FORMER Bayan Muna Representative and COURAGE advisor Ferdinand Gaite on Thursday strongly criticized the recent issuance of Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025 (CSC MC 3, S. 2025), which prohibits government officials and employees from liking, sharing, or commenting on political matters on social media.
“This CSC MC exceeds Section 29 of RA 2260 which says “Officers and employees in the civil service, whether in the competitive or classified, non-competitive or unclassified service, shall not engage directly or indirectly in partisan political activities or take part in any election except to vote. Nothing herein provided shall be understood to prevent any officer or employment from expressing his views on current political problems or issues , or from mentioning the names of candidates for public office whom he supports ”he added.
“Preventing government employees from expressing their views on political issues in social media, especially on policies and politicians affecting their rights and welfare as government workers, is curtailing their rights to freedom of expression as workers and as citizens,” Gaite emphasized
“COURAGE and Bayan Muna will demand that this Memorandum be rescinded by the CSC and take other measures to protect government worker’s rights,” he concluded
