No ‘palakasan’ in job recruitment in Baguio

By Jho Arranz

BAGUIO CITY  -  About 300 applicants/job seekers underwent an orientation regarding recruitment, selection and appointment processes in the city government here last June 9 at the Baguio City multi-purpose hall.

There were copious criticisms and feedbacks from applicants/jobseekers on the “palakasan system” in the hiring of employees in the government. 

Hence, the City Human Resource Management Office headed by officer-in-charge and supervising administrative officer Christine Flores conducted said orientation intended for all applicants for vacant positions in the various offices in the city government.

Said orientation aims to give information and awareness to applicants/job seekers regarding the policies and procedures in recruitment, selection and appointment in the city government of Baguio.

Accordingly, there are 219 vacant positions in the city government and only 70 vacant positions were published as of May 2015.

Supervising administrative officer Edith Dawaten pointed out and stressed that there is no discrimination among the incumbent employees and new applicants in the recruitment and selection processes considering that the city government is bound by the Civil Service Commission laws, rules and regulations.  

There is no discrimination among the incumbent employees and new applicants, she stressed
  

“The city government of Baguio has a higher qualification standard compared to the qualification standard under the national agencies,” said Dawaten.

There are qualification standard specifically on the education, experience, eligibility and training in every vacant positions published.  Thus, applicants were advised to first see if they meet the minimum qualification standard before signifying their intention to apply for a certain position.

There are corresponding points given to the applicants based on the qualification standard as well as documents submitted for evaluation.

In cases of promotional vacant positions, the incumbent employees in the city government have the upper hand since they have their performance ratings for two semesters to be taken into account by the appointing authority and the Personnel Evaluation Board (PEB).

In his inspiration message, vice mayor Edison Bilog assured the applicants/job seekers that there is no “palakasan system” in the city government of Baguio.  

“Being the appointing authority in the legislative sector,  I select and appoint applicants based on the qualification of the applicant for the vacant position being applied for and this holds true with the appointing authority which is the city mayor,  in the executive sector,” he added.