CSC reminds gov't workers to keep holiday festivities 'safe and simple'
By Dhel Nazario
Despite the dwindling number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases being recorded by the Department of Health (DOH), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) reminded civil servants on Thursday, Dec. 9 to still keep holiday revelries simple to ensure safety.

CSC Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala said that, while the country is still at low-risk classification, the threats brought by the pandemic continue to exist especially with the emergence of the B.1.1.529 variant or Omicron variant of COVID-19.
She said that physical gatherings may be allowed, subject to current and applicable guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the local government.
“Virtual celebrations, on the other hand, are much safer and allows agencies to hold a simultaneous gathering for all their employees across the regions. It just requires a little more creativity to make it engaging and enjoyable even without face-to-face interaction,” she added.
The CSC chief also mentioned that physical gatherings still pose a huge risk and may even affect public service delivery if employees get infected by COVID-19 at the same time.
The CSC also reminded agencies to make sure that there will be no disruption in public services. Offices may opt to conduct these activities outside office hours or ensure adequate skeletal workforce to attend to their clients and other urgent matters during official business hours.