A BILL filed at the House of Representatives seeks to prioritize certain barangay (village) officials applying for a plantilla position in government.
The bill, House Bill 8793 or the proposed Barangay Officials Employment Transition Act, was filed last March 25 by 1Tahanan Rep. Nathaniel Oducado.
“Although Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 24, s. 2012 grants Barangay Official Eligibility for entry-level roles, no structured mechanism exists to prioritize their hiring based on grassroots expertise, leaving a critical gap in harnessing their proven capabilities for broader public service,” Oducado said in the bill’s explanatory note.
He said the bill “promotes Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution on social justice and efficient governance.
It ensures continuity of public service, rewards proven leadership, and strengthens government capacity while upholding meritocracy.” The measure covers those who completed at least one full term, including punong barangay (village captain), kagawad (member of the Sangguniang Barangay or village council), chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council), village treasurer, and village secretary, “who were appointed and served continuously for one (1) full term.” Under the bill, they qualify if they have no pending administrative or criminal case involving moral turpitude.
“Such priority shall be exercised in accordance with the standards of the Civil Service Commission [or CSC], including the submission and evaluation of the Personal Data Sheet (CS Form No. 212), and other requirements on qualifications, eligibility, and competence,” it read.
The bill mandates the CSC, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management, to “develop and implement” within a year from its effectivity, “a skills matching program, including competency assessments and training modules, to facilitate the integration of qualified barangay officials into appropriate public service roles.”
