How can you show your commitment to public interest?

As a government employee I will be able to show my commitment to

public interest by setting a good example not only on the ofce to which I am
employed but also to other ofces government or private. Setting a good
example and attending to the needs and wants of people who avail government
service in any manner shape or form. Making sure that I was able to
satisfactorily render the service in the most expeditious and satisfactory
manner so that those persons would have a good impression of the government
ofce I work with and in doing so will at least have a general refection and or
impression of the entire government system as an institution that can be
depended with. I will not allow myself to indulge in trivial things while at work
and totally devote my time to the service of the people. I will exercise
punctuality by coming to ofce on time and to totally devote myself in ofce
work in the entirety of my tour of duty. I will practice frugality and prudence in
the use and or consumption of ofce supplies as well as resources so as to
contribute to the posterity measure of the national government. I will maintain
professionalism by strictly and to the best of my knowledge perform and
discharge my duties and responsibilities with the highest degree of excellence,
intelligence and skill ultimately devoting and dedicating to the mandate of my
duty in order to at least erase and/or eradicate the wrong perception of people
with regard to those in government service. I will adhere to the rules and
regulations of those employed in the government as well as to the internal rules
of the agency I am in service with. I will not discriminate for money or property
and I shall represent myself to the best of my knowledge and understanding
and faithfully render service without expecting something in return. I will
maintain honesty and integrity in the performance of my duties and
responsibilities in by being transparent in all my dealing with persons who
avail the services of the ofce I am assigned. I shall be pro-active immediately
responding to the needs of persons and I shall set aside personal matters that
may interfere with my duties and responsibilities. I shall live within my needs
and I will present myself in a manner that would promote integrity of the entire
government system.
Presently, I am employed as a Legal Researcher at the Regional Trial
Court, Branch 193, City of Marikina, and as such I make sure that I am able to
complete the task assigned to me in order to maintain the fow of the ofce and
at the same time would refect to the court users the orderliness and
professionalism not only of this representation but of the entire ofce as well.
How can you become more professional? How can you improve the work
you do in the ofce to improve your service to the public?
I can be more professional by keeping myself abreast with the skills I
already possess by having the attitude of insatiability when it comes to my
professional advancement. By attending to seminars that would make me more
aware of the duties and responsibilities incorporated with my job.
I can put into practice political neutrality by not participating,
associating, mingling and/or engaging in any politics oriented groups or
associations. By not allowing myself to be infuenced or even intimidated by
politicians who use the cudgels of government system in order to obtain an
unfair advantage among other politicians, or in order to put forward its
intention in the mind of government employees. I will not seek the assistance
fnancial or otherwise of any politicians in order to eliminate the utang na
loob system in our bureaucracy. I will also disassociate myself with groups
that are being secretly funded or controlled or connected in any way, manner
shape or form to any politicians. Although our constitution safeguards the
freedom of speech and of expression, I will nonetheless be discreet with my
views and opinions amongst politicians, candidates and/or aspiring
candidates, their political beliefs and platform. I will conduct myself in a
manner that would promote neutrality in the sphere of politics but at the same
time continue to be aware of the current events and current political issues
that one time or another had beset our political system. I will not discriminate
anyone by reason of their political views and beliefs as I will faithfully
discharged the mandate of the ofce without regard to political and/or party
afliation of those who seek public service. I will not publicly manifest my
preferred political party belief and/or afliation and I will not in any way
persuade anyone to change their political belief. . I will perform my duties and
responsibilities, with integrity and to the best of my knowledge, skill,
understanding notwithstanding that the person who seeks it has political views
totally diferent than mine. We all know that politics like religion are sensitive
issues to talk about if not the most sensitive and it would be more prudent to
refrain from talking about it be involved with it. Hence it would be more
prudent if we, especially those employed in the government to be neutral about
our political views, political afliation and connections in order to dispel any
rumours of us extending favour to a particular person because of our political
linkage or relation. While it is true that we may be accused or brandished of
playing safe or be the subject of ridicule or even be bullied because we refuse to
be associated or be known to be connected with a certain politician and thus
may even be threatened to be terminated should we fail to support a particular
politician, political party or association. We must keep in mind the adage that
public service is a public trust and that we are employed in the government
to serve the people, the taxpayers, who pays our salary, hence, we must answer
to their needs and not of those politicians who just like us are supposed to
serve the people and not to be served by them.
Moreover, if we openly state our political afliation or connection would
likely to tarnish our reputation because all of our judgment and/or actions
would be interpreted as having executed because we have been infuenced in
doing so or that great rewards await the government employee in making or
giving out the said order.
Finally, being a government employee, we must act with candour,
integrity and probity in the execution of our duties and responsibilities because
in so doing, we will be able to at least change or eliminate the reputation that
government employees especially those employed in local government and the
national government that their loyalty is only to their politician who appointed
them.
Can you recall when your honesty was tested?
It was Christmas season and I was tasked to implement a court
decision/order in the province of Tuguegarao. It was so cumbersome since my
station or the place where I am assigned and up to now is in the City of
Marikina. I had to travel by bus for almost fourteen (14) hours alone because
the prevailing party wants me to go alone as they do not have the funds to have
me accompanied by another Sherif. Hence, I travelled alone from Marikina to
the province of Tuguegarao to implement a court Decision. When I arrived at
the designated place I immediately proceeded at the address of the losing party
to inform them the reason of my presence. After a scholarly debate of the
justness or justifcation of my presence thereat and the act that I am about to
make, the losing party ofered me a great sum of money just to have it
postponed for a day. It was a tempting ofer since I am merely required to forego
with the enforcement/implementation of the court order/decision for only a
single day. However, better judgment prevailed over me and with the aid of
divine providence I turned-down the ofer and proceeded to implement and/or
enforce the court decision/order. Hence, I pushed through with my
implementation and was able to satisfactorily comply with the decree of the
court. Fortunately, the enforcement went well and at the end of the day, me,
and the losing party became friends and we parted ways with me holding my
head and spirit up high.
From my story or experience, I concluded that temptations are all over, it
may come in the form of a bribe, gift, favor or even a simple request from a
friend or a relative. These temptations are hard to resist if you have little or no
faith to Him or if you have a totally diferent defnition of what value is. Value
cannot be acquired in a snap, it cannot be obtained instantaneously because it
is a work in progress starting during the formative years and does not cease.
Although we may not avoid these temptations, things that would test our
honesty and integrity, we may however, be able to avoid being lured or giving in
to these temptations by prayers and continuous values formation by regularly
attending seminars which aim is to inculcate values formation, honesty,
integrity and strict probity of government employees. By encouraging those
employed in the government to continuously advance their professional growth
and personal advancement whose aim is to provide career advancement so that
they will not feel stagnate in their careers or profession and hence would at
least limit if not totally divert their attention in making or engaging to actions
that would lead them to forget their values and resort to dishonest activities.

What can you say about honesty? About being just and sincere?
Honesty refers to an aspect of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes
such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along
with the absence of lying, cheating, theft, etc. Furthermore, honesty means being trustworthy, loyal, fair,
and sincere. (Wikipedia)
Personally, honesty is like integrity which means that doing the right
thing even when no one is watching. Honesty is a big word! However its
magnitude is relative, which means that if you are the kind of a person who
was raised in an environment that promotes fairness, justness and equality
amongst all, then honesty will not be an issue to you. Nevertheless it does not
necessarily mean that if you were raised in an antagonistic environment it does
not mean that you would fnd difculties in being honest. Honesty is like
integrity where you can do the right thing even when no one is watching. That
is you need not impose upon yourself that you should do the right thing it
must come naturally, that is the true essence of honesty, not having to pause
or assess or even think whether the next course of action is the right or honest
thing, it must came naturally. Honesty does not have to be in the ofce only it
must exist everytime, anytime, all the time. If we can be honest in small
matters, we will be honest even in large matters. Conversely, if we cannot be
honest or be trusted in small matters, we will not be honest or be trusted in big
things. The oft quoted honesty is the best policy still has its relevance as it
did not even cease to exist, for if we practice policy in all of our dealings in our
daily lives, we will surely make a diference no matter how small it it.
Living within your means, and making good with what you have are
foundations of honesty and integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and
outcomes. However, integrity is also a personal option, an uncompromising and predioctably consistent
commitment to honor, moral, ethical values and principles
Sincerity is the virtue of one who speaks and acts truly about his or her own feelings, thoughts,
and desires.
The real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of
what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.
What qualities do government employees need to demonstrate?
When we work for the government, in whatever type of job, we are actually working for
the people of the country, who pay our wages by virtue of taxation. Hence, it is
imperative that government employees must be honest and to take
their responsibilities seriously.
Government employees must be straightforward in their dealings with the people who
pays their salaries and to treat them with professionalism, immediately responding to
their needs without expecting something in return.
As government employee, I am to a civil servant which means I am placed in sucha
manner to serve the people and not be served by them, which poignantly the reverse is
sometimes happening. However, this situation is not without solution, by making it a
point or starting on oneself the virtue of service to taxpayers would be the start of
change no matter how little it may be still a government employee may make a
diference.
There are a vast number of other roles that government employees (or civil servants)
carry out, as well - from planning our towns and cities, to providing a country's social
services.
However, there are some general skills which it's important for anyone who works in a
large government organisation to possess.
Being aware of these skills, and what they involve, may help to work out how you could
show an employer that you possess these skills yourself.
Skills needed to work as a government employee include:
Negotiation skills. There is a good chance that you will either work with the
general public, but - even if you don't - government agencies are large
organisations with a lot of employees, and so the ability to get on with people
from all walks of life is usually important.
Courtesy. Being polite to people costs nothing, and can help to earn you the
respect of your colleagues, as well as the people you serve.
Patience. This is a skill that everyone needs, but is especially important in large
organisations, where things can take a very long time indeed!
Tolerance - which you may have meant by "justness" - is vital. You may work
with, or serve people who have diferent beliefs or customs to you, and it is vital
to respect their beliefs and practices, even if you don't share them.
Empathy. Being able to understand other people's feelings is a great skill, and
makes you more able to be tolerant of their behaviour, and to help them more
efectively. It also makes you a more popular member of a team, and helps to
smooth relationships with the public.
Listening skills. These are crucial, as it is only by listening, that we can
understand, and then take efective action. Active listening (including making eye
contact) is particularly important, as research shows that people who feel that
others aren't listening to them can get angry and frustrated very quickly.
Open-mindedness. In large organisations, your colleagues will have diferent
habits and ways of working from your own - as well as diferent opinions, which is
also true of members of the public. You don't always have to agree with people,
but showing them respect by taking their opinions seriously, can only help to
make you valued by your employer, colleagues and the general public.
If you want to be able to demonstrate the above skills, either in the workplace or in an
interview, it should now be clear how you might go about doing that.
I'd also suggest that you be as honest and direct as possible in your dealings with
people, and don't say things that you don't mean. For example, don't ofer to do
something for your boss or a colleague, and then forget to do it.
A sense of humour is also a great asset in many government jobs, especially the more
stressful ones!
Of course, there are also practical skills that many government employeeswill need, but
these can vary from job to job.
In a lot of government ofces, these practical skills would be likely to include such things
as literacy and administration, along with varying degrees of computer literacy.
Living with integrity means !ot settling for less than what you know you deserve in your
relationships. "sking for what you want and need from others. #peaking your truth$ even though it
might create conflict or tension. %ehaving in ways that are in harmony with your personal values.
&aking choices based on what you believe$ and not what others believe.
arbara !illinger offers a traditional definition"
#ntegrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to
honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles.
$%&
#n ethics, integrity is regarded
$by whom?&
as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.
#ntegrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy,
$(&
in that )udging with the standards of integrity involves
regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves
apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.
*he word +integrity+ stems from the ,atin ad)ective integer (whole, complete).
$-&
#n this context,
integrity is the inner sense of +wholeness+ deriving from .ualities such as honesty and consistency
of character. /s such, one may )udge that others +have integrity+ to the extent that they act according
to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.
/ value system's abstraction depth and range of applicable interaction may also function as
significant factors in identifying integrity due to their congruence or lack of congruence with
observation. / value system may evolve over time
$0&
while retaining integrity if those who espouse the
values account for and resolve inconsistencies.
$1&