Jinggoy sought support of civil service eligibility upon councilors

MANILA, September 19, 2011-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada sought the support of his fellow lawmakers in the Upper Chamber to approve Senate Bill 2946 which confers civil service eligibility upon members of municipal and city councilors and provincial board members.

Estrada sponsored a bill which will grant civil service eligibility to all Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Panlalawigan in due recognition to their invaluable services in their respective areas of governance.

Estrada cited that the Local Government Code of 1991 actually grants appropriate civil service eligibility on the basis of the number of years of service to the Punong Barangay, Sangguniang Baranggay and other barangay officers, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission stated in his bill.

“It is but fitting that elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Panlungsod and Panlalawigan, who are carrying out broader and extensive duties and responsibilities be granted the same eligibility privilege,” Jinggoy, once a local chief executive of San Juan City, reasoned.

Committee Report 55 of the Committees on Civil Service and Government Reorganization and Local Government grant Career Service Sub-Professional Eligibility to council members who have served for an aggregate period of six (6) years, and Professional Eligibility to those who have served for an aggregate period of nine (9) years; provided that they meet the educational requirement of completion of at least 72 units of any baccalaureate program, and finishing a bachelor’s degree, respectively.

The Philippine Councilors League composed of more than 16,000 city and municipal councilors nationwide through its National President Councilor Ronald Carcellar (Poro, Cebu) had earlier expressed full support of this measure.

The bill covers all members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Panlalawigan who have been elected after the effectivity of the Local Government Code of 1991 once it is enacted into law. (Jason de Asis)