BY IAN PAUL CORDERO and RHICK LARS VLADIMER ALBAY
“PUBLIC service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly,” Civil Service Commission of the Philippines (CSC) commissioner Leopoldo Roberto Valderosa Jr. quoted US stateswoman Margaret Chase Smith during the awarding ceremony for exemplary public servants on Sept. 6.
“It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation with full recognition that every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration, that constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought, that smears are not only to be expected but fought, that honor is to be earned but not bought,” he continued, as CSC-Regional Office 6 highlighted the commendable work of the region’s best civil servants, as part of the celebration of the 118th Philippine Civil Service anniversary.
Thirteen public officials and government employees were awarded by the CSC-RO 6 for their accomplishment and contribution in public service during the 2018 Recognition Program for Honor Awardees and Regional Winners held at SM City Iloilo North Wing, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Thirteen out of twenty-eight nominees from Region 6 were chosen as recipients and regional winners in the Search for Outstanding Government Workers under the Honor Awards Program.
“Today is a fitting celebration as we celebrate the 118th anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service,” Valderosa further noted in his keynote speech. “In a span of more than a century, the Philippine Civil Service has undergone reorganizations, challenges and triumphs, yet until this day there are still many changes that need to be done in order to transform the Philippine government into an effective and efficient institution.”
“This cannot be done without the cooperation and determination of the more than a million Filipino civil servants who are responsible in running the government day in and day out,” continued his call to arms.
“Amid these challenging times, there are civil servants who somehow find the time, energy, and motivation to deliver above and beyond to take one step ahead of others to produce the quality of work that is better than the rest, showing strength of character and integrity. This is why I am happy and proud to be part of an organization that searches for these gems in public service,” the commissioner concluded.
For the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award, Dr Renante Decena, Provincial Veterinarian of the Provicial Government of Negros Occidental and Riggi Lachica, Elementary School Principal 3 of Vista ALegre Granada Relocation Elementary School in Bacolod City were awarded.
Decena initiated the passing of an ordinance creating the Negros First Ranch, which provided livelihood opportunities and brought progress in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Murcia.
While, Lachica proposed the establishment of Progreso Village National High School for Grade 6 completers of Vista Alegre Granada Relocation Elementary School (VAGRES), considering that the nearest public school is six kilometers away, entailing financial burden to most parents. Today, VAGRES is in the forefront of excellent free public education.
For the Dangal ng Bayan Category, Eleanore Dagala, Principal III of Bugasong Central School in Antique; Iñigo Garingalao (also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Community Affairs Officer II of Iloilo City Government; Erick John De Lemos (also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Police Officer II of Kalibo Police Station, Aklan; and Mary Cateherine Demontaño (also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Police Officer III of the Regional Police Strategy Management Unit of Police Regional Office 6, were recognized.
Dangala transformed the learning environment of the Anini-y Central School and Bugasong Central School and initiated the project on
“Tranforming the school into an educational theme park.”
Garingalao was recognized for his efforts in pushing an anti-smoking advocacy which has changed the city’s culture towards smoking. Also, under his leadership as the executive director of the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST), the group earned local awards as well as the Hall of Fame (Red Orchid Award) citation from the Department of Health.
De Lemos implemented initiatives such as IT per Station, the PRO-6 Website, Installation of PRO-6 CCTV and centralization of PRO-6 internet which generated savings amounting to P120,000.
Meanwhile, Demontaño was recognized as one of the country’s Outstanding Police Officers in service spearheaded by the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and Rotary Club of Manila East. She founded PABALHAS ang Probinsya Guimaras, which stands for Pulisya at Barnagay Aktibong Lumalaban sa Ilegal na Droga at Karahasa Hangad ay Kaayusan ng Sambayanan which brought development in the Community of Buenavista.
For Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award, Lynette Aggabao, Head Teacher I of Cabangahan Primary School of Capiz; Annabelle Alipo-on (also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Principal II of Payoa Elementary School of Negros Occidental; Ronnel Tumonong, Head Teacher III of Yubo Elementary School of La Carlota City; Marie Charyll Jamolo (also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Senior Inspector and Chief of Health Service Unit of BJMP 6; Imee Lopera, Inspector (Warden) of Iloilo City District Jail Female Dorm; Smoke Free Ibajay, Local Goverment of Ibajay, Aklan led by SB Member Rita Magbiray; and Botanical Dewormer ((also semi-finalist and national level awardee), Capiz State University-Dumarao Satellite College led by Bede Ozaraga and Ma. Sylvia Ozaraga, were cited.
Aggabao transformed Cabangahan Primary School into a progressive and high performing elementary school. She requested for the school’s electrification and partnered with government agencies and non-government organizations for the construction of comfort rooms and the school’s Water and Sanitation Hygiene, or WASH area.
Alipo-on initiated and established the conversion of the Paloypoy Elementary School into the first and only integrated school in the Division of Negros Occidental which caters to underprivileged and out of school youth in far flung areas of Himamaylan City. She also conducted an outreach program for Indigenous People living in the mountians of Binalbagan, the Ituman Magahat Tribe and innovated Project VEGGIES or Vertical Gardening Gains Intervention on EL Niño Shocks.
Tumonong initiated project “Footsteps” which gave birth to other programs that offer opportunities to learners in various areas; project “Patubig” for the whole community and two schools in Barangay Yubo which is the farthest barangay in La Carlota City; project “Lilim” which promoted environment awareness; and project “Laro.”
Meanwhile, Jamolo initiated the Medicine Access Program for Mental Health in the Regional Bureau in which inmate with mental health conditions were able to maintain their prescribed medicines and also conceptualized A Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Program (ACHIEVERS) for inmates and personnel, all the while implementing Inmate Health Records in all BJMP-RO 6 jails.
Lopera, through her initiative, Iloilo City Distric Jail-Femala Dorm was given the opportunity by Tinukib 2015 to occupy a small area where they could sell their assorted livelihood products which later became a regular merchandise of the non-government organization and enterprise, being showcased in trade fair and mall events.
Smoke Free Ibajay became a DOH Red Orchid Awardee in 2016 and 2017 through their efforts in implementing Oplan Baklas, or the removal of all forms of tobacco advertisement, Oplan Limpyo Upos or clean-up drive, and Oplan Tampil or posting of graphic health warnings and signages in public places.
Lastly, Botanical Dewormer headed the research project on “Project and Distribution of Ethnobotinical Anthelmintics for Free-Range Native Chicken” which helped farmers save money and minimize their expenses with their deworming program since the product is cheaper than most commercial dewormers. They also conducted researches such as the efficacy of the local enthnobotcnicals like betel nut and ipil-ipil seeds that answered the Department of Agriculture’s advocacy in the promotion of organic farming since the Botanical Dewormer has no toxic effects to animals and consumers./PN
