14.1 The Eight Norms of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees

14.1 The Eight Norms of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees

Quick Answer: Republic Act No. 6713, enacted on February 20, 1989, is the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. It operationalizes Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which proclaims that "Public office is a public trust." Section 4 of the Act establishes eight (8) mandatory norms of conduct: (1) Commitment to Public Interest, (2) Professionalism, (3) Justness and Sincerity, (4) Political Neutrality, (5) Responsiveness to the Public, (6) Nationalism and Patriotism, (7) Commitment to Democracy, and (8) Simple Living. For local treasury officers—such as Provincial, City, and Municipal Treasurers, Assistant Treasurers, Cashiers, and Revenue Collectors—these norms are not mere moral exhortations; they are enforceable legal standards. Treasury personnel must maintain strict non-partisanship, resist pressure from local politicians, deliver prompt and courteous service to all taxpayers, and live modest lives commensurate with their official compensation.

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1. Constitutional Foundation and Declaration of Policy

Public financial management in the Philippines rests upon an uncompromising constitutional foundation. The civil service is designed to serve the sovereign people rather than the transitory political figures who occupy executive or legislative offices.

The Constitutional Bedrock

Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution establishes the governing philosophy of the civil service:

"Public office is a public trust. Public officials and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives."

This constitutional mandate establishes that public authority is not private property, nor is it an instrument for personal enrichment or patronage. Every peso collected by a local treasury officer belongs to the public coffer and must be accounted for with absolute fidelity.

Legislative Policy of RA 6713

Pursuant to Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6713, it is the declared policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. The statute commands that public officials and employees shall at all times:

• Uphold the public interest over and above personal interest;
• Discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty;
• Act with patriotism and justice; and
• Lead modest lives consistent with their positions.

Universal Scope of Coverage

Under Section 3 of RA 6713, the statute applies comprehensively to all officials and employees in the Philippine government, whether:

• Serving in the national government, local government units (LGUs), or government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) with original charters;
• Holding permanent, temporary, contractual, or casual appointments;
• Functioning in career or non-career positions; and
• Holding elective or appointive office, whether compensated or serving in an honorary capacity.

For local treasurers and treasury staff—who are career civil servants appointed by the Secretary of Finance upon recommendation of the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)—compliance with RA 6713 is a continuous condition of tenure and qualification.

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2. Exhaustive Analysis of the Eight (8) Norms of Conduct (Section 4)

Section 4 of RA 6713 delineates the eight specific norms that must govern the day-to-day behavior, decisions, and official actions of all public servants.

Detailed Breakdown of Individual Norms

1. Commitment to Public Interest (Section 4(a))

Public officials and employees must subordinate their personal, family, and pecuniary interests to the common good. All government resources, funds, vehicles, facilities, and personnel must be employed strictly, efficiently, and economically for legitimate public purposes. Avoiding waste, fiscal negligence, and unauthorized personal use of government assets is a mandatory legal duty.

2. Professionalism (Section 4(b))

Public officers must discharge their official duties with the highest degree of technical competence, dedication, intelligence, and skill. They must constantly improve their professional capabilities and actively discourage negative public perceptions of the civil service—such as incompetence, laziness, indifference, or venality.

3. Justness and Sincerity (Section 4(c))

Civil servants must remain true to the people at all times. They must act with fairness, honesty, and sincerity, ensuring that they do not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor, illiterate, and underprivileged. Public servants are strictly prohibited from dispensing undue favors to relatives, friends, or the wealthy, and must avoid arrogance, haughtiness, and condescension.

4. Political Neutrality (Section 4(d))

Public officials and employees must provide equal, impartial service to all citizens without unfair discrimination, regardless of political affiliation, party membership, or ideological convictions. Civil servants are prohibited from engaging directly or indirectly in partisan political activity or using their official authority to influence elections, reward political supporters, or punish political opponents.

5. Responsiveness to the Public (Section 4(e))

Public servants must extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. They must communicate government procedures and requirements in clear, easily understandable language. Agencies must systematically simplify procedures, eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic steps, and establish effective feedback mechanisms (such as helpdesks, public assistance hotlines, and suggestion boxes).

6. Nationalism and Patriotism (Section 4(f))

Public officials must maintain unconditional loyalty to the Republic of the Philippines and to the Filipino people. They must defend national sovereignty, foster appreciation and pride in national culture, and actively promote and patronize locally produced goods, services, and native technologies.

7. Commitment to Democracy (Section 4(g))

Public servants must commit themselves to the democratic way of life, democratic processes, and constitutional values. They must uphold the rule of law, maintain transparent public accountability, and actively manifest the principle that civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military.

8. Simple Living (Section 4(h))

Public officials and employees and their families must lead modest, austere lives appropriate to their positions and lawful income. They are strictly prohibited from indulging in extravagant, lavish, or ostentatious displays of wealth in any form, including luxury vehicles, multi-million-peso jewelry, excessive real estate acquisitions, or flamboyant social gatherings that provoke public cynicism.

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3. Direct Application to Local Treasury Administration

Local treasurers and treasury personnel occupy sensitive frontline fiduciary positions. They collect taxes, manage public depository accounts, disburse municipal funds, and custody official receipt forms. Consequently, the eight norms of conduct have immediate, practical applications to local treasury dilemmas:

Dilemma 1: Partisan Political Pressure from Local Elective Officials

• Scenario: An incumbent City Mayor or Municipal Mayor instructs the local treasurer to withhold the release of a tax clearance, business permit assessment, or development fund disbursement to an enterprise or contractor owned by an active political rival.
• Statutory Application: Complying with such a directive violates Political Neutrality (Section 4(d)), Commitment to Public Interest (Section 4(a)), and Justness and Sincerity (Section 4(c)). Local treasurers are career officials under the administrative supervision of the Department of Finance and the BLGF. They must enforce tax ordinances uniformly and disburse funds strictly according to law, irrespective of the mayor's political coordination.

Dilemma 2: Counter Operations and Frontline Revenue Collection

• Scenario: During the peak annual business permit renewal rush in January, high-volume taxpayers or personal friends of the treasurer attempt to bypass the long queue of small retail owners, or collection staff treat low-income market vendors with impatience and contempt.
• Statutory Application: This conduct breaches Responsiveness to the Public (Section 4(e)) and Justness and Sincerity (Section 4(c)). Under the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA / RA 11032) and RA 6713, treasurers must establish express lanes for senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities, while ensuring all other taxpayers are served fairly on a first-come, first-served basis without VIP favoritism.

Dilemma 3: Modest Living Benchmarks and Custody of Public Coffers

• Scenario: A Municipal Cashier or Revenue Collector earning a modest civil service salary (e.g., Salary Grade 11 or 14) frequently arrives at work driving high-end imported luxury vehicles, wears expensive diamond accessories, and engages in high-stakes gambling at casinos, asserting that these are financed by private family inheritances.
• Statutory Application: This violates Simple Living (Section 4(h)). The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that public servants must maintain a lifestyle that does not provoke public suspicion or undermine public confidence in the integrity of public office. Moreover, Presidential Decree No. 1869 and Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circulars strictly prohibit government personnel from entering and gambling in casinos.