MANILA, (PNA) — The administration of President Benigno Aquino III honored this year’s batch of outstanding government officials and employees in a ceremony held at the Heroes Hall of Malacañang Palace on Thursday.
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. represented President Aquino in conferring the Presidential Lingkod Bayan, Dangal ng Bayan and Pagasa Awards to state workers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment in performing their duties.
In his speech, Secretary Ochoa not only commended the recipients of the prestigious awards but also those government workers and volunteers who responded and assisted disaster-stricken areas in Bohol and Cebu.
“Today, as we congratulate and commend the recipients of the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award, the CSC Pagasa Award, and the Dangal ng Bayan Award, allow me to humbly submit that thousands of nameless government workers in Bohol and Cebu deserve to be commended as well dahil tulad ninyo, sila ay tunay na naglilingkod sa bayan, tunay na nagbibigay ng pag-asa sa taumbayan at tunay na nagbibigay ng dangal sa pagiging empleyado ng gobyerno,” he said.
For the second time, the President visited Bohol last Wednesday after the province was hit by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake causing massive damages to public and private establishments, historical churches and tourist sites.
Secretary Ochoa reassured that the all concerned agencies are attending to the needs of those affected and displaced by the quake.
The Executive Secretary, meanwhile, hoped that the exemplary works of the awardees would bring back the trust of the public to the government, which has been tainted with corruption in the past administration.
“We are extremely grateful to our awardees here today by committing yourselves to the public interest and by exhibiting acts of justness, leadership, and nationalism. You are living proof that there is still so much honor and rectitude in government work,” he said.
“You successfully show that there are civil servants who are incorruptible, that days can definitely change for the better in our government. You inspire our peers and colleagues to follow your examples of extraordinary public service and you aid in improving the capabilities of government agencies you serve,” he added.
This year’s nine awardees for the Presidential Lingkod Bayan are led by Albay Governor Jose Ma. Clemente Salceda, Police Chief Superintendent Rogelio Damazo, Philippine Coconut Authority Division Chief Reynato Dubongco, Police Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, Health Insurance Department Manager Dennis Mas, Police Chief Superintendent Louie Oppus, Santol Mayor Daisy Sayangda of La Union, Rice Research Institute Specialist Roel Suralta and Anabel Ungcad, a public school teacher from Davao de Sur.
The recipients of the Presidential Lingkod Bayan group category are: Bayawan Integrated Waste Management Team of the City Government of Bayawan, Negros Oriental; Olongapo City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office; Department of Labor and Employment Single Entry Approach of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board; and Inclusive Finance Advocacy Staff of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
For the Dangal ng Bayan award, 11 individuals were chosen namely: Jail Officer II Joey Abia; Chief Administrative Officer of Leyte Normal University Pablo Amascual III; Senior Fire Officer IV of Tiwi, Albay Fire Station Simeon Ballon; Midwife from the Antipolo City Government Ofelia Buenconsejo; Municipal Health Officer from the Municapal Government of Sagada Evelyn Capuyan; Local Government Operations Officer from DILG Bangued, Abra Jimmicio Daoaten; State Auditor III Concepcion Guanzon of COA Cagayan de Oro City; Municipal Government Department Head Expedizitas Lenares of Dalaguete, Cebu; Traffic Aide Dionisia Liquido from Antipolo, Rizal; Senior Jail Officer II Richard Recososa from Butuan City; and Elementary School Principal Darwisa Sajili-Radah Hja of Hji Yunos Jumdain Elementary School in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
Meanwhile, the CSC Pagasa awardees are: Mayor Linda Gonzalez of Ligao City, Albay; Laboratory Technician 1 Martina Nepomuceno of the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines-Los Baños; Education Program Supervisor Lynn Padillo of the Department of Education Region V, Legazpi, Albay; Dean Erlinda Relucio of the Bicol University-College of Industrial Technology, Albay; Mayor Jose Ricafente Jr. of the Municipality of Rosario, Cavite; Director IV Marivel Sacendoncillo of the Local Government Academy, Department of Interior and Local Government; and Administrative Aide 1 Kulafu Seballos of the City Government of Bayawan, Negros Oriental.
For the group category, the awardees are: ABRA Renal Disease Control (REDCOP) Team of the Provincial Health Officer, Bangued, Abra; Albay Public Safety and Management Officer; Department of Trade and Industry-Kalinga Management Review Team, Tabuk, Kalinga; and Masaganang Bukas Team of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Awardees of both the Presidential Lingkod Bayan and Pagasa Award received a gold-gilded medallion crafted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a plaque containing the citation and signatures of the President of the Philippines and the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, respectively, and cash prize of P200,000 and P100,000, respectively.
The Dangal ng Bayan awardees, meanwhile, received a trophy designed b National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva and a cash prize of P200,000. They are also entitled to incentive such as directorships in government-owned or controlled corporations, local and foreign scholarships grants, and automatic promotion to the next higher position suitable to their qualification or commensurate salary.
Secretary Ochoa was assisted by CSC Chairman Francisco Duque III during the ceremony. The CSC holds an annual nationwide search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees in government under its Honor Awards Program (HAP. The program serves as the core of the government employees’ incentives and rewards system.