Civil Service Commission, Quezon City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Thursday clarified its social media rules for government employees during election season after groups criticized its recent memorandum for being too restrictive.

In Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025 dated March 31, the CSC reminded government workers not to engage in political activities, including on social media, during the campaign period.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, the CSC clarified that government employees "may like, share, comment on, or repost election-related content on social media for as long as these actions do not solicit support for or against any candidate or party during the campaign period."

The CSC Memorandum Circular No. 3, s. 2025 reminds officials and employees to maintain political neutrality in line with the 1987 Constitution.

It also said that "social media functions such as ‘liking,’ ‘comment,’ ‘sharing,’ re-posting or following a candidate’s or party’s account are considered as ‘partisan political activity’ if these are resorted to as means to solicit support for or against a candidate or party during the campaign period" as it reminded government officials and employees to be prudent on social media.

The CSC said the prohibition applies to government workers, even those who are on leave of absence.

First-time offenders may face suspension of one month up to six months, while the second offense constitutes dismissal from service.

COURAGE: MEMO GOES BEYOND CIVIL SERVICE ACT

COURAGE, a national labor center for government workers, has said the memorandum tramples on civil servants' and will demand that it be rescinded.

It added that the memorandum goes beyond prohibitions set by Section 29 of the Civil Service Act, which bars government workers from engaging in partisan political activities.

COURAGE pointed out that the law states the prohibitions cannot be "prevent any officer or employee from expressing his views on current political problems or issues, or from mentioning the names of candidates for public office whom he supports."  

The group said that barring government workers from expressing their views on political issues on social media curtails their "rights to freedom of expression as workers and as citizens."

For Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, liking campaigns on social media is "not tantamount to engaging in partisan politics."

"Simple liking, for a very simple reason that they like the messaging na hindi naman sila nang-eendorso o nangangampanya doon sa kandidato is to me too restrictive and too punitive," he added.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro meanwhile said the CSC memo "is a clear violation of government employees' constitutional rights to free expression and political participation. 

"By prohibiting even the most basic social media interactions like 'liking' or 'sharing,' the CSC is effectively silencing nearly 2 million government workers and stripping them of their fundamental right to engage in democratic discourse," Castro said in a statement.

Former lawmaker Antonio Tinio, also of ACT Teachers Party-list, said the memo “improperly expands” the scope of partisan activities, citing a Supreme Court decision.

“Hindi dapat ituring na electioneering o partisan political campaign ang simpleng pag-click ng 'like' button o pag-share ng post. Ito ay malayang pagpapahayag ng opinyon na garantisado ng ating Konstitusyon,” he said in a statement.

(Simply clicking the 'like' button or sharing a post should not be treated as electioneering or partisan political campaigning. It is merely the expression of an opinion, which is guaranteed by the Constitution)

Castro said the memo may create a chilling effect on government workers "and prevent them from engaging in legitimate political discourse, even in their personal capacity."

Castro and Tinio also asked how the CSC will be able to monitor all government workers and enforce the prohibition.

“We urge the CSC to reconsider this ill-conceived directive and engage in proper consultation with stakeholders, particularly government employee unions and civil liberties advocates,” Tinio said.

MIDDLE GROUND SOUGHT

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño also called on the CSC to review the policy, saying government workers should be able to "express themselves politically but within ethical norms."

He added: "Political neutrality should not be weaponized against the powerless while those in the highest tiers of power freely act with partisan bias."

Kabataan Party-list spokesperson Renee Co meanwhile called on the CSC to find a middle ground where restrictions would still allow goverment employees freedom of speech.

"Especially for those in the rank and file who have very little or no political influence at all, social media activity should be negligible," she said.