A party-list lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to grant civil service eligibility to casual and contractual government employees who have rendered at least five years of continuous and efficient service.

House Bill No. 6960, authored by 1-TAHANAN Party-list Rep. Nathaniel “Atty. Nat” M. Oducado, proposes to extend eligibility to long-serving casual and contractual personnel in recognition of their loyalty and contribution to public service.

Oducado called on his colleagues in the House of Representatives to support the measure, stressing that these employees perform essential functions as part of the government workforce and have remained productive across various agencies.

Despite their years of service and dedication, many remain in casual or contractual status, he noted.

These employees, he said, lack security of tenure and do not enjoy the same benefits as regular government personnel, even though they carry out similar duties.

Oducado emphasized that it is time to recognize the dedication and qualifications of these workers by granting them civil service eligibility, a requirement for appointment to permanent or plantilla positions in government.

He described the plight of long-serving casual and contractual employees as lamentable, saying their contributions to public service have not been properly acknowledged.

Civil service eligibility remains a key requirement for permanent government employment, but Oducado pointed out that only a small fraction of examinees pass the eligibility exams each year.

He cited data showing that of 331,675 examinees nationwide, only 45,730 passed the Professional Level, representing a 15.14 percent passing rate, while 4,366 passed the Sub-professional Level.

Under House Bill No. 6960, casual and contractual employees who have rendered at least five years of service would qualify for civil service eligibility in recognition of their loyalty and commitment to government work.