The Civil Service Commission (CSC) issued clarifications on Thursday regarding its guidelines on social media use by government employees during the election season, following criticism of its Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025, issued on March 31, 2025. Some groups had raised concerns, calling the memorandum “too restrictive.”
The CSC’s memorandum reminds government employees that they must refrain from engaging in political activities during the campaign period, including on social media. However, the commission clarified that government workers are still allowed to “like, share, comment on, or repost election-related content,” provided that these actions do not solicit support for or against any candidate or political party during the campaign period.
The CSC also emphasized the need for “prudence in using social media” to ensure that government employees do not engage in partisan political activities. This is in line with the 1987 Constitution, which calls for political neutrality among public servants.
The clarification comes after concerns were raised regarding the extent to which government employees’ online actions could be considered political, and the commission’s statement aims to strike a balance between allowing freedom of expression while maintaining the required neutrality in public service.
