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eld both online on Zoom and at a live event at the Philippine International Convention Center on 26-27 July
2022, the 3rd Career Executive Service (CES) Public Leaders’ Summit (PLS) is the first in-person gathering of
CESOs and eligibles since the pandemic.
With the theme “Leading Change: Focus on the Core”, the 3rd CES PLS tackled the present-day realities of public
governance, and the competencies, mindsets, and values that are necessary to navigate its terrain. It offered their
various takes on what is required to lead in a time of leadership transition and in a highly-volatile governance context,
echoing a line straight out of the CES’ mission statement – which emphasizes the need “to maintain continuity and
stability in the civil service amidst change”. F2
‘A G ’
I L G 43
A BOOST TO CAREERISM: PBBM
appoints Career Officials to top posts
“T
he humble barangay that could” is a phrase that aptly describes the page 10
local government unit that served as a ‘laboratory’ for the
participants of the 43rd session of the Integrated Gabay ng CESB Teaches CES Members to be
Paglilingkod (iGabay) training program. Savvy in Social and Official Functions
page 11
Graceville is a barangay in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan which, despite its
relative obscurity, has overcome obstacles to improve its service delivery and In Memoriam: HILARION E. ULEP
provide opportunities for its constituents by focusing on good governance page 13
initiatives to pursue its vision of mapanagutang pamamahala or accountable
governance. F7
CES News
1E CESOs Reaffirm their Role . . .
He contended that, without the work of career executives, President Marcos’ vision, outlined in the SONA just the day
before, would be difficult to achieve.
“The President yearns for a decent future for all Filipinos and nothing less,” Rodriguez declared. “You (the CESOs) will
set the tone for the outcome of the President’s vision.”
The Executive Secretary likewise asserted that, while CESOs already have what it takes to navigate the VUCAD world,
there are certain attributes and skills that public managers must still develop to thrive in the present context, namely:
strategic thinking skills, practicing foresight, acting with agility, behaving with integrity, and uniting as one with purpose.
Alluding to the Summit’s theme, he closed out his speech by providing his own definition of the ‘CESO C.O.R.E.’, which
to him pertains to ‘Convergence, Ownership, Resilience, and Excellence’ .
Those who also spoke during the opening ceremonies are CES Governing Board Member and Development Academy of
the Philippines (DAP) President Atty. Engelbert C. Caronan and CESB Executive Director Maria Marcy Cosare-
Ballesteros. F3
Atty. Caronan harkened back to the very origins of both the CES and the DAP to argue that the CES was specifically
conceived to be an instrument of change and is therefore well-suited to adapt to and survive disruptive and volatile times
such as the present.
Caronan maintained that the CES and DAP were products of a time when there was a need to overhaul the bureaucracy
to transform it into an effective instrument of change and social engineering. “The philosophical underpinnings of the
CES and the DAP goes back to The New Society of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.,” he explained.
Caronan further contended that the new Marcos administration’s thrust of ‘rightsizing the bureaucracy’ as outlined in his
first SONA dovetails well with his father’s own efforts to rebuild the bureaucracy during his time. “We are again in the
throes of a great social reengineering process,” Caronan emphasized.
ED Ballesteros formally opened the event by giving a rundown of the day’s proceedings and by elucidating on the theme
of the Summit. “Leading change and leading through changing political landscapes are on-the-job realities for every
government leader. Championing and managing change rather than being swept by it requires solid grounding and
agility,” she explained. She also thanked Executive Secretary Rodriguez for gracing the event as the keynote speaker.
“Your presence is a symbol of this administration’s commitment to a professional executive level of the bureaucracy.
May this be the beginning of greater collaborations between the CESB and the Office of the President, and of better days
for the career executive service,” she said.
The first plenary session featured two (2) distinguished Career Executive Service
Officers (CESOs), 2011 Gawad Career Executive Service awardee, Department of
Science and Technology Officer-in-Charge Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. and
National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie G.
Edillon who shared their narratives and insights on fulfilling the CESO’s pledge
of bringing excellence, continuity, and change.
Live via Zoom, 2019 Gawad CES awardee, National Economic and Development Administration Undersecretary
Rosemarie G. Edillon redefined the meaning of continuity, excellence, and change, which if defined simply may be
confusing and if put together, oxymoronic. She concluded that the meaning of Continuity, Excellence, and Change in
the context of being CESO is about the challenge to continuously strive for excellence by being mindful of the changes,
and the need for change to ensure continuity of the journey towards the vision and to perform its mission.
In the second plenary session, entitled “The Qualities of Leader That Filipinos Prefer: What are the implications?”,
Associate Professor Edna Franco of the Psychology Department of Ateneo De Manila University led the discussions.
Professor Franco presented the results of a study that Ateneo conducted on the leadership preferences of voters in the
2022 elections and their implications for public service leaders. An important insight she gleaned from the results is that
when people are given the opportunity to think, they are able to discern and articulate their preferences and ideas.
In the third plenary session, OneCore Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder ‘Coach Pia’ Nazareno-Acevedo
introduced the idea of Strengths-Based Human Capital Investment. The Strength-Based philosophy proposes a paradigm
that centers on discovering and focusing on one’s natural talents and aligning these with relationship and
organizational goals. In the session, Coach Pia helped process the results of the ‘Clifton Strengths Finder Test’, F5
which the participants took before the event, and discussed how these can be useful in planning Human Resource
Development or Talent Management interventions. Coach Pia’s session was peppered with lively activities for both the
in-person and Zoom participants, which allowed the participants to learn how to maximize, capitalize, and allow other
people to benefit from their strengths.
The afternoon session was likewise jam-packed with activities, beginning with the panel discussion on “Leadership,
Creativity, and Innovation in Public Service” with the winners of the 2020 CES Very Innovative Person (VIP) Awards as
guest-panelists.
Department of Education Schools Division Superintendents Alejandro Ibanez, CESO VI, Romelito Flores, CESO V, and
Jose Doncillo, CESO V, regaled the audience with their experiences in managing change within their respective school
divisions and their reflections on innovating and leading their organizations during the pandemic.
The learning sessions were aptly concluded with a “short but sweet” presentation of CES Board Member Milalin S.
Javellana on “Leading a Culture of Innovation” where she shared the Kouzes and Posner’s Model in Transformational
Leadership as a leadership framework.
The 3rd PLS ended on a high note, as Civil Service Commission Chairperson
Karlo Alexei B. Nograles called on the career executive service (CES)
community to use the present political transition to emerge “not just to a
new, but to a better normal.” This is done, according to Nograles, by
harnessing the innovative spirit of the civil service.
Barangay Graceville is an award-winning LGU that counts among its laurels the Galing Pook award in 2015. The award
honors selected innovative practices by local government units in a rigorous and prestigious national search that
evaluates projects and programs based on their results and impact.
For the 43rd session of the iGabay, Graceville’s award-winning programs served as a case study on ‘innovation
excellence’ under the Community Engagement Module or CEM. The CEM is a four-day internship and integration
module of the iGabay, where participants study a model of innovation excellence, or of best practices in inter-agency
convergence and of meaningful, innovative, and results-focused approaches and tools for leading reforms in the public
sector.
The CEM at Barangay Graceville generated a treasure trove of insights among the participants of the training program,
most of which centered on the innovativeness and impact of Graceville’s initiatives.
“The sincere and pure happiness that exudes from the people
is simply amazing,” they observed. “This would not have been
the case had the program not directly addressed what burdens
the community, and had they not been tapped to participate in
the identification of problems and solutions confronting
them.”
F7
In her remarks during the opening ceremonies held last July 11, 2022, CESB Executive Director Maria Marcy Cosare-
Ballesteros discussed the significance of the iGabay in the overall framework of CESB’s Leadership and Management
Proficiency Program or LAMPP.
“Gabay is the second and final part of the LAMPP,” she explained. “If in the SALDIWA our focus is on the ‘self and how
to relate with others’, in the iGABAY we are harnessing your competencies in leading your respective offices.”
In the same remarks, ED Ballesteros also reassured the participants of CESB’s continued support, in order to allay fears
regarding the ongoing political transition.
“Rest assured that the CESB has done its due diligence and its complete staff work, and proactively made representations
with the Office of the President and Executive Secretary on the current concerns of the CES.” she said. Alluding to
Memorandum Circulars 1 and 2 of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., she advised the participants to “ keep calm and await
further clarifications from the Office of the President.”
During the closing program on July 22, ED Ballesteros echoed the same reassuring tone and reminded the participants
that difficult times offer a chance to “rise above our challenges and to renew ourselves.”
“As members of the CES, we should be able to see opportunities amidst adversity,” she quipped. “We must foster
collaboration with the new administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to strengthen the Career Executive Service
that the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. created and established some 50 years ago,” she added as she closed her
speech.
iGabay 43 ran from July 11 to July 22, 2022. Forty participants from various government agencies joined the hybrid
conduct of the training program, which was only the second time that a mix of online and in-person training was ever
held. F9
1. Philippine Governance and Strategic Public Management, with Tourism and Promotions Board Chief Operating
Officer Maria Anthonette C. VelascoAllones, CESO I;
2. Institutionalizing Strategic HRM for Public Managers with CES Board Member Milalin S. Javellana;
3. Philippine Administrative Justice System: Concepts and Cases, with Civil Service Commission Assistant Commissioner
Ariel G. Ronquillo, CESO IV;
4. Budget 101: Public Finance Policies, Systems, and Laws for Public Managers, with Department of Budget and
Management Officer-inCharge Tina Rose Marie L. Canda, CESO I;
5. Strengthening Fiscal Accountability Among Public Officials: Essential Philippine Audit Laws, Rules and Practices, with
Commission on Audit Assistant Commissioner Nilda B. Plaras;
6. Public-Private Partnership, with Public-Private Partnership Center Deputy Executive Director Eleazar E. Ricote, CESO
II;
7. Understanding Public Finance and Procurement Laws, Rules, and Systems, with Government Procurement Policy
Board Executive Director Rowena Candice M. Ruiz, CESO I;
10. Appreciating the Public Policy Process, with Dr. Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza, Professor and Former Dean UP-
NCPAG; and,
11. The above-mentioned Community Engagement Module (e-CEM), with Mr. Christopher F. Calugay, CEM Module
Manager and Supervising Personnel Specialist of the Professional Development Division (PDD) of the CESB.
At the end of the 11-day training program on July 22, participants received their certificates of completion and are now
considered as graduates of the LAMPP program.
I
n keeping with his pledge of upholding careerism in the hiring, placement, and promotion of government personnel,
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed two career officials to head key government agencies, namely: the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
President Marcos Jr. appointed Atty. Medardo De Lemos, CESO VI, to head the NBI, and Yogi Filemon Ruiz, CES
eligible, to lead the BOC.
Career Executive Service Officers (CESOs) and CES eligibles (CESEs), like De Lemos and Ruiz, are government
executives who have passed the stringent examination process for Career Executive Service (CES) eligibility to third level
positions, and who have proven their competence and integrity in their leadership positions. Appointing career officials
to top government positions is seen as a positive indication of a chief executive’s commitment to meritocracy and
careerism in the civil service.
A Bureau Stalwart
Atty. Medardo De Lemos’ ascent to the top position at the NBI is hailed by many as a welcome development, as the new
Bureau Director has been a loyal workhorse of the agency for 37 years. De Lemos is known to be
a long-time advocate of prudence in the ‘use of deadly force’ and is credited for authoring the
agency’s policy on ‘Rules of Engagement’, which instituted safeguards in NBI’s enforcement
operations.
An alumnus of the University of the Philippines College of Law, he joined the NBI as a field
agent in 1985 and has risen from the ranks to be designated as the Bureau’s Officer-in-Charge in
2013.
He passed the four-stage CES examination process and was conferred with CES eligibility in
PHOTO COURTESY OF MANILA BULLETIN
October 2002. In 2003, he was appointed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to a CESO
rank VI.
Apart from his investigative work, Atty. De Lemos is also known for his mentorship and scholarship at the National
Bureau of Investigation Academy, where he conducted studies on the ‘Use and Abuse of Deadly Force’, that lead to the
crafting of relevant policies to address the issue.
‘Enforcer-in-Chief’
A CES eligible since 2014, Yogi Filemon Ruiz rises to the top position at the BOC after serving as the chief of its
Enforcement and Security Services (ESS) since 2017. As ESS chief, he was in charge of the
customs police.
Prior to joining the BOC, Ruiz first earned his leadership stripes as a drug law enforcer at the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
He began his career in government service in PDEA as Intelligence Officer II in 2006. He was first
appointed to a managerial post in 2009 as the Deputy Regional Director of the agency in Region
7. In 2010, he was promoted to a Regional Director position in PDEA region 12.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ADUANA DEL PILIPINAS FB
As BOC Commissioner, Ruiz’s top priority is to intensify the enforcement of laws against
agricultural smuggling, in accordance with President Marcos Jr.’s marching orders for the BOC to help in stemming the
tide of rising food prices due to uncontrolled smuggling.
CESB T CES M S S
O F
D
o you think Career Executive Service Officers
and Third Level Executives need to learn the
basic tools of the lost art of social graces - of
having a respectful behavior, correct business
etiquette, and setting a good example? Do they really
need a necessary sophistication and knowledge of observing
internationally-accepted standards on social graces,
etiquette, good manners and right conduct?
Ms. Karen Agustin-Ostrea, a certified Etiquette and Image Consultant and former Binibining Pilipinas –
Universe winner facilitated the half-day learning event. Her discussion focused
on Professional Image Development, which tackles the appropriate professional
dressing and the dos and don’ts that include visual poise and posture.
“Project the image of the title that you desire”; she emphasized as the
participants were refreshed on the elements of professional appearance. They
learned to assess themselves on how they manage their professional appearance
- their hair, make-up (female), grooming (male), and the details of their
professional wear. Ms. Ostrea gave them a detailed assessment on what they
did well or not as well as the changes in their professional image. F12
The participants learned a lot in this session which also focused on the basic protocol, business etiquette,
general order of
precedence in introducing
or arranging seats of
officials and guests and
lastly, the dining etiquette
in official functions.
HILARION E. ULEP
R D
L T O
LTO R O IV-B
D 3, 1961—J 30, 2022
T
2022.
he CES Community mourns the passing of Land
Transportation Office (LTO), MIMAROPA
Regional Director, Hilarion E. Ulep on July 30,
As a CESO, Director Ulep showed exceptional commitment to the goals of the CES Governing Board
in the screening and selection of the potential members of the CES as one of its deputized Validators.
For his valuable contributions to the CES eligibility processes, Director Ulep was awarded as one of
the Most Outstanding Validators in November 2017. Indeed, Director Ulep shared his God-given
expertise for the noble purpose of the CES, thus, making a significant and lasting contribution to the
CES Community.
This category seeks to recognize the This category seeks to recognize This category seeks to recognize
strategic leadership qualities of the CESOs and Third level Eligibles who the excellent performance of a
CESOs and Third level Eligibles initiated a novel policy or program group consisting of at least three
whose decisions or actions create that improved operational processes members to a maximum of ten
members that has made substantial
desired level of performance that or methods and have assisted in
contributions to a particular
leads to the maximum utilization of meeting organizational sustainability
project, goal or organization
resources resulting in increased and/or wellness. performance and resulted in
agency savings. achieving and/or exceeding set
targets.
EDITORS:
Executive Director Maria
Marcy Cosare-Ballesteros
Director Erick Jan R. Macapagal
WRITERS:
Imelda Guanzon
Ellaine Mamhot
Mylene Villasis
David Desamito
LAYOUT:
Rebecca Villas
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
AND ASSISTANCE DIVISION:
Edgardo Sabalvoro
Ellaine Mamhot
Imelda Guanzon
Giselle Luna
The e-Public Manager is published monthly
by the Career Executive Service Board
Secretariat with office located at: 3
Marcelino St., Brgy. Holy Spirit , Isidora
Hills, Diliman, Quezon City