No politics on social media, Filipino government employees warned

The Philippines’ Civil Service Commission (CSC) is reminding all government employees and officials to tread carefully on social media: the act of liking or sharing election-related content could constitute a breach of political neutrality.

As the Philippines gears up for the 2025 midterm elections, the CSC has raised a red flag for public servants navigating the digital landscape.

In Memorandum Circular No. 03, dated 31 March 2025, the CSC emphasised that public servants must steer clear of any form of political engagement – direct or indirect – during the campaign period. This mandate, grounded in the 1987 Constitution and reinforced by a suite of existing legal frameworks, draws a hard line between public service and political participation.

“Social media functions such as ‘liking,’ ‘commenting,’ ‘sharing,’ reposting, or following a candidate’s or party’s account are considered as ‘partisan political activity’ if these are resorted to as means to solicit support for or against a candidate or party during the campaign period,” the CSC circular clarified.

Who’s covered by the social media restrictions?

The warning applies to all members of the civil service across all branches of government, whether permanent, temporary, or contractual. This includes employees of government-owned or controlled corporations, public universities, military personnel, police officers, career executives, and even barangay officials.

Uniformed service members, in particular, are bound by the longstanding restriction prohibiting them from engaging in political activity, save for casting their vote.

Interestingly, elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials are exempt from the ban.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) also upheld a Supreme Court decision confirming that the prohibition does not extend to elected officials, thereby allowing them to participate in political activities.

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What’s off-limits for Filipino civil servants?

The memo goes beyond digital activity, cataloguing a comprehensive list of prohibited partisan actions. These include:

• Organising or joining political groups aimed at soliciting votes
• Holding campaign-related meetings, rallies, or events
• Making public endorsements or criticisms of candidates
• Publishing or distributing campaign materials
• Receiving or giving political donations
• Donning paraphernalia linked to a political campaign
• Serving as political watchers or being consistently seen with candidates

Even the use of government resources, such as personnel, property, or official time, for political ends is explicitly barred.

A steep price to pay for engaging in political activity

The penalties are no slap on the wrist. A first offence may result in suspension ranging from one month and one day to six months. A second infraction could mean outright dismissal.

Such sanctions, according to the CSC, are intended to protect the integrity of the civil service by ensuring it remains impartial and insulated from political tides.

But not everyone is buying it.

Pushback from lawmakers

The memo has sparked a political firestorm, with legislators and civil liberties advocates questioning whether the CSC has gone too far. Critics argue the policy crosses a constitutional line and muzzles public sector employees.

“This CSC memorandum is a clear violation of government employees’ constitutional rights to free expression and political participation,” said House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro.

“By prohibiting even the most basic social media interactions like liking or sharing, the CSC is effectively silencing nearly two million government workers and stripping them of their fundamental right to engage in democratic discourse.”

Castro also contended that the directive contradicts the spirit of a 2015 Joint Circular by the CSC and Comelec, which excluded simple social media engagements, such as liking, commenting, or sharing posts, from the list of banned partisan activities.

House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Adiong echoed this sentiment, calling the policy “too punitive”. In a press conference, Adiong said: “The simple liking of a post on Facebook or any other social media account to be deemed partisan, that to me is overreaching. It is too punitive.”

Adiong further argued that digital interactions don’t necessarily equate to political campaigning.

“Liking a post is not tantamount to engaging in partisan politics. Civil servants can remain non-partisan even if they like a message on social media – it doesn’t always mean endorsement.”

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A fine line to walk

The CSC has since clarified that government employees are not barred entirely from interacting with election-related content online. They may do so, it said, provided their actions do not explicitly support or oppose a candidate or party.

The challenge lies in interpreting intent – a grey area that could easily be misread or misjudged.

“The CSC emphasised the need for prudence in using social media to avoid engaging in partisan political activities,” the commission said in a statement.

Yet, the tug-of-war between institutional neutrality and personal freedoms rages on. Critics argue that the memo casts too wide a net, instilling fear among civil servants and chilling legitimate discourse in the digital public square.

While the CSC insists it’s merely enforcing the law to protect the impartiality of the civil service, lawmakers like Castro and Adiong believe the policy is excessive.

With the 2025 elections just around the corner, government employees now find themselves walking a tightrope: balancing their professional obligations against their personal freedoms, all under the watchful eye of regulatory oversight.

At a time when digital footprints can speak volumes, public servants must weigh each click, share, or reaction with care. As the saying goes, “When in doubt, leave it out”.

In this political season, even a thumbs-up emoji might be too much.

Handling political conflict online and at work

The reminder for government employees against overly political statements is part of a greater debate around how to manage political differences among co-workers.

Ann Melinger, CEO and owner of the business consulting firm Bink, believes banning political discourse can also backfire on organisations. Such restrictions only silence people and this, in effect, “[leads] to deeper divisions”.

Melinger suggests: “Instead, it’s more effective to cultivate a culture where employees feel equipped to handle differing views with respect and civility.”

This doesn’t mean, however, the absence of rules.

“In practice, setting boundaries might look like creating guidelines for appropriate communication channels and times for discussions, while also providing managers with language to defuse political conflicts in real time,” Melinger said.

A key factor to successful political discourse among workers is leadership behaviour.

“In times of political tension, it’s up to leaders to model the behavior they want to see. That includes demonstrating how to engage in respectful, values-driven conversations on sensitive topics, while also ensuring that all employees feel supported, no matter their political beliefs,” Melinger said.

“Leaders should encourage open dialogue, while reminding employees of the importance of respecting diverse perspectives in the workplace.”