By Ellson Quismorio
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has cancelled its scheduled written career service examinations or CSE this year as a result of the persisting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
"In view of the COVID-19 continuing pandemic, the CSC will not be conducting any written career service examinations for the rest of the year," read a statement from the agency's Publications and Media Relations Division, Thursday, June 18.
Cancelled in particular are the pen-and-paper tests (PPT) for the Fire Officer Examination, Penology Officer Examination, Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination originally scheduled June 21; CSE-PPT (Professional and Subprofessional Levels) on Aug. 9; and Intermediate Competency on Local Treasury Examination, Pre-Employment Test, Promotional Test, Ethics-Oriented Personality Test on Oct. 11.
The Commission had earlier suspended the written CSE-PPT slated last March 15 after the national government began imposing restrictive measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus.
The particular CSE-PPT was supposed to be held in 66 testing locations around the country, with an estimated total of 293,845 registrants.
Of the figure, an estimated 253,419 will take the professional level of exam, while an estimated 40,426 will attempt to hurdle the subprofessional Level.
"The conduct of the March 15 March Professional and Subprofessional CSE-PPT shall be reset in 2021. A separate issuance pertaining to the said rescheduled exam will be released by the CSC," the same statement read.
The CSE is a general ability test that serves as a basic gauge objectively designed to determine and support the merit and fitness of an individual for government career service. It has two modes: the written or pen and paper CSE and the computer-assisted CSE.
The written mode is considered the more intensive of the two. However, the implementation of public health standards during the pandemic, such as physical distancing, reduced capacity of public transportation, and restriction on mass gatherings makes it unfeasible.
Last month, CSC chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala told a House panel hearing that the agency would "restructure" the CSE in light of the new normal caused by the pandemic.
Bala said the computer-assisted CSE "would be fully implemented" in regional offices.
She further said that the conduct of civil service examinations would remain a "core mandate" of the Commission.