Game-Changers in Public Service

CSC recognized top performing frontline service offices in the country for placing premium on quality customer service by strictly observing the provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA).

In the recognition program, “Celebrating Excellence in the Public Frontline Service,” held at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City on October 22, CSC awarded the 2014 ARTA Breakthrough Agency Award to five agencies, namely, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Health Insurance Commission (PhilHealth), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). Also awarded were the three ARTA Best Performing CSC Regional Offices—Regions 3, 6, and National Capital Region. Five CSC Regional Offices were also recognized for achieving “Excellent” rating in the Pulse Asia Survey—Regions 2, 6, 8, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Caraga.

Frontline service game-changers. (from left) Department of Trade and Industry USec. Nora Terrado, CSC Commissioner Robert S. Martinez, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Patricia B. Licuanan, CSC Chair Francisco T. Duque III, CSC Commissioner Nieves L. Osorio, Public Attorney’s Office Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, Land Bank of the Philippines Executive Vice President Julio Climaco, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation SVP Melinda Mercado.

CSC also launched a coffee table book titled Breakthrough: Game-Changers in Public Frontline Service Delivery. The book features 10 service offices across the regions that were chosen from the recipients of the Citizen’s Satisfaction Center Seal of Excellence Award and the three ARTA Breakthrough Agency Award recipients.

The 10 featured offices are as follows: PAO Cagayan de Oro City District Office; Philippine Statistics Authority – National Statistics Office Regional Office I; CHED Regional Office III; Home Development Mutual Fund Naga Branch; LBP San Carlos City; DTI Kalinga; Land Transportation Office (LTO) Barangay Tiza, Roxas City; Government Service Insurance System Surigao City; Dr. Serapio B. Montañer Jr. Al Haj Memorial Hospital; and PhilHealth Santiago, Isabela Local Health Insurance Office.

CSC also recognized its various partners, government and non-government, including media partners, for the operation and promotion of its ARTA initiatives, which include the Report Card Survey, ARTA Watch, and Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB).

Present in the event were CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III, Commissioners Robert S. Martinez and Nieves L. Osorio, CSC Multi-Sector Advisory Council (MSAC) lead by Atty. Alexander Lacson, together Prof. Edna Co from the University of the Philippines – Center for Integrative Development Studies, Investors in People – Philippines CEO Gerry Plana, and Philippines-Australia Human Resource and Organisational Development Facility (PAHRODF) Director Milalin Javellana.

Various heads of government agencies were also present, as well as representatives from international partners (PAHRODF, USAID, and United Nations Development Programme or UNDP).

The ARTA Program Management Team is headed by Director Maria Luisa Salonga-Agamata of the CSC Public Assistance and Information Office.n

Model employees could be next Presidential awardees

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) encourages agency heads to forward their PRAISE (Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence) awardees as nominees to the 2014 Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees.

Deadline of nominations to the 2014 Search is on March 31.

The local rewards mechanism of government departments or agencies dubbed as PRAISE recognizes an employee’s outstanding work performance in his/her agency or his/her idea or invention that improved government operations.

Over the years, agencies have been CSC’s partners in searching for public service exemplars as they are responsible for nurturing the culture of ethics and excellence among their employees. The Commission sees the agencies’ pool of PRAISE awardees as a potential source of nominees to the Search.

The Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees forms part of CSC’s Honor Awards Program (HAP). There are three award categories.

The Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award is conferred to an individual or group for exceptional or extraordinary contributions that had nationwide impact.

The Outstanding Public Officials and Employees or the Dangal ng Bayan Award is conferred to an individual for performance of extraordinary act or public service and consistent demonstration of exemplary ethical behavior on the basis of his/her adherence to the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award is given to an individual or group of individuals for outstanding contributions that directly benefit more than one department of the government.

For more inquiries, contact the Honor Awards Program (HAP) Secretariat at telephone numbers (02) 931-7993, (02) 932-0381, (02) 932-0111, text 0917-TEXTCSC (8398272), or email hapsecretariat@yahoo.com.n

CSC News Release
March 17, 2014

Nominate an Outstanding Public Servant!

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