Impact Factor: ISRA (India) = 1.344 ISI (Dubai, UAE) = 0.829 GIF (Australia) = 0.564 JIF = 1.500 SIS (USA) = 0.912 РИНЦ (Russia) = 0.234 ESJI (KZ) = 1.042 SJIF (Morocco) = 2.031 ICV (Poland) = 6.630 PIF (India) = 1.940 IBI (India) = 4.260 ISPC Science and mechanics, Lancaster, USA 22 SOI: 1.1/TAS DOI: 10.15863/TAS International Scientific Journal Theoretical & Applied Science p-ISSN: 2308-4944 (print) e-ISSN: 2409-0085 (online) Year: 2016 Issue: 5 Volume: 37 Published: 30.05.2016 http://T-Science.org Amelia Girly L. Aranas BPA., MPA., DPA., Ph.D. College of Arts and Sciences, Main Campus Cebu Technological University, Cebu City, Philippines dr.glaranas@yahoo.com (0939-848-1122) BUREAUCRACY ON TRAIL: ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES Abstract: Ethical conducts of public servants is reinforced by political commitment. This political commitment, difficult to benchmark, has been demonstrated by some policy and pronouncements. It is essential to the proper conduct and operation of government that public officials be independent and impartial and that public office not be used for private gain other than the remuneration provided by law. The public interest, therefore, requires that the law protect against any conflict of interest and establish standards for the conduct of elected officials and government employees in situations where conflicts may exist. Key words: ethical conduct, norms of conduct, local public officials and employees. Language: English Citation: Aranas AGL (2016) BUREAUCRACY ON TRAIL: ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES. ISJ Theoretical & Applied Science, 05 (37): 22-25. Soi: http://s-o-i.org/1.1/TAS-05-37-4 Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15863/TAS.2016.05.37.4 INTRODUCTION Ethical conducts of public servants is reinforced by political commitment [1]. This political commitment, while difficult to benchmark, has been demonstrated by some policy pronouncements. It is essential to the proper conduct and operation of government that public officials be independent and impartial and that public office not be used for private gain other than the remuneration provided by law. The public interest, therefore, requires that the law protect against any conflict of interest and establish standards for the conduct of elected officials and government employees in situations where conflicts may exist. The legal infrastructure and political commitment are supported and complemented by the existence of oversight institutions. The creation of the oversight institutions that deal with issues of ethics, accountability, graft and corruption are mandated by the Constitution [2]. The common feature of these institutions is they enjoy a substantive degree of fiscal autonomy in the sense that they are not subject to the fiscal controls of the executive. The budget is directly released to these institutions and the heads are authorized to realign savings from their budget. They also have quasi-judicial powers in that they can adjudicate and decide cases and enforce their own decisions, including the imposition of sanctions which may include suspension from office or even dismissal from government service [3]. Under a democracy such as in the Philippines, the people’s fundamental faith in the i ntegrity of political institutions is what holds the system together even under the most difficult times. The present situation in the Philippines is a test of this principle. Whether or not the test is passed with success is a matter yet to be seen. However, what could be gainfully learned from present experience is the knowledge that people’s trust seems to lie on the existence of ethics and accountability mechanisms and infrastructure. As shown and proven with quite a measure of success by many studies, ethics and accountability are keys not only to effective government but also to effective governance[4]. Legal Framework The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides the basis of ethical and accountable behavior in the public sector. Section 1 of Article XI states that: Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. This provision requires every public official and employee to exhibit and live certain values while in government service. In addition, the State has been