Civil Service Eligibility Requirements for LGU Driver I and Driver II Positions (Philippines)

Civil Service Eligibility Requirements for LGU Driver I and Driver II (Philippines)

This article explains, in Philippine law and practice, what “eligibility” means for Local Government Unit (LGU) Driver positions, what kinds of eligibilities are accepted, and how these interact with other appointment requirements, posting and selection rules, and licensing/skills standards. It is written for applicants, HRMOs, and appointing authorities in provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangay-based offices that maintain plantilla Driver items.


I. What “civil service eligibility” means

Under the Constitution and the Administrative Code, career service posts generally require civil service eligibility appropriate to the position. For first-level positions like Driver I and Driver II (clerical, trades, and crafts level), “eligibility” does not always mean a full Career Service Professional (CSE-Professional) license. For Drivers, the CSC recognizes position-specific or skills-based eligibilities that are sufficient only for driver or related operator posts. In practice, most LGU Driver vacancies accept any one of several eligibilities listed below, provided the other qualification-standards (education, training, experience) are met.


II. Accepted eligibilities for Driver I and Driver II

LGU vacancy notices typically state one (not all) of the following as the required eligibility. Meeting any one that is listed for the particular vacancy is usually enough.

  1. Career Service Subprofessional (CSE-SubProf)

    • General first-level eligibility. Valid for any first-level career post (including drivers) across the bureaucracy.
    • Obtained by passing the CSC Pen-and-Paper or computerized Subprofessional exam.
  2. Skills Eligibility – Driver (Category for trades/crafts)

    • A skills-based CSC eligibility issued for Driver positions.
    • Often cited in postings as “Driver (CSC MC No. 11, s. 1996, as amended by MC No. 10, s. 2013)”, or similarly phrased.
    • This eligibility is limited in scope: it qualifies the holder for driver/transport equipment operator positions that fall within the coverage of the issuance; it does not confer blanket eligibility for unrelated first-level posts.
  3. Other special CSC eligibilities (when expressly allowed by the QS)

    • Examples include Barangay Official Eligibility (BOE), Honor Graduate Eligibility (PD 907), Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Specialist Eligibility, Sanggunian Member Eligibility, etc.
    • Important: These are only acceptable if the published qualification standards (QS) for the specific Driver vacancy state that “any appropriate first-level eligibility” is acceptable. If the QS is narrowly written (e.g., “Eligibility: Driver (skills eligibility)”), a special eligibility not appropriate to driving may be rejected.

Key point: A Professional Driver’s License (PDL) from the LTO is not by itself a civil service eligibility; it is a license. However, the CSC’s skills eligibility for Driver is typically issued/recognized with the PDL and proof of driving competence as underlying credentials. Vacancy notices often word the eligibility portion as “Driver (CSC skills eligibility) plus Professional Driver’s License.”


III. Usual qualification standards (QS) beyond eligibility

Eligibility is only one piece. LGUs must follow published Qualification Standards, which typically include:

  • Education

    • Driver I: usually Elementary School Graduate (some LGUs require High School Graduate/K-12).
    • Driver II: often High School Graduate or equivalent; occasionally accepts Elementary Graduate with longer experience (depends on the LGU’s approved QS).
  • Experience

    • Driver I: often none required or up to 1 year relevant experience.
    • Driver II: typically at least 1 year relevant driving experience (ambulance, heavy/official vehicles, or multi-stop routes).
  • Training

    • Driver I: sometimes none or 4–8 hours relevant training (defensive driving, basic vehicle maintenance).
    • Driver II: commonly 8–16 hours relevant training (defensive driving, first aid for ambulance drivers, fleet safety, basic automechanics).
  • Eligibility

    • As set out in Section II (e.g., Driver skills eligibility or CSE-SubProf), plus a valid LTO Professional Driver’s License (PDL) with appropriate restriction/vehicle category (e.g., light/heavy, manual/automatic) matching the vehicles in the LGU fleet.
  • Physical/medical fitness

    • Medical certificate fit for driving; for certain posts (e.g., ambulance), proof of color vision sufficiency, hearing/vision standards, and drug-free status consistent with LGU policies.

Local variation is lawful. LGUs adopt their QS through DBM-approved Plantilla and classification standards; minor differences by ordinance or HRMPSB policy are common. Always rely on the published QS in the vacancy announcement.


IV. Driver I vs. Driver II: functional distinctions

While titles vary, LGUs generally observe these progression differences:

  • Driver I (entry)

    • Scope: Light vehicles (sedans, small pickups, service vans) for official errands, staff transport, messenger duties.
    • Complexity: Routine routes, under close supervision.
    • Maintenance: Basic pre-trip checks and cleanliness.
  • Driver II (higher)

    • Scope: Heavier or specialized vehicles (e.g., dump trucks, rescue/ambulance, utility trucks) or greater responsibility (VIP/official driver, long-haul, inter-municipality).
    • Complexity: Non-routine routes, occasional field decisions; may mentor Driver I.
    • Maintenance: More thorough checks; coordinates basic troubleshooting with the Motorpool.

Salary Grades (SG). National benchmarks often place Driver I in the lower first-level SGs and Driver II one grade higher. Actual SG numbers in LGUs follow the Local Government Compensation and Position Classification System and the current SSL schedule adopted by the LGU; consult the posted item to avoid assumptions.


V. Interaction of eligibility with licensing and TESDA credentials

  • LTO Professional Driver’s License (PDL): Mandatory for official driving. Categories (A/B/C or equivalent restrictions) should match the assigned vehicle types. Expired/suspended PDLs disqualify appointment or continued duty.

  • TESDA National Certificates (NC): Not required by default, but highly persuasive for skills verification (e.g., Driving NC II, Automotive Servicing NC I/II, Emergency Medical Services modules for ambulance drivers). LGUs may treat TESDA NCs as training hours or as supporting documents for the CSC skills eligibility route.


VI. Other legal and administrative prerequisites for appointment

Regardless of eligibility, appointments must satisfy general civil service requirements, including:

  1. Citizenship & Age: Filipino citizen; at least 18 years old.

  2. Good moral character: No conviction of crimes involving moral turpitude; no pending administrative case per CSC rules at the time of appointment.

  3. Non-nepotism & conflict of interest rules under the Administrative Code and Local Government Code.

  4. Publication & Posting:

    • Vacancies must be published (CSC Bulletin/Job Portal and LGU bulletin) for the required period before issuance of a permanent appointment.
  5. Merit Selection via HRMPSB:

    • Ranking based on QS and competency-based assessment (document screening, actual driving test, basic vehicle-maintenance test, panel interview, and background/reference checks).
  6. Medical fitness & drug-free policy:

    • LGUs commonly require pre-employment medical evaluation; some require random drug testing for drivers.
  7. Documentary compliance:

    • PSA birth certificate, diploma/eligibility certificate, PDL card, NBI/Police clearances (as required by local policy), training certificates, service records for promotion, etc.

VII. Appointment types and tenure

  • Permanent appointment requires full compliance with QS (education, training, experience, eligibility, and license).
  • Temporary appointment may be issued only when the appointee lacks eligibility but meets the other QS and no eligible applicants are available; validity is limited and contingent on obtaining the required eligibility.
  • Casual/Contractual/Job Order (JO) engagements follow separate rules; JO/Contract of Service are non-career and do not require civil service eligibility, but cannot substitute for a permanent Driver item.

VIII. Typical evaluation matrix used by HRMPSB (illustrative)

  • Eligibility (required) – Pass/Fail (appropriate CSC eligibility and valid PDL)
  • Education – Meets or exceeds QS (edge for HS/K-12 or higher)
  • Experience – Verified years of relevant driving (government or private)
  • Training – Defensive driving, first aid/BLS (for ambulance), fleet safety, automechanics
  • Skills test – Road test (urban/rural), parking, night/rain driving, pre-trip inspection
  • Interview/Behavioral – Reliability, safety orientation, courtesy, records discipline
  • Background – Accident history, traffic violations, attendance record, drug-free

IX. Good-to-know nuances (often asked)

  • Can SubProfessional passers apply even if the posting says “Driver (skills eligibility)”? Usually yes if the posting uses the phrase “any first-level eligibility” or “appropriate eligibility”; if it specifically requires Driver (skills), the HRMO may limit acceptance to the named eligibility. Always read the exact QS in the posting.

  • Is a Non-Pro LTO license acceptable? For official LGU driving, the standard is Professional. A Non-Pro is typically not accepted for plantilla Driver items.

  • Ambulance/Rescue drivers: LGUs commonly add first aid/CPR-BLS training requirements and may insist on clean drug test and stricter vision/hearing standards.

  • Promotion from Driver I to II: Treated as promotion with higher SG, requiring the same or higher eligibility level and additional experience/training. The PDL classification should match heavier/specialized vehicles if that is part of the role.


X. Practical compliance checklist (for applicants)

  • Eligibility: One of—Driver (CSC skills eligibility) or CSE-SubProfessional (or other accepted first-level eligibility stated in the posting).
  • License: LTO Professional Driver’s License (correct vehicle category/restriction).
  • Education: Meets posted QS (Elem/HS as required).
  • Experience: Meets posted QS (none/1 year+ as required).
  • Training: Certificates in defensive driving, basic vehicle maintenance; BLS/First Aid for ambulance posts.
  • Medical fitness: Current medical certificate; comply with LGU drug-free policy.
  • Character & records: No disqualifying convictions; acceptable traffic/accident history.
  • Documents ready: Certificates of eligibility, license, schooling, COEs, clearances.

XI. Practical compliance checklist (for HRMOs/appointing authorities)

  • Post accurate QS (education/experience/training/eligibility) consistent with the approved Plantilla.
  • Specify the exact eligibility accepted (e.g., “Driver (CSC skills eligibility) or CSE-SubProfessional; with valid LTO PDL”).
  • Conduct skills testing (road test + pre-trip + basic troubleshooting).
  • Verify PDL status with LTO and eligibility certificate with CSC.
  • Observe publication and HRMPSB ranking; keep documentation for CSC review.
  • Align vehicle assignment with the driver’s PDL category and training profile.
  • For ambulance/rescue posts, require BLS/First Aid; for heavy equipment, require appropriate restrictions and safety training.
  • Ensure non-nepotism and EO/equal opportunity compliance.

XII. Bottom line

For LGU Driver I and Driver II positions, eligibility can be satisfied by CSE-SubProfessional or the CSC-recognized Driver skills eligibility, together with a valid LTO Professional Driver’s License and the QS on education, experience, and training stated in the vacancy. Appointments must still pass through publication, HRMPSB merit selection, and medical/fitness requirements. Always rely on the posted QS of the specific LGU item, as local classification and SSL adoption may adjust details such as education level, experience years, training hours, and salary grade.

Disclaimer: This content is not legal advice and may involve AI assistance. Information may be inaccurate.