Civil Service Eligibility for Casual and Contractual Employees Act of 2026

Belate Office of thr Bretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 26 FEB -5 P3:52 SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1786 S. B. No. _ INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO AN ACT GRANTING CIVIL SERVICE ELIGIBILITY TO ALL CASUAL AND CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES OF THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE RENDERED THE PRESCRIBED LENGTH OF SERVICE EXPLANATORY NOTE The Constitution guarantees and upholds the principle of security of tenure as a fundamental right of every Filipino worker. It seeks to insulate the civil service from undue influence and ensure that public servants can perform their duties effectively and independently. In many years, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has issued various rules and policies affirming that the security of tenure extends to all government personnel holding permanent positions, and that the practice of maintaining employees in a perpetual state of contractual or casual status, despite their continuous and satisfactory service, runs contrary to the spirit of public service. According to data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), there are 832,812 contractual employees in the government, the majority of whom are in local government units (LGUs). As of 2024, the bulk of this number, or about 580,323 or 69.68%, consists of contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers employed in LGUs, performing essential public functions despite their insecure employment status.

This bill, therefore, seeks to grant civil service eligibility to all casual and contractual employees of the government who have rendered the prescribed length of continuous and satisfactory service. Specifically, this bill aims that all incumbent casual and contractual government employees who have rendered at least five (5) years of continuous service in the case of national government employees, or ten (10) years of continuous service in the case of local government unit employees, upon the approval of this measure, shall be considered for the grant. This bill aims to institutionalize a fair, transparent, and merit-based regularization framework that acknowledges the invaluable contributions of these workers to governance and nation-building. In view of the foregoing circumstances, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO

Senate Office of the Secretarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 26 FEB -5 P3:52 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1786 S. B. No. _ INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO GRANTING CIVIL SERVICE ENABILITY TO ALL CASUAL AND CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES OF THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE RENDERED THE PRESCRIBED LENGTH OF SERVICE Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Civil Service Eligibility

for Casual and Contractual Employees Act of 2026."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. The State upholds the Constitutional

guarantee on the right to security of tenure of all workers. Government workers, being 6 vital components of the State's human resources, shall be accorded security of tenure 7 and afforded all opportunities to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to organization and collective bargaining.

Sec. 3. Grant of Security of Tenure; Coverage. - Subject to applicable civil

service laws, rules and regulations, all incumbent casual and contractual government employees who have rendered at least five (5) years of continuous service in the case of national government employees, or ten (10) years of continuous service in the case of local government units as of the date of approval of this Act, shall be granted civil service eligibility by the Civil Service Commission.

Sec. 4. Status of covered employees and affected positions. - All of the

positions affected by this Act currently held by the covered employees shall be deemed necessary and/or desirable for the efficient operation of the government and shall be marked as co-terminus with the incumbent. All covered employees may not be separated or terminated from the said positions, except for just or lawful cause and with due process of law nor can their positions be abolished, except when the same 7 are vacated by their incumbents.

Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -The Civil Service

10 Commission, Department of Budget and Management and the Department of the Interior and Local Government shall prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act, and the same shall be promulgated within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act.

Sec. 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid

or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, letters of instruction,

resolutions, orders or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

its publication either in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines. Approved,