The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recognized its loyal officials and employees who have rendered 10 to 45 years of faithful service, as well as outstanding personnel during the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE)  held yesterday, February 24, at the Land Bank Auditorium in Ermita, Manila.

The event capped the month-long 66th Anniversary celebration of the Department with the theme, DSWD@66: May Malasakit.

In her message, DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo said, “The PRAISE Awards is our culminating activity for our 66th anniversary, and it is also our most important. We in the DSWD, through this ceremony affirm our commitment to social work, to community development, and to aspirations of a stronger, more efficient DSWD that relies on the collective power of its employees and leaders to always get the job done.”

As she recognized the efforts of the DSWD work force, Sec. Taguiwalo added, “Ang mga masisipag na kawani ang pundasyon ng Departamento. Mula nang ako ay matalaga bilang kalihim ng Kagawaran, walong  buwan na ang nakakaraan, nakita at nadama ko ang dedikasyon ng ating mga kawani. Marami ay gumugugol ng higit otso oras sa pagtupad sa kanilang mga tungkulin, lalo na kapag may disaster operations. Iniiwan ang kanilang mga pamilya upang kagyat na matulungan ang mga nasalanta ng kalamidad, at sumusuong sa panganib para kagyat na maihatid ang suporta ng ahensya para sa mga apektadong pamilya at komunidad. (The hardworking employees are the Department’s foundation.  Since I was appointed as DSWD Secretary, eight months ago, I have seen and felt the dedication of our employees. Many of them, spend more than 8 hours in performing their duties, especially during disaster operations. They leave their families behind and brave the dangers to immediately bring the Department’s aid to affected families and communities.)

The PRAISE Awards are divided into the following sub-categories:

Best Crisis Intervention Unit – This award recognizes the delivery of timely and appropriate direct financial benefits to indigent people including hospitalization bills, burial, and transportation for those who wish to return to their provinces.

Winners for this category were:

  • 1st Place: Field Office V
  • 2nd Place: Field Office II
  • 3rd Place: Field Office VIII

Gawad #DSWDMayMalasakit – This award recognizes the proactive move of the Department through the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, among others in informing and engaging the public on social welfare and services provided by the agency.

Bagging this award were:

  • 1st Place: Field Office VII
  • 2nd Place: Field Office VI
  • 3rd Place: Field Office NCR

Tatak Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo sa Larangan ng Disaster Response -This award is given to DSWD-Field Offices that are able to provide quick and prompt delivery of services while making compassion (malasakit) their ethos when discussing and addressing people’s concerns.

Winners for this recognition were:

  • Field Office I
  • Field Office V
  • Field Office VI
  • Field Office III
  • Field Office VII
  • Field Office XII

2016 Regional Learning Resource Center (RLRC) Innovative Awards

This award recognized Field Offices who persevered to develop knowledge products contributing to their RLRC’s functionality.

These were:

  • Field Office I
  • Field Office NCR
  • Field Office VII
  • Field Office X
  • Field Office XI

For the 2016 RLRC Innovative Awards, the winners were:

  • Ist Place: Field Office CAR
  • 2ndPlace: Field Office Caraga
  • 3rdPlace: Feld Office VI Western Visayas

Aside from recognizing the Field Offices, individual awards were given to RLRC focal persons as follows:

  • Most Promising RLRC Focal Person: Eloisa P. Garcia, FO I
  • Most Dynamic RLRC Focal Person: Ma. Teresa I. Ole, FO Caraga
  • Most Passionate RLRC Focal Person: Rojan A. Paleng, FO CAR

Gawad HUWARAN (Mahuhusay, Wasto at Responsableng Lingkod Bayani ng DSWD) – This award is given to a DSWD employee who is able to render extraordinary work performance or service and exemplary demonstration of DSWD’s three core competencies in his/her work execution, thereby significantly contributing to the achievement of the strategic goals of the office/bureau/service and DSWD.

These three core competencies of DSWD employees are Commitment to Credible Public Service, Delivering Excellent Results, and Personal Effectiveness.

Twelve employees from Field Offices I, II, IV-A, V, VI, VII, IX, X, XI, XII, Caraga and NCR shall receive this award. Joselito Orpilla from DSWD FO II gave the response on behalf of the Gawad Huwaran awardees. “Magsisilbi etong inspirasyon na lalo ko pang pagbutihin ang aking trabaho (This award shall serve as my inspiration to improve my work.)

In addition, special awards like the Gawad Kalihim were given by the Department Secretary to individual employees who served as source of inspiration and motivation to other employees. They were the contract of service (MOA) workers who unselfishly served the Department for 15 years and more despite the fact that their tenure is not considered government service.

Around 74 MOA workers, 16 from the different offices, bureaus, services and units from the DSWD Central Office and 58 employees from Field Offices  I, II, IV-A, V, VI, VII, IX, X, XI, XII, Caraga and NCR received this award.

Enrique Ballen, Tailoring Instructor of Field Office I, who served the Department for 27 years under Contract of Service gave the response on behalf of the Gawad Kalihim awardees.

DSWD’s Significant contribution to poverty reduction  and real change

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr. who was the keynote speaker, underscored the important role that the Department plays in the Duterte administration’s poverty reduction efforts.

“Making sacrifices in whatever way we can is the essence of true public service. DSWD employees exemplify this brand of public service during disaster and emergency situations, and delivery of essential programs and services to vulnerable sectors.”

“The Duterte brand of poverty reduction is collaborative and participative which involves listening to the voices of the people and understanding their needs,” Sec. Evasco added.

“Your work exemplifies the administration’s goal of malasakit at pagbabago tungo sa kaunlaran. (compassion and change towards progress). Let us continue to be partners for change,” he ended. ###