Dear PAO,

I took up economics at a prestigious school here in Manila and graduated magna cum laude. I want to work for a government agency, but when I did my research, I found out that eligibility is required, especially since my course does not have a board examination. I want to know if I still need to take the civil service examination to obtain eligibility in order to work for the government.

Yna

Dear Yna,

First and foremost, it is stated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is the government agency in charge of determining who are eligible to work for the government. Further, the CSC is tasked to determine the eligibility of an applicant based on “merit and fitness test.”

Based on Civil Service Commission Resolution 1302214, dated Sept. 27, 2010, students who received Latin honors are qualified to have “Honor Graduate Eligibility”:

“A. To be granted a Civil Service Eligibility pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 907, as amended, an individual must meet ALL of the following qualification requirements:

“1. Must have graduated summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, in his/her Bachelor’s/ College degree, regardless of the number of years of completion;

2. Must have graduated from school year 1972-1973, and thereafter; and

“3. Must have graduated in:

a. Private Higher Education Institution in the Philippines with baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree recognized by the CHED; or

“b. State/Local College or University with baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree included in its charter, or baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree duly approved by its Board of Trustees/ Board of Regents.

“Corollary, the grant of eligibility pursuant to PD NO. 907, as amended, is discontinued for honor graduates of master’s and doctorate degrees, and graduates of bachelor’s degrees with honors/distinction, other than the Latin honors of cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude.”

Further, the CSC issued another resolution to broaden the scope of this exemption to include graduates through Open Distance Learning (ODL). Under CSC Resolution 2300615 dated July 28, 2023:

“Applicants for the grant of [Honor Graduate Eligibility] through ODL must meet all of the following qualification requirements:

“1. He/She graduated from school year 2015–2016, upon the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA No. 10650 on 29 February 2016, and thereafter;

“2. He/She graduated with a Latin honor of either summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, in their bachelor’s degree through ODL, regardless of the number of years of completion; and

“3. He/She graduated from an open university/college/institution recognized by the CHED as a degree-granting HEI. The said university/college/institution should have at least a Level III accreditation or CHED equivalent in the programs offered in the conventional classroom or traditional mode of learning, pursuant to Section 3 (g) of R.A. No. 10650.”

Based on the aforementioned law, graduates of bachelor’s degrees who obtained Latin honors (with cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude) are qualified to have civil service eligibility, allowing them work in the government. This exemption applies to students who obtained Latin honors not only in traditional school, but also to those who graduated through ODL. In other words, the qualified students do not have to take the civil service examination to obtain a civil service eligibility.

In your case, you graduated as magna cum laude. Therefore, you may be exempted from taking the civil service examination because your Latin honor is equivalent to a civil service eligibility; provided that you comply with the other rules and regulations of the CSC.

We hope that we were able to answer your queries. This advice was based solely on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts are changed or elaborated.

Thank you for your continued trust and support.

Editor’s note: Dear PAO is a daily column of the Public Attorney’s Office. Questions for Chief Acosta may be sent to [email protected]