Lawmakers want CSC to review 203,000 unfilled government positions

MANILA, Philippines — Some members of the House committee on appropriations yesterday asked the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to review the list of its unfilled positions now reaching 203,000, saying many of these may already be obsolete and irrelevant and need to be abolished.

The lawmakers made the proposal yesterday when CSC officials, led by Chairman Karlo Nograles, faced the panel to defend its budget allocation for 2025, amounting to P2.17 billion.

Upon questioning by Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Palma, Nograles said there are some 1.846 million career civil servants while there are 193,022 non career or those who are “coterminous, casual, contractual and elective.” 

However, Nograles noted there were 203,000 positions that remain vacant, including those unfilled for five years.

He added there are “various reasons” for the vacancies as different agencies have their own human resource offices handling the recruitment of personnel.

But Palma noted that if there are no qualified personnel applying for vacant posts, this may indicate that the post are “obsolete” or “no longer relevant.” 

At this point, Nograles informed the panel that they are set to defend with the National Economic and Development Authority a project of CSC with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) concerning these unfilled positions.

“It will be funded by the World Bank and under this funding we will have a platform, a digital platform wherein the CSC and DBM will immediately see the vacancies in the different agencies of government,” he said.