GENERAL SANTOS CITY — A number of government employees in nearby Koronadal City, South Cotabato, could face suspension of up to six months after being caught in the act of violating provisions of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employee.
No less than Civil Service Commissioner Aileen Lizada said she uncovered the violations during the “undercover inspections” at the city hall of Koronadal City and several regional offices on Thursday last week.
In a phone interview on Sunday, Lizada said she found numerous violations in terms of the operations of concerned offices and how employees conducted themselves at work during office hours.
At the Koronadal City Hall, she said she personally documented through photos and videos a number of employees who were not wearing identification cards while some were preoccupied with their cellphones while on duty.
She said some employees were on headsets and appeared to be even doing video calls while supposed to be at work.
In one government office, Lizada found some workers entertaining a person supposedly selling jewelry.
Koronadal City Hall’s information desk located at the lobby area was also empty during her visit, she said.
“It was really disheartening and discouraging to see those violations. Some were having breakfast during office hours, fixing their eyebrows, doing their make-up and even had rollers on the hair,” she said.
At the Commission on Higher Education-12, Lizada said the employees were not observing the “no noon break policy”.
She said a client came during their visit and they noticed the empty chairs at the lobby, and no one was on duty in desks behind the glass windows.
The official said they found “fixers” proliferating at the Land Transportation Office in Koronadal City.
“They (fixers) were offering to process licenses for PHP2,500 and you can get them in one hour,” she said.
Lizada said she also found problems with the frontline services desks of the Department of Trade and Industry-12 and the Bureau of Fire Protection-12.
The official recalled encountering a positive working environment at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-12.
“The employees there were very professional. They were wearing their IDs, courteous, polite and helpful,” she said.
Lizada said she has tasked the regional director of the Civil Service Commission (CSC)-12 to coordinate with the directors or heads of the concerned offices so the erring workers will be “disciplined”.
She said CSC will provide them with the reports, including the footages and pictures of their findings.
“If the head of the agency will not act then we will file the necessary charges,” she said.
In the eight regions that she already visited, Lizada said the offices in Region 12 have so far topped in terms of violations.
“This is not to embarrass everyone. But they (employees) should also put themselves in the shoes of their clients who might have even borrowed money for the fare, filed work leaves and came from far-flung areas for those transactions,” she added. –PNA
