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AFSD-M-2022-_____

TO : ALL NBDB OFFICERS AND PERSONNEL

FROM : CHARISSE AQUINO-TUGADE

Executive Director

DATE : October 13, 2022

SUBJECT : GUIDELINES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUAL

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PRINCIPLE (EEOP) POLICY

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) upholds and recognizes the value of equality and
diversity in all the pillars and elements of human resource systems 1, thus, the guidelines on
institutionalizing the Equal Employment Opportunity Principle 2 (EEOP) is hereby established for
implementation in all human resource programs, projects, and activities.

I. RATIONALE

NBDB commits itself to the strict implementation of all related laws, rules, and regulations (see
Annex A) on fairness and equality in employment, promotion, and personnel development. It
shall continue to promote a balanced working environment that dutifully respects the individual
differences of its employees and integrates into its organizational practices the principles of
justice and impartiality regardless of age, school, gender, civil status, disability, religion,
ethnicity, social status, income class, paternity and filiation, political affiliation or other similar
factors or personal circumstances. NBDB recognizes the importance of equity to development;
thus, it ensures that discrimination in any form has no place in all its functional divisions and
offices. The democratic values of equality and justice shall be observed in all four (4) pillars of
the HRM systems namely:

(1) Recruitment, Selection, and Placement;

(2) Learning and Development;
(3) Performance Management; and
(4) Rewards and Recognition.

II. SCOPE

This guideline covers all current officers, employees, and potential applicants regardless of
current positions with employment status, position applied for including those potential

1 CSC MC No. S. 2016 dated October 24, 2016 - Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource
Management (PRIME-HRM) Enhanced Maturity Level Indicators
2 RA No. 7041 dated June 5, 1991 - An Act Requiring Regular Publication of Existing Vacant Positions in Government OFfices,
Appropriating Funds Therefore, and for Other Purposes.
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applicants from the marginalized, underprivileged or vulnerable groups who require special needs
or consideration.

III. DEFINITION AND ACRONYM OF TERMS

A. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) – refers to the non-discriminatory and

non-bias treatment of all applicants/employees to a position/designation/assignment
following the principle of equal opportunity to all regardless of sex and gender, age,
civil status, physical characteristics, and attributes, religion, belief, creed, race, family
background, political affiliation, socio-economic standing, etc.

B. Discrimination – refers to any distinction, exclusion, or restriction made based on

sex and gender, age, civil status, physical characteristics and attributes, religion,
belief, creed, race, family background, political affiliation, socio-economic standing,
etc. with the purpose or intent of depriving, impairing the enjoyment or availment of
right and opportunities.

C. Sexual Orientation – refers to whether a person’s sexual attraction is towards their

own sex, the opposite sex, or both sexes.

D. Specialized Group – refers to those groups which need special attention or

consideration from the agency, such as but not limited to Pregnant Women, Solo
Parents, Senior Citizens, Differently Abled Persons, and Indigenous people.

E. Person with Disability (PWD) – refers to those who have long-term physical,
mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers
may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with
others.

IV. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

1. Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (RSP)

With an end goal to employ a diverse workforce of the best-qualified persons using uniform
non-discriminatory guidelines, the EEOP shall be applied in the entire RSP process. All
applicants for all job opportunities whether plantilla position or Job Order/Contract of
Services (JO/COS), shall be treated similarly, and unhampered by any artificial barriers or
prejudices, except when particular distinction/s form part of the qualifications of the job
itself.

This shall be implemented as follows:

1.1 Publication and Posting of vacancies

a. Publish vacant position/s in the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Bulletin of

vacancies or through other modes of publication 3
b. Open vacant positions to all qualified applicants regardless of race, sex, age,
disability status, color, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and other
characteristics protected by law;
c. Attract pool of applicant a diverse pool of applicants with the necessary
qualifications and potential through the publication of vacancies in various modes
but ensure that EEOP is explicitly indicated on the web, social media, and bulletin
board posting.

3 Rule VII of 2017 Omnibus Rules on Appointments and other Human Resource Actions
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d. Accept all applications whether submitted in electronic or print, whether walk-in or

courier.
e. Open the application period within 10 calendar days commencing on the date of
posting of vacancies in the CSC Bulletin of Vacancies.

1.2 Initial Assessment

a. Include in the preparation of the database of applicants, HR analytics, and reports

submitted to concerned oversight committees, the number of differently-abled or
senior citizen applicants.
b. Identify the needed assistance and determine the enabling interventions for
applicants that are differently-abled or senior citizen.
c. Assess and screen applicants based on merit and fitness guided by EEOP.

1.3 Written Examination - Aptitude and Functional Examination

Provide apt assistance to examinees, as follows, but not limited to:

i. For applicants with vision impairment, provide and assign a reader and encoder,
and may be accommodated in a different schedule, if the need arises.

ii. For deaf or hard-hearing applicants, visual instructions through a PowerPoint

presentation, Canva, and other available means.

iii. For applicants with physical disability or pregnant women, change the venue
and/or mode of examination and interview that shall be more convenient and
accessible, when necessary.

iv. For senior citizen applicants (as long as he/she has not reached the mandatory age
of retirement, or 65 years old), provide a qualified encoder during the examination
process.

1.4 Human Resource Merit Selection and Promotion Board (HRMPSB) Panel Interview

i. Properly inform differently-abled, pregnant, and senior citizen applicants of their

interview schedule.

ii. Use and ask questions related to the selection criteria that shall not pertain to age,
disability, social status, income class, paternity and filiation, political affiliation, or
other similar factors/personal circumstances.

iii. For deaf or hard-hearing applicants, write the questions and give enough time for
the applicant to write their answers and schedule on a separate date and time when
the need arises.

1.5 Selection by the Appointing Authority

i. Always practice transparency in the selection based on merit and fitness set by the
CSC and CSC-approved NBDB-Merit Selection and Promotion Plan (NBDB-MSPP).

ii. The Appointment shall be in accordance with existing CSC rules and regulations.

iii. In case a differently-abled candidate/ applicant is chosen for appointment, he/she

shall be provided a workstation appropriate to his or her needs.

2. Learning and Development

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The goal of the EEOP on Learning and Development is to provide and support the personal and
professional growth of NBDB employees with high regard for the provision and equal
opportunities and a development framework not affected by discriminatory factors such as sex,
color, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, social class, political affiliation, disability, and other non-
job-related groups and labels.

Training, seminars, workshops, conferences, scholarships, and job-embedded learning shall

involve a systematic process of competence/needs assessment, planning, designing, resource
development, and the actual delivery of programs.

This shall be implemented as follows:

2.1 NBDB shall ensure that all employees have equal opportunity in all learning and
development activities such as the Learning and Development Program and other training
offered for personal and professional growth.

2.2 All invitations for scholarships, training, and other professional opportunities from
external providers or sponsors (local and international) shall be properly disseminated
through office orders and/or advisories.

2.3 Professional development and advancement programs for personnel with special
needs shall be implemented by EEOP and NBDB shall provide necessary assistance in the
personnel’s attendance to these programs.

2.4 NBDB shall ensure that Learning Service Providers are advocates of social inclusion
and equal opportunity principle.

2.5 A safe, positive, comfortable, and conducive environment shall be considered and set
up by all L&D implementers to encourage strong collaboration among participants,
trainers, and the training team.

2.6 Any form of discrimination or bias shall not be allowed in the training venue. Activities
shall be designed by this EEOP policy.

2.7 The training team shall ensure that the venue is safe to avoid any hazards. The
availability of first aid kits in the training venue shall be guaranteed.

2.8 Food provisions shall consider the participants’ religion or health conditions.

2.9 Training modules, learning materials, and language should be sensitive to the
needs/physical well-being of specialized groups.

2.10 Profiling of participants should be done before the conduct of the training to confirm
their availability and assess their readiness and requirements for the training.

3. Performance Management

The implementation of a performance management system/tool such as the Strategic

Performance Management System (SPMS) shall consider the needs and limitations of employees
belonging to specialized groups. No discrimination on account of age, gender, civil status,
disability, religion, ethnicity, social status, income class, paternity and filiation, political affiliation,
pregnancy, or other similar factors/personal circumstances which run counter to the principles of
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equal employment opportunity shall affect the rational distribution of tasks and delineation of
duties and responsibilities of officials and employees.

3.1 The distribution of tasks/assignments of personnel should be discussed by the

supervisor and subordinates so that there will be consensus and agreements on
commitments/targets of the office/division.

3.2 Assignments/tasks should consider the needs of employees belonging to specialized

groups (senior citizens, solo parents, differently-abled persons, indigenous people, or
pregnant women) or those who are recuperating from life-threatening
illnesses/undergoing chemotherapy or radiation.

3.3 Assignments that would require mobility/travel or representation to inter-agency

activities usually held outside should be agreed upon with all employees in the
office/division.

3.4 Flexible working hours should be given to solo parents, employees who are
recuperating from life-threatening illness/undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, or those
who observe religious activities (i.e Muslim), etc.

3.5 Work areas that will ensure the safety and easy access of employees who have
physical limitations or health-related conditions must be provided.

3.6 Solo parents should not be given assignments/tasks that will separate them from their
children for a long time.

3.7 Pregnant staff should not be given assignments/tasks that may endanger their lives as
well as, that of their baby.

3.8 Employees belonging to the Indigenous People should not be given targets and
activities which are contrary to their cultural beliefs and practices.

The standard rating scale approved by the Civil Service Commission shall strictly apply during the
review and evaluation of the performance of employees. Supervisors shall not exercise
biases/give ratings based on the limitations and restrictions considered when the employees
belonging to specialized groups were given assignments/tasks.

4. Rewards and Recognition

The NBDB shall ensure that the Rewards and Recognition of employees shall be based on an
equal opportunity, merit, performance, and accomplishment and shall not be based on age,
religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, civil status, social status, or any other status or
characteristics covered by pertinent laws.

Equal opportunities shall be given to all employees and those belonging to the specialized group.
NBDB shall ensure that they should not be left behind because of their limitations and
restrictions.

The NBDB Praise Committee shall ensure that the nomination and deliberation for each category
of awards are by EEOP.
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This EEOP policy shall take effect immediately

Annex A: Matrix of Legal Bases on EEOP

1. Article II of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines

2. Executive Order No. 292 Book V, Title I, Subtitle A, Chapter I- General Provisions
3. Presidential decree No. 966 dated July 20, 1976 (Declaring Violations of the International
Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination to Be Criminal
Offenses and Providing Penalties Therefor)
4. Republic Act No. 6725 dated May 12, 1989 - Section 1 (An Act Strengthening the
Prohibition on Discrimination against Women concerning Terms and Conditions of
Employment)
5. Republic Act No. 7192 dated July 22, 1991 – Section 2 (Women in Development and
Nation Building Act)
6. Republic Act No. 7877 dated February 14, 1995 – Section 2 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act
of 1995)
7. Republic Act No. 8731 dated October 29, 1997- Section 2 (The Indigenous Peoples’
Rights Act of 1997)
8. Republic Act No. 8972 dated November 7, 2000 – Section 2 (Solo Parents' Welfare Act of
2000)
9. Republic Act No. 9262 dated March 8, 2004 – Section 2 (Anti-Violence Against Women
and Their Children Act of 2004)
10. Republic Act No. 9710 dated August 14, 2009 – Section 2 (Magna Carta of Women)
11. Republic Act No. 10028 dated March 16, 2010 – Section 2 (Expanded Breastfeeding
Promotion Act of 2009)
12. Republic Act No. 10524 dated July 13, 2012 – Section 5 (Magna Carta for Persons with
Disability)
13. Memorandum Circular No. 48 s. 13 dated May 30, 2013 (Directing All Concerned
Government Agencies to Adopt the Gender Equality Guidelines in the Development of
their Respective Media Policies and Implementing Programs to promote Gender
Mainstreaming)
14. Republic Act No. 10911 dated July 21, 2016 – Section 2 (Anti-Age Discrimination in
Employment Act)
15. Republic Act No. 11210 dated February 20, 2019 – Section 2 (105-Day Expanded
Maternity Leave Law)