A confused civil service bombarded the Civil Service Commission’s Facebook page with messages seeking clarification on its confusing reminder to civil servants, including barangay officials, not to engage in partisan political activities during the campaign period of the 2025 National and Local Elections.
Reiterating a COMELEC-CSC Joint Circular No. 001, series of 2016, that clarified the scope of the ban against partisan political activity in the civil service, Memorandum Circular No. 03 issued by CSC Chairperson Atty. Marilyn Yap on March 31, 2025 advised government officials and employees to be prudent when using social media.
Social media functions such as “liking,” “comment,” “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, the CSC stated.
“Given their nature, the prohibited activities may be committed not only during but also outside office hours for the duration of the campaign period,” the circular stressed. “It may also be committed even outside office premises.”
Besieged by queries, CSC Regional Director Atty. Daisy Bragais went on radio last week to clarify that the mentioned social media functions are allowed if the subject post or comment does not solicit support for or against a candidate.
She said that if the post says “vote for” a candidate, then it is covered by the prohibition stated in the circular.
A complaint accompanied by evidence would have to be filed by any member of the public with the CSC so that it could act on the matter.
An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Catanduanes provincial office also said that what is being followed now is the resolution of COMELEC and a decision of the Supreme Court.
COMELEC Minute Resolution 24-1001 affirmed that barangay and SK elected officials are not barred from any campaign or activity in accordance with the political activities of their party.
Government personnel that are non-civil servants, including job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers, are also allowed to engage in campaigning activities this elections, with the exemption without prejudice to the liability of any person, who would use under any guise whatsoever, directly or indirectly, public funds or money to employ JO and COS workers for the purpose of any election campaign or partisan political activity, the COMELEC said.
Ahead of the CSC Memorandum Circular, the DILG had reminded all government employees, including barangay personnel, to adhere to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ruling on non-partisan politics ahead of the May 2025 polls.
Under Joint Commission on Elections (Comelec)-CSC Advisory on Electioneering and Partisan Political Activities (Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2016), government employees are strictly prohibited from forming groups, associations, or committees to solicit votes or campaign for/against a candidate; hold political rallies, caucuses and meetings or parades for election campaigning.
In the same advisory, government personnel are barred from making speeches, announcements or media commentaries to support or oppose a candidate; publishing, distributing or displaying campaign materials promoting or opposing a candidate; directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges or support for a candidate or party.
Government employees are also prohibited from using government resources such as time, personnel, facilities, and equipment for political purposes; providing financial or material contributions to candidates or political parties; wearing campaign-related shirts, pins, caps, or accessories, unless authorized by the Comelec and serving as a watcher for a political party or candidate during the election.
Government employees who engage in prohibited partisan political activities may face administrative sanctions under the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RACCS).
First time offenders are suspended for one month and one day to six months while government personnel committing the same offense the second time will be dismissed from the service, including loss of benefits and disqualification from future government employment.
The CSC stated that the prohibitions apply to all government employees, regardless of appointment status, which include the uniformed and active members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Sought for his comment on the issue, Manila-based election lawyer Atty. Dexter Francisco told the Tribune that the SC ruling recognized that elected barangay officials, including the SK, are political animals but their partisan political activities should be conducted after office hours and without using state resources.
The same goes for Job Order (JO) and Contract of Service (COS) workers, who are allowed to campaign after office hours, he added.
The right to freedom of expression and participation in the political process is always an exception under the Philippine Constitution, he stressed.
On the social media rules of the CSC, Atty. Francisco said “liking,” “commenting,” “sharing,” re-posting or following a candidate’s or party’s page is allowed provided the post does not campaign for or against any candidate or party.
“Such campaign activity of civil servants on social media is prohibited even after office hours due to the latter’s nature,” he clarified.
As of presstime, the Tribune was still trying to get the side of concerned COMELEC and CSC officials on whether civil servants who are spouses or family members of a candidate will be covered by the prohibition when they go on leave of absence to join the campaign or at the very least display campaign posters of the candidate outside their residence.