Only 69 of Bikol's 192 Government Chiefs Have CESO

LEGAZPI CITY (21 July) - Of the 192 directors of agencies and division chiefs in various government agencies in Bikjol, only 69 con-current executives are Career Executives Service Officers  (CESO), this was revealed by records  of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) regional office in Rawis, Legaspi City.

CSC-personnel specialist Yoyie Almazar had disclosed that current number of CESO and non-CESO government executives were based on statistics submitted in 2009; currently another survey is being conducted by the CSC among regional government offices  and elected officials in the LGU concerning current number of CESO-eligible personnel for 2010.

Almazar said that after President Benigno "Noynoy Aquino" III  issued Memorandum Circular I requiring all non-career executives to vacate their post, and later a withholding order for all regional official until July 31 this year, various applications have reached  the CSC office here on third-level positions to be vacated by non-CESO officials after  July 31.

Reportedly, CSC Bicol Director Cecilia R. Nieto is anticipating they will be flooded with more inquiries after July 31 because of the massive vacancies by non-CESO officials.

CSC here also revealed that since 2008 tests and evaluation for CESO eligibility has been tasked to the Career Executive Service Board or "CES-Board," which was previously handled by the Civil Service.

Meanwhile, some regional directors based at the Rawis regional center revealed that a position paper had been sent to Malacañang appealing for a moratorium of a period of six months to one year for non-CESO executives in government to acquire CESO eligibility.

The petition also appealed to consider good performance and sterling track record in the extension of regional heads of agencies nationwide. (SONNY SALES)