LEGAZPI CITY—A nationwide promotional test for public works and highways engineers was re-launched in agreement with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) under the stewardship of Sec. Rogelio Singson.
Danilo Dequito, Bicol regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said the promotional test is similar with that initially launched by former Sec. Gregorio Vigilar in agreement with the CSC in 1997.
Dequito said the promotional test whose result will be strictly complied with covers all engineers with the rank of Engineer III up to regional director. Engineer III usually handles the position of section chief or project engineer; Engineer IV, assistant district engineer; and Engineer V for division chief. Dequito said the district engineer position is an item higher than a division chief while the position of assistant regional director is director III and director IV for regional director.
The regional director said many applied to take the test.
In Bicol, many have occupied the position of assistant district engineers, district engineers and divisions chief whose ranks are below the items required.
Dequito said those who want to get promoted should take the test and pass it, adding that those occupying positions in an acting capacity will surely be eased out and replaced by engineers holding the appropriate rank.
The promotional test will be held for one whole day on Oct. 1 at the New Era University in Quezon City for applicants from Luzon, in Tacloban City for those in Visayas and in Davao City for those in Mindanao.
Retired district engineer Mariano Saret said that flunkers under Vigilar’s promotional test were able to get promoted after powerful blocs in the administration starting from the Ramos presidency succeeded in shelving its implementation.
Saret, who proudly claimed that he passed the test when he was district engineer in Catanduanes, said Bicol material testing division chief Fermin Peteza was the topnotcher while a flunker who got the lowest also came from the Bicol DPWH regional office.
Saret said many flunkers in Bicol were easily promoted as assistant district engineer, district engineer, division chief, assistant regional director and even regional director.
The late engineer Edwin Jadie, chief of the Bicol DPWH flood control section, assailed the DPWH leadership for not enforcing the result of the promotional test which was a brainchild of Vigilar. He said a flunker who became a district engineer OIC despite being an Engineer III is currently enjoying the position of a division chief.
