DSWD-7 to award staff, partners as it turns 62

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) opened its weeklong 62nd anniversary celebration yesterday with a trade fair showcasing different products from its sustainable livelihood projects all over the region.

In line with the celebration, persons with disabilities (PWDs) enrolled at the DSWD’s Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II are offering hand and foot and body massage services until Friday at the DSWD regional office at corners M.J. Cuenco Avenue and Gorordo Avenue at a minimum rate.

Anchored on the theme “Sama-samang Husay, Tungo sa Tagumpay,” the celebration will culminate with an awarding ceremony to give special awards to deserving employees on Friday afternoon. A Mass in the morning will precede the awarding at the Sarosa International Hotel.

Social worker Alieta Austero from Negros Oriental will be awarded as best social worker, DSWD-7 nutritionist Melinda Canares as best technical staff-professional category, Information Technology officer Jerry Ruiz as best technical staff-sub-professional level and Elisa Camus of Institutional Development Division as best support staff-sub professional level.

Other awardees include contractual workers who have served the agency for more than three years, namely, Maricor Caballero of the AVRC, Leo Sevilla of the Regional Information and Communication Technology Management System office and Ruben Boybanting of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction office.

Twenty-one regular staff who have been working with the agency for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years will also be given loyalty awards.

Meanwhile, 16  “Salamat Po” awards will be given by the DSWD-7 to its partners both from the government and non-government organizations as well as Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan awards to outstanding local government unit and Gawad Ulat for media outfits.

On the same occasion, Presidential Awards for Child Friendly Cities and Municipalities will also be given to Talisay City (component city category), Tubigon, Bohol (1st-3rd class municipality category) and Pilar in Camotes, Island, Cebu (4th-6th class category).

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

In the afternoon of the same day, a special presentation featuring Filipino cultural practices will be participated by all staff dressed in Filipiana costumes at the regional office. This will be followed by Palarong Pinoy games, drawing of prizes and Bingo social.

In her opening message, DSWD-7 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Nemia Antipala said “we have a battle to win. The real battle is fighting poverty in the field, thus the DSWD personnel must learn to move people from survival to self-sufficiency by year 2015.”

Boosting the staff’s morale, Antipala added that for the last four years, the agency has maintained receiving high trust and approval rating from the general public.