Civil servants in Philippines municipality must give service with a smile or action will be taken
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — Civil servants working in Mulanay, a municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines have been barred from frowning or being cranky when serving the people.
The move came into effect after Mulanay Mayor Aristotle Aguirre signed an executive order putting in the “Smile Policy” in the municipality’s civil service, The Philippine Star reported.
The Mulanay Executive Order 002 Series of 2022 states that all government offices in the municipality are to adopt the policy by sincerely “showing a feeling of calmness and friendly atmosphere” as they serve their people.
The ruling is based on Republic Act No. 6713 or “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,” which aims to “promote a high standard of ethics in public service” and urges all public officials and employees to carry out their duties with “utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty.”
Under Mulanay’s Smile Policy, employees or officials found to have violated the order will be answerable to “administrative liabilities with reference to existing laws, policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations.”
The Smile Policy is one of Aguirre’s flagship programmes, which the municipal official vowed to implement during his campaign in this year’s elections.
In a Facebook post, Aguirre said that the policy aims to “lighten the burdens of our kababayans (fellow Filipino, countrymen).”
