Manila: Free tuition to take up a master's degree for more than 2.25 million government workers will strengthen the performance of the country's civil service. Senator Loren Legarda, who is on medical leave reportedly due to a serious ailment, has filed Senate Bill No. 2099 or the Government Employees Free Master's Degree Tuition Act to give state workers greater opportunities to improve their skills, alongside reforms that promote merit-based performance, transparency, and accountability.

According to Philippines News Agency, the bill seeks to provide free tuition in state universities and colleges for government employees pursuing master's degrees. "Kapag maayos ang trabaho ng isang kawani, ramdam iyan ng tao. Mas mabilis ang transaksyon, mas maayos ang serbisyo, mas malinaw ang sagot ng ahensya, at mas napapakinabangan ang pondo ng bayan (When a government employee does the job well, the public feels the difference. Transactions become faster, services improve, agencies provide clearer responses, and public funds are put to better use)," Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, said in a news release Tuesday.

The bill highlights that many government employees want to pursue further studies and expand their skills, but graduate education comes with costs. Legarda emphasized that if the knowledge gained can be used to develop better policies and improve public services, then the government should invest in their education.

The Civil Service Commission reported there are 2,256,693 career and non-career government personnel as of June this year. The country marks the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary this September, with this year's celebration carrying the theme "Bawat Kawani, Lingkod Bayani: Puso, Dangal, at Galing Para sa Bayan (Every Employee, a Hero in Public Service: Heart, Honor, and Excellence for the Nation)."