The National Computer Center (NCC) in coordination with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) will conduct the Annual ICT (EDP) Proficiency Tests for Computer Programming in three key cities namely Quezon City, Cebu City and Zamboanga City on May 23, 2009 and November 21, 2009 .

NCC will issue a Certificate of Proficiency to successful examinees, which will be the basis for granting appropriate ICT (EDP) Specialist eligibility by CSC. Once granted, the eligibility shall continue to be in force (Batas Pambansa Blg. 225).

The grant of eligibility on these fields arises from the need to have qualified ICT manpower in the government to implement its Information Systems Plans. Furthermore, there is a need for qualified ICT manpower in the country to support E-governance and E-commerce efforts under RA 8792 (E-Commerce Act) and Government Information Systems Plan under EO 265 (series of 2000). PD 1408 provides guidelines in giving such eligibility to qualified individuals. The applicants must either pass NCI’s programming or Systems Analysis and Design (SAD) courses OR pass its proficiency exam in each field in order to earn these certificates of proficiency. Programming and SAD courses are regularly offered by NCI.

Aside from the grant of CSC eligibility, employers, prospective programmers and systems analysts, as well as ICT schools/training institutions, benefit from the proficiency test in the following ways:

1. The test is a mechanism to evaluate the competence of an individual to perform programming or systems analysis and design function;
2. The test can be used by an individual to assess his knowledge and skills for the purpose of continually improving his own technical abilities;
3. By knowing the nature and scope of the test, ICT training centers are encouraged to enrich their curricula to enable their students to have a better chance of joining the corps of competent ICT professionals.