Professional + Subprofessional

Civil Service Exam general information: RA 6713, the Constitution, and current affairs.

Last reviewed May 2026

General Information is the section that rewards homework over reasoning. Vocabulary and grammar reward years of reading. Analytical items reward practice. General Information rewards three or four hours of reading the actual source documents: RA 6713, the 1987 Constitution, current environmental laws, and major human-rights frameworks. The CSC draws from a finite list of texts. Once you've read those texts you'll recognize most of the items on sight. This is the subtest where prepared test-takers most consistently beat unprepared ones.

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Quick facts

Primary subtest: General Information
Sources: RA 6713, 1987 Constitution
Level: Professional and Subprofessional
Difficulty to improve: Low, the source material is finite

What's tested, by source document

The CSC's official scope for General Information lists four areas: the Philippine Constitution, the Code of Conduct (RA 6713), peace and human rights issues and concepts, and environment management and protection. The CSC does not publish a per-topic breakdown, so any claim about which area carries the most items is an estimate, not an official figure. Here is the full picture at a glance.

The four official source areas and what each covers
Source	What it covers
RA 6713 (Code of Conduct)	Norms of conduct, prohibited acts, statements of assets, the duties of public officials, the eight norms.
1987 Philippine Constitution	The Bill of Rights (Article III) and Article II State Policies appear often. Citizenship, suffrage, and the three branches also show up.
Human rights frameworks	Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Philippine domestic human-rights laws, peace-building concepts.
Environment and ecology	Major environmental laws (Solid Waste, Clean Air, Clean Water), climate concepts, biodiversity, sustainable practices.

RA 6713: the eight norms and the prohibited acts

The eight norms of conduct are tested literally. You may be asked which norm a specific action illustrates, or which item is NOT one of the eight. Memorize them in order.

Commitment to public interest
Professionalism
Justness and sincerity
Political neutrality
Responsiveness to the public
Nationalism and patriotism
Commitment to democracy
Simple living

Section 7(a): financial and material interest in transactions requiring agency approval.
Section 7(b): outside employment that conflicts with duties.
Section 7(c): accepting gifts from those with business before the agency.
Section 7(d): disclosure or misuse of confidential information.
Section 7(e): solicitation of gifts from subordinates.

Know the 60-day divestment rule cold Public officials must divest from conflicting financial interests within 60 days of assumption of office. It's a specific number, so it's an easy item to memorize and an easy one to miss if you don't.

SALN: who files, and what gets disclosed

Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) are required of all public officials annually. Watch for items asking who is required to file, what assets must be disclosed, and what penalties apply for non-filing or false declarations. The eight-hour workday and the divestment requirement also fall under RA 6713, so keep them on your list.

Bill of Rights highlights you must know cold

Four sections of Article III are worth knowing cold. Learn the section number and the core protection for each. The exam often tests the boundaries, not just the rule.

Four key sections of Article III to know cold
Section	What it protects
Section 2	Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Warrants need probable cause, personally determined by a judge, after examination under oath, particularly describing the place and the things to be seized. Warrantless searches are allowed only in specific cases: incident to lawful arrest, plain view, consented, stop-and-frisk.
Section 4	No law abridging freedom of speech, expression, or the press, or the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government. The exam tests the boundaries: libel, sedition, the clear-and-present-danger doctrine.
Section 14	Due process and presumption of innocence. The accused has rights to counsel, to be informed of the charges, to confront witnesses, to compulsory process, and to a speedy and public trial.
Section 12	Miranda rights, Philippine version. Right to remain silent and to competent, independent counsel preferably of one's own choice. Any confession obtained in violation is inadmissible.

Current affairs: what to track, and when

Current events are not part of the CSC's published scope for General Information, so treat this section as based on what past papers have reportedly included, not as official coverage. When such items appear, they lean toward long-standing civic knowledge rather than breaking news: long-serving officials, major Philippine laws of the past several years, internationally-known Philippine cultural figures and accomplishments.

Track: who currently holds the constitutional positions (President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, Chief Justice).
Track: major laws passed in the last 2-3 years.
Track: recent major international agreements the Philippines has joined.
Skip: celebrity news, sports scores, viral social-media content.

The CSC's idea of current affairs It's closer to a civics textbook than a news app. Do this review in the month before your exam, not months ahead.

Worked examples

These items are written specifically for this guide. The actual practice bank pulls from a separate pool of original CSE-style items reviewed by passers.

Item 01
Under RA 6713, which of the following is NOT one of the eight norms of conduct for public officials?
- ACommitment to public interest
- BPolitical neutrality
- CPersonal enrichmentCorrect
- DSimple living
Explanation. The eight norms are: commitment to public interest, professionalism, justness and sincerity, political neutrality, responsiveness to the public, nationalism and patriotism, commitment to democracy, and simple living. "Personal enrichment" is the opposite of what the Code requires. It's a prohibited act, not a norm. This item tests literal recall of the eight, and memorizing them in order is the cheapest study investment on the General Information section.
Item 02
Under the 1987 Constitution, a search warrant must be issued upon:
- AProbable cause determined personally by a judge after examination under oathCorrect
- BReasonable suspicion as determined by the arresting officer
- CApproval of the prosecutor
- DNotice to the person to be searched
Explanation. Article III, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution requires probable cause, personally determined by a judge after examination under oath, particularly describing the place and the persons or things to be seized. Options B and C describe lower standards used elsewhere but not Philippine constitutional standards. Option D would defeat the purpose of a warrant. This is a literal-text item, and the Constitution is the source.
Item 03
Within how many days must a public official divest from financial interests that conflict with their public duties?
- A30 days from assumption of office
- B60 days from assumption of officeCorrect
- C90 days from assumption of office
- D180 days from assumption of office
Explanation. RA 6713 Section 9 requires divestment within 60 days of assumption of office. The 60-day rule is tested often because it's a specific numerical answer: easy to remember if you memorize it, easy to miss if you don't.
Item 04
Which of the following is part of the Bill of Rights under Article III of the 1987 Constitution?
- AThe right to free public education
- BThe right to peaceful assembly and to petition the governmentCorrect
- CThe right to a minimum wage
- DThe right to housing
Explanation. Article III, Section 4 protects freedom of speech, expression, the press, peaceful assembly, and petition. Options A, C, and D are policy goals discussed in other articles (Article XIV on education, Article XIII on social justice and labor), but they are NOT part of the Bill of Rights itself. The exam distinguishes between civil-political rights (Article III) and socio-economic policies (other articles).
Item 05
Under RA 6713, accepting a gift of substantial monetary value from a person who has business dealings with one's agency is:
- AAllowed if the gift is given during a holiday season
- BAllowed if the gift is reported to the supervisor
- CA prohibited act regardless of timing or reportingCorrect
- DAllowed only for officials below a certain rank
Explanation. RA 6713 Section 7(d) prohibits the solicitation or acceptance of gifts directly or indirectly from any person whose business or activity requires action from or is regulated by the agency where the official is employed. There are narrow exceptions (gifts of nominal value, customary gifts on traditional occasions like weddings), but a gift of substantial monetary value from a regulated entity is prohibited regardless of timing or disclosure. Holiday timing is not a defense; supervisor approval is not a defense.
Item 06
The Solid Waste Management Act in the Philippines is also known as:
- ARA 8749
- BRA 9003Correct
- CRA 9275
- DRA 9147
Explanation. RA 9003 (2000) is the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which mandates segregation at source, materials recovery, and the phase-out of open dumpsites. RA 8749 is the Clean Air Act. RA 9275 is the Clean Water Act. RA 9147 is the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Memorizing the four major environmental RAs and their numbers covers most environment-section items.

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Study tactics that actually move the score

01
Read RA 6713 in full. It's short, under 20 pages, and you'll recognize items on the paper directly from the text. Reading the source once beats reading review notes ten times.
02
Read Articles II and III of the 1987 Constitution. Article III (Bill of Rights) is among the most exam-relevant parts of the document. Read it twice; you'll be surprised how much sticks.
03
Memorize the eight norms of conduct in order. They're a literal-recall item that rewards memorization.
04
Memorize the major environmental RA numbers: 8749 (Clean Air), 9003 (Solid Waste), 9275 (Clean Water), 9147 (Wildlife). Number-recall items reward memorization, not reasoning.
05
Do NOT try to follow daily news as exam prep. The CSC tests structural civic knowledge, not headlines. Three hours with the source documents beats thirty hours of news scrolling.

Frequently asked questions

How many General Information items appear on each paper?

The CSC does not publish a per-subtest item count. What is official is the total: 170 items on the Professional paper and 165 on the Subprofessional paper. Any figure you see online for how many General Information items appear, or how they split across RA 6713, the Constitution, human rights, and environment, is an estimate rather than a CSC-published number.

Is the General Information section the same on Professional and Subprofessional papers?

Largely yes. The same four source areas are tested at the same approximate depth. Subprofessional items may be slightly more literal-recall; Professional items occasionally require applying a principle to a scenario.

Do I need to memorize specific RA numbers?

Yes, for the major environmental laws and for RA 6713 itself. Other RA numbers (criminal law, civil service rules) come up less often but the major environmental four are worth memorizing as a fixed list.

Will I be tested on the names of current officials?

Occasionally yes for constitutional positions (President, Chief Justice, Senate President). Rarely for lower positions. Don't spend more than 30 minutes on this. Review who holds the constitutional offices and move on.

Are religion-related items asked?

Only in the context of the Constitution (Article III Section 5 on free exercise and non-establishment). The CSC does not test specific religious doctrines.

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The four official source areas and what each covers

Source

What it covers

RA 6713 (Code of Conduct)

Norms of conduct, prohibited acts, statements of assets, the duties of public officials, the eight norms.

1987 Philippine Constitution

The Bill of Rights (Article III) and Article II State Policies appear often. Citizenship, suffrage, and the three branches also show up.

Human rights frameworks

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Philippine domestic human-rights laws, peace-building concepts.

Environment and ecology

Major environmental laws (Solid Waste, Clean Air, Clean Water), climate concepts, biodiversity, sustainable practices.

Four key sections of Article III to know cold

Section

What it protects

Section 2

Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Warrants need probable cause, personally determined by a judge, after examination under oath, particularly describing the place and the things to be seized. Warrantless searches are allowed only in specific cases: incident to lawful arrest, plain view, consented, stop-and-frisk.

Section 4

No law abridging freedom of speech, expression, or the press, or the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government. The exam tests the boundaries: libel, sedition, the clear-and-present-danger doctrine.

Section 14

Due process and presumption of innocence. The accused has rights to counsel, to be informed of the charges, to confront witnesses, to compulsory process, and to a speedy and public trial.

Section 12

Miranda rights, Philippine version. Right to remain silent and to competent, independent counsel preferably of one's own choice. Any confession obtained in violation is inadmissible.