Launched in 1994, the Program is designed to minimize if not totally eradicate discourtesy, arrogance and inefficiency in the public service. It is a crusade spearheaded by the Civil Service Commission to establish a culture in the public service which recognizes the need to serve clients courteously and efficiently at the time they come for assistance and complete the service they need at the earliest time possible with the least burden on the part of the clients.
Program Objectives
There are three objectives of the Program: 1) to institutionalize courtesy and quick service to the public as standard norms of behavior among government employees; 2) confer immediate recognition on employees for acts of courtesy and prompt delivery of services; and, 3) provide the public with a redress mechanism for grievances against discourteous employees and for red tape in government agencies.
Under the Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na Program, a client who feels dissatisfied with the service of a government agency can bring the complaint to the attention of the CSC . The CSC mediates between the client and the agency towards immediate resolution of the complaint.
On the other hand, a client who feels satisfied with the service of a government employee can report such very satisfactory service to the Civil Service Commission. The CSC, upon verification of the report in the agency and in coordination with its head, confers recognition on the employee who rendered very satisfactory or excellent service.
The ultimate goal of the program, however, is to make good client service second nature to all government employees and officials such that they render services not for fear of public censure but out of duty to the public they serve.
Operations of the Program
The Civil Service Commission in the implementation of the Program, monitors the delivery of frontline services rendered by government agencies by encouraging people who transact business with government agencies to report or give feedbacks, either to the agency or to the CSC, on the following: (1) commendation - or papuri - those who rendered prompt, efficient and honest service; (2) request for assistance - or paghingi ng tulong - on transactions or requests pending action or not being duly acted upon; (3) complaint - or reklamo - for government personnel who have shown discourtesy or inefficiency in the performance of duty; and, (4) suggestions/recommendations - or mungkahi - aimed at improving policies, programs and services of government agencies.
Reports, whether commendations, requests for assistance, complaints and suggestions are transmitted to the program via telephone, media, written communications or walk-in complainants. Reports can be sent to either of the following: the Special Projects and Events Divisiont, Public Information Service of the Civil Service Commission, Central Office; the Regional Mamamayan Muna Action Center in each of the Civil Service Regional Offices or to the Bilis Aksyon Partners in the agency.
Both MMOU of the Central Office and Regional Mamamayan Muna Action Center (RMMACs) in the CSCs 16 Civil Service Regional Offices are manned by Action Officers, who receive requests for assistance, reports of good service and suggestions from the public.
The counterpart action officer in every agency is called Bilis Aksyon Partner or BAP. BAPs involvement in the program is a way of institutionalizing the program at the agency level and also to exert pressures on employees to perform and behave in the prescribed and ideal norms.
Components of the Program
The Mamamayan Muna Program has two basic components: (1) Bilis Aksyon or Quick Action and (2) Gantimpala Agad or Instant Reward.
Bilis Aksyon
The Bilis Aksyon, which is the main component of the Mamamayan Muna Program, is the quick administrative justice mechanism to provide quick redress to citizens when they encounter employees who are not courteous and who are not helpful. It is meant to address complaints for discourtesy, red tape, failure to attend to clients or act promptly on public transactions, and other similar acts.
Bilis Aksyon starts with receipt of complaint. The CSC, through the Mamamayan Muna Action Officer, calls the attention of the agency where the employee, who had been reported for misdemeanor belongs, right after a report is received.
The first call is via the telephone where the assistance of the agency Bilis Aksyon Partner (BAP) is sought. A formal letter is then sent to the agency of the erring employee, citing the complaint received from a caller. The head of the agency is requested to facilitate action on the report. Action on complaints take the following forms: comments requested from the complained employee, an inquiry or an investigation or conciliation or a dialogue where the worker complained of meets the complainant in the presence of a CSC official and the BAP. The next scenario is always one of handshaking of both parties involved, thus, the case is settled right then and there. On the other hand, the chief of the agency issues a memorandum to remind the rest of the employees of their duties before the public. To the employee complained of, a separate stern warning is served, either in verbal or written form.
Please note that the intent is deterrence, not punishment. The reason behind this is simple. If the complaint is pursued and processed with the intent to impose disciplinary action, all the requirements for formal adjudication must be complied with --- sworn statements, hearings, lawyers, etc. However, despite all this trouble, there are cases when the punishments that can be meted out for first time light offenders are reprimand. Thus, Bilis Aksyon seeks to impose virtually the same penalty without going through tedious and costly adjudication proceedings.
Among the Program's support systems are the Mamamayan Muna Call Center; the Mamayan Muna Drop Box; and massive information campaign.
Mamamayan Muna Call Center
To encourage public participation, the Commission has established a hot line, 932-01-11, dedicated to the Mamamayan Muna Program which is open 11 hours a day from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, with no noon breaks. The Center is equipped with an answering machine which can receive or accommodate calls or messages from the reporting public for the rest of the day or even after office hours. The Action Center is manned by technical staff knowledgeable enough to substantively assist a complainant. These Action Officers are empowered to take initial action on the reports/complaints that they receive within 24 hours. Through media, the Commission has been aggressively inviting the public to use this hotline number to provide us with necessary feedbacks.
Other than the hotline that we have in the Central Office, the Civil Service Regional Mamamayan Muna Action Centers are also provided with facilities or telephones which can be used for the purpose.
Mamamayan Muna Drop Box (MMDB)
A drop box labelled as CSC Mamamayan Muna Drop Box 724 (MMDB 724) is installed at the gate of the CSC building and in its 15 Civil Service Regional Offices including other agencies of the government to provide the public a means to relay their feedback to the CSC even after office hours and on Saturdays and Sundays. It insures continuing service to the public 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, hence the code 724. Reports received at the Box are collected daily and are acted upon within 72 working hours after receipt of the same.
In the National Capital Region, a total of 44 agencies which have been featured in the Mamamayan Muna's radio program have been given said dropbox. In this regard, the Commission has issued a memorandum to all our Civil Service Regional Offices to enjoin all agencies under their jurisdiction to have their dropbox of their own. Not only this, agencies which are performing frontline services particularly local government units and hospitals are requested to replicate the dropbox and have these installed in practically all barangays, and strategic places in agency buildings. This is to ensure wider participation of our Mamamayan, the public.
The dropbox to be installed in agencies of the government have two sections, one for reports to the agency and the other, to the Civil Service Commission. It is also provided with 4 color-coded forms and posters for use in sending public feedbacks or reports.
Massive Information Campaign
An intensified information campaign has been undertaken by the CSC to promote the Program nationwide to generate public awareness. The CSC has utilized the print and broadcast media to inform the public about the Program and encourage them to bring to CSCs attention their complaints or reports of good service. Primers, posters, matfillers and stickers were translated into the vernacular and disseminated.
TV and cinema plugs were also utilized to inform the public about the program. The latest which is still being plugged is the one focussing on the theme: Public Office: A public Trust, Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na. This shows the interviews with the public, ending with the newly arrived lady in SSS.
Regionalization of the Program
In 1996, the Mamamayan Muna Program was decentralized or regionalized. The CSC has a regional office in each of the 16 regions of the country. The Civil Service Regional Offices (CSROs) are tasked to implement the Program in their respective regions. Through the established Regional Mamamayan Muna Action Center, the RMMACs undertake the following: conduct of information campaign, coordination with agencies for the designation of BAPs or Bilis Aksyon Partners, and conduct of HRD intervention for said BAPs, reports handling, grant of incentives and recognition system for commended employees, participating and supporting agencies and BAPs and other people and organizations involved in the program and most importantly, program monitoring.
Type of Complaints
The subject of complaints received by the Program varies. It may range from unsatisfactory or poor service (e.g. delayed release of checks, licenses, permits, etc., slow processing of claims for benefits, delayed resolution of cases); discourtesy and arrogance of employees; irregularities in personnel actions; misconduct; harassment; dishonesty; graft and corruption in public office; other grievances (e.g. extortion or asking for grease money, employee absenteeism, abandonment of posts, etc.).
Conclusion
The Program has successfully provided the public with a feedback mechanism for grievances against discourteous employees and red tape in government. It has generated awareness among the public that the government is seriously improving service delivery program. However, the challenge is still there: the need for an aggressive information campaign that will keep people from all sectors - the government personnel, media and the public - fully informed of the program, its objectives, concept and mechanics.
The success of the Program is dependent on sustaining the interest, cooperation and genuine commitment of the various sectors particularly those outside of the bureaucracy: media, NGOs and most important of all, the transacting public. Such interest, cooperation and genuine commitment can only be sustained if it can be amply demonstrated that Mamamayan Muna works. We can say that the program is working if the citizens can get immediate redress for poor, inefficient service from government employees; if the commendations and praises of people will be given utmost consideration and shall serve as primary source of employees official and personal satisfaction. Lastly, the program is working if the peoples voices, welfare and satisfaction will spur continuous improvement and reforms in government policies, programs, systems and operations.
Feedback Forms
Form 1 - Commendation (Papuri)
Where: To be completed online: http://www.csc.gov.ph/form1.html
Form 2 - Request for Assistance (Paghingi ng Tulong)
Where: To be completed online: http://www.csc.gov.ph/form2.html
Form 3 - Complaint (Reklamo)
Where: To be completed online: http://www.csc.gov.ph/form3.html
Form 4 - Recommendation (Mungkahi)
Where: To be completed online: http://www.csc.gov.ph/form4.html