Sign-up for civil service exam in HK now on!

By Daisy CL Mandap

This is how the questionnaire should look

If you are a Filipino at least 18 years of age and of good moral character, you may take the ‘pen-and-paper’ Philippine Civil Service examination which will be held in Hong Kong for the first time on Nov. 27.

Unlike in the past, you don’t have to be a college graduate or college-level student to take either of the professional or sub-professional examination.

“Career service professional and sub-professional examination are open to applicants, regardless of educational attainment,” said a letter sent yesterday, Sept. 8, to Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre by the Civil Service Commission.

The letter confirmed the date of the examination, and also said that the sign-up campaign for the examination should already be underway under Polo’s directions, and should last until Oct. 28.

Two weeks after signing up, potential examinees may file their applications, again through Polo, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11.

Each applicant needs to pay an examination fee of US $44 (about HK350) and submit a copy of his or her Philippine passport.

In addition to the qualifications as to nationality, age and moral probity, the applicant should not have taken the same level of CSE within the last three months before the date of examination.

No fixed number has been set for either category of the examination, and no venue has been set yet, Labatt de la Torre told The SUN.

Sample application form

He also said the CSC might be the one to assign the applicants to the particular examination that they should take.

According to information available online, an applicant must obtain an average score of at least 80% to pass the CSC exam, whether professional or sub-professional, in either the paper and pencil or computer-assisted mode.

For this year, the scope of the examination is said to cover English and Filipino proficiency, including vocabulary, grammar, correct word usage, paragraph organization, and reading comprehension.

Examinees will also be the tested on numerical reasoning, clerical operations, and knowledge of Philippine laws, including the Philippine Constitution, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (R. A. 6713), peace and human rights issues and concepts, and environment management and protection.

In addition, those taking the professional level will be tested on their reasoning powers, including analogy and logic.

Those who have passed the Bar, or any Board examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission need not take the exam, as they are automatically granted civil service eligibility.
Labatt de la Torre is now looking for volunteers who could help conduct a review for those taking the CSE. He has already formed another group to assist those who want to sign up for the exam.

For more details on the Civil Service examination in HK, check out the FB page Civil Service Exam or POLO SAR HK for further announcements.