Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 1698)
Act No. 1698 applies to appointments to all positions in the Philippine civil service, whether Insular, provincial, or in the city of Manila, excluding certain semi-skilled and unskilled laborers and those compensated seven hundred and twenty pesos or less per annum, and others specifically exempted by the Act.
Exemptions include elected officers, employees selected by the Philippine Assembly, persons appointed by the Governor-General with consent, private secretaries to officials, certain military and naval personnel, detectives, secret agents, temporary and emergency employees, among others listed in Section 1.
The Director is responsible for keeping records of officers and employees, keeping attendance and absence records, rendering annual reports, supervising examinations, making investigations, and preparing civil service rules subject to approval by the Governor-General.
It mandates the preparation and conduct of open competitive examinations in Manila, provinces, and the U.S., allows for noncompetitive examinations under conditions, provides for skilled workmen examinations, language requirements, physical exams, credit for experience, and probation periods.
Any person willfully and corruptly obstructing or deceiving in examinations, making false representations or ratings, or providing unfair advantage shall be fined up to two thousand pesos, or imprisoned for up to one year, or both.
No officer or employee shall be obligated to contribute to political funds or render political service, nor shall solicit or receive money for political purposes under threat of removal and fines up to one thousand pesos or imprisonment up to six months.
No inquiries or considerations shall be made regarding political or religious opinions or affiliations, except disloyalty to the United States which disqualifies an applicant, and persons previously or currently in arms against U.S. authority are also disqualified unless covered by an amnesty proclamation.
Applicants must swear or affirm to recognize and accept U.S. supreme authority in the Islands, maintain true faith and allegiance, obey laws and orders, without reservation or evasion, and this oath must be filed with their examination application.
Positions are classified into classes (Class 1 to Class K) based on annual salary ranges, with Class 1 being six thousand pesos or more per annum, down to Class K being less than four hundred and eighty pesos per annum.
Chiefs of Bureaus or Offices make appointments and removals subject to approval by the Governor-General or proper head of Department, except semi-skilled or unskilled laborers may be employed or discharged under general control without such approval.
The Governor-General fixes office hours to be not less than six and one-half hours daily, excluding lunch and holidays. Employees may be required to work on Sundays or holidays without additional compensation unless otherwise provided by law. No overtime pay is allowed unless authorized by law.
Employees with continuous faithful service earn accrued leave with full pay based on salary brackets, and may be granted vacation leave. Leaves accumulate up to five years, with provisions for travel leave to the U.S. or other countries, exclusions apply to certain classes of employees, and medical absences are charged to leaves or are unpaid if leaves are exhausted.
The salary equivalent of unused accrued leave at the time of death shall be determined and paid to the person(s) entitled to the deceased's estate.
Such appointees may pay their travel to the Philippines but if costs are borne by the government, a percentage of salary is withheld until reimbursed. They receive half salary from embarkation and full upon arrival, must contract to serve at least two years, and are entitled to half salary for thirty days upon retirement after three years' service.
No, judges of the Supreme Court, Courts of First Instance, or Court of Land Registration are excluded, with their leaves and travel expenses governed by existing or future laws.