CSC undercover agents monitor performance of government workers in the regions

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
August 11, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  There are now in the different regions of the country, Civil Service Commission “undercover agents” who are tasked to monitor the performance of government frontline services.

In line with the Civil Service Commission’s Public Service Delivery Audit (PASADA), undercover agents act as clients at over-the-counter transactions in government. The target offices are those that frequently have high volume of clients as well as those most complained about based on reports lodged in the CSC’s Mamamayan Muna Program.

The PASADA program aims to ensure utmost client satisfaction in government transactions. The frontline service units are the government’s first line contact with the citizenry. How the public perceives the government depends on a person’s positive or negative encounter with an agency’s frontline service personnel.

In order to ensure objectivity, each frontline service is audited three times by three volunteers and at different times of the day. The agents transact business as regular customers and discreetly observe how other clients are being attended to or react on the quality of service. The agents rate the behavior of the persons manning the counter, the efficiency and helpfulness of systems and procedures and the convenience and condition of the waiting area.

When PASADA was piloted last year, the Business Permit and Licensing Office of Marikina City was the sole agency to be rated by the undercover agents as excellent, as the requirements and steps for application were clearly outlined to guide the public and the clients do not feel unattended to upon entering the office.

The conduct of PASADA is expected to provide the Civil Service Commission a much better view of the situation of public service delivery in all Regions of the country and enable it to identify which government agencies need assistance in improving client service.