This document proposes transforming the Commission on Appointments in the Philippines to be more "citizen-enabled" by directly involving citizens in the confirmation process of presidential appointments. It suggests establishing a "jury system" where regular citizens from different sectors would serve on panels to review candidates, hold confirmation hearings, and vote on whether to confirm appointments. The goal is to minimize patronage and increase transparency by taking politicians out of the confirmation process and instead empowering citizens to directly participate in governance.

1. Towards Direct Participation of
Citizens in Governance
Transforming to the “Citizen-Enabled”
Commission on Appointments
Hilario P. Martinez 1
HPM

2. Which is the better CHECK-&-BALANCE
mechanism?
Hilario P. Martinez 2
Politicians
Confirming
the
Appointees
of another
Politician

3. The Job of the President
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The Most Accountable
Public Servant

4. In Search of…
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5. CANDIDATES OF COMPARABLE MERITS
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* Merit System – Civil Service
jobs would go to the most
qualified, regardless of political
views
Ensuring Balance in the Use of
Prerogative and Merit System*

6. Repercussion of a Presidential
Appointment
WILL IT BE…
APPOINTEES
How sure
is he?
TAXPAYERS
WE
DESERVE
BETTER!
WE PAY
FOR YOUR
SALARIES!
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BUREAUCRACY

7. Patronage* or Civil Service**?
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VS
VS
Should the
difference
matter?
* Patronage – Giving of government jobs to
people who helped a candidate get elected
** Civil Service – Government jobs thru a merit system

8. INFLUENCE INTEREST
Present Commission on Appointments
(from a Bicameral Congress)
From the Senate
From the House of
Representatives
Each Member is entitled to additional remuneration in
consideration to their add-on role in the Commission
Hilario P. Martinez 8
??

9. Recent “sound bites” from Members of the
Commission on Appointments, per various news media
“… having
authoritarian
tendencies”
“… too aggressive”
“… too focused in
certain sector”
“… actions were
bias”
“… not qualified”
“… not competent”
“… did not observe
due process”
“… afraid of
retaliation”
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LOOK WHO IS
TALKING!

10. The Imperative of Government
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11. Having a Healthy Relationship
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CIVIL SERVICE

12. Promoting Enlightened and
Responsible Citizenship
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13. Principles of Public Participation
Relevant
• focused on the
issues that matter
Inclusive
• covers all
stakeholders
Fair
• conducted impartially
and without bias
towards any
stakeholderOpen and
transparent
• steps and activities
are understood
Responsive
• to stakeholder
requirements and
inputs
Credible
• builds confidence
and trust
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14. Stages of Public Participation
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15. Objective in Establishing a Jury System
in the Commission on Appointments
To make the citizens’ role in the
choice of key government officials
more direct and decisive thru a
“JURY” System in the Commission
on Appointments
To minimize to the barest, if not
totally eradicate, patronage
politics in the appointment of key
government officials
To invoke and implement greater
transparency in the deliberation
and confirmation processes of key
Presidential Appointees
Hilario P. Martinez 15

16. The proposed system of the
Commission on Appointments
Board of Sectoral
Representatives
The Secretariat
SECRETARIAT
Technical and
Administrative Support
SECTOR
REPRESENTATIVES
ON CALL
SECTOR
PANEL
MEMBERS
GRAND
PANEL
REGULAR
PANEL
QUALIFICATION
STANDARDS
COMPETENCY
STANDARDS
DELIBERATION
PROCESS
CONFIRMATION
/DELIBERATION
SCHEDULES
COORDINATION
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17. National Sectors* as Institutional
Members of the CA
1. Farmers
2. Fisher folks
3. Indigenous People
4. Youth
5. Women
6. Senior Citizens/PWDs
7. Academe
8. Employers’ Associations
9. Young Professionals
10. Labor/Employees Groups
11. Urban Poor
12. Rural Poor
13. OFW/Migrant Workers
14. Religious Sectors
15. Students
16. Cause-Oriented Groups
17. Media/Journalist Groups
18. Sports/Athletic Groups
19. Industry Associations
20. Association of Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises
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* CONSORTIUM-like arrangement may be allowed in the
case of more than one(1) representative group in a sector;
equitable representation of alike groups in the sector

18. Invoking Jury Duty
(to Review, Affirm or Reject Appointees in
Vital Government Posts)
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PRIVATE CITIZENS
WHO?
WHAT?
WHY?
HOW?
WHERE?
WHEN?

19. *
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* Jury Duty – one of the highest
duties of citizenship
Empowering a “Token Few” of the
Citizenry
“The secret of CHANGE is to focus
all of your energy, not on fighting
the old, but on building the new”
SOCRATES

20. Each Institutional Member (Sector) shall…
Nominate 20 individuals from
their sector and who are
known to be respected
citizens in their communities
Ensure that nominated
members are of good standing
for at least 3 years and not
affiliated/related with any
political party/personality
Guarantee that all nominated
members have no pending
investigation or court case and
no previous derogatory record,
administrative and criminal
Ascertain that each nominated
member are properly informed
and trained for jury duty prior
to actual selection and duty
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21. Constituting a Confirmation Panel
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The GRAND
Confirmation Panel
shall be composed
of 20 members
selected at
random, each
representing a
sector
The REGULAR
Confirmation Panel
shall have a
random selection of
12 sectors, before a
member from each
selected sector is
chosen by random
process as well
Selection
for all
appointment
confirmation
process shall
be at random:
one sector,
one repre-
sentative
member
The
Confirmation
Panel shall be
composed of
two Groups:
the Grand and
the Regular
A sectoral
representative
can participate
as a member
of a panel for
appointment
confirmation
process only
once
Grand and
Regular Panels
require a
minimum of
2/3 affirmative
votes to
confirm the
appointment of
a nominee
A Panel shall
be
constituted
at least one
month
before the
scheduled
confirmation
hearing

22. Required Panel Preparation
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Once selected and constituted as Member of a Confirmation
Panel, oath of office shall be administered immediately
Officiated citizen shall be entitled to decent stipend and
honoraria for services rendered and temporary displacement
Provision for secured isolation and prohibition to
communicate with other persons takes effect until the
conclusion of panel’s duty
Required inputs for the Panels are distributed to respective
Members three weeks before the scheduled deliberation
The Confirmation Panels may request representatives
from COA, Ombudsman, CSC, and/or rank-and-file for
necessary information about the concerned agency

23. Justices of the
Supreme Court,
Presiding and
Associate
Justices of
Sandiganbayan
and
Ombudsman
Chairpersons
of
Constitutional
/Independent
Commissions
and Central
Bank
Governor
Cabinet Level
Secretaries/
Department
Heads, Armed
Forces Chief of
Staff and
National Police
Director
General
Government
-Owned &
Controlled
Corporation/
Government
Financial
Institutions
Senior
Officials
(GOCC/GFI)
Bureau
Chiefs of all
Bureaus
under and
attached
each line
Departments
AFP and
PNP Senior
Generals/
Directors
Officials subject to CA* confirmation
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* CA – Citizen-Enabled Commission on Appointments
“The power to confirm appointment of key officials rest
with the People, not with politicians”

24. Delineation of Levels of Confirmation
Grand Panel
Justices of the Supreme Court,
Presiding Justice of Sandiganbayan,
and Ombudsman
Chairpersons of Constitutional
Commissions and Central Bank
Governor
Cabinet Secretaries/Department
Heads, Armed Forces Chief of Staff
and National Police Director General
Regular Panel
GOCC/GFI Senior Officials
Bureau Chiefs
AFP and PNP Senior Officers/Ranks
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25. The Grand Panel
20 Member-Sectoral Representatives
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Cluster A - Justices of the
Supreme Court, Presiding
Justice of Sandiganbayan,
and Ombudsman
Cluster B - Chairpersons
of Constitutional
Commissions and
Central Bank
Governor
Cluster C - Cabinet Secretaries,
Armed Forces Chief of Staff
and National Police Director
General

26. 12 Member Regular Panel
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Panel A - GOCC/GFI
Senior Officials
Panel C - AFP and PNP
Senior Officers/
Ranks
Panel B - Bureau Chiefs
One Representative-Member per Sector

27. On Active Duty/On-Call Ratio
(Yearly Selection)
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Cluster A
Cluster B
Cluster C
Cluster C
Cluster C
Panel A
Panel C
Panel B
Panel B
Panel B
Panel B
Panel B
(100) (84)
ZERO (0) REDUNDANCY in Membership in all Constituted Groups
MEMBERS
/SECTOR
SECTORS SECTORAL
MEMBERS
NOTE:
Sector Members selected
on ACTIVE STATUS are
automatically banned
from re-joining the Pool
of Citizens On-Call

28. Jury’s Input Needs
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29. Hilario P. Martinez 29
Panel Presentation/Discussion of Case
Facts and Information

30. A Confirmation Panel in Session with
Candidate-Appointee
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31. Facts &
Evidences
Accusations
Weighing Case Merits and Information
31Hilario P. Martinez

32. Expressing and Registering Individual
Views and Opinions
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SECRETARIAT
P
U
B
L
I
C
W
E
L
F
A
R
E

33. Transparency, Decisiveness and Accountability in
Registering their Decision and Votes
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TRANSCRIPT

34. Panel Members Presenting Their Votes
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35. TRUST and CREDIBILITY
Which should come first?
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GOVERNMENT…
of the people, by the people, for the people

36. A Compelling Check-and-Balance
Reform Initiative for Better Governance
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People-Oriented
Bureaucracy
Loyalty to
the People

37. Evolving Greater Respect for
Involvement of Citizens in Governance
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“The more you are willing to accept
responsibility for your actions, the
more credibility you will have”
BRIAN KOSLOW

38. Keeping in Mind the Real Master and
Focus of Public Service
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