Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (PPAB)

Too punitive.

That's how House Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong described the reported Civil Service Commission (CSC) memorandum circular that sought to prohibit government personnel from “liking” certain social media posts from political parties or candidates in next month’s mid-term elections.

In a press conference Thursday, April 10, Adiong said that he agreed with the CSC that government officials and employees should not engage in partisan political activities. After all, their salaries are drawn from taxpayers' money.

“I think as a civil servant, if you are a regular employee of the government, I agree that you should not take part actively in partisan politics, meaning you don't campaign for any candidates because you've been hired by the government. The resources that you are getting, your main livelihood is coming from the public funds," he said.

“So it's just but proper and appropriate and prudent for a civil servant not to engage himself or herself actively in partisan politics. We don't join the campaign or endorse any candidates,” he said.

“Pero yung simple like sa Facebook at mga (social media) account (But the simple acts involving Facebook and oher social media accounts), that to me is overreaching. It’s too punitive. I hope that [CSC] would reconsider their policy on this,” he said.

Adiong said that for him, simply liking a social media post is “not tantamount to engaging in partisan politics".

“I hope that we can still maintain that our civil servants remain to be non-partisan and apolitical. But as simple liking, for a very simple reason that they like the messaging na hindi naman sila nang-eendorso o nang-ngangampanya sa kandidato (and not to the extent of endorsing or campaigning for a candidate) is to me too restrictive and too punitive,” he added.

The CSC has issued  Memorandum Circular 3-2025, titled, “Reminder Not to Engage in Partisan Political Activities During the Campaign Period of the 2025 Midterm Elections.”

The commission invoked the 1987 Constitution and existing laws in its issuance.

The memorandum read: "Government officials and employees are further reminded to be prudent when using social media. Social media functions such as liking, comment[ing], sharing, re-posting, or following a candidate's or party's account are considered as partisan political activity if these are resorted to as means to solicit support for or against a candidate or party during the campaign period.” 

"Given their nature, the prohibited activities may be committed not only during but also outside office hours for the duration of the campaign period. It may also be committed even outside office premises,” it stated.

It further reminded government personnel that engaging in partisan political activities on their part is punishable by suspension of one month to six months for the first offense and dismissal from the service for the second offense.