By Brian Campued
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has called on government agencies to consider existing contracts of service (COS) and job orders (JO) for possible absorption into plantilla positions.
The CSC made the directive through the Joint Circular (JC) No. 1, s. 2025 issued with the Commission on Audit (COA) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Dec. 15.
“The existing qualified COS and JO workers shall be considered for appointment by the government agencies to their vacant positions, subject to the existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations, and the agency’s CSC-approved Merit Selection Plan, while ensuring adherence to the equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies in their selection and appointment of personnel,” it said.
The joint circular also revised the guidelines on the engagement of COS and JO workers in national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations with original charters, state universities and colleges, and constitutional bodies—effectively placing a cap on the hiring of COS and JO workers.
Under the circular, government agencies may continue hiring COS and JO workers but shall not exceed the number of such personnel as of the end of 2025.
“To effectively manage their COS and JO workers, agencies shall no longer be allowed to increase the number of their COS and JO workers beyond the current number,” the circular stated.
While agencies are still allowed to renew their existing COS and JO workers, they must also prepare an inventory of their respective COS and JO workers whose contracts remain valid until Dec. 31, 2025.
The CSC, COA, and DBM said the order was made to address the recurring issue of contractualization in government, which resulted in the increase in the number of workers engaged through COS and JO.
The circular also directs agencies to review their staffing requirements and prepare optimization plans pursuant to the Republic Act No. 12231 or the Government Optimization Act, which was signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Aug. 4.
It likewise includes provisions on ancillary benefits, reportorial requirements, and the responsibilities of agency heads to help ensure the welfare of COS and JO workers.
The CSC-COA-DBM joint circular will take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center.
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