CSC bares five offices with most complaints

CEBU, Philippines — The Civil Service Commission in Central Visayas (CSC-Region 7) revealed the five government offices, including their satellite units, in the region that have the most number of complaints from the transacting public.

The list includes Social Security System (SSS), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

CSC-7 chief personnel specialist Prolaine Daclan explained that “high density” agencies are commonly subjected to the complaints.

This refers to offices that cater several services or public transactions.

In seven months, the commission has logged this year about 170 complaints against local offices which reportedly failed in service delivery, commonly falling short in processing public transactions, said Daclan.

Other usual complaints, she added, were violations to the rules like non-observance of the no noon break policy.

These complaints were collected from January to July.

CSC7 reported that the 8888 complaint hotline was already handed over to the Office of  the President, through its Anti-Red Tape Authority.

What the agency is handling right now is the old Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB), which the public can reach through 1-6565.

CSC-7 Director Editha Luzano said these complaints are forwarded to the concerned office.

That office will have to respond to the concerns of the petitioner.

If   the person is unsatisfied, he or she is allowed to file a formal written complaint and CSC is even willing to assist the complainant, said Luzano.

She said there are also complaints against elected officials but these are usually referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Luzano said the agency does not directly sanction the agency but what it provides technical assistance to the offices in order to improve their delivery of services and programs.

Meanwhile, the LTO-7 welcomes the results of the CSC-7 report pertaining to the agency’s performance on service quality.

LTO-7 Director Victor Caindec, in a press statement, said that their agency is working very closely with the CSC-7 in addressing the complaints.

"The 170 complaints lodged at the CSC-7  is proof that LTO-7’s drive for service transparency is now working, as more people trust the service feedback system thru the hotline *8888," said Caindec.

Caindec said that LTO-7 has taken great strides to addressing the Driver’s License backlog as it launched several initiatives to improve frontline service efficiency, most notable of which is the activation of  three new dedicated Offsite Printing Offices (TOPOs) located at SM Seaside in Cebu City, Island Central Mall Mactan & Alturas Mall in Tagbilaran.

The three sites have allowed thousands of LTO driver’s card claimants to efficiently and comfortably have their driver’s cards printed.

"LTO-7 remains steadfast in improving its service to the people, with new dedicated Licensing Centers to be activated in the next few weeks, the conversion of two new offices into full-service districts, upgrading of several district offices, and the activation of LTO-7s  new Mobile LTO Project which will soon allow LTO-7 to bring its services to far-flung areas in Region 7 that are currently underserved by its existing offices," Caindec further said. — MBG (FREEMAN)