Legarda Pushes Investment, Reforms for 2.25M Government Workers

Senator Loren Legarda is pushing for greater investment in the skills of the country's more than 2.25 million government workers, coupled with the establishment of stronger systems that reward performance, measure results, and hold public institutions accountable. Ahead of the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary this September, Legarda stated that recognition for government employees should be matched by policies that offer them better opportunities for skill enhancement and facilitate the effective performance of their duties by the competent and ethical among them. "When an employee's work is good, the people feel it. Transactions are faster, service is better, the answers of agencies are clearer, and public funds are better used. If the standards we expect from public servants are high, the government should also be serious about giving them better opportunities," she said in a statement. Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, has filed legislative measures aimed at improving professional development, merit-based performance, government accountability, and access to public information. She specifically advocates for government investment in the education of public servants to enhance their capabilities, arguing that such investment is justified if the acquired knowledge contributes to better policy-making and service delivery. Furthermore, the senator is promoting reforms in how government performance is evaluated. She asserted, "Performance evaluation should be meaningful. If the work is good, it should be recognized. If a program isn't working, it should be immediately identified and corrected, and not continue to be funded simply because it's the way it's always been done. Public funds should follow programs that actually work." She also emphasized that performance measurement necessitates access to reliable information and stronger safeguards against corruption. Legarda indicated that these legislative proposals reflect the direction of civil service reform she intends to pursue, one that combines professional development with meritocracy, measurable performance, transparency, and accountability. She concluded, "No matter how good a policy is, if the system of implementation is weak, the people won't feel it. So it's important to strengthen our workers and the institutions where they serve so that every law, program, and funding allocated by the government will go to real services that will benefit the people."