DBM to abolish vacant gov’t permanent positions if not filled within 5 years

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 25) — The budget department is set to issue a circular requiring government agencies to abolish vacant permanent positions if these are not filled in the next five years, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) said on Monday.

According to Camarines Sur 4th District Rep. Arnie Fuentebella, the CSC is coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to address the 170,800 vacancies in agencies’ permanent positions.

“The DBM has promised us they are going to draft a circular that all agencies to fill their vacant items after a certain period of those which are still vacant could be recommended for abolition in five years,” said Fuentebella, who sponsored the commission’s budget proposal.

During the plenary discussions tackling CSC’s funds for 2024, OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa Magsino said 170,800 permanent positions are left unfilled as of 2023. She added that there are 642,000 workers in non-permanent positions – 493,000 of which are job orders and 148,100 are contractual.

Magsino asked the commission on what is being done to close the gap between the vacancies and the large number of non-permanent government workers.

“As much as the CSC would want to help agencies to fill up the positions, it is not within the mandate. The CSC has no jurisdiction over job orders and contracts of service but we are coordinating with the DBM,” Fuentebella said.

“Kung hindi po sila nakakapasa sa examination wala po tayo magagawa (If they don't pass the examination, we can't do anything),” he added.

Fuentebella said the commission will be releasing a resolution which will add 10 points to the overall score of a CSC examinee if they have been under a job order government position for more than 10 years.

“This will happen by the end of this year, maglalabas po ang ating komisyon ng resolusyon (our commission will issue a resolution) regarding this matter,” he said.

Last month, CSC reported more than 204,000 vacant plantilla positions as of end-June. Agencies topping the list are the Department of Education with 35,000 positions; the Supreme Court including all courts, 10,000; and the Philippine National Police, 7,700.