Senator Robinhood Padilla is pushing for special civil service eligibility for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) to become regular government employees.

During the Senate hearing on the 2026 proposed budget of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Monday, 13 October, Padilla stressed that the appeal for the eligibility for IPs has been going on for four years.

"Apat na taon na po ito. Hinihingi po nila na baka pwedeng pag maka-three years na [sa Sangguniang Bayan], sila ay eligible na? (It's been four years. They are asking that maybe, after three years of serving in the Sangguniang Bayan, they can be eligible already)," Padilla asked.

"Uma-attend po sila niyan, sila yung nagre-represent ng komunidad nila (They attend and represent their communities)," he added.

Through the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, IPs represent themselves in the Sangguniang Bayan, or the municipal legislative council, through an Indigenous Peoples' Mandatory Representative.

CSC Chairperson Marilyn Yap said that while Padilla's suggestion is important, the commission cannot do anything, citing its limitations due to the law.

"Yung special eligibility po, wala na pong exam. Special eligibility for Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Kabataan officials. Sa Sangguniang Kabataan, three years lang ang kabataan. Sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan o Sangguniang Panlungsod is six years (The special eligibility is for Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Kabataan officials. In Sangguniang Kabataan, it's three years. In Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang Panlungsod, it's six years)," Yap said.

"Ang kailangan lang po siguro ay batas. Nakatali po ang kamay natin. I think we should propose a law, including [IPs] in the stream (All we need is a law. Our hands our tied. I think we should propose a law including IPs in the stream)," she added.

However, Padilla argued that if they were to propose a law, "it would take some time."

Yap said that the CSC can instead consider giving a civil service preferential rating to IPs.

For example, if they scored 70 percent in the CSC, the Commission can add 10 percent to their score to help them pass.

"Batas po kasi yan. Pero kung mag-e-exam, pwede nating pag-aralan ipasok sila sa CSC preferential rating (It's the law. But if they were to take the civil service eligibility exam, we can study, including them in our CSC preferential rating)," she added.

"Baka pwedeng 70 percent na ang idagdag natin? Five percent na lang [ang kailangan] (What if we just add 70 percent? Then they only need to add five)," Padilla quipped.

To which Yap replied, "Pag-aralan po natin (We will study it)."