, placement and promotion in the civil service Further, the Commission RESOLVES to adopt the attached General Policies in the Implementation of the Pre-Employment Test, the Promotional Test and the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test as Part of Recrui:ment, Placement and Promotion in the Civil Service Finally, the Commission authorizes the ERPO to conduct a periodic review of the cost of the abovementioned examinations every year, commencing from the date of promulgation of this ResolutionAll CSC issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Resolution are deemed repealed . This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication ina newspaper of general circulation Quezon City Aetes ALI dela ROSA-BALA Chairperson ROBERT S. MARTINEZ VACANT Commissi8ner Commissioner Attested by: DOLOREY 8. BONFEACIC Dkector Iv Commission Secretariat and Liaison OfficeETHICS-ORIENTED PERSONALITY TEST AS PART OF RECRUITMENT, Pe GENERAL POLICIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST, THE PROMOTIONAL TEST AND THE PLACEMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE The following general policies shall be adopted in the implementation of the Pre-Employment Test, Promotional Test and the Ethics-Oriented Personality Test as part of recruitment, placement and promotion in the civil service: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) through the Examination. Recruitment and Placement Office (ERPO) shall develop the Pre-Employment and Promotional Test and Ethics-oriented Personality Test for the civil service: 2. The following tests shall be administered by the CSC. 24 CSC PRE-EMPLOYMENT or QUALIFYING TEST js a general ability test which measures verbal, analytical and numerical abilities of applicants to various government positions. It is intended primarily for first level Positions such as administrative positions and second level positions such as technical and professional positions. |i is divided into two (2) ‘subparts. 211 CSC Pre-Employment Test for the First Level - it is an objective test composed of 100 test items of verbal and numerical tests to measure the verbal (vocabulary, error recognition, sentence structure, among others) and numerical (number series. number analogy, problem solving, among cthers) abilities of an applicant 212 CSC Pre-Employment Test for the Second Level A. Technical/Professional Positions - it is composed .of 100 test items of verbal (vocabulary, error recognition, sentence structure. paragraph organization, among others), analytical (reading comprehension, making assumptions and conclusions. thesis, among others) and numerical (number series, number analogy, problem solving, among others) tests to measure the verbal, analytical and numerica| abilities of an applicant B. Executive/Managerial' Positions - it is composed of 100 test items of verbal, analytical, qumerical and managerial and leadership test mainly on the knowledge, understanding and application of management and leadership principles and practices 2.2 CSC PROMOTIONAL TEST 's a general ability test comprising of 100 test items on verbal, analytical and numerical tests to be used for second level positions, both technical and managerial. It is divided into two (2) subparts221 B22 Technical/Professional Positions — it is composed of 100 test items of verbal (vocabulary. error recognition. sentence structure. Paragraph organization, amorg others), analytical (reading comprehension, making assumptions and conclusions. thesis. among others) and numerical (number series, number analogy problem solving, among others) tests to measure the verbal analytical and numerical abilities of an applicant Executive/Managerial Positions -- the 100-item test measures skills for middle managers, executive and managerial applicants on HR planning, organizing, coordinating, decision-making monitoring and evaluating. Apart from the test that measures the verbal, analytical and numerical abilities of an applicant, highlighted are test items or thinking strategically, change management, managing perfcrmance, building commitment problem solving, coaching for results, leading change, among other leadership competency areas. 23 CSC ETHICS-ORIENTED PERSONALITY TEST (EOPT) is an assessment instrument with a total of 2°0 items (in English and Filipino) which determines behavioral tendencies and personality profile of civil servants, The tool shall be used to those who passed the Qualifying Test of the Promotional Test. Tailor-fitted for “he bureaucracy, it uses the Five- Factor Model, which organizes personality traits into five (5) broad traits or domains and the different facets or sides for every domain. These include 234 23.2 2303 234 2.35 Emotional stability (calmness, emotional maturity. capacity to withstand stress) Extraversion (alertness, cheerfulness. gregariousness. novelty- seeking) Openness to experience (openness to fantasy or creativity openness to aesthetics, openness to ideas, openness to values) Agreeableness (honesty, humilily, understanding) Conscientiousness (helpfulness, responsibility, self-discipline orderliness) 3. The abovementioned tests shall not replace the Civil Service examinations administered for purposes of obtaining civil service eligibility (Professional and ‘Subprofessional). The abovementioned tests are human resource (HR) tools or mechanisms intended to strengthen the overall recruitment, placement and promotion in all government agencies. As par’ of the intemal rules of agencies on recruitment and placement, the abovementioned tests serve to initially filter applicants for employment and promotion, as th case may be 4. The abovementioned tests shall be made available to government agencies that are in need of these services 5. Government agencies shall request the CSC through the ERPO and the CSC Regional Offices (CSCROs) to administer any or all of the abovementioned tests. va Pfe O© for its applicants. On the other hand. requests fom individual test takers to take any or all of the abovementioned tests shall be made through the agency where they applied The CSC shall charge P700 to administer the Fre-Employment and Promotional Tests and P900 to administer the EOPT. The CSC shall set a regula’ dale for the conduct of the three (3) tests twice a year to be administered in CSC Testing Centers nationwide. The CSC shall issue a Certification for passing the Pre-Employment and/or the Promotional Test to a requesting test taker through the concerned CSC Regional Office or the CSC Integrated Records Management Office (IRMO). and The validity or effectivity of the Certification to be issued by the CSC to test takers for passing the Pre-Employment and Promotional Tests is five (5) years from the date of issuance of the Certification