Civil Servants in a Political Office

Immediately after the national elections last May 2010, twelve seats for the senatorial positions were filled-in by newly elected officials both re-electionists given fresh mandates and first timers in the upper chamber of Congress to serve for six years. Applications for legislative staffers likewise poured in to vie for 50 or more plantilla positions in each office of the Senators before the 1st regular session of the 15th Congress opens.

After having served the Philippine Senate as a co-terminous employee for the past 21 years, I have personally experienced jumping from one office of the senator to another everytime the term of my principal expires or having lost an election.Working for four senators since the 9th Congress, provided me the opportunity to personally explore the dynamics in a political office -- the nature of personnel complements and its working environment, something that I never got to learn in my two and a half academic years in MBA.

In this paper brief, I will try to examine the current issues in the organization of a political office particularly in the Office of the Senators. To the best of my recollections, I will try to cover and discuss the nature and norms surrounding personnel in a political office based on my personal experience, observation and some research.

A.] Weakness in the Political Organization:

System in Hiring Staff

Every political office is commonly characterized by its lack of providing security of tenure. The terms of employment in these positions are co-terminous with the appointing authority. The life span of employment of congressional staffers expire at the end of term of their principals who were elected for a fixed term of six years unless re-elected for a fresh mandate for a total of 12 years of public service or shall serve at the pleasure of the senators. Due to such limitation, office of the senators oftenly become less attractive to the labor market and rely to circle of friends, campaign supporters including relatives of politicians, and fresh law graduates who wish to gain immediate employment. Categorized in civil service as confidential employees, this type of work force makes trust and confidence as the primal consideration over qualifications and competency. It is often seen by career civil servants that such type of work is not only as a substitute for better pay, but as less preferable higher paying job without security.


Issue of Competency

It has been a practice to use qualifying examinations as gauge for competency. The exemption of acquiring the basic requirement of passing the civil service examinations for government employment would make political offices often than not susceptible in hiring under qualified staff. Most employees which have been sourced out from campaign supporters or referrals from friends and relatives in rare occasions, were given technical position which might at some point requires educational and work experience if hiring will be done through a normal course in the civil service. A basic requirement for membership in the government service is the possession of educational and training qualifications and the appropriate civil service eligibility. The eligibility is valid and sufficient for purposes of promotion to higher positions in the same or related occupational groups within the same level.

Absurdity in the Staffing Pattern and Position

Ineptness would not be a hindrance for one to land to the chief of staff position in the Office of the Senator as long as he earns the trust and confidence of the principal much less being a close relative. Such position which is equivalent to an Undersecretary rank in the executive branch of government, is leveled with the position in government with highly scholarly qualifications. While legislation is the heart and soul of the existence of the senators’ office, staff assigned to perform technical work were given mid-management position as against the non-analytical routinary workers who, in most cases are given top level management ranks.

Demoralization among subordinates

Characterized by its nature, office of the senators are indeed highly politicized. The political atmosphere within the work force paves the way for illogical parity of pay, unreasonable promotion, unequal and unjustifiable extension of perks and benefits as well as favoritism. The consequences of these various forms of intimidation weaken morale; diversion of energies; erodes creativity and motivation; and disorientation in one’s assigned duties and responsiblities .

Poor training

From the point of view of many career and non-career civil servants, the essential substance with which they must work is people; and the reality which must be faced in the need to protect one's career and livelihood. Consequently, as we have noted above, inordinate emphasis is placed on trust and confidence over qualifications. Training is one consideration in these matters, but it is measured somewhat mechanically in hours (and usually takes the form of seminars, lectures, and workshops) and has a low priority. There are indeed certain technical matters and procedures that one must know. But these are only technical matters which can be learnt through experience.

Changes are underway in many offices, and all kinds of training regimes are being introduced: but these programs are often fragmented; and, more often than not, are treated as a relief from everyday routines and as a means of lengthening their curriculum vitae.

Corruption

Corruption is prevalent, most politicians and civil servants are involved, and that it is a normal part of the system, and is extremely destructive. Using public money by having a certain percentage of pork barrel fund and the exercise of improper influence on decision-making are most-likely.

Attention is focused on the search for corruption rather than on raising the general competency of governance and on identifying and propagating existing strengths. Trusts among constituents are further eroded and it becomes more difficult to improve competency.

B.] Some adversarial effect:

The loss of staff

A predictable consequence of the accumulated effects of all these weaknesses is that it becomes difficult to attract and retain good staff. As a whole, the legislative service is losing more good people than it gains. The problems created are numerous. The outward movement of good people lowers morale and helps to deepen the sense that only the unwanted remain. Consequently it becomes easier to justify political appointees and the growth of contractual employees.

C.] Recommendations:

Reforms should be made to re-design organizations to contemplate on changes in systems, rules, processes, roles, and procedures.

Appointments and promotions

The initial selection, promotion and appointment of staff should be done with a set of occupational standards regardless of level of political connection. Significantly the effectiveness in selection should solidly be based on merits. Promotion to a higher level should be decided upon not solely by the appointing authority or chief of staff but with ranking staff officials who shall clearly explain and decision justified.

Initial recruitment into the service should rely on exams, and give emphasis on interviews. Every successful applicants, however, should be placed under probationary period. It is suggested that the probationary period be from 6 months to a year. This should make it possible to achieve more rounded and accurate judgments of the disposition and motivation of staff.

Postgraduate and professional qualifications as are needed for more technical roles. While postgraduate or other professional qualifications are essential, they should not be treated as prerequisites for appointment or promotion. It is recommended further that the appointing authority (Senator) should adopt a more hands-on, direct, approach in the implementation and monitoring of its policies, rules, and procedures in his office.

Treatment of Political appointees

More important measure that should be made in a political office is to limit the proportion of posts available to political appointees and to set political appointees and career civil servants into competition with each other for posts.

This recommendation should not be understood as an attack on kinship within the service. While kinship hiring may often reflect and sharpen personalism, families with a tradition of service, however, unless information on kinship is made open and used to inform practice; suspicion will remain.

Compensation and Career Civil Service

Increases in pay will not by themselves deal with the problems we have outlined, nor will they necessarily encourage existing strengths. However, increases in pay will help remove opportunistic corruption, particularly at the lower levels; make it a little more difficult for higher-level officials to persuade subordinates or colleagues to go along with organized and planned corruption; and attract and retain staff who are motivated, committed and competent.

The office staff of Senators should be provided by the career civil service. Confidential staff should be limited to COS and deputy-COS, a legal counsel, political adviser, communications officer, and personal assistant.