by Alex Roldan
The greatest challenge facing P-Noy’s administration in his effort to organize an effective government is to appoint the “right” people to top positions in the national government – in departments and other agencies, including GOCCs. There are over 4,300 positions co-terminous with the previous president that his administration has to fill up, and finding the right people to fill these positions is not easy.
Adding to the difficulty are the third level positions (CES positions) in all government agencies that are occupied by non-career executive service officers, whom he wants relieved as soon as possible. Now, here’s the catch. The memorandum order gives priority to career executive officials to be at the helm, but in reality, there are only more than four thousand CESO and CES eligibility holders in the country for the estimated more than seven thousand 3rd level positions. How can those be filled? Notwithstanding the fact that only less than half of those in the master list of the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) are currently occupying third level positions in the government. CESB has been fighting against government agencies and departments which refuse to classify some positions as third level simply because there are only very few qualified within their ranks or are worried that “outsiders” may gain entry to their turf!
CES positions refer to those career positions performing managerial/executive functions above division chief level. These include undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, regional and bureau directors, assistant regional and bureau directors, service chiefs, provincial directors and assistant provincial directors and other positions of equivalent rank as may be classified by the CESB.
The process of getting CES eligibility requires at least three years of a series of exams and interviews that the applicant should hurdle one at a time. This is the reason why the order provided some leeway – “unless a qualified person is appointed to take over the position,” meaning the first qualification is that the replacement should be CES eligible or holds the rank of a CESO. And time is running out for the first order of the president to be fully implemented. He set his deadline on October 31, 2010, which is impossible to achieve.
I know that there are many who are peevish about P-Noy’s thrust, but he has no choice. Even with the argument that being a CESO does not necessarily mean that the person is suitable for the job he applied for or is currently holding. But does the government have any other option? Similarly, by insisting to prioritize an applicant because of his imminent qualifications does not also guarantee that he is the right person for the job either.
All HRD specialist I am sure would agree that it is extremely difficult to find the right person for all jobs during the hiring process. They must rely on their testing instruments such as paper and pencil tests, interviews, background check to establish that the applicant has made it to the minimum standard that the company needs, and just crosses their fingers that they made the right decision to hire the person. This is basically what CESB is doing. They screen and test people who seek higher positions in government by making they pass through a series of paper, practical, leadership and personality tests before they are given eligibility status.
The government established CESB as part of the effort to professionalize the government bureaucracy. I can attest that they are run by well meaning people who believe that they can make a difference in governance by helping find the right people to be in public service. Their tests are exemplary, I tell you. They will test you to the limits of what your brain can spew out and will not hesitate to check how well you are doing in your current job as part of the requirements. They test your personal abilities, emotional level, intellectual capacity and most importantly the capability to lead and handle an organization which is under pressure from the public. They are in reality testing your core competencies as a government executive.
I laugh whenever I hear that there are some who question the decision of P-Noy not to recognize lawyers in the government service who are automatically awarded with CESO rank. The contention of the aggrieved by this decision is that the Bar exam is one of the most difficult exams and therefore, those who pass must possess the ability required for a CESO rank. What a joke! It is not all about pencil and paper examination; it is about the ability to lead and manage the affairs of the organization under him/her.
I am not questioning the capability of lawyers or even those who have attained high academic or social honors to handle organizations, but there should be some unambiguous standards set in considering people to handle managerial positions in government. It is already public knowledge that in past administrations, the most important qualification for anyone to have in order to land ae top position is “political connection” and never mind what else. And if job mismatch happens, they are simply transferred to other agencies or departments where their inefficiency again wreaks havoc.
Governance is a serious business and therefore should be accorded with great respect, thus we must be more serious in taking in people than just their willingness to serve.
P-Noy’s administration should continue its present thrust and at the same time encourage those outside government to join the service. There are many who are willing and, I am sure, more qualified, but unless the government could show that it is serious in getting the right people, which the CESB process is rightly doing, integrity in government service will always be questioned.
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