DSWD-7 Bags National Awards

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII with the leadership of Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre took home several awards during the recently concluded DSWD Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) awarding ceremony at the Land Bank Auditorium in Ermita, Manila.

DSWD-7 Social Marketing Unit (SMU) under the Office of the Regional Director won first place for the Gawad #DSWDMayMalasakit, an award that 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.

Other winners for the said category are Field Office VI and National Capital Region (NCR).

SMU is composed of Regional Information Officer Leah Quintana, Listahanan Information Officer Kerwin Macopia, Pantawid Pamilya Information Officer Phoebe Jen Indino and Kalahi-CIDSS Social Marketing Officer Venice Polancos.
Macopia is also among the 12 recipients of Gawad Huwaran Award.

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.

The field office is also among the recipients of Tatak Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo sa Larangan ng Disaster Response Award and Innovative Award for its Regional Learning Resource Center (RLRC).

Tatak Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo sa Larangan ng Disaster Response 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.
The Innovative Award recognized Field Offices who persevered to develop knowledge products contributing to their RLRC’s functionality.
Moreover, seven loyal workers of DSWD-7 under cost of service were recognized through Gawad Kalihim Award.

It is given by the Department Secretary to individual employees who served as source of inspiration and motivation to other employees.
These are the employees who unselfishly served the Department for 15 years and more despite the fact that their tenure is not considered government service.

Among the awardees from DSWD-7 include Marie Hazel Antoy, Debra Fernandez, Bibiana Legaspi, Danilo Nable, Basilides Omboy, Vitaliana Pancho and Marlou Perales.

Pancho during the Monday convocation shared her experience during the awarding which paved the way for her to set foot in Manila for the first time.

She added that on top of the award, “Mapasalamaton kaayo ko nga naapil ko sa awardees ug naka-adto na gyud kos Manila kay dugay naku nangandoy nga maka abot didto ug makasakay ug eroplano (I am grateful that I was among the awardees because I have long dreamed of visiting Manila and ride a plane).”

Pancho has been with DSWD-7 for 23 years as laundry woman.

Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo personally handed the plaques and certificates to the awardees.

In her message, 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).”

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,” Sec. Evasco said.

He added that the Duterte brand of poverty reduction is collaborative and participative which involves listening to the voices of the people and understanding their needs.

“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.