7 October 2022 - The Civil Service Commission (CSC) hosted on 5 October the Department of Health’s (DOH) “Sa Boosters: PINASLAKAS” event, which aims to further improve the COVID-19 booster coverage rates in the country.

The event, held at the CSC Central Office in Quezon City, featured a ceremonial vaccination of CSC employees as well as Department of the Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary Elizabeth N. Lopez de Leon. The vaccines were administered by DOH Undersecretary Dr. Nestor F. Santiago Jr. with medical personnel from CSC and the Quezon City government.

A total of 91 CSC employees, including their family members, were vaccinated for the day.

The CSC’s hosting was a move to show civil servants leading the way in getting COVID-19 booster shots.

 

Joining the program thru video conferencing, CSC Chairperson Karlo A. B. Nograles, who revealed he recently recovered from COVID-19, said, “It is a good thing that I am fully vaccinated and boosted. ‘Yung symptoms ko po ay very mild, and my recovery was very fast. I am living proof that vaccines and boosters work.”

He expressed CSC’s support to the DOH’s PinasLakas campaign as the nation continues to strengthen its immunity wall. “As the country’s premier human resource institution, the HR agency for the entire bureaucracy, the CSC acknowledges our importance in moving our 1.8 million civil servants to action. Rest assured that we will continue to encourage government agencies and instrumentalities to urge their officials and employees to get boosted as soon as they can,” he said.

Also present during the event was CSC Commissioner Ryan Alvin R. Acosta, who said, “The CSC has, in fact, made it its mission to make lingkod bayanis [sic] out of every lingkod bayan. But even heroes bleed and get sick, and are most vulnerable when faced with an unseen and imperceptible adversary. Samakatuwid, hindi tayo dapat magpaka-kampante pagdating sa ating sarili at kalusugan dahil inaasahan tayo ng taumbayan at maraming bagay ang nakasalalay sa atin. Instead, we should grab every available chance to get boosted.”

Commissioner Acosta also thanked government employees who expressed willingness to receive the booster vaccine during the event. “Maganda ring mensahe ang ating naipaparating sa ating mga kapwa lingkod bayan sa pagsali rito, dahil hinihikayat natin sila na makibahagi sa proyekto ng pamahalaan upang panatilihin ang magandang kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino.”

Other government officials who were present during the event include Acting Assistant Commissioner Karin Litz P. Zerna, CSC; Director II Martin T. Jequinto, Department of Labor and Employment Quezon City Field Office; Regional Director Gloria J. Balboa, DOH-Metro Manila Center for Health Development; Dr. Malou Eleria, Action Officer for Vaccination and Chief, Special Services Division, Quezon City Health Department; and Mr. Edward Gonzales, Planning Chief, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Vaccination Team.

The event was streamed live via the Metro Manila Center for Health Development’s Facebook page. Watch here.

 
Issuances
 
The CSC has supported the government’s National Vaccination Deployment Program through several issuances promoting COVID-19 vaccination among government employees.
 
In its Memorandum Circular No. 7, s. 2022, the CSC encourages government agencies and instrumentalities, including local government units, to adopt strategies and incentives to encourage their officials and employees to comply with the COVID-19 vaccination.
 
It also issued Memorandum Circular No. 16, s. 2021, which allows government employees to file for “excused absence” for absences from work incurred during the day of inoculation of the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including future booster shots; and those incurred due to the required treatment/recuperation period from any adverse event following the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including future booster shots.
 
It also released several advisories reminding government workers who wish to accompany their children for COVID-19 vaccination or booster shot, that they may file for special leave privilege. Said type of leave granted under Section 21, Rule XVI of the Omnibus Rules on Leave, may be availed of for parental obligations or medical needs where a child of the government employee is involved. Government employees are granted three (3) days of special leave privilege, which is non-cumulative (unused credits cannot be carried over to the succeeding year) and non-commutable.