MANILA - A total of 643 individuals will take the Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer (CSE-FSO) on Feb. 5, the Civil Service Commission said in a news release Friday. The bulk of examinees will come from the National Capital Region with 406 takers, while the rest are from Regions 1 to 11, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Testing venues are listed in Examination Advisory 1, s. 2023, while individual room assignments may be generated using the Online Notice of School Assignment (ONSA). Both are available from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph. Also available through the ONSA is the "Examinee's Guide in Taking CSE-FSO," which contains full details on the whole examination process. Examinees must read the guide thoroughly, and avoid sharing a copy with the public as it is only for their exclusive use. Reminders The CSC said the wearing of face mask when entering and while inside the testing venue is mandatory. The upcoming exam will strictly observe the "No ID, No Exam" policy. Examinees must present a valid (not expired) ID card on examination day, preferably the same one presented during the filing of application. The following ID cards shall be accepted: Driver's License/Temporary Driver's License (LTO OR must be presented together with old Driver's License. OR alone is not allowed.)/Student Driver's Permit; Passport; PRC License; 4) SSS ID; GSIS ID (UMID); Voter's ID/Voter's Certification; BIR/Taxpayer's ID (ATM type/TIN card type with picture); PhilHealth ID (must have the bearer's name, clear picture, signature and PhilHealth number); Company/Office ID; School ID; Police Clearance/Police Clearance Certificate; Postal ID; Barangay ID; NBI Clearance; Seaman's Book; HDMF Transaction ID; PWD ID; Solo Parent ID; Senior Citizen's ID; CSC Eligibility Card (implemented only beginning with the 3 May 2015 CSE-PPT); and Philippine Identification (PhilID) Card. The CSC also requires fully vaccinated examinees to present the original or a digital copy of their vaccination card/proof of full vaccination, such as the VaxCert; while unvaccinated or partially vaccinated examinees must present a negative RT-PCR or antigen test result taken not earlier than 6 a.m. the day before the exam date. Fully vaccinated individuals assigned in testing centers located in local government units requiring RT-PCR or antigen testing must also present a negative test result. Examinees must submit a Health Declaration Form pre-accomplished not earlier than one day or within 24 hours before examination day. The space for the temperature reading must be left blank as thermal scanning will be done at the main entrance of the school/testing venue on exam day. Examinees who were not able to submit a signed Certificate of Consent during the prescribed period must also bring one on the day of the examination. The CSC further stated that only black ballpens shall be used in answering the test, and that examinees shall not be allowed to share or borrow ballpens as a health protocol. Examinees may opt to bring alcohol or hand sanitizer that is not more than 100 ml in size, as well as snacks and water. Examinees should be at the testing venue not later than 6:30 a.m., or as required by the CSC Regional/Field Office concerned. Gates of testing venues shall be closed at exactly 7:45 a.m. The complete text of Examination Advisory 1, s. 2023 (School Assignment and Important Reminders for CSE-FSO Examinees) can be accessed from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph. About the exam The CSE-FSO serves both as a qualifying test and an eligibility examination. As a qualifying test, it forms the first of the five-part Foreign Service Officer Examination (FSOE). Thus, passing the CSE-FSO is a requisite to be able to proceed to the succeeding parts of the FSOE-Preliminary Interview, Written Test, Psychological Test, and Oral Test-all administered by the DFA. The FSOE is being done to recruit candidates for the Foreign Service Officer, Class IV position. As an eligibility examination, passers of the CSE-FSO shall be conferred the Career FSO Eligibility. This eligibility is appropriate for first-level (clerical) and second-level (technical) positions in the government, which do not involve practice of profession and are not covered by bar, board, and other laws. (PNA) }