LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 6 (PNA) -- Only 11 percent of the nearly 120,000 examinees for the latest Professional and Sub-Professional Career Service Examination-Paper and Pencil Tests (CSE-PPT) given last October passed —a very poor passing rate blamed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on the low preparedness level for the examination of those who failed.
According to the CSC Bicol regional office here, only 13,152 or 11.02 percent of the 119,333 total examinees nationwide passed by scoring 80 percent and above.
This figure does not include the 56,985 total registered examinees from regions and testing centers in the country affected by typhoon "Lando" that hit most parts of Luzon and the 2015 Southeast Asian haze, which both came last October.
These areas include the Ilocos Region, National Capital Region (NCR) and Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) as well as testing centers in Olongapo City, Cabanatuan City and Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
The examinations in these areas were re-scheduled to Dec. 6, 2015, the CSC said.
The 11.02-percent passing rate for the national level is indeed very poor compared to past CSE-PPTs, and the CSC attributes it to the very low level of preparedness in taking the examination among most of the examinees, Daisy Bragais, the agency’s assistant regional director, on Wednesday said.
She said that in any case of taking an examination, examinees should prepare themselves got it by taking reviews and refreshing on the subjects covered by the test just like taking an entrance exam in college.
The test covers English and Filipino vocabulary; grammar and correct usage; paragraph organization; reading comprehension; analogy and logic; numerical reasoning; clerical reasoning, functions and procedures; and general information.
It is also important in passing that examinees are acquainted with questions about the Philippine Constitution, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, peace and human rights issues and environmental protection, Bragais said.
Anyway, she said, results of this latest CSE-PPT delivered a piece of good news to Bicol, given that the region ranked 5th among top performing regions in terms of passing rate.
“Collective figures show that Bicol or Region 5 is among the top performing regions in terms of passing rate by notching 12.34 percent, which is above the 11.02-percent national performance,” Bragais said.
The top four are Central Visayas (Region 7) with 14.28 percent passing rate; Central Luzon (Region 3), 14.02 percent; Southern Tagalog (Region 4), 13.71 percent; and Western Visayas (Region 6), 13.43 percent.
Bragais also identified the top Bicol passers in the professional category of the examination ranked from one to 10 as Ahmed B. Hemady of Camarines Sur; Justine Mae Esguerra of Masbate City; Camille Astrid Britanico of this city; Ariene I. Venida; Marie Rosielle Comejo and Haze Ann Mae Clave -- all of Camarines Sur; Angela Gabrielle Tuazon of this city; Jomari I. Tejereras of Camarines Norte and Jerome Eimman Columna of this city, who tied in the eight place; Merciline Joy Palaje, and Emmerson Ranara, also both of this city.
The sub-professional category, according to Bragais, was topped by Audilyn P. Madrid of Camarines Sur; followed by Ma. Louella Israel, Julio Flores Jr. and Karla Me Sirios -- all of the same province; Manelene Gernale of Sorsogon; Julius Nathniel Anciano, Camarines Sur; Rei Monnica Cid of this city; Xyvel J, Lanuzo, Aida Anthonette Jacob and John C. Ibaretta -- all of Camarines Sur.
Passers at sub-professional levels are qualified for first level positions in the government while professional level passers may join first and second level positions.
The first level includes clerical, trades, crafts and custodial positions that involve non-professional or sub-professional work requiring less than four years of college studies.
Whereas, the second level covers professional, technical and scientific positions up to division chief level that involves such work requiring at least four years of college studies.
Bragais, however, noted that possessing a professional or sub-professional eligibility is just one of the requirements to be able to join the government service.
“A civil service eligible, must also meet the education, experience and training requirements appropriate for permanent appointment to a government career service position,” she stressed.
“We regret the low passing rate as the CSC wants more government service eligible among the local workforce so that they qualify to permanent civil service position,” CSC regional director Cecilia Nieto said.
She announced that the 2016 Civil Service Examinations for CSE-PPT will be on April 17 and Oct. 23 and reminded that those who are qualified to apply are Filipino citizens at least 18 years old on the date of filing of application of exam, of good moral character and must not have been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime.
Likewise, they must not have been dishonorably discharged from military service or dismissed for cause from any civilian position in the government and must not have taken the same level of civil service exam in less than three months. (PNA) RMA/FGS/DOC/CBD/eds