Policy Allowing Disabled Persons Civil Service Exams

The CSC is empowered to promulgate policies, standards, and guidelines governing recruitment and selection of officers and employees into the Career Service under Executive Order No. 292 (Book V, Section 12(1)).
The CSC is required to administer and enforce the constitutional and statutory provisions on the merit system for all levels and ranks in the civil service under Executive Order No. 292 (Book V, Section 12(1)).
The policy is grounded on Section 26, Article II of the Constitution, which guarantees equal access to opportunities for public service, including appointment to public office based on merit and fitness determined as far as practicable by competitive examinations.
The resolution cites Executive Order No. 292 (Book V, Chapter 5, Section 21): opportunities for government employment are open to all qualified citizens, and employees are selected based on fitness to perform duties and assume responsibilities, using competitive processes.

The CSC adopts a policy to allow disabled persons (crippled, deaf, mute, or blind and persons with partial disability) to take Civil Service Examinations.
The policy implements the constitutional mandate of equal access to opportunities for government employment while preserving the merit and fitness system through competitive examinations.
Disabled examinees who pass the Civil Service Examinations must be issued the prescribed certificates of eligibilities.

The policy covers disabled persons who are crippled, deaf, mute, or blind.
The policy also covers persons who suffer partial disability.
The policy applies to disabled persons whose deformities do not physically and mentally render them incapable of performing the duties of certain positions they may be appointed to.
The policy applies to disabled persons whose deformities do not impair the efficient performance of the duties of the positions concerned.

The decisive standard is whether the examinee’s deformities do not physically and mentally render the person incapable of performing the duties of the relevant position.
The decisiveness of the standard extends to whether the disability does not impair efficient performance of the relevant duties.

Disabled examinees who pass the Civil Service Examinations are issued the prescribed certificates of eligibilities.
The resolution treats the Civil Service Examination pass as the basis for receiving the corresponding civil service eligibility documentation.

The policy is harmonized with CSC Memorandum Circular No. 17 (s. 1989) on Physical and Mental Fitness for Continued Employment in the Public Service.
The referenced circular’s fitness concept is described as requiring a healthy government workforce capable of meeting service requirements efficiently.
The referenced circular must be interpreted so it does not disqualify or disenfranchise persons who are merely crippled, deaf, mute, or blind, and persons who suffer partial physical disabilities, where deformities do not render them incapable of performing their duties as public officers or employees.

The resolution was adopted on 30 July 1990.
It is signed by PATRICIA A. STO. TOMAS (Chairman), SAMILO N. BARLONGAY (Commission), and MARIO D. YANGO (Commissioner).