Cebu City gets passing mark in CSC survey

CEBU, Philippines- After failing in one of the categories in 2011, the Civil Service Commission gave the Cebu City government a passing mark in its recent survey.

The CSC gave the city an 86.06 rating, which corresponds to a “good” descriptive rating, according to the findings of the Anti-Red Tape Act Report Card Survey (RCS) in 2015.

This development was announced by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella who pointed out that the city can even improve and reach the highest rating in terms of observing the required public information billboards and delivering the basic services.

“We got a passing grade on ARTA survey… This is both a welcome development but at the same time, it is a challenge for the (officials and) employees in the City Hall to improve and even do better,” he told reporters yesterday.

The descriptive ratings with their corresponding numerical ratings are: Excellent (90 to 100, without a delinquent rating in any sub-area); Outstanding (90 to 100, with delinquent rating in any of the sub-area); Good (80 to 89.99); Acceptable (70 to 79.99); and Failed (69.99 and below.)

“But we have to improve because the rating is just good. We have to make it [outstanding,] if not excellent. But it is good enough that we did not get a failing grade,” Labella said.

The annual survey is administered in accordance to Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act 2007. Section 10 of the law stipulates that the RCS will be used to obtain information and estimates of hidden costs incurred by clients to access frontline services which may include bribes and payment of fixers.

The survey was conducted by inspecting the offices and interviewing clients within the premises of the office immediately after they availed of any of its frontline service.

This is to obtain feedback on how agencies follow provisions in their Citizen’s Charter; obtain information and estimates of hidden costs incurred by clients in accessing frontline services; and rate the office’s performance and client satisfaction in relation to frontline service delivery.

The RCS, which uses the level of citizen’s satisfaction to rate government performance, examines service offices in two categories: compliance with ARTA provisions and overall client satisfaction.

The Cebu City government got a passing rating in both areas this year but the survey in September 2011 showed the city got a numerical rating of 63.90 with a descriptive rating of “failed.”

The survey is conducted every year with the CSC - Central Office determining what agency or government unit to be surveyed.

With the targeted 65 agencies and local government units in 2015, the Cebu City government was the first to undergo the survey among other LGUS in Cebu province, said CSC-7 Public Assistance and Liaison Division chief Prolaine Daclan.

CSC-7 personnel conducted the three-day survey in two offices, the Cebu City Health Department and Cebu City Registrar’s Office from August 12 to 14.

CSC-7 has not released the results of the survey in other LGUs pending discussion with the LGUs concerned.  (FREEMAN)