Individuals who have earned Latin honors through open distance learning (ODL) programs can now apply for civil service eligibility if they want to work in the government, said the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Friday, Nov. 3.

This development follows the July 28, 2023 issuance of CSC Resolution No. 2300615, which expands the scope of Honor Graduate Eligibility (HGE).

Under the resolution, graduates of bachelor’s degree programs at colleges and universities accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) who received distinctions of summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude from ODL programs are now eligible to take the HGE.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has sped up the adoption of digital technologies for learning, promoting accessible education despite the lockdown. By including honor graduates from open distance learning in the coverage of HGE, we recognize the role of digitalization in ushering progressive development in academic standards and honing future-ready civil servants,” CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles said in a statement.

Presently, the CSC grants the HGE to honor graduates from qualified domestic and foreign schools and universities under Presidential Decree No. 907, which aims to facilitate the immediate absorption of Latin honor graduates in the public service, ensuring their active involvement in public affairs and enhancing the quality of the government workforce.

Meanwhile, the Republic Act (RA) 10650, or the Open Distance Learning Act, combines the approaches of “open learning” and “distance education” under the framework of open and flexible learning.

It mandates that all courses or subjects provided through ODL must match the rigor and depth of conventional classroom or traditional programs, despite their non-traditional delivery methods.

Nograles explained that the proposal to extend the HGE to ODL graduates with Latin honors originated from the University of the Philippines Open University, emphasizing the need for the competitive atmosphere found in residential universities to be also integrated into ODL.

CSC said applicants for the grant of HGE through ODL must meet all the following qualification requirements: graduated from school year 2015–2016, upon the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10650 on Feb. 29, 2016, and thereafter; graduated with distinctions of summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude in their bachelor’s degree through ODL, regardless of the number of years of completion; and graduated from an open university/college/institution recognized by the CHED as a degree-granting Higher Education Institution.

The said university/college/institution must hold a minimum Level III accreditation or its CHED equivalent for the programs offered through the conventional classroom or traditional mode of learning, pursuant to Section 3 (g) of RA 10650.

CSC Resolution No. 2300615 will take effect 15 days from the date of publication in a newspaper of general circulation or on Nov. 2, 2023.