FOREWORD

he Civil Service Commission (CSC) is pleased to present the second edition of

the CSC Stylebook. In 2012, we provided CSC's information officers with this
handy guide to good grammar and proper style. Now, we have enhanced the
Stylebook and included additional sections to further equip CSC officials and
employees in their everyday writing.

'Writing excellently' is one of our core competencies, and we ought to practice this as
well as this shows our character as being well-read and well-equipped public servants
who care about our organization's reputation. We create impressions based on written
communication; a well-written document contributes to how our clients see us,

The CSC Stylebook contains basic grammar rules including subject.verb agreement,
tenses, and punctuation, as well as recommended styles for spelling, numbering,
and formatting news releases and speeches, Also included are guidelines for gender.
sensitive language and legal writing. To promote uniformity and consistency across
written material, we have detailed the guidelines for CSC's corporate branding. We
encourage everyone to follow the guidelines strictly so we could truly implement our
"one look" policy in our outputs.

This Stylebook must help CSC officials and employees not only to do their best, but to
write their best. Make the Stylebook a part of your daily writing activities and continue
enriching your written communication skills.

lA d6la ROSA-BALA
ha i rperson
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 MESSAGE

he Great Confucius once said, "lf language is not correct, then what is said is
not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be
done remains undone..."

Communicatron is indeed a powerful tool when something needs to be done for it

promotes understanding and clarity of purpose. lt is essential for the Civil Service
Commission (CSC), to display an advanced level of competence as communicators
because everyday we communicate with each other, with our partners, stakeholders
and the public. But we also have to resolve differences in styles, particularly writing
styles. Thus, the Commission releases the second edition of the CSC Stylebook.

The CSC Stylebook presents expert.recommended and time-tested grammar rules.

It is a handy guide specifically designed for CSC officials and employees. lt hopes
to enhance writing skills through the sections on grammar, style, gender-sensitive
language, online communication, netiquette, and formatting of CSC issuances. The
CSC corporate branding, which highlights proper use of the Commission's logo, is also
included as Part Vl of the stylebook.
All of us in the Commission are encouraged to familiarize and constantly refer to the
CSC Stylebook as our go-to reference for our writing needs. Consulting this material
should be a habit, keeping in mind that communication, particularly the written form
fairly contributes to how the bureaucracy percerves the CSC.
Make the CSC Stylebook a part of your day-to-day writing habit and consider it an
essential tool for the lingkod bayani to improve communication skills toward public
service excellence

I- ^M
re{edr-Eo RoBERTo w. vALDERosA JR.
Corhmissioner
 riting is inevitable in a public servant's career. We do it multiple times every day
turn in reports, write/compose memos, leave messages on sticky notes, send SMS -we
to
colleagues or clients, or upload an article on official websites. For an activity that we
do so often on a daily basis, we still make grammatical and typographical errors. We
also follow different styles. Wouldn't it be nice if we all just followed one set of rules?

The CSC Stylebook was written and given to you for this very purpose. You no longer need to
compile and cross-reference all of these grammar rules and styles-the CSC Stylebook has
done that for you. All you need to do is familiarize yourself with its content and apply it in your
daily writing tasks. We are "one CSC", and it is just fitting that we also write in one style, Our
writing style should therefore be recognizable across any CSC written material, be it a memo
written in Mindanao to a poster printed in the Visayas to a report submitted in Luzon. This
shows unity among all CSC offices.

An institution's style of writing reflects its culture and values as an organization. At the CSC,
we promote a writing style that is simple, straightforward, and grammatically correct, This
style promotes easy understanding among readers and audiences. As a center of excellence
for human resource management and organization development, we want to build an easy
communication process with HR practitioners, the media, and the public. We also want to
establish our own coroorate brand.

Every CSC official and employee is expected to follow the CSC Stylebook as a good writing
discipline. The stylebook is organized into sections corresponding to our every writing need.
Grammar and style are discussed in Part l, followed by guidelines in observing gender sensitive
language in Part ll. Guidelines for writing news releases and doing online communication are
in Parts lll and lV, respectively. Part V contains rules in formatting CSC issuances and written
material. Specifications in using CSC's corporate branding is in Part Vl.

A lingkod bayanidisplays competency in writing. Let the CSC Stylebook help you write well and
represent the CSC as a communication.sawy institution.
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 TABTE OF CONTENTS

PART I Grammar and Usage

Chapter 1 Guide to Effective Writing 1

Chapter 2 Style 9
Chapter 3 Writing Tips 53
Chapter 4 Common Problem Areas 59
Chapter 5 Commonly Misused Words 65
Chapter 6 Legal Writing 73

PART ll Gender-Sensitive Language 77

PART lll Guidelines for Writing News Releases

Chapter 1 News Release 93

Chapter 2 Photo Release 99
Chapter 3 Media Advisory 103

PART lV Guidelines for Online Communication

Chapter 1 Netiquette r07

Chapter 2 Social Media Guidelines (Excerpt) 113
Chapter 3 Guidelines for Submitting L17
Electronic Documents
Chapter 4 Referencing Online Sources t2r
 I
Part V Formatting

Chaoter 1 General Guidelines I27

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Chapter 2 Titling Cases Filed with the

Chapter 3
Commission
of
Guidelines for the Preparation
I29
133
t
Chapter 4
a CSC lssuance
Guidelines for Writing
Reoorts
Annual I49 I
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Guidelines for Wrrting
Guidelines for Writing
and Messages
Letters
Speeches
155
159 I
Part Vl Guidelines for Using CSC Corporate Materials I
CSC Logo
the
Chapter 1 General Guidelines for Using

Chapter 2 Process Color Reproduction

165

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Chapter 3 Logo Placement/Applications I77
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Annex A Uniform Format on Drafting of
CSC Decisions/Resol utions
Annex B Numbering of CSC Resolutions and Decisions
181

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Annex C Specifications for CSC Stationery Set
Annex D Copyediting Marks
183
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I GRAMMAR & USA
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I Chopler I
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Guide lo Eflecllve Wrlllng
Active vs. Possive Voice
I - Verbol Deodwood ,,i

t Chopler 2 Style
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Abbreviotions, Acronyms, ond
Copitolizotion
-
I -
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Use of Numbers
ltolics
Punctuotion

I Chopter
Other Punctuotion Morks
Wrltlng llps

I Chopter Common ?roblom

Chopl,er Commonly ltllgusod
I Chopter

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 CHAPTER I

GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE WRITING

ood writers agree that the secret to effective writing lies in being specific,
definite, and concrete. These essential ingredients stir and sustain readers'
interest. William Strunk and E.B. White, in year book "The Elements of
Style", wrote that the world's greatest writers, the likes of Homer, Dante, and
Shakespeare, are effective largely because they deal with particulars and report the
details that matter.

Similarly, lsagani Yambot, a veteran journalist, said that the key elements to clear
and effective writing are accuracy, brevity, clarity, grammatical correctness, proper
choice of words, and good taste. ln fact, one of the ways of sustaining readers'
tnterest is by using short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. According
to a year study done by the Associated Press, an international wire news agency, the
shorter the sentence, the greater the percentage of comprehension.

Simplicity of expression enhances clarity. Yambot stresses this point in the Inquirer
Stylebook. He writes, "(Simplicity in writing) means the use of short, familiar words,
and short sentences and writing in coherent and logical manner." He adds, "Use
nouns and verbs, limit the use of adjectives and adverbs. Be precise in the use of
words. For instance, don't use disinterested when you mean uninterested, or infer
when you mean imply."

Chapter 1 of The CSC Stylebook deals with some of the basic yet essential tools to
clear and effective writing. The drscussions touch on the use of the active voice, the
proper choice of words, words to be avoided, and other writing tips.
Part 1: Chapter 1

Active vs. Passive Voice

The active voice is more direct than the passive voice. Compare the following
sentences:

That report was written by me. (passive)

I wrote that report. (active)

The second sentence is direct and assertive. lt shows who is doing the action, unlike
the first sentence which is less direct, less bold, and less concise.

The use of the active voice gives a write-up more life and color. lt clearly shows the
receiver and doer of the action. For instance:

The office order was signedyesterday. (passive)

The chairperson signed the office order yesterday. (active)

The active voice also prevents nominalizations, or verbs that have been improperly
transformed into nouns (not to be confused with gerunds, which are verbs in'ing
form). Nominalizations are usually preceded by a or the, and followed by of.

The collection of the forms were done in the morning' (passive)

The secretary collected the forms this morning' (active)

As a general rule, switching from passive to active voice makes a write-up read better.
The passive voice may also be used but sparingly, for variety.
 Guide to Efective Writing

Verbal Deadwood
As most learned writers would agree, effective writing is concise. You can be concise
by dropping unnecessary words from phrases or sentences. This style will be difficult
to carry out especially when a writer's goal in writing is to impress rather than to
express.

Free your write-ups from unnecessary words or phrases. Every word should tell.
There is no reason to call a spade "a long-handed instrument for turning earth in a
ga rden ".

Below is a list of preferred or common words, and complex words. There are also
examples of verbal deadwood drawn from newspapers, memoranda, and some
journalism books.

Complex Gommon
abate, abatement cut down, decrease
according to said
aggregation total
aggroupment group
assista nce aid, help
category class
cognizant aware
commence start, begin
construct build, make
contribute grve
customary channels usuar way
domicile home
effectuated did
enoeavor rry
facilitate help
fu nctiona lization use
germane relevant
Part l: ChaOter I

rmparr damage, hurt

i naugurate start
i ncarcerate jail
indisposed itl
in toto altogether, in all
instantaneously now, quickly
instru menta lities means, ways
interface with meet with
i nu ndate f lood
lethal deadly, fatal
majority most
monumental big
multitudinous many
obfuscate confuse
obviate prevent, do away with
palpable clear, obvious, visible
prevaricate lie
proceed go
procure get
pu rchase buy
remuneration pay
request ask
reside live
terminate end
utilize use
witness see
Instead of using long, cumbersome phrases, develop the habit of using shorter
version of words for better results and to save space and time in typing (and reading,
too). The list below shows examples of long and short phrases.

Instead of these Use

for the reason that because
at the present time now
tendered his resignation resigned
affixed his signature signed
told his listeners said
held a conference met
in the immediate vicinity near
was able to make his escape escapeo
along the line of like
an example of this is just the for example
about the fact that about
concerning the nature of about
during the time that while
exhibit a tendency to to
first and foremost first
in case of if
in the light of the fact that oecause
in order to to
in close proximity to near
with reference to about
rn relation with with
in the course of during
in the event that if
in the majority of instances usually
in the not-so-distant future soon
inasmuch as because
it is clear that clearly, therefore
on account of the fact that Decause
Part 1: Chapter I

lnstead of these
leaving out of consideration disregarding
make an examination of examtne
month of January January
notwithstanding the fact that although
of very minor importance unimportant
refer to as cal I

prior to, in advance of before

on a few occasions occasionally
to summarize the above in summary
ooined said
with the exceotion excepr
within the realm of possibility possible, possibly
these are not very many few
the only difference being that except
the question is that whether whether

In the following phrases, the italicized word should be omitted as it makes the
phrase redundant:

resultant effect successfu/ triumph

fufure prospect personalf riend
advance prediction free gift
fatal killing for a period of two weeks
definitely decided past history
new recruits flnal conclusion
ofher alternative enclosed herewith
repeat again advance notice
I Guide to Effective Writing

I REFERENCES:

Associated Press, The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. New York:

I Basic Books, 2OO4.

Strunk Jr., William., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books, 2005.

I Trenga, Bonnie. The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier: How To Solve the Mysteries of
Weak Writing. Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 2006.

t Yambot, lsagani, and Cristina P Hidalgo. Philippine Daily Inquirer Stylebook: A Manual for
Reporters, Editors and Students. Makati City: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc., 1993.

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 IFACED IT ALL

AND ISTOOD TALL

AND DID IT WAY

 CHAPTER 2
STYTE
his chapter contains the rules on capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation,
spelling, and different and proper uses of numbers. Most of these are based
on established grammar rules that can be found in other stylebooks and
references. In tricky cases where there is no absolute rule to be referred to,
this stylebook follows and recommends its own set of guidelines. Thus, there are
both traditional and new practices. The point is to integrate these practices into
written outputs and establish a standard way of writing in the CSC.

Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Contractions

Abbreviations and acronyms serve to save space, to avoid repetition of long words
and phrases that may distract the reader, and to save time typing. However,
abbreviations and contractions should not be overused because they can make a
report unintelligible. Only terms and expressions that the readers understand should
be abbreviated. When in doubt, do not abbreviate.

The following rules will guide you on what and when to abbreviate.

1. Abbreviate street, avenue, and boulevard in numbered addresses. Do not

abbreviate drive and road.

He lives at 11 Chico St., Kamias, Quezon City.

He lives on Chico Road, Kamias, Quezon City.
Part 1: Chapter 2

2. Use a.rn., p.m., and no. with specific hours and numbers. (See also Use of
Numbers)

at 1 p.m.; at5:30 p.m.

in building no. 2

However, do not use a.m. or p.m. as a substitute for the words morning,
afternoon, or evening.

incorrect: The program is scheduled on Monday a.m.

correct: The program is schedu/ed on Monday morning.

3. Use titles such as Mr., Ms., Dr., Sen., Gov', and Prof. togetherwith a full
name, and Drs. used with several names. When mentioning only a person's
surname, spell out the title, except Mr. and Ms.

Dr. Allan Solis/ Doctor So/is

Sen. Kiko Pimentel / Senator Pimentel
Mr. Jun Reyes/ Mr. ReYes

4. For titles of CSC officials, follow these rules:

Chairperson no abbreviation
Commissioner no abbreviation
Asslstant Commissioner Asst. Commissioner
Director no abbreviation
Assistant Director Asst. Director

The abbreviations apply when mentioning either the full name or only the
surname,

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 Style

5. Abbreviate names of regional offices as follows:

Civil Service Commission Regional Office I csc Ro I

Civil Service Commission Regional Office ll csc Ro rl

Civil Service Commission Regional Office lll csc Ro ill
Civil Service Commission Regional Office lV CSC RO IV
Civil Service Commission Regional Office V CSC RO V
Civil Service Commission Regional Office Vl CSC RO VI
Civil Service Commission Regional Office Vll csc Ro vll
Civil Service Commission Regional Office Vlll csc Ro vilr
Civil Service Commission Regional Office lX CSC RO IX
Civil Service Commission Regional Office X CSC RO X
Civil Service Commission Regional Office Xl CSC RO XI
Civil Service Commission Regional Office Xll csc Ro xll
Civil Service Commission Cordillera Administrative Region CSC CAR
Civil Service Commission Caraga CSC Caraga
Civil Service Commission National Capital Region CSC NCR
Civil Service Commission Autonomous Resion in Muslim Mindanao CSC ARMM

Use Roman numerals in indicating the regional office number. As a general

rule, put a space between CSC and CO, RO or FO, and between RO and the
Roman numeral number or abbreviation. Put a space between RO and the
region's name or acronym.

Civil Service Commission Central Office CSC CO

Civil Service Commission Regional Office CSC RO
Civil Service Commission Regional Offices CSC ROs
Civil Service Commission Field Office CSC FO
Civil Service Commission Field Offices CSC FOs

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Part 1: Chapter 2

When abbreviating a particular CSC Field Office, place the hyphen between
FO and the corresponding government agency, province, city, municipality,
and the like:

. CSC FO-National Museum

. CSC FO-Oriental Mindoro

Note that there is no space between FO, hyphen, and agency name or
province. Always spell out the agency name or province attached to the CSC
Field Office.

Note: The hyphen should not be confused with the en dash or em dash,
which are longer.

6. Do not abbreviate the following titles:

president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, asslstant secretary, assisfant

treasurer, auditor, solicitor general, ambassador, consul, general, mayor, vice
mayor, councilor

7. Abbreviate junior or senior a'fler a person's name. (Refer to Comma for the
use of commas in names with suffixes.)

Roy Sandova/ Sr. John F. Kennedy Jr.

B. Abbreviate ecclesiastical titles as follows:

Rev., Very Rev., Fr., Msgr.

Cardinal, Papal Nuncio, Archbishop, and Bishop are not abbreviated.

9. Abbreviate certain months of the year with a specific date.

Abbreviate: Jan. 4, Feb. 5, Aug.27, Sept. 16, Oct. 17. Nov. 5, Dec. 25

12
 Style

Do not abbreviate: March 2, April 1, May 5, June 12, July 8

Never abbreviate a month standing alone or with a year alone.

The first half of the bonus will be given in May, the other half in Nov.

Never abbreviate a month that does not serve as a preposition.

the May-December affair, notthe May-Dec. affair

In tabular materials, use three letters of each month without a period.

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Ocf, Nov, Dec

10, The names of provinces are not abbreviated in the text.

11. For titles of news articles, some abbreviations may be used like:

Gov't, X'mas (without an apostrophe S)

However, abbreviations should never be used in titles of official reports,

formal papers, and the like.

12. Some organizations are widely recognized by their initials or acronyms, like
UN, ASEAN, and DOH. Always spell out the name of the organization on first
mention, and the acronym subsequently, Consult the agencies if in doubt of
the correct or official abbreviation of their organization's name.

Department of the lnterior and Local Government (DILG)

Commission Secretarlat and Liaison Ottice (CSLO)

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Part 1: Chapter 2

13, When indicating a monetary amount, use the international code (lSO 4217)
for currencies. The abbreviation should be capitalized, and there should be
no space between the currency code and the numerals.
I
PHP345; U5D560.82; AUD2 million t
14. Capitalize the formal names of international treaties and agreements.

Ihe CSC fully supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goa/s.

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15. Do not add an s to form the plural of an abbreviation for units of
measurement. Also, do not add a period to abbreviations of metric units and
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temperature. However, add a period to non-metric units that start with "per",
sucn as per square merer, I
L0 ml, not 10 rnls., 5 km not 5 kms, 33 in, not 33 lns.
1,000 sq.m., not 1,000 sq. ms. I
Note: Exceptions are Figs. and Vols. used with certain numbers.

16. Abbreviate a long word or phrase that is frequently used in reports if the
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term is spelled out on first mention, lf the original word is in plural form,
add s directly after its abbreviation. Do not use an apostrophe. I
Local government units (LGUs), government-owned or controlled corporations
(GOCCs), state universlties and co//eges (SUCs) t
Note: These terms should not be capitalized. (See also Capitalization)

17. Avoid creating a typographical mess with the excessive use of abbreviations.
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Avoid writing sentences like this: I
CSC recognized GS/$ HDMF, LBP, and PRC as the ARTA-RCS (SE) awardees.

14 I
I stute

18' Titles of the books of the Bible may be abbreviated. References to the Bible
should include book, chapter, and verse.

Gen.7:8-11; 1 Cor. 13

19. Avoid dividing abbreviations, acronyms, or the initials of a person's name.

incorrect: Early yesterday, the Commission instructed ER-

PO to draft the guidelines.

correct : Early yesterday, the commission instructed ERpo to draft the

guidelines.

20. when abbreviating years, use the leading apostrophe (in woro processors,
use the closing, not the opening, single quotation mark) to replace the om-
itted numbers. However, do not mix complex numbers with abbreviations of
numbers. consistency in the use of abbreviations is the name of the game.
(see also Apostrophe)

:
incorrect Ihis logo was used from the 1980s to the ,90s.
correct : Ihis logo was used from the 1980s to the 1990s.
correct : Ihis logo was used from the '80s and'90s.

21' Contractions are generally not used in formal writing and should be avoided
as much as possible. In cases when it is used, observe proper contractions
and placing of apostrophes. Here are a few examples:

I am - l'm is not - isn't woutd have - would,ve

I have - l've have not - haven't shoutd have - should,ve
I'll
I will - does not - doesn't could have - could,ve

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Part 1: ChaDter 2

Do not be confused in spelling words that sound similar to particular

contractions:

It's means it is, while its is the possessive form of it

You're means you are, while your is the possesive form of you
They're means they are, while their is the possessive form of they

22. Whenan abbreviation is used with a number, the quantity is written as a t

numeral and not spelled out.

A 5-mg dose, not a five-mg dose; an 8'm rope, not an eight'm rope

23. Parts of a document are spelled out on first mention, But the names
of these parts may be abbreviated on succeeding mention when used
with specific numbers. Some acceptable abbreviations for the parts of a
document are:

chapter (chap.) chaP.2

page or pages (p.or pp.) p. 305 or pp' 305'410
volume (vol.) vol. 1
number (no.) no. I

24. Latin abbreviations are used in legal writing and citations. Some common
Lati n abbreviations are:

cf. confer-compare
e.g. exemplis gratia - for examPle
et al. et alii- and others; and elsewhere
i.e. id est- that is
etc. et cetera - and so forth; and so on

Take note of the proper punctuations in abbreviating Latin words. Confer is

only one word and not an acronym for two words, therefore it has only one

16
 Style

period. Etalii are two separate words-et rs a complete word and therefore
does not need a period, while a/il may be abbreviated and needs a period,
However, these rules are not applicable to all Latin abbreviations, such as et
cetera.

As a general rule, always italicize foreign words,

25. The abbreviation of temperature - "F (Fahrenheit) and 'C (Centigrade) - are
capitalized. Put a space between the numeral and the symbol, and not
between " and F or C.

450'F; 38.45 'C

Capitalization
Follow the rules below for capitalization.

1. Capitalize the first word of every sentence.

2. Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation.

The chairperson sald, "We will have to observe austerity measures."

I 3. Indirect quotations are not capitalized.

The chairperson said that the staff should observe austerity measures.

4. A quoted sentence fragment in a sentence is not capitalized.

The chairperson told CSC emptoyees to "observe austerity measures."

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5. Do not capitalize the first word of a complete or incomplete sentence enclosed

in parentheses that is included in a sentence, unless it is a proper noun, an
acronym, and other words subjected to the rule of capitalization. (see also
I
Parentheses)

Mr. Romano (the company's first president) is coming today.

Fill out all blanks in this form (if applicable).

6. Capitalize the first word in a numbered, vertical, or display list. No capitals are
used in lists that are part of a sentence. (see also Semicolon)

The project requires:

1. Efficient use of energy;
2. Year-round maintenance; and
3. ContinuoussuPervision.

But: The project requires efficient use of energy, year-round maintenance,

and continuous suPervision.

7. Capitalize names of government agencies, but leave out articles such as the, or
prepositrons such as of.

Department of Health, Bureau of lnternal Revenue, Commission on Human Righfs,

Office of the Press Secretary

8. Capitalize geographic regions, e.g. the North (referringto the llocos Region), the
South (Mindanao), and the Far East.

9. Capitalize branches of the military.

Phitippine Army (or the Army), the Philippine Navy (or the Navy), the Philippine Air
Force (or the Air Force)

18
 Style

10. Capitalize and italicize titles of books, articles, magazines, newspapers, films,
and songs. Except at the beginning of the title, do not capitalize such words as
of, an, the, end, but, and with.

t Les Miserables, Nurturing the Cutture of Excellence in the Bureaucracy,

Philippine Daily lnquirer, Newsweek, Lord of the Rings

11. Capitalize title or subject of resolutions, memoranda, administrative orders, and

office orders.

I Task Force on Women's Concerns (subject of an office order)

Observance of CivilSeryice Month (subject of a memo)

12. Capitalize Internet or Net, and World Wide Web or Web, but not website or email.
(Take note that worldwide is really one word, but this is not reflected in the term
World Wide Web, which is abbreviated as "www" in URLs.)

13. Capitalize common nouns or abbreviations when they identify items by letter or
number in a text. (see also Use of Numbers)
I
Please refer to Table A for details.
Percentages are shown in Fig. 7.
The examination will be held at Room L0 of this floor.

However, do not capitalize page or number and their abbreviations in a text

(except when no. is used in issuances and case titles).

The information you are lookingfor is on page 10.

He is no. 1 in the performance ratings.

But: Office Memorandum No. 2

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Part 1: Chapter 2

14. In a letter, capitalize words in the salutation, and only the first word of the
complimentary close.

Dear Secretary Reyes:

Very truly yours,

15. Capitalize words showing a person's title, rank, and profession when these are
followed by the person's name.

Chairperson Bala, Commissioner Valderosa, Director Porio, President Duterte

16. As a general rule, only proper nouns are capitalized, while common nouns are
noi. Therefore, do not capitalize the title or rank when it is used alone.

The chairperson went to Cebu for a three-day conference'

ln subsequent mentions, do not capitalize common nouns such as office, event,

to an earlier mentioned office name, title of event,
or anniversary, when referring
or anniversary celebration.

lncorrect : The Office for Legal Affairs is working on declogging case dockets.
This year, a record number of cases is turned over to the Off ice.

Correct : The Office for Legal Affairs is working on declogging case dockefs.
This year, a record number of cases is turned over to the off ice.

17. Capitalize a question after an introductory punctuation. The more formal the
question, the more usual it is to begin the question with a capital letter.

The directors had one question: Why had the expenses for transportation increased
from PHP|O million in 2011 to PHP20 million in 2015?

20
 Style

18. Capitalize the articles in Spanish names such as de or dela or de /os; in French
names such as de, dLt, leor la, and the ltalian dior da, when a Christian name or
title does not precede them. Do not capitalize them when they are preceded by a
name, unless they are Filipino names.

Miguel de Cervantes or De Cervantes (Spanish author)

Leonardo da Vinci or Da Vinci (ltalian artist)
Clodualdo Del Mundo or Del Mundo (Filipino playwright)

19. Capitalize specific or official title of acts, bills, laws, treaties, ordinances, and
similar documents.

the Ma I ol os C onstituti on
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law

Capitalize the first word after a colon when it introduces a complete passage,
independent clause, or sentence that has an independent meaning. (see also
Punctuation)

We can always go refer fo thls principle: " Honesty is the best policy."

Do not caoitalize the first word after a colon when it introduces an element that
is explanatory or logically dependent on the preceding clause.

We have three reasons for our present economy: the nation is in debt; taxes are far too
high; and other countries are threatening war.

21
Pj!!_1:9h,pJ9!?_

Use of Numbers

Most rules on the use of numerals are based on the principle that the reader
comprehends numerals more readily than numerical word expressions, especially
in scientific, technical, or statistical matter. In some cases, however, numbers are
spelled out. Below are rules on writing numbers; units of measurements; and date,
time and year; among others.

1. Do not start a sentence with a figure. lf you have to start a sentence with a
figure, spell it out.

Incorrect : 3 people were assigned to work on the project.

Correct : Three people were assigned to work on the project.

One can also try to rephrase a sentence to avoid starting with a number:

Only three people were assigned to work on the project.

The exception to these rules is the numeral that identifies a calendaryear:

2OI2, according to the Chinese calendar, is the year of the dragon.

2. Spell out numbers from one to nine. Write figures 1O and above as Hindu-Arabic
numerats.

There are two commissioners af fhe CSC.

Of the L,300 hopefuls who took the exam, only 350 applicants passed.

3. Spell out numbers in a series if all the figures are less than 10. However, if one
or more of the figures are 10 and above, use numerals for all of them.

There are elght nurses, four doctors, and three dentists in this clinic.
She bought 20 pineapples, 15 guavas, and 5 mangoes. I
22
I
 StyIe

Be consistent within a category. lf there is a need to spell out one number, do

it for all numbers. lf there is one numeral, make sure all others are in numeral
form.

lncorrect : For every two rooms, there are S0 chairs.

Correct : For every two rooms, there are fifty chairs.
For every 2 rooms, there are 50 chairs.

4. when spelling out compound numbers, use the hyphen. (see also Hyphen)

Twenty-seven cases were fited tast month.

5. Spell out casual phrases and expresstons.

a million thanks, a hundred miles, one in a million, etc.

6. There are occasions when spelling out figures is more appropriate (less
cumbersome), especially when giving approximations. Compare the following
sentences and decide which reads better:

lnstead of : The government plans to employ 1,000,000 workers.

Use : The government plans to employ a miilion workers.

7 . Express a series of two or more vears thus:

a. 2001-2on7
I
Note : In this case, use the en dash. For more about the use of dashes, referto
Punctuation.

8. Decades may be expressed as:

during the eighties and nineties

23
Part 1: Chaqter 2

They may also be expressed as:

during the '30s and'40s (Substitute a leading apostrophe, and not an opening
single quotation mark, when omitting figures for years. See also Apostrophe.)

duringthe L950sand 1.960s (There should be no apostophe before s. See also

Apostrophe.)

9, Spell out figures up to nine when they are part of compound adjectives, and use
hyphens. These compound adjective are always singular in form.

Five-year low, two-time awardee, three'act play

But: 99-day slege, 1O'month program, 1,000-man contingent

10. Spell out fractions in ordinary reading matter (exceptions are tabular reports
where usingthe figures is more appropriate and space saving) up to one'ninth.
From 1/10 and smaller, and for mixed numbers and fractions, use ftgures'

one-half meter, one-fourth of an inch, one'sixth of a share

But: 1 / 10 of a second, 5.5 percent, 10'3/4 kilos

11. In sentences requiring more than one numeral, one below and the other above
10, use f igures.

Only 1 out of the 15 pillars had been painted.

12. Always use figures for address numbers'

48 Narra St.

13. Always use figures to indicate ages (see also Hyphen)'

A 2-month-old baby s/eeps soundly'

24
 StyIe

The dog is 2 years old.

She retired at the age of 58.

14. Armament figures should be written in the following form:

155-mm guns, 12-gauge shotgun, 24.pounder, 7.3-inch gun

I 15. Always use Hindu-Arabic figures for chapters.

t Chapter 1, Chapter 24

16. write dates in day-month-year order, without punctuation. Do not use a zero

I before single.digit dates. Use an en dash to indicate a range.

Use the following format for dates:

I 12 June 2012 (Do not abbreviate as 6-12.2011 in the text of a story.)

8 December 2018 (rVot 08 December 2018)

T For other dates that are not in month-day-year format, use the foilowing:

I Fourth of July
September 2012

I 17. For district numbers, use figures and capitalize district when joined with the
figure,

I l st Dlstdcf, 4th District

18. Use figures in writing formula.

I 1+3 =4 / 2 =2 x4 5/o=. 9 ( sa m p I e co m putati o n fo r Co re Fu ncti o n)

I 25
Part 1: Chapter 2
I
19. Use figures to indicate height, weight, dimensions, and statistics,

He is L.63 meters tall.

t
7 pounds, 110 kilos
4x5feet,2x3meters I
Note: There should be a soace between the numbers and x.

20. When indicating a monetary amount, use the international currency code (lSO
I
4217) for currencies (PHP for Philippine Peso, USD for US Dollars, etc.). There
should be no space between the currency code and the numerals.
t
Whole numbers should be written as:

PHP2; PHP55; PHP1,000; PHP900,000; PHP1,000,000

I
Include decimal places only for exact amounts: t
P900,500.7 PH P L,000,5 00'5 0
PH P2.34 ; PH P5 5. ; PH P 1,200.89 ; ;
I
15 PH 2

For amounts more than PHPl million, use the currency code and numerals up
to two decimal places. Use the word million instead of the usual zeroes to save
space. When an amount is used as a compound modifier and comes before
noun, it is hyphenated. (see also Hyphen)
a
I
The President proposed a PHP280-billion budget.
He bought a house and lot worth PHP4.82 million.
I
Exceptions to this rule are technical reports, e.g., accounting reports, which have
their own formats.
I
I
26 I
I
I 2L Io indicate position or rank, use the abbreviation for number together with
a figure. (As discussed in Capitalization, there is no need to capitalize "no."
except when it is part of an issuance or case title,)

I He is no. 1 in the performance ratings.

t 22. Vrlhen a

Page 2008
letter is appended to a page number, capitalize and do not use a hyphen.

I 23. Always use figures for percentages, but use the word percentage and not its
symbol.

t 2 percent, 100 percent

I For amounts less

with a zero.
than 1 percent and expressed in decimals, precede the decimal

t The price rose by 0.5 percent.

Exceptions to this rule are tabular materials and technical reports, e.g.,

I accounting reports, which have their own formats.

24 Use figures and a colon for ratio.

I 3:1

t 25 Follow this form in indicating time (observe proper spacing):

8 a.m. (not 8a.m., 8:00 a.m.,8 AM,8am)

t 11:30 p.m. (nol 11:30p.m., 11:30 PM, 11 am)

Do not use expressions like "half past ten" unless they are part of quotations.

I 27
Part l: Chapter 2

Also, do not use figures with "o'clock":

I ncorrect 4 o'clock
Correct Four o'clock

26. Do not use about or approximately with precise figures.

I ncorrect About 23 stockholders attended the meeting.
Correct About 1,000 stockholders attended the meeting.

27. To make a number plural, simply add s. There should be no apostrophe.

There were two 140s in the paragraph.

28. Use roman numerals for official designations.

Director lV
Human Resource Manasement Officer ll

Ita lics
Be consistent in using italics. Do not mix italics with single or double quotations
marks, underlines, boldface, or otherforms of emphasis. The following rules are
easy to remember:

1. ltalicize non-English words in an English document, except when it is a proper

noun. This may be followed by a translation or explanation, especially in formal
writing.

ex.
(Common noun)
An Overseas Filipino Worker or OFW is also known as a balikbayan (literally a
returnee to the country).

28
 Style

(Proper noun)
Intramuros is the famed walled city in Manila, formerly a fort during the Spanish
colonial era,

!| 2. ltalicize titles of written works or work of art (films, stories, essays, plays,
television shows, songs, etc,).

ex. We watched Rak of Aegis last December at the PETA theatre.

I
3. ltalicize names of newspapers, magazines, books, journals, and the like.

ex, An article about gender equity was published in the Philippine Sfaryesterday.

4. ltalicize words that you need to emphasize (but only if absolutely necessary).

ex. lt is not so much that money is the root of all evil, but the /ove of it.
I 5. ltalicize words or letters when they are being discussed in grammar or used as
examples.

I ex. Don't is a contraction of do nof.

Honest is an example of a word with a silent h.

I Punctuation
I Apostrophe (' or ')

I Apostrophes are used in the possessive form of nouns, as well as a replacement for
omitted words or figures.

t 1. Possessive nouns are formed with the use of an apostrophe. In singular nouns
not ending in s, it follows the word and comes before s.

I the Commission's stand, the government's role

29
Purt I: Chapter 2

2. For singular nouns ending in s sounds such as ce, x, and z, use's.

Max's Resfaurant, Butz's remarks, Alice's place

3. For singular /plural common/proper nouns ending in s, add only an apostrophe t

the witness' answer, the employees' handbook
Dickens' novels, the Jones' yard

4. For plural nouns not ending in s, add s'.

media's role, women 's rlghfs

5. ln formingthe possessive of a compound word, applythe rules above and add t

an apostrophe or's to the word closest to the object possessed.
Major general's order, major generals' orders I
6. Use a leading apostrophe to indicate an omitted figure. In word processors, the
leading apostrophe is the closing and not the opening single quotation mark.
Use an apostophe for omitted words in contractions. (see also Abbreviations,
t
Acronyms, and Contractions)

the c/ass of '98, trend of the '50s and '60s

I
7.
I'm, weren't, could've, she'd, he'll

Use an apostrophe and add s to the last member of a group to indicate joint
I
oossession.

May and June's sfore (both May and June own the store)
I
so/diers and sailors' barracks (both soldiers and sailors use the barracks)
t
30 I
I StyIe

I B. Adding an 's to each member indicates separate possession,

Men's and women's volleyballteams witt ptay in separate venues. (There are two

I 9'
volleyball teams, the men's and the women's.)

Alternative possession also requires the use of an apostrophe on each element,

I the chairperson's or the commissioner's decision (the decision may be made by the
chairperson or the commissioner)

t 10. Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural of a date or an all.capital acronym.

I lncorrect
Correct :
: During the 1970's, LGU's
Duringthe 1970s, LGIJs

I Comma (,)

I The comma marks the smallest interruption in a continuity of thought or sentence

structure. lt is both a mark of separation and enclosure that clarifies the grouping of
words in a sentence.
I 1' Use a comma to separate three or more elements in a series, The last comma
comes before the word and. This is referred to as the serial comma.
a The tourists went to Laguna, Tagaytay, and Bataan.
The painter can use the brush, the pencil, or the pen.

I 2' Use a comma before the last conjunction in a series if an integral element of

t the series needs a conjunction. When the last pair of subitems on the list is
separated by and, an and is still required following the penultimate item.

She had orange juice, toasf, and ham and eggs for breakfast.

I 3r
Part l: Chapter 2 t
3. Use commas to separate a series

quick, easy so/utions

of adjectives of equal significance.

a dark, stormy night

I
4. Do not use a comma when the adjectives are unequal, or when the last adjective
before a noun forms part of a noun phrase, which is the equivalent of a single
I
nou n,

an expensive leather jacket a leaking wooden bucket

t
5. Use a pair of commas, or parenthetical commas, to set off a non'restrictive
ohrase from the rest of a sentence. A non-restrictive phrase or clause (see
I
underlined portion in the example) gives more information about something and
is purely descriptive. While the information may help the reader understand, he
or she would not be misled if the information or clause was not there.
I
The ship, which was buift L00 years ago, ls still sea'worthy.
I
(you may omit which was built lOO years ago and still have a complete, sensible
sentence.) I
6. Do not use a comma to set off a restrictive phrase or word from the rest of
the sentence. A restrictive phrase or clause is a word or a group of words
that restricts or limits the reference of a noun in a way that is essential to the
t
meaning of the sentence. The phrase or clause has to be used so that the reader
would know what the author had in mind' I
Going back to the previous example, when the clause which was built 100 years
ago is necessary, and if its absence would change the intended meaning of the
wiiter, then the sentence should be rephrased into a that clause. In this case, the
I
comma is not necessary since it becomes a restrictive phrase'

The ship that was built 1.00 years ago ls sfi// sea-worthy'
t
32
I
I StyIe

t (Here, we are talking about not just any ship, but a particular ship that was built
100 years ago. lt thus becomes a restrictive clause.)

I 7. Use parenthetical commas to set off appositives, except when the appositive
appears at the end of the sentence. An appositive is a word or group of words
that define or further identify the noun or noun phrase preceding it (see
I underlined portions).

ncorrect ...the subject of a complaint filed by Carolina M. Basilio and seven

I
i

others, a// employees of the SSS for Disgraceful and lmmoral Conduct.

correct ...the subject of a complaint filed by Carolina M. Basilio and seven

t i ncorrect
others, a// employees of the SS$ for Disgraceful and lmmoral Conduct.

The secretary, a tall lady of lrish descent was identified by a yyitness as

I correct
the person who gave the suspect a key.

The secretary, a tall lady of lrish descent, was identified by a yyitness as

t the person who gave the suspect a key.

The appositives in these cases should always be surrounded by commas because

t 8.
they serve as precise identifiers of the preceding noun or pronoun.

Use a comma to separate an independent clause and dependent clause. Place

I the comma before the conjuction.

This may not be a fast method, but it is efficient.

Irt 9. Use a comma before and after introductory words such as namely, that is, i.e.,
forexample, e.9., or for instance when they are followed by a noun or a series of

t items.

This wood is not as sturdy as, for instance, the narra.

t More areas were cited for service excellence, namely, Region 5 and /VCR.

33
Part l: Chapter 2

10. Always put the comma inside quotation marks in speech phrases, and outside if
it is not a part of the quoted word or phrase, (see also Quotation Marks)
"We have to strengthen our anti-corruption efforts," Lyn said.

11. Use a comma after the phrase that introduces the quoted speech phrase.

Lyn said, "Sacritrlces will be asked of every secfor of society."

12. When a quote is broken off into two phrases, place a comma after the first
phrase and before the closing quotation mark, and another comma at the end of
the non-quoted phrase.

"Sacriflces, " Lyn said, "will be asked of every sector of society"'

13. Use a comma at the end of the quoted phrase, right before the closing quotation
mark.

"sacriflces witt be asked of every sector of society," Lyn said.

14, Do not use a comma at the start of an indirect or partial quotation,

He said the AFP "will closely watch every move Sanfos and his men make."
ln his research, Lilia Allen claims that "climate change is inevitable'"

15. Do not use a comma if the quoted statement ends with a question mark or
exclamation point.

"Whatis fhe situation?" the committee leader asked'

16. Use a comma to set off conjunctions, verbs, connective articles, or phrases that ||
make a distinct break in the continuity of thought, summarize what has been
rrt
oreceded. or enumerate what follows.

34
I Style

t lndeed, the committee devoted a lot of time for the project.

To summarize, an impoftant decision regarding this matter has been made.

I 17. Use a comma in direct address.

lf the name or title of the person addressed is at the beginning of the sentence,
I then the comma is placed after it:

Sir, may we present Z0 cases for ratification?

a lf the name or title of the person addressed is in the middle of the sentence,
then it should be surrounded by commas:

t Anna, do you, agree with this?

I 18. Use a comma after an interrogative clause which is followed by a direct question.

She will go, will she not?

I 19. Place a comma between the day and year when the full date is written, as well as
in between barangays, cities, or provinces.

t The hearing was held on 1 September, 2006 in San Pablo, Laguna.

I 20. Use commas to separate thousands, millions, etc., in numbers of four or more
digits. There should be no space between the digits and the comma.

I 1,000 23,000 4,000,000

21. Place a comma before and after descriptive titles such as M.D., and
I
Ph.D.

The doctor handling fhe case is Whelma Cruz, M.D., who attended the preliminary
investigation.

I 35
Part 1: Chapter 2 I
22. Use commas to set off academic degrees and religious affiliations, Do not use a
comma between a surname and a suffix such as Sr., Jr., ll, or lll, t
Veronica Santillan, Ph.D., pinned the medal.
Fr. Jason Tabuena, O.P., officiated the mass.
Commissioner Villasanta presided the meeting.
I
t
Sr.

23. Use a comma between the title of a person and the name of his or her
organization in the absence of the word of.

the chairperson, Commission on Audit T

But: the chairperson of the Commission on Audit

24. Use a comma with yes, no, and introductory words such as well, now, etc. I
Yes, we agree.
No, I did not do it.
Well, here it is.
I
Now, there are more challenges to face.

25. Do not use a comma before a parenthesis.

I
All members (retired and active) were requested to attend the assembly. t
Colon (:) I
The colon can either introduce or separate words, lt is frequently used at the end
of a complete sentence to introduce lists, tabulations, texts, etc., especially after I
an anticipatory or introductory phrase such as the following or these items. On
the other hand, it is used to separate a material from other materials, such as a
salutation from the main bodv, or the hours from the minutes.
I
36
t
 Style

Ex. The office's functions include the following: streamlining, operations, planning,
and reporting.

1. Use a colon to give emphasis.

He is afraid of only one thing: death.

2. Use a colon for dralogue in a script or court testimony.

Anchor : What can you say, sir?

Guest : No comment.

3. Use a colon after greeting in a formal letter.

Dear Ms. Otto:

4 Use a colon to seoarate two main clauses when the second contains an illusion,
amplification, or explanation of the first. lt may substitute for namely. (see also
Capitalization)

The lender only had one condition: the borrower had to pay a yearly interest of 30
percent on the loan.

Use a colon if the speech phrase or quoted dialogue to be introduced is meant

to be a separate independent clause. (see also Capitalization)

Ms. Santos only had one thing to say about the proiect: "This will be the beginning of a
new era for the company."

Use a colon for time, ratio, and setting off phrases in titles.

8:32 p.m.; 3:1; Human Resource Management: Setfing New Goa/s in Asia

37
Part 1: Chapter 2 I
7. The colon always goes after the closing parenthesis. When it is part of a quoted
word or phrase, it goes inside. Otherwise, it goes outside. (see also Quotation
Marks)
t
There are considerations (and posslb/e problems): budget, time, and people. I
Semicolon (;) t
Unlike the colon, the semicolon only separates, but does not indicate a full stop like
the oeriod. t
i. Use the semicolon to join two independent clauses in the absence
con junction.
of a
I
2.
This computer table has a dlsc shelf; the other has a drawer.

Use the semicolon to join two independent clauses in the absence of a

I
conjunction, and if the second clause begins with an introductory word or
phrase. The semicolon goes before the introductory word or phrase, and a t
comma comes after it.

I was not informed about this; however, I was already aware of it before.
It is a difficult decision; in this case, there could be an exemption.
t
3. Use the semicolon to clarify a list
within itself.
of items when each item has punctuations I
The restauranf serves spaghetti with sardines, o/ives, and chillies; cream dory baked in
tomato sauce, lemon, and chives; and roast herb chicken.
I
I
38
t
t 4.
Style

I In formal writing, the semicolon should be used for vertical or display lists, and
an and should be placed before the last item,

The project requires:

I 1.
2.
Efficient use of energy;
Year-round maintenance; and
3.
t Continuoussupervision.

However, do not use semicolons for plain lists,

t Bring the following items:

1. Bath soap
2. Shampoo
T 3. Towels

I The following are required to join the meeting:

1.
2.
Directors
Asslstant Directors
3.
I Commissioners

Quotation Marks (" "), Primes ('), and Double Primes (")
I Quotation marks are mainly used to enclose speech phrases and direct quotations.

I It may also be used to set off titles such as that of films and events. However, it is
recommended to just use italics for such titles.

1.
I Periods, commas, exclamation points, colons, semicolons, and question marks
are placed inside the quotation marks for speech phrases.

I She sald " l am a diligent worker."

"l am a diligent worker," he said.
"We are," they said, "diligent workers."

I 39
Part 1: Chapter 2

2. ln some cases, punctuation marks are placed outside the quotation marks,
specifically if they are not really included in the word or phrase being quoted.

ln this case, is it correct to use the term "strategic planning"?

ln this case, the better term is " strategic planning".
" Postcolonial Feminism": The New Approach to Asian Studles.
The newest research approach is called "postcolonialfeminism"; there is no other
appropriate f ramework for this f ield of study.

3. Quotation marks may be used to indicate that a word is used in a special way or
is a special term.

He denied being a "gun'for'hire".

4. There is no need to place event titles inside quotation marks, just capitalize the
first letters.

CSC employees participated in the World Health Day.

Ihe CSC Legal Practitioners' Conference will run for a week'

5. Themes of events may either be placed inside quotation marks or italicized.

The 4th Annual Conference is themed "Good Governance through the Anti-Red Tape
Act".

6. Use the straight quotation mark mark to signify units of measurement and ttme
(such as feet, inches, minutes, and seconds). These are also called the prime ('),
which should not be confused with the apostrophe or single quotation mark, and
the double prime ("), whrch should not be confused with the double quotation
mark.

5" x 7" (five by seven inches)

5' x 7' (five by seven feet)
5' 7' (five minutes and seven seconds)
40
 Style

7. Rewrite a sentence if there is mixing of punctuation marks. This will lessen

confusion andn overlapping of rules in punctuation.

Original version : She said, "This HR approach is labeled as'process-driven"'.

Revised version : She said this HR approach is called process-driven.

I Parentheses ( )

I Parentheses (open parenthesis and close parenthesis) are used to include material
that you want to de-emphasize, or to enclose information that is not so vital to the
sentence. The enclosed material may be removed and the sentence would still be

I complete and coherent. lf it is not appropriate to use the colon, period, comma, or
dash in a particular sentence, parentheses will do the job in organizing additional
information that is not so much a part of the flow of text.

I Al
re
rules o
italizat
n

I 1.

I ca for h n.

I 2.

; 3.

I Mr. Ramon (the floor manager, not the director) will attend today's meeting.

I Some colors (pink, green, and yellow) are easy on the eyes.

41
Part 1: Chapter 2
I
Period (.)
Periods represent a full stop. In formal writing, it is placed at the end of every
t
comolete sentence.

1. Use a period after every complete sentence.

t
Ihls is a complete senfence. I
2. lf the last word in the sentence already ends in a period, do not follow it with
another oeriod,
t
3.
Do not eat too much sweets like candies, chocolates, etc.

Use a period with letters and numbers in an outline or a list. t

A. First part
B. Secondparf
1. First item
2. Second item I
4. Some abbreviations require periods in between the letters. (see also
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Contractions) I
5.
M.D., S.W.A.T., R.N,, B.A.

Periods go inside the closing quotation mark for speech phrases, but outside if it
I
is not a part of the quoted word or phrase. (see also Quotation Marks)
She said, "Periods go inside the quotation marks."
I
Written on the paper is the word "period".

6. lf an enclosed text in parentheses ts a complete sentence and placed at the

I
end of the sentence, a period should be placed before and after the close
parenthesis. t
42
She promlsed she would finish this (l knew she would not be able to.).

t
7 lf an enclosed text in parentheses is an incomplete sentence and placed at the
end of the sentence, a period should be placed after the close parenthesis,

The report revealed that some areas had no water supply (specifically Area 1 and Area
2).

8. lf a punctuation mark is necessary for an enclosed text, follow this format:

For enclosed text at the end of a sentence:

Ramon was very surprised (He did not even know there was a party!).

For enclosed text within the sentence:

T he vacation (or was lf a business trip?) lasted for a week.

(see also Capitalization and Parentheses)

Dash (-,
-)
The dash and the hyphen have different functions: the dash separates, the hyphen
joins.

The em dash (roughly the width of the letter m, or denotes a sudden change of or
-)
break in thought in a sentence, or an emphatic pause that causes an abrupt change
in sentence structure. There is no space before or after the em dash.

Ex. He will spend his vacation in the United States-if he gets his bonus.

Their indifference to the dangers of the HIV infection-to say nothing about
their lack of sexual honesty-endangers them and other people.

43
Part I: Chaoter 2

1. Use dashes to set off words that are inserted in a sentence to provide an
explanation or identification.

The VIPS-the President, the First Gentleman, and the Speaker-arrived just in
time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

2. Use a dash before a final clause that summarizes a series of ideas,

Competence, capacity, commitment-these are the traits of a good manager

Meanwhile, the en dash (roughly the width of the letter n, or -) has the following
uses:

1. As substitutefortofor periods of time, orto indtcate a range of numbers: I

2001-2007
78-90

2. As indicator of distance or travel between places:

Coron-Puerto Princesa

Hyphen (-)

As previously discussed, the function of a hyphen is to join words.

1. Use a hyphen to connect words bound together as compound nouns, verbs, or

adverb, or as compound modifiers that appear before a noun or pronoun. There
should be no spaces in between the words and the hyphen.

letter-request, editor-in-chief, full-time professor, a know-it-all attitude

44
 Style

Note: lf unsure of whether or not a word, adverb, verb, or modifier is

hyphenated, always consult the dictionary.

2. As a general rule, do not hyphenate modifiers that come after nouns or pronouns
(or post-modifiers). These should not be confused with compound modifiers that
go before nouns or pronouns (or pre-modifiers).

Let us uphold a gender.responsive government,

But : This government is gender respons/ye.

The library building is 50 years old.

But : Ihis is a 50-year-old library building.

The Congress has approved a PHP3-million budget for the project.

But : The approved budget is PHP3 trillion.

However, there are hyphenated post-modifiers. Refer to the following items.

3. Use a hyphen for dual heritage, two.thought compounds, and joint names.

Afro- America n, Ch i nese- Fi I i pi no, soc io-econom rc

But : South American

4. Do not use hyphens for compound titles, and contracted forms of internet-
related words which start with electronlc.

Vice President, email

5. Always hyphenate long-lived and short-lived.

It was a short-lived romance.

45
Part 1: Chapter 2

6. Use a hyphen with adjectives that begin with best, better, ill, lesser, little or well,

Lesser-known personality, best-loved poem

7. A hyphen is usually required after the following prefixes: all-, ex-, half-, self-, I
quast-, quarter-.

qu a si -j u dici a I body, self- i ncri m i n ati n g

Note: lf unsure of whether or not a hyphen is needed for words with prefixes,
always consult the dictionary.

8. When using a qualifier before mentioning a hyphenated phrase, write as:

Many 2- or 3-year-old children experience fever.

9. Do not hyphenate foreign phrases used as modifiers.

ad hoc committees, prima facie evidence

10. The hyphen is never used between an adverb ending in -ly and a second word,
usually the word that it is modifying.

a hastily prepared report, a badly researched proposal

11. When it is necessary to break a word at the end of a line, place the hyphen
between two syllables of the word, Never divide a word at the end of a page.

:
lncorrect Ihis sentence is very long. lt should be broken into two.

Correct : Ihls sentence is verv lone. lt should be broken into two.

46
 Style

Other Punctuation Marks

The stylebook does not cover in detail other punctuation marks that are not
frequently used. However, it would be good to study their function and proper use in
writing.

1. The asterisk (*) is used to indicate that there is additional information at the
bottom of the page. lt may be used for up to three references, with the number
of asterisks corresponding to the number of references. At the end of a
sentence, it should be placed after the ending punctuation mark.

Ihe CSC Correspondents* shou/d be organized.xx

* Ihe CSC Correspondents is the network of information ofticersin CSC offices
nationwide.
# The Commission wants to strengthen the network of information officers.

2. Superscripts are used to indicate references such as footnotes and endnotes.

They should always be placed immediately after the word or phrase referred
to, or immediately after the punctuation mark. Observe proper spacing as
illustrated by the following examples:

There is a need to cure the culture of graft and corruption that marks the bureaucracy,l
but stereotyping of government employees ls not be condoned.
lVarela, Amelia. 'The Culture Perspective in Organization Theory,' lntroduction to
Public Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. QC: UP CPA, 2003.

The serial comma2 is recommended by this stylebook.

2The serial comma, also called the Oxford comma,

isthe comma used after every item
in a serles, and before the conjunction introducing the last item.

47
Part 1: Chapter 2

3. [
Square brackets ] are used to enclose explanatory or missing material that
was added by someone other than the original author, or to note that something
was left in its original form although it is incorrect (using the Latin term sic).
Square brackets are also used to enclose material that is part of a text enclosed
in oarentheses. These can usually be seen in edited materials in newspapers and
academic journals, or in bibliographic entries (see also Additional Notes).

There [is] always a way to work this out'

There is much [sic]to be done.

(tJse brackets fspecllrica !ly square bracketsl as parentheses within parentheses.)

4. Curly brackets or braces { } are used to enclose a series of equal choices in

prose, poetry, and music. They are also used in mathematical equations and
programming languages. Meanwhile, pointed brackets or chevrons < > are used
to enclose highlighted material or short excerpts, usually in dictionaries.
6 Ellipses (...) are used in place of missing text or text that has intentionally been
left out. In literature, it may also indicate a dialogue or thought that has trailed
off. lt consists of only three dots, nothing more' nothing less'

6. Exclamation points (!) are used for interjections which indicate force, emphasis,
or emotion. This is usually used in literature, and not in formal writing.

What a lovely day it is!

48
 Style

Additional Notes
I
The rules in punctuation marks for in-text citations and bibliographic entries
differ accordingto the style a writer is following. Major guidebooks for referencing
include the Modern Language Association (MLA) Style, the American Psychological
Association (APA) Style, the chicago Manual of Style (also called rurabian), and
the Harvard System of Referencing. MLA is mostly used for research papers in
humanities and the arts, while the APA is used in the social sciences. lt is best to
consult each of these guidebooks for specific rules in grammar and punctuation.

REFERENCES

Goldstein, Norm. Associated Press Stylebook. New York: Basic Books,2OO4.

I
Bates College. "The Metric System, Abbreviations, and Conversions for Common Units of
Measure," How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format, hltp://
abacus. bates.edu/-ganderso/biology,/resources/writing/HTWabbr. html.

Blue, Tina. Quotation Marks: Where Do The Commas and Periods Go . And Why?
http: / / gramma rti ps. homestead. com/ i ns ide. htm l.

Bringhurst, Bob. 5 InDesign Typing Rules. from

http://blogs.adobe.com/indesigndocs/2009/05/s_typing_rutes.htmt.
I
Capital Community College Foundation. "Parentheses," Guide to Grammar and Writing,
http: / / gramma r.ccc. com m net.ed u /gra m ma r/ i ndex. htm.

EnglishPlus.com. Abbreviations of Units of Measurement.

http / /e ngl s h p us. co m / g r ammar / OOO0OO58. htm.
: i I

Erichsen, Gerald. "Spanish Capitalization," Spanish for Beginners, from

http //s pa n s h. a bo ut. co m,/od /wri tte n s panish / a / cap ita I zat o n. htm.
: i i i

49
Part 1: Chapter 2

Fogarty, Mignon. "serial Comma," Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing,
http: / / grammar.qu ickanddi rtytips.com/serial-comma.aspx.

"Parentheses, Brackets, and Braces," Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing,
hltp: / / grammar.qu ickanddirtytips.com/parentheses-brackets-and.braces.aspx.

Georgia College. Semicolon and Colon Rules.

http://www.gcsu.edu/writi ngcenter/colonrules. htm.

Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Manual. 4th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004.
Joshi, Yateendra. Correct Spacing in Expressing Quantities Using Sl Units.
http://blog.editage.com/correct-spacing-in-expressing-quantities-using-S l'units.

Latin Phrases. 'Abbreviations," Latin Phrases and Quotes,

http:// latin-ph rases.co. u k/abbreviations/ '

Millin, Peggy Tabos. "Grammar Tips for Numbers and Numerals," Clarity Works,
http://www.clarityworksonline.com/articles,/working.with-words/working'with'numbers'
and-numerals.

Mudarasi, Karen. "Punctuation Rules for Parentheses in English," Freelance Writing

Suite 101, http://heather-marie-kosur.suite101.com/punctuation-rules.for'parentheses'in'
english-a216163.

"Working with Direct Speech and Quotations," Freelance Writing Suite 101'
http://ka ren mu rda rasi. su ite 101 .com/working-with-reported'speech'a nd'
ouotations-a 100678.

National lnstitute of Standards and Technology. "Rules and Style Conventions for
Expressing Values of Quantities," NIST Guide to the Sl'
http://physics. nist.gov/Pubs/SP81 1 /secO7. html.

Nordquist, Richard. A List of Standard Contrctions in English,

http : / / gr amm a r. a b o u t. c o m / od /wo rd s / a / E n g s h C o nt ra ct o n s' h t m'
I i i

Straus, Jane. "Capitalization Rules," GrammarBook.com.

http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/capita l.asp'

50
 Style

"Fractions, Decimals, and Money," GrammarBook.com.

http://data.grammarbook.com/blog/numbers/fractions-decimals-and-money/.

"Grammar Rules," GrammarBook.com.

http://www gram ma rbook.com/gram marlcnt_gram.asp.

" Punctutation Rules, " GrammarBook.com,

http://www. gra m ma rbook.com/pu nctuation_ru les.asp,

Strunk Jr., William., E.B. White. The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books, 2005.

Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves, UK: Miraculous Panda Ltd., 2008.

Taligent, Inc. Appendix: Units of Measures.

http://pcroot,cern,chlTaligentDocs/TaligentOnline/DocumentRoot/ 1,0/Docs/books/SG/
SG_28.html,

I The New International Webster's Pocket, Grammar, Speech & Style Dictionary of the
English Language. US: Trident Press lnternational, 2000.

University of the District of Columbia. "Writing Tutorials: Comma," The

Reading/Writing Connection: An Online Reading and Writing Lab, http://hkrauthamer.
tri pod.com/Comma_ru les. html,

University of Wisconsin. "Using Semicolons," The Writing Center,

http://writi ng.wisc.edu/Handbook/Semicolons.html,

Ward, Ken. "Writing: Plain English," Ken's Writing Pages,

http://www.trans4mind.com/personal-development/writing/plainEnglish.htm.

Wi ki ped i a, com. SO 42L7 . http: / /e n. w

I i k i ped i a. orglwi k i / | SO
-4217
.

5l
 little
Heret s a
push to help
you write better.

our ce : http : / / chit tagongit. co m / i c o n/ ty p ew r iter- i co n - png- 1 7. html AT

I
I
s
I CHAPTER 3
WRITING TIPS
I
lear writing is the result of clear thinking. Figure out what you want to say
I and why you are writing in the first place. In writing, you can only send your
message clearly and effectively when your thoughts and ideas are clear in
your head.
I Before you begin writing, it would help to ask yourself these questions:

t What is my topic?
What kind of write-up should I prepare? A memorandum? A speech and for what
occasion? A research or policy paper? A news release?

I What is my purpose for writing? ls it to describe a person or an event? ls it to

explain an issue or concept? ls it to persuade and motivate readers to act ortake
side? ls it to mold an opinion? Or is it merely to announce something?

t What tone of writing is appropriate for my purpose and for my readers or

audience? Should it be formal, informal, casual, or funny and upbeat?
Who are my readers and listeners? Who am I writing to? For whom is the article?

I Use outlines. lt is helpful to organize your thoughts first before attempting to write.
Drawing an outline for your article is one of the best ways to rid your mind of

I cobwebs. In your outline, decide what sub-topic you will write first, then second and
so forth. Also, know when to close your article.

Know your purpose. You will see a lot of benefits when you know exactly what
I your purpose in writing is. On your part, you will write faster. On the part of your
readers, they will read faster and understand your piece better. They will absorb and
remember your ideas, learn from it, and enjoy reading your work.
I Get to the point. Most of the writing we do is informational. lt is generally a good
idea to tell the reader at once what your article is all about.
I 53
Part 1: Chapter 3
I
The lead paragraph or introduction at the beginning of an article is the most
important part. So get to the point and start by writing the general idea or the most
important concept in a way that catches your readers' attention. Do not start off in a
t
roundabout fashion. Do not bore your readers with a long-winded introduction. lf you
do, he or she is likely to quit reading before reaching the main point. r
lf you get to the point, you will find it easy to stay on the beam for the remainder of
what you are writing. Your readers, meanwhile, will have less difficulty following you. t
Use familiar words. There is no communication unless your readers got your point
and understood what you were trying to convey. When you want to communicate with
somebody, you have to use the words which your audience will readily understand.
I
Thus, you have to know your audience.

When people are interested enough in the subject, they will wade through the long
I
sentences and high brow language, But the average person is only interested in what
he or she is expected to read; thus, simple, concrete words should be preferred
than polysyllabic words. lf the reader finds the first paragraph made up of tortuous
I
sentences and unfamiliar words, chances are he or she would not read any further.

As a rule of thumb, keep the percentage of hard words (four or more syllables) under
I
10 percent. This is the safe limit for easy reading. Reminder: Omit verbal deadwood
and use the common version of complex words or phrases. I
Keep sentences short. English sentences are getting shorter and shorter. In the
17th century, sentences averaged about 45 words. By the 19th century, the average
had shrunk to 30. Today, the average is 17 words. Unfortunately, many government
I
workers have not yet whittled sentence length down to size.
The logic of writing short sentences is obvious. The reader absorbs the idea better.
The longer the sentence, the more words. The more words, the more relationships,
I
The more relationships, the more effort for the reader, and the more chance he or
she will quit reading. I
54 I
 WritingTips

Sentence length has been measured and tested. Consider the data on the table below:

Average sentence length in words:

Very easy 8 or less
Easy 11
Fairly easy 14 or less
Standard 17
Fairly difficult 2I
Difficult 25
Very difficult 29 or more
t
Shorten your paragraphs. There are two reasons for keeping paragraphs short.

Short paragraphs are easy on the eyes. They serve as brakes for the writer who
strings too many ideas or facts together.

Short paragraphs also make for easy reference. As a rule, begin each paragraph with
a sentence that suggests the topic or a transition sentence. This aids the reader.
Each paragraph should complete a single thought. After the paragraph has been
written, see if you can further break it into two.

Use concrete language, Strunk recommends writers to "prefer the specific to the
general, the definite to the vague, the concrete to the abstract." Also, prefer the
simple to the complex.

Consider Strunk and White's example and compare:

A period of unfavorable weather set in. lt rained every day for a week.
I
Shy away from abstract words and phrases that soar and stand for things you cannot
pin down. Use lots of concrete, specific words that stand for things you and your
readers can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Concrete nouns help focus readers'
attention. on the other hand, abstract words make your writing dull and vague.

55
Part 1: Chaoter 3

lfyou want to keep your writing clear, crisp, and understandable, use concrete nouns
and verbs. Be precise. For examPle:

Vague : His head was injured by a blunt instrument.

Precise : His skull was fractured with a hammer,

Omit needleSS words. Strunk's mantra, "omit needless words", calls for concise
writing with no wasted words. For example, the phrase "the reason why is that" can
be replaced with "because",

Be consistent with tenses. Do not confuse readers by mixing different tenses in only
one senrence or paragraph. lf you are writing in the past tense, make sure all your
verbs are in the past tense. However, there are recommended tenses when writing
cited material in academic papers. Major stylebooks such as the MLA and APA have
specific rules for this.

Observe positions of words. Words are not randomly placed in a sentence. Their
position itrould show their relationship, thus related words should be as near to each
other as possible. When they are not arranged properly, it would cause confusion and
ambiguity. Consider Strunk and White's examples and compare:

she noflced a large stain in the rug that was right in the center.
She noticed a large stain that was right in the center of the rug'

Use orthodox spelling. ln the Philippines, we use standard American'English in

spelling.

Write: program, not Programme

behavior, not behaviour
theater, not theatre

Avoid foreign languages. We may occasionally find it necessary (especially in legal

writing) to i-nject toreign languages into our articles or reports. However, use these
sparingly, Prefer the standard to the offbeat.

56
 WritingTips

Avoid contractions. In formal writing, avoid shortening words unecessarily or

improperly. Spell out would have, could have, would not, could not, it is, you are, they
are, I will, she will and avoid using their contractions such as could've, woLildn't, it's,
etc.

Revise and sharpen. Revising is part of writing so do not feel that revising your
writing is something to be atraid of. Everybody does it.
Sources. Provide a source for every figure. For figures with several sources, list them
in alphabetical order by author.

Be as precise as possible when identifying sources for figures. Where possible, give a
documentary source, rather than an organization name.

Incorrect : Source: International Monetary Fund,

Correct : Source: International Monetary Fund (lMF).2OI3. Republic of Fiji:
Staff Report for the 2013 Article lV Consultation. IMF Staff Country
Report. No. i31370. Washington, DC.
Footnotes. Footnotes distract readers from the flow of text. Therefore, minimize
the use of footnotes, keep them brief, and avoid footnote indicators in headings or
subheadings.

I For formatting, use Arial or Times New Roman 9 point font. Use superscript
Arabic numerals to indicate footnotes (not asterisks or other symbols). Do not use
underlines or slashes around the numbers, and end each footnote in period (.).

Example:
The study shows that a 10/o increase in food prices will raise the number of people living in absolute poverty by
7.05 million in Pakistan alone.33

33 Footnote 8, pp. 19-25.

r REFERENCE

StrunkJr., William, and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books,2005.

57
I
I CHAPTER 4

I COMMON PROBTEM AREAS

Sublect/Verb Distance
I The subject and the verb should be kept together as much as possible. A sentence
is easier to understand when the subject and verb are close together. Intervening
I words, clauses, or phrases disrupt the action and make the sentence difficult to
u nderstand.

I Incorrect : The argument that the good faith exception applies because the
officers were acting in good faith and the warrant was defective due
to magistrate error is supported by the facts,
I Correct : The argument that the good faith exception applies is supported by
facts. The officers were acting in good faith, and the warrant was
I defective due to magistrate error.

Noun/Pronoun Agreement
I Pronouns must agree in number (singular or prurar), person (first, second, third),
and gender (feminine, masculine, and neuter) with the nouns to which they refer.
t The employees submitted their application forms.
(plural subject) (plural verb)
I Ann was instructed to file her application prompfly.
(feminine noun)
t
(feminine pronoun)

You are not required to file this vourself.

(second person) (second person)

I
Part 1: Chapter 4

Squinting Modifiers

A squinting modifier confuses readers. lt comes about when it is unclear if the

modifier refers to the word that precedes it or the word that follows it.

Her monthly sa/aries were deducted amounts rangingfrom PHP6,000 to PHP7,000,

allegedly representing overpaid sa/aries from September to December when she was
on extended maternity leave totalingto P70,000.

(Here, it seems that the extended maternity leave is the item which cost
PHP70,000,)

Her monthly sa/aries were deducted amounts rangingfrom P6,000 to P7,000,

attegedly representing overpaid sa/aries totaling P70,000 from September to
December when she was on extended maternity leave.

(By placing the modifier right after the noun it is meant to modify, the sentence
makes more sense.)

lndefinite Pronouns in General

Indefinite pronounS (such as anyone, everybody, nObody, someone, each, either, neither,
no one and somethlng) do not refer to a specific person or thing. Most indefinite
pronouns are singular and require singular verbs.

Everyone isinvited.
Each of the participants has a special skill.

60
 Common Problem Areas

Indefinite Pronouns All, None. Most, Some. and Any

Some indefinite pronouns require a verb that matches the noun to which they refer.
Some of these pronouns are all, none, most, some and any.

All of the merchandise jSdistributed.

(noun) (verb)

(The verb here is singular in form because it refers to the noun rnerchandise. and not
to the indefinite pronoun a//.)

None of the items are here.

(noun)(verb)

(The verb here is plural in form because it refers to the noun ltems, and not to the
indefinite pronoun none.)

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Plural indefinite pronouns such as both, few, many, several, and others require a plural
verb.

Few are chosen.

Several pafticipants were not able to join the session.

Collective nouns usually require a singular verb

The crowd was unruly.

The jury has arrived at a decision.

51
Part 1: Chapter 4

Plural nouns singular in meaning

Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning require a singular verb.

The news is complete.

Plural subjects followed by each

When a plural subject is followed by each, use a plural verb. Eachfunctions as an

adverb.

The members of the panel each have time to review the documents.

But if the subject is composed of compound singular subjects modified by the

indefinite pronouns each or every, use a singular verb.

Anna and Tina each has the time to finish the paper.

REFERENCES

Strunk, W. and White, E.B. (2005). The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books

62
 There is no such word as
IRREGARDLESS
regardless of how often you use it.
 CHAPTER 5
COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS
Advice/Advise. The former is a noun, the latter a verb.

The parent gave his son a sound piece of advice,

P/ease be advised of the new work schedule.

Adviser, not advisor.

Affect/Effecl. Affect is a verb which means to influence. Effectcan either be a verb

or a noun. As a verb, effecf means to bring about or cause; as a noun, it refers to a
resu lt.

The clerk was affected by the outcome of the investigation.

She tried to effect changes in the organization.
The prolect did not bring about the desired effect or change.

Agenda is plural; agendum is singular. The plural agendums is acceptable but very
seldom used.

Agree to, with. Agree to is to give assent; agree with means to be in accord with.

The panel agreed to the proposal.

The panel agreed with the applicant's suggestions.

All right, not alright.

Amid, not amidst. Both are correct, butamid is preferred, as amidstis Old English.

65
Part 1: Chapter 5 t
It was hard to think straight amid the turmoil.
I finally found her amid the crowd. t
Among/Between, Use among if referring to three or more things; use between when
referring to only two. I
The board chose among the five options presented.
The board chose between the two options presented. t
Angry. One is angry about a situation or condition; angry atanimals and things; and
angry with people. t
As to whether. Whether will suffice.

Avail is followed by a ref lexive pronoun.

I
:
lncorrect
Correct :
She availed of the club privileges.
She availed herself of the club privileges.
I
Averse, adverse. Averse is distaste or disgust; adverse is unfavorable. I
The manager is averse to over-confident applicants.
The manager attained the company's target despite adverse conditions.
''
I
Cases/Matters. Cases are decidedl matters, including motions, are resolved.*

Compose/Comprise. To compose is to form, to constitute. To comprise is to include or

I
to contain.

Seven provinces compose the Cordillera Administrative Region.

I
The Cordiltera Admintistrative Region comprlses seven proiinces. ;

I
66
I
 Common Misused Words

Continuous/Continual. Continuous refers to something that continues without any

stops or gaps, while continualrefers to something that continues over a period of
time, but with obvious lapses in time or intervals of interruption.

The continuous rain caused excessiye flooding in the province.

The continual rain in the region aids forest growth.

Councif/Gounsel. Acouncilis an advisory or legislative body, When used as a verb,

counsel means to give advice or guidance; when used as a noun, counsel means
advice. lt may also refer to a lawyer.

Decided/Resolved. Cases are decided, while matters are resolved.x

I Despite/ln spite of. Either is correct, but never despite of.

Disi nterested/Uninterested. Disinterested is i m oa rti al. Un i nterested is devo id of

i nte rest,

Dr./Dra. one cannot feminize the word doctor in English. Thus, "Dra. Sarmiento"
should be "Dr. Sarmiento",

Each other/one another. when referring to two nouns, use each other. when
referring to more than two nouns, use one another.

Joy and Bob supported each other in the competition.

The staff supported one another during the competition.

Farther/Further. Farther is used when there is a notion of distance. Further is used

when there is a notion of addition.

Farther down the hill...

Further, the complainant alleged that...

67
Part 1: Chapter 5

f mpfy/f nfer. To imply is to suggest. To infer is deduce, conclude, or gather.

Its/lt's. /tsisthe possessive form of it, while lt's is the contraction of "it is."

Lie/Lay. Lle is an intransitive verb which means "to rest or recline." lts forms are lie,
lay, lain, and lying.

Lay is a transitive verb that means "to put or place." lts forms are lay, laid and laying.
(A transitive verb is a verb that takes a direct object; an intransitive verb does not
take a direct object.)

She has been lying around all day.

The High Court laid down the decision.

Like/As. Like should be used as a preposition and is followed by a noun or noun

phrase. As acts as a conjunction or a preposition in a sentence.

Apple, tike most computer companies, relies on advertising for sa/es.

This would not work, as I told you earlier.

Maybe./May be. Maybe is an adverb which means perhaps or probably. May be is a

verb phrase that expresses likelihood,

Maybe he will admit his culpability.

She may be meted a lighter penalty.

Mr./Mrs./Miss. Gender sensitive language discourages double standards. The

salutation for men, Mr.,is not dependent on their marital status, and the same
should go for women, Thus, Ms. is preferred for women.

Principaf/Principle. Aprincipal, used as a noun, refers to the head of a school or

a sum of money, When used as an adjective, principal refers to "most important."
Principte is a noun referring to a rule, a fundamental law, or a code of conduct,

68
 Common Misused Words

Prohibited from, not prohibited to (this is usually followed by a gerund)

The employees were prohibited f rom entering the compound.

f Pursuant. Pursuant to or in oursuance of.

Regard/Regards, Regard is a verb that means to pay consideration to. Regards is a

noun to show respect and high esteem. lt is wrong to say "with regards to".

Correct: with regard to (no s) as regards to (with s)

Regardless/lrregardless. The root word of regardless is regard. With the suffix-/ess,

tt means without regard. When you add the prefix ir-, which also means without,lhe
word would not make sense.

Result in, not result to.

Shall/Will. M// expresses volition or willingness. Sha// expresses obligation or

compulsion.

Synonymous to, not in or with

I Therefor/Therefore. Thereformeans "in for" or "return for that." Thereforemeans

"conclusion. "

I appropriating funds therefor

she therefore decided

Toward./Towards. Both are correct, but toward is preferred , as towards is Old English.

Which/Thal. That rs a restrictive pronoun and is used in a restrictive phrase, while

which simply introduces a relative clause and needs commas. Ihatrestricts, while
which qualifies.

69
Part 1: Chapter 5

The reportthat was submitted yesterday had some errors. (referring only to a specif ic
report that was submitted yesterday)

The report, which had errors, was submitted yesterday. (The phrase which had errors
merely describes the report; it may be removed and the sentence will still be
complete.)

Who/Whom . Who is a nominative pronoun, along with he, she, it, we, and they. Whom
is an objective pronoun, along with hlm, her, it, us, and thern.

Who sentthis letter? (She did.)

For whom should I write this letter? (For her.)

This list only includes some commonly misused words and phrases in the English
language. The reader is encouraged to look up other good references such as
grammar books, dictionaries, and online compilations of words often confused with
each other when used in writing.

REFERENCES

Gingerich, Jon. "20 Common Grammar Mistakes That (Almost) Everyone Makes,"
LitReactor.com, http://litreactor.com/columns/20-common-grammar-mistakes-that'
a I most-everyone- gets-wrong

Strunk Jr., William., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books, 2005.
*See Annexes A and B

70
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
t
I
I
 6
CHAPTER

LEGALV'fRlTlNG
I

.,rr ^rev?il. A\waYs Th'

l :iuli!
"ontribute
";o "
to

,*JXi{:ff}::[,s{?tt{s["J;IJ*
cated F

.u^yn{writins,qw,lJi:,1,"gJ*{:llif 3,i;:#[Tl;il:]:;":t

l'**ii*"ruT.:i*':ililil'11il:l'H:'"-
;" .,':':,::':::;:;
tlP: '" " ""'"''

:
Sorfle r
Here are
rI et'
1:ilffi{,,$#Jhia,fi{*::*nr$ ^^nri e

shoutu;.,* u""
?lsLr c '
reader
reader shou\d arso 73
o{ You':$::il?";inouto
I
I

4. Get rid of iargons'

Legal iargons
ceteris Paribus
de iure
defacto in advance
ex ante uaong other things
inter alta essential
sine qua non
does n
language that
5.
Jr Always choose
,"tigion' or disabilitY'

6- Limit "lawyerisms"'

t5
 lf it takes a hundred
consider revising :T: jgr you to .u,n u
and simptiffr;t;;; o?o.u. rce of information,
2. Avoid dangf ing modifiers,

Dangling modifiers
are symptoms
voice. Alwavs r

rr y;;;;i;:ivo,urserr, "who is ]:i.3q or the active

,6oiriu{ffffJ,.J,?iflj,";lijl;,1 ;ff?i:;:T:ffi;;
rgling.
rnstead of writing
a vague sentence
rike:
The decision,:^.1T:, the
pertaining to the case was made on
1 January 20.
to the conce""J1'^":! all
said documents
"t"iui"i"t""'"o
In this sentence. wp rtn nnr r.--.
oo.rn,,"ni.. ;i..,
*" do not know wtro crose
the case and who
vague, and seems rereased the
,,euirion ;:l;J:" ,etrctant tl#are
information.
'r" consider
fj1.C_omytission
closed the case on 1
2
; lT:f yr::
d ocu m e nts to th e conc e, n ua p, ii iL,,
L an d re t ea s ed a tI re t ated

*11fi:iJ:J:t'".:,rT,i.T?lm;fmJ;.Ht,know who is the doer

or the
For more tips on
shifting
- "o from
2. "v'rr the
rrre passtve
p?SSrVe to the
active voice,
vr turn back to page
.

3. Stick to one style.

Follow the guidelrne,s

fortSC,s style in Chapter
written outputs or-the,csc;;;t;;;.
"one csc"
2. Leeat (t are still
across atl oepaitm.ri, rolrow its stylel rh;:::T"lts
..s is part oioi#oting
,ro offices.

Part 1: Chapter 6

habit. For more examples of transforming complex words to simpler forms, turn
to pages 3 to 5.

REFERENCES

Ombudsman Stylebook. Manila: Office of the Ombudsman and British Embassy Manila, 2014.

Strunk Jr., William., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. USA: Penguin Books, 2005.

Style Manual for the Executive Department of the Philippine Government. Manila:
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Oftice,2012.

76
GENDER SHNSITIVE IANGUAGE
 ,,HE"

does not mean

,,sHErt
 Gender Sensetive

(excerpts trom Gender-Fair Language: A Primer by

Thelma B. Kintanar, and Elements of Non-sexist Usage by Val Dumond)

I What issexism in language?

It is the use of language which devaluates members of one sex, almost invariably
women, and thus fosters gender inequity. lt discriminates against women by
rendering them invisible or trivializing them at the same time that it perpetuates
notions of male supremacy.

Whv the concern about mere words?

I . Language articulates consciousness.

It not only orders our thought but from infancy, we learn to use language to
give utterance to our basic needs and feelings.

. Language ref lects culture,

It encodes and transmits cultural meanings and values in our society.

I . Language affects socialization.

Children learning a language absorb the cultural assumptions underlying language

use and see these as an index to the society's values and attitudes. Social inequity
reflected in language can thus powerfully affect a child's later behavior and beliefs.

I Note: Language as a signifying system is not inherently sexist. lt is the use of

language in a specific culture that may perpetuate sexist attitudes and
beliefs.

79
Part 2

Guidelines for Non-Sexist Writing

Here are a few tips:

1. Eliminate the use of he, his, or him unless the antecedent is obviouslv male.
Here are some tios:

a. Use plural nouns

In the traditional way of writing, we often refer to his as a universal

pronoun to referto humanity in general. The "he or she" form may be
used, but it becomes awkward when repeated. Thus, the use of plural
nouns is the safest way to eliminate the generic use of he, his, or him.

Traditional Man is happiest when he ls able to serye.

Suggested People are happiest when they are able to serve.

Traditional Each employee has been trying hls best to adjust to the
company changes.
Suggested All employees haye been trying their best to adjust to
company changes.

b, Delete he, his, and him altogether (rewording is necessary)

The writer should take the context of the whole sentence or text so that
it can be reworded without the meaning being changed. Deletion of
pronouns can take place only if the focus is on a non.specific individual
who might be of either sex.

Traditional : An architecf uses his blueprint as a guide.

Suggested : Architects use a blueprints as a guide.

BO
 Gender Sensetive

:
Traditional /Yo one can be a technical writer unless he has a fair
degree of writing skill.
Suggested : No one can be a technical writer without a fair degree of
writing skill.

c. Substitute articles (the, a, an) for his, and who for he

Traditional : The writer should know his readers well.

Suggested : The writer should know the readers well.

In the following sentence, note that the sentence is reworded so that

substitution can take place.

Traditional : lf the writer plans ahead, he willsaye a lot of effort.

Suggested : The writer who plans ahead sayes a lot of effort.

d. Substitute one, we, or you, or rewording to delete pronouns altogether.

For one, the sentence adopts the third person point of view In formal
writing, the use of the third person is always preferred. lf the writer
prefers the first person point of view, the writer has the option to change
the pronoun into plural form, thus usingthe pronoun we. In the second
person point of view, the use of the pronoun you is the option.

Traditional As someone grows older, he becomes more reflective.

Suggested ln growing older, people become more reflective.

First person As we grow older, we become more reflective.

Second person As you grow older, you become more reflective.
Third person As one grows older, one becomes more reflective.

8l
Part 2

e. Minimize use of indefinite pronouns (everybody, someone)

Traditional : Everyone should do his share in shaping an ideal

communtty.
Suggested Each individual should have a share in shaping an ideal
community.

Traditional Someone was here and left hls baggage.

Suggested A person was here and left a baggage.

2. Eliminate the generic use of man.

The term man is associated with the adult male and it is difficult to
distinguish its generic use. lt reflects gender inequality in that women are
never seen in terms of general or representative humanity but always in
terms of their gender.

a. For man, substitute person(s)/people, individual(s), human(s), human

beings(s)

:
Traditional Consider what the ordinary man thinks of our iustice
system.
Suggested : Consider what the ordinary people think of our iustice
system.

Current usage Alternative

Anchorman Anchor, anchorperson
Businessman Business executive, manager, business owner, retailer
Cameraman Camera operators, cinematographers, photographer
Chairman Chairperson, chair

82
I Gender Sensetive

I Note: There is a tendency to use "chairperson" to apply only to women

while "chairman" is used for men, even though "chairperson" is
applicable to both sexes. The latter usage is preferable.

I b, For mankind, substitute humankind, humanity, the human race; use

nouns that encompass both man and woman.

I Traditional
Suggested
:
:
To be productive in
To be productive in
a society should be the goal of mankind.
a society should be the goal of humanity.
I c. In making general statements, add women.

I Traditional
Suggested
Traditional
: Man is vulnerable.
Women and men are vulnerable.
Man is a rational being.

t 3.
Suggested Women and men are rationalbeings.

Avoid sexualizing or stereotyping women in language.

I a. Use the same term for both genders when it comes to profession or
employment
I lnstead of... Use

r Stewardess
Poetess
Coed
Anchorwoman
Flight attendant
Poet
Student
Anchorperson
T
I
t 83
Part 2

b. Avoiding representation of women or men as occupying only certain jobs

or roles.
lnstead of... Use
Convention partici pants and Convention participants
their wives and their soouses

c. Treating men and women in a parallel manner

lnstead of... Use
Sampras and Venus Pete Sampras and Venus
Williams
Man and wife Husband and wife

d. Avoiding language that trivializes women and promotes stereotyped

rmages
lnstead of ... Use
the president's girl FridaY the president's assistant
a man sized job a big ob
She did well for a woman She did well

Note: when it is necessary to point out the female aspect of a person

occupying a given role or occupation, use female, rather than
lady, e.g,, female guard. Do not use women, e.9., women activist,
as men activist is not used, only male activist.

84
 Gender Sensetive

4. Avoid gender polarization of meanings.

l|
a. Do not use language that promotes sexist assumptions or labels.

Examples:
Forceful men are perceived as charlsrnatic, while forceful women are labeled
domineering.

Light-hearted men are seen as easygoin g, while women of the same nature
are frivolous.

Forgetful men are called absent-minded, while forgetful women are tagged as
scatter-brained.

We describe angry men as outraged, and angry women hysterical.

Men who are interested in everything are called curious people, while women
who are such are described as nosy.

Men of ordinary appearance go without mention, while women of ordinary

appearance are labeled plain.

Men who are thoughtful are called concerned, while women of the same type
are high-strung.

When men talk together, it is called a convention; when women talk together,
it is gossip.

The terms womanly, manly, feminine, masculine depict each sex as being
solely associated with particular attributes. Use adjectives that specify every
shade of meaning. For example: sensitiye, determined, strong, nurturing.They
clarify as well as enrich one's use of language.

85
Part 2
I
Glossary of Terms for Non-Sexist Language
Traditional Suggested/preferred
t
Actress
Adventuress
Actor
Adventurer
Public official, council member
I
I
Alderman
Alumnae, alumni Graduates
Ambassadress Ambassador
Ancestress
Anchorman
Authoress
Ancestor
Anchor
Author
I
Aviatrix

Bag ladies
Aviator

Homeless women
I
Bachelorgi rl, bachelorette
Bachelor's degree
Single woman, unmarried woman
Undergraduate degree
Bartender, barkeep, waiter
I
Barman, barmaid
Baseman
Bellboy, bellman
Base player
Bellhop
I
Benefactress
Bigman
Brakeman
Benefactor
Personage, person of importance or greatness
Brake operator
I
Brethren
Brotherly love
Busboy, busgirl
Congregation
Goodwill, charity, altruism, bigheartedness
Waiter's helper
I
Businessman/woman Business person/people, business executive,
entrepreneur, tycoon, magnate I
Cabin boy
Call girllboy
Crew member
Prostitute
Photogra phe r, camer a oPerator
I
I
Cameraman

86
I Gender Sensetive

t Glossary of Terms for Non-Sexist Language

Traditional Suggested/preferred

I Cattlemen
Chairman, chairwoman
Cave dwellers, cave people
Chair, Chairperson, head, presider, leader, moderator,
coord i nator

I Chambermaid
Choirgirl/boy
City fathers/dads
Housekeeper, hotel workers, personal attendant
Choir member, singer
City council, leaders

I Clergymen Clergy, clerics, members of the clergy, ministers,

priests, rabbis, pastors

t Coed
Comedienne
Congressmen, Congresswoman
Student
Comedian
Representative, Congressional representatives

I Copy boy, copy girl

Craftsmen
Copy clerk, runner
Craftspeople, artisans, craft workers, crafters

I Deliveryman
Directress
Deliverer, delivery clerk, courier
Director. admi n istrator, conductor

I
Draftsman Drafter
Drum majorette Drum major

I Enchantress
Englishman, Englishwoman
Equestrienne
Enchanter, sorcerer, magician
Englander, Briton, English
Equestrian, rider, horseback

t Feelings of brotherhood or fraternity

Fireman
Feelings of kinship, solidarity
Fire fishter. stoker

I Fisherman
Flagman
the Father of relativitv theorv
Fisher. ansler
Flaseer
founding leaders

I 87
I

Part 2 I
Glossary of Terms for Non-Sexist Language
Traditional Suggested/preferred
I
forefathers
Forlady, foreman
Ancestor, forebears
Supervisor, boss, leader, head juror
Fi rst-year students, yearl i ngs
t
I
Freshman

Gentleman's agreement Unwritten agreement, agreement based on trust

I
Girl Friday, man Friday Aide, key aide, assistant helper
Goddess God

Handvman
Heiress
Heroine
Fixer, iack
Heir, inheritor
Heroes
t
Hostesses
Hookers, whores
Hosts
Prostitutes t
Lineman
Layperson
Line installers, line repairer
I
Man tn the street
Manning
Average person, ordinary person
Staffing, working, running
I
Mother nature
Man-made
Minoritv women
Nature
Manufactured, synthetic, artificial
Ethnic women
I
One-man show One-oerson show I
icemen, policewoman
Pol Police officer, law enforcement officer, police
Postmistress/man, mai man I Postmaster, letter carrier, mail carrier
?t

88
Priestess Priest

t
I Gender Sensetive

I Glossary of Terms for Non-Sexist Language

Traditional Suggested/preferred

t Procu ress
Prophetess
Proprietess i
Procurers, pander
Prophet
Proprietor, owner

t Repairman
Rewriteman
Repairer
Rewriter

I Right-hand man

Salesman, sales woman, salesladv

Chief assistant, lieutant

Sales clerk, salesperson, sales agent, shop assistant

I Scotsman
Scu ptress
I
Scot, Scotlander
Sculptor

I Seaman
Seamstress
Seeress
Sailor, mariner, seafarer
Tailor, needleworkers
Prophet, seer, clai rvoyant

I Sheoherdess
Signalman
Songstress
Shepherd, pastor
Signal operator, signaler
Singer

I Sorceress
Spaceman
Spinster, old maid
Sorcerer, enchanter
Astronaut, spacefarer, space traveler
Unmarried woman

I Spokesman
Sportsmanlike
Spokesperson, representative
Fair play, fairness

I Starlet
Statesmanlike
Young star, star in the making, aspiring actors
Diplomatic

t
Stewardess, steward Flieht attendant, cabin attendant
Straw man Straw oerson
Switchman Switch ooerator

I 89
Part 2 I
Glossary of Terms for Non-Sexist Language
Traditional Suggested/preferred I
Testatrix
The mother of invention
The founding fathers
Testator
The founder of..
The founders
I
Trashman

Usherette
Trash collector

Usher
I
Waitress
Watchman
Waitel server
Guard
I
Working mothers
Working wives
Wage.earning mothers
Wives working outside the home
I
Workman
Workmanlike
Worker
Efficient, skillfull I
See also Annex
t
I
REFERENCES

Hall, S 1997, Representation: Cultural Representation and Signifying Practices Sage

I
Publications Ltd., UK.

Stanley, JP & Robbins, SW 1977, 'Goingthrough the Changes: The Pronoun She in the Middle
I
English', Papers in Linguistics, vo. 9, nos. 3-4.

Tang, R 2009, Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, Westview Press, US.
t
90
I
NEWS RELEASES

Chopler 1 News Releose

Chopter 2 Photo leleose
Chopler 3 l,ledio Advisory
I CHAPTER I

NEWS RELEASE WRITING

I
t edia relations involve working with and through media to communicate
news. The goal of media relations is to get positive mileage at little to no
cost, maktng it different from advertising. Thus, information officers rely

t heavily on building trust and mutual interest with media contacts.

Media relations can be active (seeking positive pufrlicity about a newsworthy topic) or

t reactive (responding to a positive or negative stor5,that concerns the organization).

One of the basic tools in media relations is the press release or news release. The
fundamental rule in news release writing is to think about what the target audience
I needs or wants. For print media, the target audiences are the reporter and editor
of a newspaper, tabloid, or magazrne. For television and radio, the target audiences

t are the reoorter and news desk editor of the network. The reporter looks for and
develops the news, while the editor gives reporters their assignments and makes the
decision as to what gets published or reported and what does not.

I Towrite an effective news release, here are a few guidelines that information officers
must observe:

I Before writing the article

I . A good news release must answer "yes" to the following questions: ls the
topic newsworthy? ls the topic interesting and relevant to subscribers of the

t newspaper or television /radio news program? ls a news release the best tool
to use to communicate the subiect matter?

t 93
Part 3: Chapter 1
a
When writing the article

' Use an attention'grabbing headline that is concise yet able to summarize the
I
story, Do not exaggerate and sensationalize. A sub.heading, called a kicker,
may be used to offer additional information. T
' Write in the inverted pyramid style. Put the most important details in the
first paragraph (called the lead), followed by supporting details in the
succeeding paragraphs. The lead should answer the questions "who, what,
t
'
when, where, why, and how".

The newspaper editor has control over which portions of the news release I
'
will be used. An article is usually cut from the bottom paragraph and further
up.

Add quotations from CSC officials to add perspective to the article, The
t
Director lV may also be quoted in news releases coming from the cSC
Regional Offices. Exercise caution when writing quotes; remember that news I
'
releases are official statements of the organization.

Be simple and straightforward. Adjectives and adverbs are unnecessary but

may be used sparingly in quotations. Avoid exaggerations; remember that a
t
news release is not a sales pitch. Do not limit the audience by using jargons
or highly technical terms. I
' Use simple sentence structures and keep them as short as possible. Avoid
wordiness (use despite instead of despite the fact that; use now instead of
at present time; use to instead of for the purpose of).
t
Example: t
I
What you need to do in conflict resolution is to bring the peopte who believe that
the answer to their political ambitions will be achieved through violence into a
frame of mind that they accept that their politicat ambitions witt be delivered by
politics. (44 words)

94 I
I News Release Writing

t To resolve conflict, you need to bring the peopte who think violence is the answer
to their political ambitions to believe they can achieve them better through
politics. (29 words)

I Provide as much relevant information as possible. Journalists are very busy

people, so the role of the information officer is to make their job easier.

t Always anticipate what the journalist wourd want to know. For example, if the
article is about the launch of a new program or service, it should be able to
answer questions such as "How will the public benefit from that program or

t service?", "How can they avail of it?", and "How much will it cost?',

Names of persons should be written in full at first mention. Use only last

t names subsequently.

Acronyms should be spelled out at first mention, followed by the acronym

I placed in parentheses.

Follow the rules of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence

t composition. Proofread the article before sending out.

I REFERENCES

t The American Society for Public Administration. How to Write Newsworth Press Releases &
Media Advisories, http://www.aspanet. org/public/ ASPADocs/WritePR/620/o282/o29.pdf .

I The Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts. Public Relations Handbook:

Guidelines and Tools For Effective Public Relations, http://pdfcast.orglpdf/public.

t
relations.ha nd book.

The Spin Project. Developing Relationships with Reporters, http://www.spinproject.orgl

down loads/ Reporters. pdf.

I 95
Part 3: Chapter 1 I
Format
This is the
Civil Service Commission
t
News Relense
prescri bed
format for
news release:
a
ilqmm
*Jhr+ I
(or wnte EilBAROO UIIIL
3hould r.main

-
FOR ITSIEDI,ATE RELEASE
if infomatid @dalned brcln
confddi.l untll thc ap.cifcd &t.)l
Ddc otR.LF I
Headline (Arial bold 16 pt., center)

LEAD
I
3mE 3PaCC

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH t
sanlla spacc

SUPPORTING PAMGRAPH
I
shgF sacs

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH
t
t
I
NOTES:

Fd th. body, ue Arial 1 1 or 1 2 pt Angnmri _ Jusdt Put a 3inglc spa€ in beMq padgEph

Lin{t tlE nM rcl€a$ to @ d tm pag.s ooly

It tlE n# Fl..e hG tll@ thtn @. P.gr, wita 1 md. -' al thc and ot ech p.g. s
Al thc toP of
For.nnpl€:

I
c..dngpagc6,wyitcthandtlrsawsdsoltlEhodlinafo[ow.dbythepagerumbcr
CllC Ef.6* r€u13... lp!q.2ol2

ltE bst p.gc sholld ond with 'l# to gg.ily th. cnd ofltu.lUcle

You may put . mm. .nd conlact numbs bekv '*ffF in caac a rcpodrr nc.ds to .sk for affilmd idtr-
mlton
Rctr.in ttffi adding V,/ritbn by' or'ApprMd by' at thr and ol thc ffi6d

3
95
t
I News Release Writing

I i:ils''
Release
NEWS RELEASE
Publrr Assistdnrf nnd lniorn\nion Office

I
Crvil 5ervire aomnri5von, Sitaro llil s Queron Crty
(f6lltcll<180 .\.pflrdlllrndrlLom
*-frb '.

I
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1tl,2018

CSC releases reminders for March 18 Gareer Servicc examinees

t The Civil Seruice Commission (CSC) is set to administer the Career Seruice Examination-Pen and
Paper Test (CSE-PPT) for both Professional and Sub-profesional levels on March 1 8, 2018.

Examinees are advised to chsck their school assignment through the frim t'lotice of Sdroo|

t As*rmat (ONSAI from tho CSC website. Those who are unable to a@ss the ONSA may call
the CSC Regional or Field Offica where they filed their application or @ntact the CSC'S Contact
Center ng Bayan For the list of @ntact numbers, visit CSC'S ofticial Facbok Paoe.

t Tha CSC stresed that the up@ming Caresr Service Examination has a strict "No 1.D., No Exam'
policy. Examinees must prgsent a valid I D card in the examination day, preferably the same I D
card presented during the filing of appli€tion lf the l.O €rd is difierent from the I D. €rd presentod
during filing of applic€tion, the examinee must present ANY of the following acepted l.D. cards,

I
which must be valid (not expiredpriv€r's Liense/Temporary Driv6/s Li€nse (LTo O R must be
prssented together with old Drive/s Li@ns€; O R alone is not allowedystudent Drive/s Psmit;
Passport; PRC Licnse; SSS l.D ; csls I D (UMID); Voter's I o A/oter's Certifi€tion: B|R/Taxpays/s
LD (ATM typs/TlN €rd type wiih picture); PhilHealth l.D (must have the bears/s name, clear picture,
signafure and PhilHsalth numbsr); Company/Ofiice I D ; School I o ; Poli@ CleaEn€/Pdic Cloaran€

I Certifi€te; Postal I D: BaEngay l.O.; NBI Clearane; Seaman's B@k; HoMF Tran$ction lD : PWD
l.D;Solo Paront lD; S€niorCitizen's lD; Alien Certifietoof Registration ldentityCard (ACR |-CARD);

In preparation for the upcoming exam, the CSC advised axamin@s to visit the assigned

I
school/testing venue before the examination day to be familiar with ths school lffition. On the
examination day, examinees are advised to be as early as 6:00 a m. for the vsrification and locating
of rmm assignment. Gates of testing venues will be closed to gxamine€s at sxactly 7:30 a m and
those who will anive later than 7:30 a.m. will not be admitted. Failure to take tho enminatim on
scheduled dat€ shall mean forfeiture of examination feo and slot Re-scheduling of examinalion date

I is not allowed.

The cSC stressed that only black ball pens are allowed to b€ used in filling up the answer she6t (gel
pen, sign pen, fountain psn, friction pen, or any other klnds of p€n, including other colors of ball p€n

I are not allowed)

The CSC also reminded the examinees to wear proper attirs on sxamination day Sleevelsss
shirublouse, short pants, and slipp€rs are not allowed.

I For more details, please read Enmimtim MvisryY l'lo. 05. s- 20 18 ,fn#

97
 G

P|l
(and we don't mean selfies)
 CHAPTER 2
PHOTO RELEASE
ohoto release has the same intent as a news release but delivers the news

A
a I
using an image instead of a set of paragraphs. lt includes a caption to
describe the photo in as short a paragraph as possible. The caption should
answer the question, "What should they know about the photo that they can't
ready see? "

Civil Service Commission

Format
&!6\!rd;ttl{'*.
Pnoro Relense
ito,[email protected]

This is the
nrocnriho.{
format for
a photo release:

Recommended size for photo:

I
l4Ror4x6inch6s.

Modelteacher leovanneM Cagoscos(ntht)a.cePtsihe2017Preed€nnalLtngkodBayan

Award from Presdenl Rodrito Roa Dutene (cent€r) d!rrn8 the award! irtes ror the 2017

typhoons, poor Inha{ruct!re, and Insufficrenl resources. Uen8 hr5 ta ent for connr!chon,
he re'built dama8ed clasrooms, an rmp.ovtsed sea breaket and a concrete footbf dge
leadrnS to the rhool Hrs sewrces are not on y tree; at nmes he even spends peGona

Place "###" or "30" at the

I

end of the article to indicate

I

that nothing foliows.

I

99
Part 3: Chapter 2

Reminders
. In the first sentence, describe what is going on in the photo, Use the present
tense. In the succeeding sentences, provide a background or context on the
situation mentioned in the first sentence, including dates and places. You may
now use the past tense.

. Provide the name of every person shown in the photo. Include directions so the
reader can identify which person is which (e.g, left, right, center, L.R, 2nd from
left).

' Use only high-resolution photos, especially when sending photo releases through
email, Avoid images that are distorted, blurred, pixelated, or have inaccurate
colors.

. Keep the photo release to one page.

. Names of persons should be written in full at first mention. Use only last names
subsequently.

. Acronyms should be spelled out at first mention, followed by the acronym placed
in parentheses. Follow the rules of spelling, punctuation, gramma6 and sentence
composition. Proofread the article before sending out.

. Always include a contact number, at the least, which reporters may reach should
they need more information.

. Follow these guidelines when sending a photo release via email:

- Write in the Subject line "PHOTO RELEASE from the Civil Service
Commission".

r00
I Photo Release

t lf the email facility supports the "lnsert image" function, place the photo
along with the caption into the formatting area (where you enter the body of
your message). Otherwise, include the photo as an attachment.

I Specify the name of a contact person and number should reporters need
additional information.
send the photo release to individual contacts. when sending by mass email,

I use "Bcc" to make sure that the entire recipients list is not visible.

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I 101
102
I
I CHAPTER 3

t MEDIA ADVISORY

I media advisory is commonly used to invite reporters to attend a press

briefing or cover an event.

t
Use the News Release
Civil Service Commission letterhead, print in A4-sized

Format ilm6
Meorn Aovrsonv (oftc.and o6c. rumb.ils)
white bond paper.
Put f-inch margin on all
sides

I This is the
nrocnrihod
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (write EMBERGO Ut{TlL _
contain€d herein should remain @nfidential untit the

Headline (Arial bold 16 pt., center)

il infomation
sEciic date):
Write'F0R IMMEDIATE
RELEASE" followed below

t
by the date ot the release,
format for For the body, use Anal 11 or 12
example
pt Alignment - Justify Prcvide bnel summary of th€ ev€nt Fo' I
I
boh rightjustifi€d,
the media advisory: More than 2,300 hum6n resourc€ practjtionere trom govemment, th€ privat€ sedbr\and the
Associalion of Soulheast Asian Nahons (ASEANI witt anend the 2017 Pubhc Sedor
Resoure Symposium which will be held aL lhe PhrliDoine Intemational Convention Centeron Headline in bold, font 4le

I 4 to 6 With the theme, "Shaping Change,' the event high|ghts global trends and b€st practices In
human resource (HR) managem€nt and organization developm€nt (OD)

Also among the highlighls of th€ 201 7 HR Symposium is lhe ARTA Caravan Th€ ARTA Caravan
will fealure frontline seMce Innovations o[ selecled govemment egencies to mark the 1olh year of
14, cenlefiustifud. :
Capilalize only Ute fitS
letter of the first word,
and initial letters in pmper
l

::'

t
egning inlo law ol RepublicAct No 9485 or the Anti-R€d Tap6Ad of 2007
names and tites.
CSC Chairpecon Alicia d6la Rosa-8ala and CommissionoE Roberl S Madjnez and Leopotdo
Robedo W Valderosa will lead th€ ribbon-cutting of th€ exhibit, which t€atures the ARTACaravan
(Banquot Hall 1), and the opening ceremony of lhe HR Symposium (Pl€nary Hall) on July 4,
2017 at PICC For body, use fonl size 12.

t WHAT

WHEN

WHERE
:

:
Slate event nam€

Stal€ dale and time of the evenl lf the media nesds to be al the venue at a
sDsific time. state that as well
Use 1 sjnch line spacing,
withoul spaces in bettw€n
paragraphs,lndent the fimt
line of every paragraph.

I
r State€xactv€nueoftheev€nt Providedirectjonsandlandmarls,itn@ssary
PHOTO^r'IOEO : Slate scenarios thal may be €ptured on efreE includrng key p€ople who wit
be available tor inteili€w

OETAILS : Optonal lJsethispodionforolherdelailsorinstructionsforlhem6dia,suchas

I
where lhey €n posittons lh€ir €meras, do's and donts etc

Toconfim an€ndance and request loradditional informalion please conlacli

Name otfo@l p€6on/s tor m€dra relatons
Contact number/s

I
Part 3: Chapter 3

Reminders
. Use font face Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri. Use an appropriate font size.
Put emphasis on the upper portion (what, when, where) by using bigger font size
and/or bold format.
. Most reporters will not stay for the entire duration of an activity. So in
determining what time reporters should arrive, study the program of activities
and think about what shots, interviews and sound bites they would want or need
to capture,
. Keep the media advisory to one page.

104
T
r
I .;,:.

I
''lii.

t GUIDELINES FOR
ONLINE COMMUNICATION
I
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I
I Chopter 'l Netiquette
ir t

I Chopter 2
Chopler 3
Guidelines for CSC Employees on the Use of Sociol Medio
Guidelines for Submitting Electronic Documenls
I Chopter 4 Referencing Online Sources

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rttfr, d* Jnterrut. I
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 CHAPTER I

N ETIQU ETTE
Excerpts from Netiquette by Virginia Shea

With the advent of technology and the Internet phenomenon, we are bound to use
online communication as a means to reach different audiences. The popularity of
social networking sites, for example, has redefined the way people communicate.
However, the rules of ethics do not change. Just like written and face-to.face
communication, there are some rules that should be followed in orderto observe
decorum and professionalism.

The word "netiquette" combines the words network and etiquette to refer to a
set of rules "for behavrng properly online." These rules aim to promote harmony,
professionalism and understanding among communicators who interact online, that
is, not face to face, and using only available online tools.

When you enter any new culture-and cyberspace has its own culture-you are liable
to commit a few social blunders. You might offend people without meaning to. Or you
might misunderstand what others say and take offense when it is not intended. To
make matters worse, something about cyberspace makes it easy to forget that you
are interacting with other real people and not just characters on a screen.

The Core Rules of Netiquette

Rule 1. Remember the human.

Coro lla ry 1 to Rule #1: lt is not nice to hurt other people's feelings.
Corollary I Never mail or post anything you would not say to your
reader's face.

107
 Neverforget that the person readingyour mail or posting is, indeed, a person,
with feelings that can be hurt.

The golden rule your parents and your kindergarten teacher taught you was
pretty simple: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. lmagine
how you would feel if you were in the other person's shoes. Stand up for yourself,
but try not to hurt people's feelings.

Rule 2. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in
real life.

Corollary 1: Be ethical,
Corollary z: Breaking the law is bad Netiquette.

ln real life, most people arefairly law-abiding because we are a'fraid of getting
caught, In cyberspace, the chances of getting caught sometimes seem slim.
And, perhaps because people sometimes forget that there's a human being on
the other side of the computer, some people think that a lower standard of
ethics or personal behavior is acceptable in cyberspace.

The confusion may be understandable, but these people are mistaken. Standards
of behavior may be different in some areas of cyberspace, but they are not lower
than in real life.

lf you are tempted to do something that is illegal in cyberspace, chances are it

is also bad Netiquette.

Rule 3. Respect other people's time and bandwidth,

Corollary 1: Post messages to the appropriate discussion group.

Corollary 2: Try not to ask senseless or rude questions on discussion
groups.
Corollary 3: Read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document.

r08
 Netiquette

Corollary 4 When appropriate, use private email instead of posting

to the group.
Corollary 5 lf you disagree with the premise of a particular
discussion group, just stay away and refrain from
leaving negative or insulting comments.

It is a clich6 that people today seem to have less time than ever before' even
though (or perhaps because) we sleep less and have more labor'saving devices
than our grandparents did. When you send email or post to a discussion group'
you are taking up other people's time (or hoping to). lt is your responsibility to
ensure that the time they spend readingyour posts is not wasted. Remember'
you are not the center of cyberspace.

Rule 4. Gommunicate well online.

Corollary I Check grammar and spelling before you post.

Corollary 2 Know what you are talking about and make sense,

As in the world at large, most people who communicate online just want to be
liked. Networks, particularly discussion groups, let you reach out to people you
would otherwise never meet. And none of them can see you. You would not be
judged by the color of your skin, eyes, or hair, your weight, your age, or your
clothing.

You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing, For most people who
choose to communicate online, this is an advantage; if they did not enjoy using
the written word, they would not be there. So spelling and grammar do count'

Pay attention to the content of your wrrting. Be sure you know what you are
talking about. Check your facts. Bad information propagates like wildfire on the
net.

r09
 Rule 5. Share expert knowledge.

Corollary 1: Offer answers and help to people who ask questions on

discussion groups.
Corollary 2: lf you have received email answers to a posted question,
you can summarize them and post the summary to the discussion
group.

Do not be afraid to share what you know.

It is especially polite to share the results of your questions with others. when
you anticipate that you will get a lot of answers to a question, or when you post
a question to a discussion group that you do not visit often, it is customary
to request replies by email instead of to the group. When you get all those
responses, write up a summary and post it to the discussion group. That way,
everyone benefits from the experts who took the time to write to you.

lf you are an expert yourself, there is even more you can do. Sharing your
knowledge is fun. lt is a long-time net tradition. And it makes the world a better
UIdLE.

Rule 6. Respect other people's privacy.

Do not read other people's private email.

Of course, you would never go through your colleagues' desk drawers. Naturally,
you wouldn't read their email either.

Rule 7. Do not abuse your power.

The more power you have, the more important it is that you use it well.

110
 Netiquette

Some people in cyberspace have more power than others. There are experts in
every office, and system administrators in every system.

Knowing more than others, or having more power than they do, does not give you
the right to take advantage of them. For example, system administrators should
never read private email.

I Rule 8. Be forgiving of other people's mistakes,

You were a network newbie once too!

When someone makes a mistake, whether it is a spelling error, a senseless

question, or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. lf it is a minor error,
you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice
before reacting. Having good manners yourself does not give you license to
correct everyone else.

REFERENCES

Shea, Vi rgi n ia. Netiquette. http://www. a I bion.com/bookNetiq uette/.

1r1
(You should, too.)
I
I CHAPTER 2

t GUIDELINES FOR CSC EMPLOYEES

ON THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
I (Excerpt from the CSC lnternal Socia/ Media Policy )

I he following guidelines shall serve as a general online decorum for all

personnel covered by this policy. These shall apply to agency use, professional

t use, and personal use of social media:

The Code matters. The values and norms of conduct prescribed by Republic Act
No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and
I Employees also apply to the online behavior of employees.

I 2 You are foremost a public servant. While social media use is encouraged,
make sure it does not interfere with your job performance. Abide by existing
office policy regarding access to social media sites on official time and using
government resources.
I 3 There are consequences. There is a limited amount of personal use that is
understood and acceptable. However, this should be done with an understanding
I of the risk that any improper or excessive use may be placed under scrutiny by
the public and the media, and may result in disciplinary action depending on the

I 4
seriousness of the infraction.

You are the brand. The CSC's brand is best represented by its people. Be aware
of how you present yourself online with colleagues and clients. The CSC's cOfe
I values should apply to both off line and online behavior.

I
Part 4: Chapter 2

5. Differentiate personal from professional. In social media, the boundaries

between personal use, professional use, and agency use are fluid. Your personal
opinions could be perceived as that of the agency so always be clear when you
are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of CSC. A disclaimer may be added
to your personal posts to clearly state that your opinion is your own and does
not reflect the positions or views of the agency.

6, Think before you click. Unless you are an authorized spokesperson, avoid
reacting to negative posts or attacks directed at the CSC. Instead, forward them
to appropriate individuals who can take official action on these posts. Moreover,
avoid using your official email address ([email protected]) when creating or
posting on a personal account.

7. Think multiple times before posting. Remember that everything you post online
is permanent, searchable, and can be shared indefinitely even outside your
personal networks. Be responsible for your own actions online. Exercise best
judgment and common sense when posting on social media.

8. Exercise caution with sensitive information. Do not disclose confidential

information nor preempt news or announcements which have not yet been
cleared for public dissemination. Refrain from discussing internal work issues on
public networks as these are best resolved through proper forums, dialogues, or
grievance mechanisms.

9. Respect your audience. Always observe courtesy and sincerity. Avoid sharing
content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis
of one's race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, gender identity or sexual
orientation, marital status, economic status, physical or mental disability, and
political views or affiliation. Avoid inciting word wars, bashing, bullying, and
other forms of hostile communication.

114
 Guidelines for CSC Employees on the Use of Social Media

10. Observe relevant laws, regulations, and issuances. Be reminded that certain
legal restrictions apply to social media activities, which include but are not
limited to:
' Republic Act No. 67i3 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees);
Republic Act No. 8293 (lntellectual Property Code of the Philippines);
Republic Act No. 8792 (Electronic Commerce Act of 2000);
Republic Act No. 10i73 (Data Privacy Act oI 2OI2);
Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2OI2); and
COMELEC-CSC Joint Circular No, 1, series ot 2016 (Advisory on
Electioneering and Partisan Political Activities).

11. Give credit where it is due. Respect copyright and trademarks. Do not claim
someone else's piece of work as your own, Make sure to cite the author/source
or ask for permission to publish.

12. Be an ambassador. Posts that require widest dissemination may be shared

wtth your personal or professional networks. In posting CSC-related matters,
it is best to share links directly from the CSC website other than from other
online sources. This is to help drive traffic to the website and strengthen CSC's
online presence. As much as we monitor negative feedback, keep an eye out for
compliments and consider forwarding them to the appropriate office.

lr5
I
I CHAPTER 3
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING
t ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS
I side from hard copres, offices also transmit electronic or soft copies of

I documents through email or submission of CDs and DVDs. The following are
prescribed formats and processes to ensure faster and easier transmission
of documents:

I 1 Word documents should be saved in a format which is readable by all Microsoft

Office versions. Higher versions will save by default in the .docx instead of the

I .doc format, and will not be read by computers with lower versions of Microsoft
Office. Thus, some offices may not be able to access or open the documents sent
in higher versions. To avoid this problem, always save the document as a word

t 2
1997-2003 format if the program used is 2007 and above.

Word documents (.doc) with photos should be converted first into Portable

I Document Format or PDE This lessens the weight of the document, making it
easier to be uploaded and downloaded through email. This format also saves or
preserves the layout and fonts of your document, and would reach the recipient

t 3
in its original format.

Photos should always be emailed separately, and preferably JPEG or TIFF

t formats (as originally downloaded from digital cameras). when submitting

reports through email, always include separate JPEG, Glt or TIFF files of
accompanying photos. Photos which are cut and pasted into word documents

I lose resolution. This also makes the Word document heavier in terms of file size,
and very slow to download. lt will also be difficult to extract photos which are
inserted into such documents, and will make laying out the material difficult.

I 117
Part 4: Chapter 3

4. When resizing photos, make sure that the original dimensions are retained. Avoid
elongating or flattening the photos by uneven size adjustments. lt is advisable
to use photo editing softwares such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop to
ensure that the photos retain the correct proportions.

Original Photo

INCORRECT
Adjusted Photo:
The original dimensions were not retained, resulting in a stretched-out photo.

il8
I Guidelines for Submitting Electronic Documents

I CORRECT
Original Photo:

t
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I Adjusted Photo:

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 Data is onlg as useful as
the conuexE in which it is
gauhered and pr-EsenEed.
 CHAPTER 4
REFERENCING ONLINE SOURCES
lectronic sources include web sites, emails, f ilms, television programs,
podcasts, online journals and eBooks. As technology changes, it is now more
important than ever to acknowledge the contribution of other writers and
researcher in a written work. References should alwavs be accurate to allow
readers to trace the sources of information used.

As a general rule in referencing electronic resources, provide as much information as

possible concerning authorship, location and availability.

Generic forms for online and multimedia resources

Electronic citations rs much of the same information as print sources. However,

aside from the author, year of publication, title, publisher, there is also a need
to identify that the information was accessed in an electronic format, provide an
accurate access date for online sources (identify when a source was viewed or
downloaded), and the location of an online source (for example, a database or
web address).

For Notes. Bi bl iography

First name, Last name of writer and creator, Title of text, indication of formal/
medium, running time, publication date, URL

Ge nera I w ebs ite h ome p a ge

The most basic entry for a website consists of the author name(s), page title, website
title, date accessed and web address

Smith, John. "Obama inaugurated as President." CNN.com, accessed February 1,

2009, http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/01/27/obama_inaugurated/index.html.

121
Part 4: Chapter 4

For a page with two or more authors, list them in the order as they appear on the
website. Only the first author's name should be reversed, while the others are written
in normal order. Separate author names by a comma.

Smith, John, and Jane Doe. "Obama inaugurated as President," CNN,com,

accessed Februa ry I, 2OO9 http://www.cn n.com/ POLITI CS/O 1 / 2I / obama_
inaugu rated/index. htm L

lf no author is available, begin the citation with the website owner.

"Salem Witchcraft Trials: Who Was Put to Death - Expedition Week - National
Geographic Channel," National Geographic, accessed July 25,2012, http://
channel. nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week/salem-witch-trials-
victims/.

For informal websites (such as home page or fan websites) or websites without
formal titles, use descriptive phrases in the citation in place of page or website titles.

Smith, John, "Catalonia Declares lndependence from Spain." New York Times.
http : //www. newyorkti mes. com/ PO L T CS/ 1 7 / 2I / catalon a-s pa i n. htm
I I i I

(accessed February I, 2017).

I Site ( I n d iv i du a l)
Per sona I / Profession a
Use the format below for websites developed by and dedicated to individuals (both
personal and professional). lf you accessed a page within the website, be sure to use
the appropriate page name.

Vocat, Daryl,2OI2, "What's New?" Daryl Vocat's professional website, accessed

June 16, 2OI2, http://www.darylvocat.com/ .

122
I Referencing Online Sources

I REFERENCES

Library of Congress, accessed May 11, 2018, http://www.loc.gov,/teachers/using

I pri ma rysou rces/ch i ca go. htrn I

The Chicago Manualof Style, 17th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
https://doi.o rg/ I0.7208/ cmos 17
I The Chicago Manual of Style Online, accessed
'way
11, 2OI8, http://
www.ch icagomanua lofstyle.org/ book/ed 1 7/f rontmatter/toc. htm

I
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I 123
Formatting
t
I
I
I FOR TING
I
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I
I Chopler Generol Guidelines

I Chopfer
Chopter
Iitling Coses Filed with the Commission
Guidelines for the Preporotion of o CSC lssuonce

I Chopter
Chopler
Guidelines for Writing Letters
Guidelines for Wriling Speeches ond Messoges
I
I
,-
I
I CHAPTER I

GENERAL GUIDETINES
t 1. Use Times New Roman or Arial for letters, issuances, reports, and other formal

I 2.
written documents.

Fonts should be size 12.

t 3. Headings and titles should generally be typed in boldface.

I 4.
5.
Capitalize first letters of words in headings and titles.

Capitalize names in TolFor lines and typed names after complimentary close in
I 6.
I ette rs.

Use f -inch margin all over.

a 7 . First drafts should be double-spaced for easy editing.

I 8. Final drafts should be single-spaced within texts, then double-spaced for other
parts of the document (see following pages for more specific guidelines).

I 9. Specific types of written material, such as legal documents and accounting

reports, are governed by rules that may not be the same with the rules set in the
stylebook. When in doubt, consult offices that set such standards.
I
I
t 127
Consiste ncy is the k"y.
 CHAPTER 2

I TITLING CASES FITED

WITH THE COMMISSION
I. DISCIPLINARY CASES
t A. complaint. Indicate the name of the person complained; note that the
surname is set in capital letters while the first name is in caoital and lower
I case. The entire name is set in bold face.

PACHECO, Filemon H.
I Re: Dishonesty
(Complaint)

Re: Conduct Prejudicial to the Best

lnterest of the Service: Dishonestv
(Complaint)
I Formal Charge, Indicate name of the respondent.

PACHECO, Filemon H.
Re: Dishonesty
(Formal Charge)

Petition for Review. Indicate person complained of in the CSC Regional office.

I SARMIENTO, Christian
Re: Grave Misconducr
D.

I:r
(Petition for Review)
ir t,.r;l
'';t:!.j'
129
.:!-t::!:,
Part 5: Chapter 2

D. Appeal, Indicate name of the Respondent/Appellant.

GOMEZ, Jocelyn C.
Re: Dishonesty
(Appeal)

GOMEZ, Jocelyn C.
Re: Preventive Suspension;
Gap in the Service
(Appeal)

II. NON.DISCIPLINARY CASES

A. Protest.

a. Original - Third Level

Protestee - Appointee
Ex. SANTIAGO, Rodel L.
Re: Protest

b. Appeal- Name of APPointee

Ex. SANTIAGO, Rodel L.
Re: Protest
(Appeal)

B. Appointment. Indicate name of the appointee concerned'

Ex. REYES, Gaudencia P.
Re Disapproved Appointment;
Change of Status
(Appeal)

Re: Disapproved Appointment;

Personal Services Limitation
(Appeal)

130
 Titling Cases Filed wih the Commission

Re: Recall of Approval of Appointment;

Performance Rating; Protest
(Appeal)
C. Dropping from the Rolls. Indicate the name of the employee dropped from
the rolls,
Ex. SISON. Marian P
Re: Dropping from the Rolls; AWOL;
(Appeal)

D. Reassignment and other personnel actions. Indicate the name of the

employee subject of the personnel action.
Ex. SANDOVAL, Lita Q.
Re: Reassignment; Constructive Dismissal
(Appeal)

E. Motion for Reconsideration. Indicate the name of the employee subject of

the personnel action.

Ex. LlM, Jesus A.

Re: Disgraceful and lmmoral Conduct
(Motion for Reconsideration of CSC Resolution No. 06-897)

lll. Opinion. Indicate name of requesting partylsignatory of letter or if the letter-

request concerns a specific individual, then the name of the person is docketed.

Ex. ALINAO, Ma. Elena G.

Re: Transfer of Leave Credits
(Query)

I pERLAs. Frances s.
Re: Maternity Leave; Computation
(Query)

131
 1l/f[oefrm
frornfgZs/""rt,{*
sanrtecls a, m xsud
tn 20 78?
I
I CHAPTER 3

I GUIDELINES IN THE PREPARATION

OF A CSC ISSUANCE
I
CSC lssuance is a form of written communication that generally contains
t instructions that may be directory, advisory, or informative in character,
defined according to scope and subject matter.

I The issuance should conform with the standard format prescribed in this Stylebook.
Originating offices are reminded NOT to indicate a date as this will be affixed during
numbering after the document has been signed.
I For issuances confidential in nature, the word "Confidential" should be indicated
across the document in watermark on every page of the original copy (see attached
I sample). Document should be enclosed in an envelope with the name of the
intended recioient also marked as "Confidential".

I There are five types of issuances sent out by the CSC officials.

1. External lssuances
I a. Memorandum Circular

I A Memorandum Circular (MC) is an issuance intended for the

Commission's clientele, other government agencies, and officials. lt
may prescribe rules, requirements, or procedures for implementation,
I or it may merely relay information for the guidance of those concerned.
It may also disseminate programs and policies promulgated by the
Commission.
I r33
Part 5: Chapter 3

When applicable, an MC shall indicate the resolution number and date

of promulgation of the resolution. The date of publication and the
name of the newspaper in which the resolution was published should be
indicated as a footnote for information and guidance.

b. Announcement

An Announcement is an issuance for the Commission's clientele, other

government agencies, and officials. Announcements usually pertain to
the conduct of training programs, workshops, seminars, conventions,
and events.

2. lnternal lssuances

Office Memorandum

An Office Memorandum (OM) is issued by the Office of the Chairperson

or Commissioners. lt is addressed to all employees or a specific group
of officials or employees of the Commission. This issuance prescribes
rules, office procedures or guidelines to be observed involving specific
policies of the government for implementation.

The same with MCs, an OM should indicate the resolution number and
date of promulgation of the resolution, if based on such.

b. Office Order

An Office Order is an issuance from the Commission addressed to a

specific person or group of persons giving them authority to perform
a certain task or assignment within a specified period. In the absence
of the Chairperson, the Commissioner or the Assistant Commissioner
approves/signs the Office Order.

134
 Guidelines in the Preparation of a CSC lssuance

c. Regional Office Order

A Regional Director and in his/her absence the Director lll, signs Office
Orders to employees within their respective regional jurisdiction. Such
Office Order shall be prefixed with the word "Regional" to differentiate it
from Office Orders issued in the central office.

d. Memorandum

A Memorandum is an issuance by top management to rank-and-file

employees, by rank-and-file employees to top management, or among
directors. lt may be from the Chairperson, the Commissioners, Assistant
Commissioners, Directors, and the supervisors of the CSC Central and
Regional Offices and is addressed to the head of particular central or
regional office. The memorandum may prescribe guidelines or provide
information.

Standard Requirements in Preparing CSC lssuances

I
1. Form and Content of a CSC lssuance

a. Series Number and Year of /ssue

The series number and year of issue of the administrative issuance

shall be placed on the right side of the issuance two spaces below the
letterhead.

Number shall be indicated as "No.", followed by the code number of

the issuance; the word "series" shall be designated by a small letter "s"
followed by a period (.) and the year of issue shall be indicated.

r35
Part 5: Chapter 3

Examole:
MC No. 5, s. 2018
OO No. 7, s.2018
OM No. 3, s.2OI7
Announcement No, 2, s.2018

b. For memoranda with the Commission/ Directors as slgnatorles

OCH Memo No.-, s. 2018

CSI Memo No. s. 2018
ROIV Memo No.
-, , s. 2018

CSC issuances shall be numbered by the following:

Memorandum Circulars (MCs and Office Memorandums (OMs) -

Commission Secretariat and Liaison Office (CSLO)

office orders (oos) - office for Human Resource Management and

Development

Announcements - CSLO

lssuances from Regional Offices - Regional Office concerned

Memorandum coming from subordinates to immediate supervisors

within the office shall not be numbered.

2. Title of the lssuance

The title of the issuance should be in bold capital letters (i.e.

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR, OFFICE MEMORANDUM, etc.) lt shall be typed
at the center of the page, at least two (2) spaces below the series number
and year of issue.

r36
3. Addressee of the CSC lssuance

For MCs, OMs, OOs and memorandum from superior to subordinate:

lndicate the official/s, employee /s, and/or agency/ies to whom the CSC
issuance is addressed. This line is introduced by the word TO followed
by a colon (:), and the parties to whom it is addressed. This line is typed
three to four spaces below the title of the issuance, depending on the
issuance'S length. The entire line shall be set in capital letters, bold font:

TO ALL HEADS OF CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES,

DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS AND AGENCIES OF THE
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT; LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS;
GOVERNMENT.OWNED OR CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS
wlTH ORIGINAL CHARTERS; AND STATE UNIVERSITIES
AND COLLEGES

For memorandum issued from subordinate to superior or peer:

lndicate the official/s, employee /s and/or agencies to whom the CSC

issuance is addressed. This line is introduced by the word "FOR"
followed by a colon (:) and the parties to whom the issuance is
addressed. This line is typed three to four spaces below the title of the
issuance, depending on the issuance's length. The entire line shall be set
in capital letters, bold font:

FOR : GHAIRPERSON (NAME OF CHAIRPERSON)

c. For memorandum issued from a head of office to a head of office:

Indicate the director'S name to whom the CSC issuance is addressed

(in capital letters and boldface), and the office name in capital and
lower case underneath. There is no need to put the official designation

137
Part 5: Chapter j

before the name (treat this as Mr. or Ms. would be written). This rine is
introduced by the word "TO" followed by a colon (:). This line is typed
three to four spaces below the title of the issuance, depending on the
issuance's length.

Wrong:
TO: DTRECTOR tV (NAME OF DTRECTOR)
(NAME OF OFFTCE)

Correct:
TO : DIRECTOR lv (NAME OF DTRECTOR)
Name of Office

4. Subject of the lssuance

The word "suBJECT" in capital letters followed by a colon and a brief

statement on the content of the administrative issuance, set in boldface,
capital letters and lower case, underscored, make up this section.

Examole:

SUBJECT : Qualification Standards for Technical Assistance

5. Main Body of the lssuance

This section contains the full text of the csc lssuance. Use single space
throughout text, then place one space before each new paragraph. Indent
each new paragraph by 0.5 inch (default indent).

The first line shall start three spaces below the "SUBJECT" line. Generally,
the first paragraph states the purpose of the administrative issuance.

r38
 Guidelines in the Preparation of a CSC Issuance

6, Date of Effectivity and Explanatory Note

lf it is necessary to indicate when the CSC issuance shall take effect, the
effectivity shall be printed in capital letters commencing two (2) lines after
the last line of the main body. lt is always preferable to indicate the specific
date of effectivity,

Example:
This circular shall take effect immediately.

In case the issuance amends, rescinds, revises, or supersedes previous

administrative issuances, this fact shall be mentioned as a last statement of
the issuance, including the date of effectivity.

Example:
In view hereof, all existing Civil Service rules and regulations, circulars, and
memoranda inconsistent herewith are repealed or amended accordingly.

7. Name of the Signing Authority

The name of the signing official or staff in bold, capital letters shall appear
on the lower right-hand side of the issuance. lt shall be typed four spaces
below the last line of the preceding paragraph. The tiile or designation of
the signing official is typed below his or her name.

Example:

(NAME OF CHATRPERSON)
Cha irperson

r39
 8. Date of lssuance

The date of the issuance shall appear on the lower right'hand side of the
issuance. lt shall be typed two to four spaces below the designation of the
signing official. The format prescribed earlier in writing the date shall be
followed.

Example: 16 September 2018

9. Office of Origin

The name of the office that prepared the issuance shall be printed one
space below the date of issuance, left side followed by the initials of the
name of the official/division chief/supervisors and the clerk'in-charge with
preparing the issuance.

Also included is the filename as the last entry. The font size shall be smaller
than the normal size.

Example:

PAIO/fCF/EM/jm
mc_enews

Upon receipt of the numbered lssuance from CSLO, the originating office
shall transmit the original document with attachments to the Integrated
Records Management Office (IRMO). The transmittal should contain explicit
instructions on posting (e.g. whether the lssuance is for public access or
intended for internal audience); and check/monitor if posting instructions
were carried out.

140
 10. Stationery, Margin, and Spacing
I
All csc issuances shall be typed on 44 size (8.27', x 11,69") bond paper'
The original copy of the final form of the issuance must be printed on paper
with the CSC letterhead. Yellow paper is used for the first page of internal
memorandum issued within the office.

10. Alteration to a Signed Document

In case of alteration/s to the signed document, a Certification shall be

issued by the office that caused such modification to IRMO, which will form
part of the record of the said document.

141
Part 5: Clwpter S I
A. Sample lssuance with "Confidential" Watermark
I
I
laaatd6.AIFE
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142
I
t Guidelines in the hcparation of a CJ;C!ry:
B. Sample temorandum Circular
I
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I '|r,-ffi

TETORANDUil CIRCUI-AR
lrc No.3.s.2018

t HEA6 0F Oo0lsrnmoilA|.
DEPAFI*TfTA BURE I'g AilD AOETqES Of TIIE
TATloilAL @YEFIflE||T; LocAL ooVEMNCXT
ufrai OOtEhlrIllSf€WlED ll0
BOOIES;

t
OorfTnOLI.ED
OOiPiOeArlo||€ ilil OAIOfr{AL CHAFTER; At{O
$ArE rrilvEngtES Al{D O4rEoES

ffrllbxbdr-cM.lrah
l-ocm lpsum doloa Slt stna( coft3acbtuer railpbcltg ollt 8ad dbm nonummy
nlur eubmod dnddunt ut bot!€t .blo|! magnr alhuam ctrt volutpot t t wbl
cnlm ad mln|m vanLm, qub Docoud @tc,l lltbn ulbmco|pat 3uldplt bbortb
nbl ut alhuh d cr coaflmo(b conscquat Dub drtem vrl eum lalu'a dolor In

I h.rdrlrlt h vulguttb Ftlt.!!. moL3tb co(|s.qu.t, Ycl lllum dolo.r tu llluabt

nulb ftc'llbb at vlfo ct6 6t roqlnrsan et luEto odo dlSnbdm qul blrndlt
pr!c..m bil.tum zzrll (bbnlt rr4ue dub (blof€ to lbu3'h nulla lballbl.

l{rm llb.t bmpot cum tolut nobb o|€lFnd oldon Got|3uc nlhll lmp'rdlct

I domln3id quod mdm plrocratflcotpo.slm 6um.lypl non hab.ntcbdllllm

l€ltam; act us|r! Laltda h lb qul faclt eoaum dorltdam. In!3u!'$onc8
d.|r|o|dra,.runt bcforaa lclar! ma lluc quod ll Liunt iecpl6. Qultur
mutltloncm coGuatullum lectotum. Fbm soll€mna In tuturum.

I Ihb Clrcuhr tiell talo .fibct lmmadbbly.

(sad.)1||noFfi^n?tnlon

I CtalrDorlon

M.nfi 5.2018
tn/E/*

I
I 143
Part 5: Chapter 3

c. Sample Announcement

tr (mt fff,YtG
n.ruhh( ol t h.
(o{MtJffi
Phlt prt nP I

Announcement No.5, s 2018

t--:-l
l'I ANNOUNCEMENT

HEADS OF CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES; DEPARTMENTS,

['o
tr t
BUREAUS ANO AGENCIES OF THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT; LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS;
GOVERNMENT.OWNED
CoRPoRATIONS WITH ORIGINAL CHARTER; AND
AND CONTROLLED

STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

tr SUBJECT Inlometlonal Oay tor ihe Pruaoilallon of tho Ozono Lavel

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh
euismod tincldunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wlsi enim ad
mlnim venlam, quis nostrud exercl tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip
ex ea commodo consequat, Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vuloutate
vellt ese molestle consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisls at vero eros et
accumsn et lusto odio dignisim qul blandit praesent luptatum zril delenlt augue
duis dolore te feugalt nulla facilisi,

Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis elelfend option congue nihil imperdiet doming
ld quod mazim placerat facer possim a$um. Typi non habent claritatem insitam;
est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt
lectores legere me lius quod il legunt saepius. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica,
quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis per
seacula quarta decima et quinta declma Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur
Dafum clari. fant sollemnes in futurum

tr shall take effect immediately.

tr (sgd.) MtME oF cHAtnPERSON

Chairperson

tr
tr
144
 Guidelines in the Preparation of a CSC Issuance

Sample Office Memorandum

il,ldE(uK
i#;liciii;;
OM No.5. s.2018

OFFICE ]{EITORANDU]'|

TO ALL HEADS OF OFFICES

SU&'ECT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit am€t, consacletu€r adiplscing elit, s€d dlam nonummy nlbh
euismod 0ncidunt ul laore€l doloro tnegne alhuam erat t/olutpet. Ut Yrlsl enim
ad minim veniam, quis no8trud exerci telbn ullemcotper suscipit lobottis nisl ut
allqulp ex ea commodo coN€quai. Dub auiom \rel eum iriure dob,r in hendrerll In
wlputate velh esso moles0e cons€quat, vel illum <lolore eu feuglal nulla laclllsls
al vero eros et accumsen et lusto odio dlgnissim qul blandlt Praosent luptatum
zrll delenlt augu€ dub dolore te teugEll nulla tacilbi.
Nam liber tempo? cum soluta nobls el€ilend option conguo nihil lmp€rdiol doming
ld quod mazim placerat facer posslm a$um. Tn| non habent c{adlalem imnatn;
est usus legentls in iis qulfacit eorum dadtatem. Inv$tigetionos (bmonstravorunt
l€ctolos log€re m€ lius quod ii legunt saepius. Clarltas e8l ethm ptocecsus
qnamlcus, rum. Mlrum esl notaE
quam lltt€la anieposueril litlersrum
fotmag hum d€cima. Eodem mo(b
tlDi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clati, fiant sollsmno3 in tuturum.

Thls o'fie Memorandum shallteke efiecl immedlalely.

(Sgd.) ilArE oF CIIAIRPERSOI{

Chairp€rgon

March 5,2018

?r,&tfCFlW
Part 5: Chapter 3
t
E. Sample Office Order
I
I
OFFICE ORDER
No.5. s.2018
I
TO

SUBJECT :
JUAI{ DE LA CRUZ
Otflce tor Leg6lAfialrg
I
Lorem lpsum dolor slt amal, cons€ctelugr adiploc{ng elll, sod dlam nonummy nlbh
euismod tncidunt ut laorcot dolore magna alhuam grat yolutsat. lrl wiol enlm ad
mlnlm venlam, quls no3ln d exerd tatbn ullamcolper susclpll lobortls nlsl ut alhulp
ex €a cornnodo comgquat. Ouls aulem wl aum ldure dolor In hendr€rlt In wlDutate
I
velll ess€ moles0e con€eguel, vel lllum dolor€ ou touglat nulh faclll3l3 at voro aro8
el acqrmoen et lu6lo odlo dgnl83lm qul blandn praegent luptatum zzdl delenlt augue
dul8 dobre 16 teugEli nulh fedllsl.

Nem llber lempor c1lm ooluta nobb elefond op0on congus nlhll lmpordlet domlng
I
ld quod mazlm placarat tacor posslm a!6um. Typl non habenl cladiatem Insttam;
osl usus Lgantb ln lb qul ladl eorum c{arllal6m. Invostlgatoneo domonslraverunt
leclo]ga legprs me llu! quod li l€gunl saeplG. Cladtae egl etam proc€ssug
dlnamlcu8, qul sequltur mutallonem consustudlum leciorum. Mlrum ed notaro quam
Inlera opthlca, quam nunc putamuo parum claran, antep$uedi lltlerarum fomag
I
humanltath por sea[|lh quarta dedme el quints declma. Eod€m modo tlDl, qul nunc
nobb vkbnlur parum dad, flsnl sollemne3 ln ftIurum.

Thb Office Oder shalltake ofioct lmmedlately.

I
(Sgd.) XAIE
Chairpcnon

Merdr 5,a)18
OF CHAIBPERSON
t
PAOICFffi
@_5gd
I
t
146 I
I Guidelines in th" PrtP*otion of o CSC kt u

t E Sample Regional Office Order

I w4
I b*Ldefiry6

REGIONAL OFFICE ORDER

ROO No.5.8.2018

I FOR

SUBJECT
DTRECTOF (NAnE OF DIRECTOR)

Attendanco io the Socond Me€tlng

I Lo|em lpoum dolor 3ll atn€t, onaoclelugr edlPlsclng ollt, god dlam nonumflry nlbh
gulsmod dncidunl ui horeol doloB magna alqum oral volulpet. t l wisi onlm ad
minlm venlam, qub n6inid exoni tatlon ullerncoD€r susdpli lobodls nlsl ut alhulp
ex ea cornflrodo coNoquat. Duls autom vol gum ldur€ dolor In hsndrodt in vulputato

I volh e3se molesils consaquat, vel lllum dolol€ ou leuglat nulla taclllsls al veto otoo
el accumsen et luslo odb dignlsslm qul blandlt Pradern tuilalum zzrll (blontt ruguo
duis dolore le fougalt nulla tacllbl.

Nam llbof iempor c1lm soluta nobls gleilend opton congue nlhll lmPodlet (bmlng

I id quod mezlm placorat facor Po$im assum. Typl mn hsbenl dadl,alem InsltEn:
ost usuS legonils In ils qui faclt oorum cladtatam. Invostggtbnes domonslEwrunl

I qul nunc nobls vld€ntur parum dari, fiant sollomngS In futurum.

This Offfce Ordor shall take ettect lmmodhtery.

I (Sgd.) NAI|E OF CHAIRPERSoN

Chailper8on

March 5,2018

I PXqTCF/fr
@_hgd

t
I 147
 I
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The good thi.g is I
that it's only done I
I
once a yeaf . I
I
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I
Like Christmas! 'lII
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I
CHAPTER 4
t GUIDETINES IN WRITING
t ANNUAT REPORTS
I 1. Gontent

t An Annual Report, or year-end report, is a narrative account highlighting the

important accomplishments of an office in the previous year. Photos included

I 2.
within the report should be properly captioned.

Format

I a. Titlepage. Label the report as Annual Report, with year. Should there be a
customized title, place it below the label. Place the office of origin on the

t bottom right corner, and the date of submission right below it' Headings
and tiiles should be in boldface, and may be larger than size 12.

b.
I tnside pages.observe f .inch margin and double spacing throughout.
Subheadings should be in bold font for easy reference. Indent paragraphs by
0.5 inch from the margin.

I c. Font. Use Times New Roman or Arial throughout, font size 12.

t d. Spaclng. Use double space or 1.5 spacing throughout text to ensure

readability. Add more spaces as necessary before and after headings, titles
or subheadings to avoid confusion.

I e. tndention. Always indent new paragraphs, and put a space between each
paragraph.

I r49
Part 5: Chapter 4
I
3. Use of photos
T
a. Uhless photos are at least 3o x 4" large, it is not necessary to include them

b.
within the text.
I
I
Captions should be placed immediately below or beside the photos for easy
reference.

4. Use of tables

a. Tables should be properly labeled for easy reference.

t
b' Tables may be included within the text or placed separately as annexes.
t
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r50
I Guidelines in Writing Annual Report

Sample page title for reports

I

I 2017 ANNUAL REPORT

t
I
T
I Pushing for HR Reforms in Region 10

I
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I CivilService Commission RegionalOfiice No. 10
March 5,2018

I 15'l
Part 5: Chapter 4

Sample inside pages of rePorts

Priority 1: Developing Competent and Credible Clvil Sewants

In posuere blandit molestie. Quisque sit amet diam arcu, ac pellentesque

Nullam non nibh magna, in dapibus sem. Nam ultricies' dui in vulputate
bibendum, justo nulla tincidunt magna, nec vulputate libero leo sed lorem
Vivamus oellentesq ue arcu dui. Sed sit a met conseq uat justo.

3x4 PHOTO

Quiaque vaius mi quis nibh wlputate lementum

Viramus lectus nunc, dignissim at congue et, semper eget magna

Quisque varius mi quis nibh vulputate fermentum. Nunc eleifend tempus leo, in
imperdiet risus scelerisque vel. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et I

netus et malesuada fames ac turpis.

Table 1: Examinations

Drtr )rh Dat! D.h )rti Datr

Drtr )rtr Drb Ilrtr )rtr Dab

Sed hendrerit congue ipsum, vitae gravida odio fistique ut. Nulla quam
laoreet eu dapibus sed, egestjas sed nunc. Sed vestibulum erat a erat
molestie. Duis in neque dui

152
 Guidelina in Writing Annual Report

Sample annual report

153
t
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I
; CHAPTER 5

t GUIDELINES FOR WRITING TETTERS

I 1.

2.
As a general rule, align text left (address, salutation, etc.), and

Put at least three spaces between the letterhead and date.

justifythe body.

I 3. In writing dates, put month first, then the day, then a comma, then the year.

Ex. I January 2018

I 4. Put the inside address aftertwo spaces from the date. Inside address should be

I single-spaced. The name of reciprent should be in boldface. Refer to previous

guidelines in writing addresses (see Style). Use 1/F for first floor,2/F for second
floor, and so on. Do not place commas where the address line ends.

I Ex. Mr. JUAN D. CRUZ

Director General

I Philippine Government Agency

2/F PGA Building, Government Avenue
Government City

I 5 After two spaces, write the salutation. The name of the recipient should be in
bold font. Use a colon at the end of the salutation. (See also Abbreviations)

t Ex. Dear Atty. Cruz:

I 6 After two spaces, begin the body (text). Body should be single-spaced
throughout, except in between paragraphs, where a space should be put. lndent
each paragraph 0.5 inch from the margin.

I r55
Part 5: Chapter 5 I
7 ' Put the complimentary close two spaces after the body. End it with a comma.
"very truly yours" is preferred. Then put the typed name three spaces after the
complimentary closing to give space for the signature. Refer to ihe sample letter
f,
to see how it is aligned relative to the body.

Ex. Very truly yours,

I
I
JUANA DE LA CRUZ
Chairperson I
I
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r56
I
t Guidelines in Writing Letters

I
I a'|ffiffi
,lde.nFffi
f, Msdl5. 2018

t TR. JUAX DE T.A CRUZ

Ohrcbr G.naral
Phlllpdn Oor.rnmnlAesncy
PGA Bulldlho,
GoEmntC[y
Gd€mmnl Avenu.

T D.rr Ir. D. 1r Cu:

I G6thg! fiom th. CMI Savle Commlgslonl

Lmm lpsum dolor all amt, ssoclrtf,r adlplsdng cllt, sd dlam Mummy dbh
ilbnod Urddunt ut laorrat dob|! magna elhum .Et rcluQat. t wid onlm rd tdnlm
mlam, qub nostrud arcfd taton ullamcotFr aulddl lobotts nlsl ut slhulp cx s

I coormodo coars€quel. Oub eubm v.l oum lduB dolor In handBrlt In vdputeta FIt
molest ms.qut, Fl lllm ddm ou buglet nulh fudlltb at
ot lulb odlo dhnbsh qul blandt
ilugElt nufia fedllsl.
prent
w
oro€ el mmaan
luF,tetum zzrll &bnlt.ugw dul6 dolm b
@

I
l{rm llbtr bmpor m slub nobls ddfud oplbn congm nihf lmp€dbt domlng ld quod
mazlm pla€flt fa€r pcdm .sm. Typl noa| habont dadtettm lnstbm: 3at 6us logcntls
In fu qui fut mm ddt t m. InEthstlqFs dc|m3tawrunt lecioraa Lgm mo 116
quod ll bgunt sdus. Cbdb! art clism p|usu8 dymmlcss, qul soqu]tut mutallql€flr
conJ|latl,dlm Lctorum. Mkum st
noLl! quam lttbn gothlca, qum nurc pubmus

t
perum d.nm, sbpcsrt lltirErum bma8 humnlds pcr saeie qustte d.dm 6t
qulnb&dm.
Eodcm modo m, qul num nobls vlddtur psrum ded, llsnt solLmn€e in lijtlrum.

I Vsry rury ywB,

NAXE Of CHAIRPERSOII

I
ChakDc'lon

I 157
t
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I
I CHAPTER 6
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING
I SPEECHES AND MESSAGES
I
speech is a spoken discourse delivered by CSC's top officials. lt is focused on
t a certain topic or issue and is part of the highlight of a program. Messages
are short remarks given by CSC officials at the beginning or at the end of an
event. Messages may also refer to the written message by CSC officials which
I are included in souvenir programs of various agencies and organizations. The writing
treatment of speeches and messages should be appropriate to the event where it
would be delivered or the souvenir program where it would be printed.
I The following are some general guidelines in writing speeches and messages for CSC

I off icials:

For Speeches

t 1. A speech has three major parts: the introduction, the body (which contains
the major points), and the concluston.

; 2. Grab the audiences' attention by writing an interesting introduction that

would ease them into the main topic. Use quotations, trivia, statistics,

I anecdotes, or other storytelling elements that would compel the audience to

listen and anticipate upcoming informatton.

I 3. The body contains the main topic, the discussion of which should be
structured by a good outline. Start by giving the main idea or concept, then
organize the-supporting information by enumerated points or subtitled

I paiagraphs afterwards. Using thematic or topical categories is also helpful

159
 Part 5: Chapter 6 t
in
It i
of
ideas and guiding the audience along the way.
formation in such away as to not rose attention
ng an oufline ensures that the speech does not
I
4.
become winding, rambling, repetitive, or cyclical.

The conclusion should drive home the main point of the speech, and tie
t
together all the loose ends of what the speaker has been talking about.
ldeally, the concluding statements should be powerful enough ii order
to leave an impression with the audience, and memorable enough to be
I
retained with the listeners long after the speech is finished. Whether it is
to
call for action, to correct a misconception, to inspire, to explain or clarity,
the conclusion should realize the goal of the speaker in deiivering the
I
speech.

For Messages
t
1. while relatively shorter than speeches, messages should also contain an I
2.
introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The information it contains should be
organized accord i ngly.

opening remarks set the tone of a program, event, or activity. This usually
t
lays down the rationale, generar objectives, and expected ouicome of the
program. lt is advisable to employ an energetic and inspiring tone in order to 1
prepare the audience or participants for the upcoming activities.
3. closing remarks officially brings the program, event, or activity to a
close. This usually serves as a means to give summaries, assessment, or
evaluations of what had transpired during the program. This should also
I
leave behind something for the audience to pondei on-whether it is an
inspiring thought, a call to action, or something to look forward to in the I
future.

The csc follows basic formatting for speeches and messages. please see the
following pages for samples.
I
150
I
I Guidelines in Writing Speeches and Messages

t Sample speech (see Chair Bala's speech used in CS Reporter)

t #r0tErfttKEcHril0E
t The country celebrated this year the National Women's Month, with the theme "We Make
Change Work for Women" to emphasize that men and women should be partners of the
Philippine government in the pursuit of the country's economic, social, cultural, and political

I
development.

The Philippine Commission on Women spearheaded a lineup of activities throughout the

month of March to keep on strengthening gender advocacy. The Civil Service Commission

I (CSC) likewise supported the same, calling for its ofiicials and employees to continue working
for a gender responsive civil service.

This issue is dedicated to said event. Aside from sharing our Gender and Development

I initiatives, featured in this issue is one of our 2016 Dangal ng Bayan awardees, Sonia lpang, of
the Department of Social Welfare and Development "Mommy Sonia", as she is fondly called,
exemplifies what it means to be both an empowered and an empowering woman. Read her
story on page 24. There's also one of our 2015 Dangal ng Bayan awardees, Fire Officer ll

I Trixie Dagame of the Bureau of Fire Protection, whose service during the onslaught of Typhoon
Yolanda demonstrated extraordinary sacrifice. Her story is the highlight of our feature on the
National Fire Prevention Month on page 28 These honor awardees have proven that women

I are indeed partners for change.

Wondering what is happening to Filipino arts and culture? Read our feature on the National
Arts Month (page 32) and learn about the many awards and recognitions our local filmmakers,

t performers, and artists have received here and abroad

Most importantly, we also kick-start this year with the celebration of the Anti-Red Tape Act's
(ARTA) 1Oth year of implementation. Check out our Dekada na ang ARTA series on page 6 to

t learn more about the evolution of public service delivery in the civil service.

Let's start the year right by making public service excellence our goal. Happy reading!

I
I 't61
Part 5: Chapter 6
;
Sample message
I
Mx4c
on $nm(ilrEltx
82 pobr. o I I ne P hilt ppto.r

o! CSC Cholry<aan Alicio delo Roso-E.la lor ,h. Souwnb prcgw of thc 24
Assenil! oJcowilmen,,ltchilec10 of hc Anlkd A.chir.c,s of th. phillppin* pAp)
I
T
Aptil 10.2018

t
My wrel gEetings to the @miile snd rembeE of the Unlted Architects
of the Philippims (UAP) in Govemm€nt Seilh€ as you gatiEr for the 2nd Assmbly
of Gov€mmant Architects with the theme "Changing the World, One Government Unit
et a Tirc'
Alchitsts in the govemrent play a vitgl role in creating and designing
8truc1uFs that Efl€cl lhe identity of dr civil seryantB Th# struclures also showc€s
our muntry's culture and heritage end mirror tl€ resilient nature of our pe@le

physiel
Through your rcrk, all
sviMmst hat €nables
gover provkted with a
o the publb. In
T
fu

I
lutn, lhe public aE prcvkled with al €t€r to their
n*ds

May this 6veni be

exp€rtis€ and
a
expari€n€s
I
n among all of you to share your
u6s and @n€ma affecting your
I
I
protessional development th6 acfiievement ot your vision.

I urg€ all of you to @ntinw to upgrade your comp€tencieg in ord€r to make

ex@ptional @ntributions to natim bulldlng and to Bspond to the demands of the
ASEAN @mmunity, guided by tenets of $ryice ox€ilone snd inlegrity

I wish you an engaging and produclive assmblyl

s
Ac-**
ILICIA d6la ROSA€ALA
ChairpeMn I
Bawat Kawani, Lingkod Eayani
,'CSCBuildlq.rBPSoid,Ctr{tutbBiUi 1126OG&nCtt f 9ll /915/9ll Dl9/9ll @2 ! 6(phll&t(qov9lr '- *w(1ryph
I
162 a
;

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I Cnoercr I @rprdGddefrer fiq tffig fiG,
I Cho$sr 2 fepro4tcton
Procecr Color
Cnopner 3 loglr tlocsnetf,l
I
I
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:

I CHAPTER 1

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR

I USING THE CSC LOGO
I Background
t The use of the modified CSC logo was enacted via Resolution No. 1800361 dated
April 2018. The logo was approved by the Office of the President and the National
i0

I Historical Commissron with variations to comply with the basic heraldic rules as
provided in Republic Act No. 8491.

I Evolution of the CSC Logo

I The first logo of the CSC used from 1900'i982 adopts the

I seal of the Republic of the Philippines and the colors of the

Philippine f lag, i.e., royal blue, scarlet red, and golden yellow.

t
The second logo of the CSC was a product of a nationwide
I logo-making contest held in 1982 with the aim to produce a
logo which will better represent the identity and direction of

I the Commrssion as a Filipino institution.

I 165
 f
The logo design launched in 2010 embodies nationalism as
it bears the colors and image of the philippine flag, as well
as the identity and direction of the Civil Service Commission.
I
The enhanced logo design is a modern and fresh version but
retains the corporate identity of the CSC. T
The modified CSC logo is a variation of the logo launched in
2010 which was revised to comply with the basic heraldic
I
@ubrkothe hlllwln$
rules as provided in Republic Act No, 8491,
I
Elements t
The red and blue strokes above the initials "CSC" represent the philippine flag. The
initials of the CSC make up the main image within the logo, The blue and redlolors I
t
revert to the original logo colors used in the 1900s. The upward blue and red stroxes
in the Philippine flag represent movement-forward and upward-for growth and
progress. The highlighted letter S emphasizes the csc's focus on servrce.

All elements of the cSC logo should be present, no element shall be separated,
rearranged, or replaced with other elements. I
Correct:
t
I
Republic of the Philippina
I
166 I
 C*tenl Guldldhrcfor Usingiln C.{, W
lnco

t
T Colors

t The CSC logo is rendered in royal blue and scarlet red-the exact shades of the
colors used for the Philippine flag. Follow the color guide below to preserve the exact
shades of the logo:

Font

The font for "CSC" and "Civil Service Commission" is Myriad Pro. lt is recommended
to request for the original logo file from the CSC rather than to re-draw the logo.

167
Re-sizing
I
When resizing the CSC logo, make sure that the original dimensrons are preserved.
It is recommended to use Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Paint to resize ih. logo. rn
t
Microsoft Word, just drag the buttons at the corners of the resizing tool. and riot the
horizontal or vertical lines. I
Co
t
t
t
Republic of the Philippins
I
Republic of the Philippines
I
r
a
Begublk ot thc Htilippines
I
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r68 I
; General Guidelines for Using the CSC Logo

I nc

t
T
T
I Republic of the Philippins

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Change is
inevitable but
personal gFowth
is a choice.
t CHAPTER 2
I PROCESS COTOR REPRODUCTION
I 1. Against light and photographic backgrounds, the official colors should be
applied as:

I
I
I Bepublic of the Philippines

I
I 2. The brand as symbol should be outlined in white when printed in the same
background (blue, red, black)

I
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Part 6: Chapter 2

3. The name of the organization (Civil Service Commission) may be rendered in

reverse in white against a dark or solid color.
t
4. Collateral materials printed in black and white should make use of the B&W logo
designed specifically for this purpose. t
Sample Color Application
I
Below are the illustrations of the appropriate use of the logo in different applications.
t
Black
When print can only be done in
black and white (for example, newspaper
msEmcccffitl
Me,tu.Ardc*r
I
advertising), you may use black.
EA
Hsd(M(@:1,
ffi b@
SttU
M
6dll)C hl-hFr
Ehdd htMMnWd
d, tuq, ltsiv, @ m*a
,Edtn

ffi
hF@
:

ntrb
tKda

bldq
d drrrh
I
ru
w,

W
M b$g
[email protected] eod{

6d tdGIEhfthel.!@tuN
n Fd, ddtudd
dntr * hd&ffihS|&
ru H d b19ffi,

ffi t2!0OrF.4U(SlAI
CdE dFd h | 6trb

qtbbdyryh
hvdhffi
h(]fuq@
h fr s

#ht@s
h Dl@ h ffid
t
W,
dhdbH
frmig
fr 66Er{r,
hffihlrybd
ffid.fLh
h ffi BEh
rli*,i&bdry.4n6bd&
ed 6dryd sdd
hdpSDffihCffi
N9 d qd !tead bb
@ d ffi E fr r rbr CdI q tu btu q E H hdl
trddhtS!ffi
(1) tuhdtudtuFhffi!hdhhrfuh
ffi b I
12\

{&4ru'trre
{Srd)|gflru
cdFb I
I
vff

^&E
{sd)dffi*ffF
ildil
ffis.ffdt5fr

t
rtrbdE!tbbwf.M It1l,al6hffi
ffi
F+tlr $. tuq 3, 417

172
t Process Color Reproduction

I
t
Reversed
Whenever the logotype must appear on a dark
background, we can add white stroke on the logo
or it can be reversed out white.
I
I
I
I Grayscale
This grayscale version of the logo may be used
both on dark or light colored backgrounds.

I
t
t
I Shadow
This version of the logo may be used to put more
I emphasis on the CSC logo

I 173
Part 6: Chapter 2

Visual ldentity
The visual identity device must always be presented in a legible and respectable size.

The minimum size of the CSC logo is, therefore, set at.47 inches or I.2cm.
The following are the prescribed sizelproportions of the CSC logo when used in
collaterals:

Size of logo/s Specification

1.2 cm x 1 cm For business cards (sma//est
prescribed size when using the CSC
and CPRO logo)

1.6 cm x 1.9 cm For envelopes and memo sheets/

Daos

2.54 cm x 2.13 cm For letterheads, brochures,

newsletters, annual reports and
manila envelooes

5.08 cm x 4.26 cm For posters and other large collatera

materials.

The logo may be enlarged provided that it is done proportionately,

174
t Process Color Reproduction

t Logo Exclusion Zone

The prescribed minimum clearance around the logo is at least 0.5 mm in metric
I unit of length. This indicates the closest any other graphic element or text can be
positioned in relation to the logo.

I
I
I f, qublk of the Phi llPPin r
I
I To ensure that the logo will be the highlight when applied to materials, a clear
space area should be maintained. Preventing it from overlapping with other visual
I elements. This should be applied to all branding initiatives of the CSC.

I
I
I
t 175
 lsn't it funny how
r w G@, &blue
represent freedomooo

tlntil they're flashing

behind you.
I
I CHAPTER 3
LOGO PTACEMENT/APPUCATIONS
I
I CSC logo and other logos should not overlap nor
should be close placed together, proper spacing
must be observed.

I
I For CSC-sponsored or organized events, its logo
comes first and should be larger than partner

I rogos.

I
I Logo or brand designs of CSC programs must
not stand alone, the CSC logo must always be

I presenr i€s
Sects HB Synpocium
2018 F:blic
ACHIEVING BREAKTHROUSH RESULTS
THROUOH STRATESIC HR

I
I All programs/projects of the Commission should include the official logo of the CSC.
Program titles should be placed beside the logo to its right. The CSC logo should
always be larger, not the same size of the program title.

I 177
 in.
r,F
o c
O) €
c f
(t) r+ o
UI
IIJ o
o <tt
t- C)
>< CU.
c .9o
LU
z o 5n
ll z
+ b\J
o
E 6b
o Yo)
II rn- C
o(l)
E 'a
o o. -o
=c ol
= oz
dOO
XXXX
oooc)
cccc
cccc

lrllrlllrltl
;T*\
ilh [ir
 I
Anncxzs

Anner
I C Specifications fo? CllC Stdioncry Sct

t Letterhead
specs:

-
t
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I Outllne I pt MFladPrcgpt

I 183
 I

Certificate
t
sPeGs: + 1.26'

t
T.I5-T
hd+Atr Aerkr t
t
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION I
is presented to

t
Vice President
Public Afairs ud Special Events Division
Social Secuity Sysrem
I
for being the Leuning Service Provider for the session,
Writing a Trreh-Proof News Release
at the I
4th CSC Office Correspondents'Network (CNET) Assembly

held on )ue 14-15,20t7

at the Bulwagmg Serbisyo Sibil, CSC Central Offce
Dilimu, Quezon City
I
I
ALICIA dela ROSA-BALA
I
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184 I
I Annexes

I Calling
Card specs:
Margin specs:

I
t
I dela Rosa-Bala
C,ha!ryerson
2',

I Telephone No.: (6321 931 -7 91 3

Trunkllne No.: (632) 931-7935 loc. 201
Fox No.: (6321931-7997

I
I Font specs:

I
I tlJlfb

t Allcla dela Rosa-Bala

Choirpenon
ilrrLdPto
MylodPro
lOpt
v, ltol 8pt

I Constltution Hlllr Dlllman

I 126 Quezon Clty, Phlllppines
Emdirj [email protected]
-
TeleDhone No.: (632) 931-7913
Trunkllne NoJ (632) 931-7935 loc. 201
Fox No.: (6321931-7997
Myilod Pto
Regulor,
7pt

I 185
Memo Pad
0.2t
specs:

F.td.blryt
Afr*/"L Embassyrspt

r85
 Annexa

Letter Envelope specs:

I

I
I o1'

h|ftdrt'
, GMls.rk cmnlde

I
8 csc Bldg., tBP Rod ,&/hrob,tq
- Cqnltutlon Hlllr | | 26 -
OuCM Clty
,- Erla.iE
- 160' :

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I 187
Annexes

Annex D Copyediting Marks

In editing written texts, it is advisable to use the standard copy editor's marks. Here are
some of the most common marks used:

Symbol Meaning Example

Y Delete

Close up
J{qav€/Moreovei there is still a lot to be done
I
U He lo

lnsert There it{nissing here

/.\ lnsert comma Periods, colon;and commas are punctuation marks

)
Dear Sgcje.lary Dgmingugl:
Boldface Dear Sdtbry DsnlrgE:
Insert period
\' ./ There should be a period after every sentenc

Allcaps The first le$ers of proper names likejuan/eyes should be capitaliz€d

Italics Foreign words like ipsum factum should be in italics

v Insert apostrophe Karerfs teacher says possessive nouns usually have apostrophes

+
/ or-
Insert space

Set in lower case

When typing, observe propeft pacing.
Not Fe.ything should be capitalized
Not should be capitalized.

.x New paragraph
(1t
YSince
the next section will talk about another topic,
it should be set as a new paragraph
Since the next section will talk about
another topic, it should be set as a new paragraph.

qt No new paragraph tJ Since the next section will talk about the same
l0l, topic, it should not be set as a new paragraph.
Since the next section will talk about the same
tooic, it should not be set as a new oarasraoh-

T Spellout The first mention o should always be spelled out.

188
t Anruzs

I _)sr'tnbol Moenlq
Transpose checkGil\ ffwords shou6
Enrntlc
be earrracd.

t ltt
(t
iet in quotation marla .yOtura ryot|don 6ordd
Qrca{r
be

C.ltY
h qrndon il.t#$. iJd.

I
lnsert colon I p.m.
I
Set in en dash
fv

t Set in em dash lh.d noduthatRrrd |ti L nd m ortld ||.i of lilr rqtrrc.

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I A Note on References:

This stylebook lists its references at the end of each chapt*'

I entrieJfollow the Chicago Manual of Style. Material that
from references are in quotations and cited with signal
lw
contain excerpts from references are not quoted. The
I mixed with content original to this stylebook.

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