An awarding ceremony was held for the local government units (LGU) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to honor their steadfast support and commitment in implementing the various employment facilitation programs of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at the local level through their Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III and Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano graced the annual PESO Recognition Program of DOLE-NCR that was simultaneously held with the first launching of DOLE BikeCINATION Project in Metro Manila on September 21, 2021 at the Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School, Pasay City.
DOLE-NCR conferred the awards for the: 1) Regional winners of the Secretary’s Bayanihan Service Award; 2) Lifetime Achievement Award; and 3) PESO recognition for the pandemic-related initiatives.
DOLE-NCR Regional Director, Atty. Sarah Buena S. Mirasol presented the awards together with Pasay City Mayor Calixto-Rubiano; DOLE-NCR Assistant Regional Directors, Atty. Marion S. Sevilla and Atty. Russel A. Jallorina; PESO Association of Metro Manila (PAMM) President Glenda Z. Aniñon; and DOLE-NCR Division Chief Lorna R. Obedoza of the TSSD-Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW). They were also accompanied by heads of DOLE-NCR Field Offices having jurisdiction of their concerned LGUs: OIC-Director, Atty. Olivia Obrero O. Samson (Makati-Pasay cluster); Director Leonides P. Castillon, Jr. (MUNTAPARLAS cluster); and Director Rowella V. Grande (CAMANAVA cluster).
Regional winners of the Secretary’s Bayanihan Service Award (Metro Manila only)
The PESO of Municipality in Pateros, Mandaluyong City, and Quezon City accepted the Regional Secretary’s Bayanihan Service Award in recognition of their perseverance through resilient, innovative, and humanitarian efforts among other PESOs. Said regional winners also vied for the National Secretary’s Bayanihan Service Award that was held virtually via Facebook Live on September 24-25, 2021.
The regional office also conferred awards for the second runner-up (Caloocan City), first runner up (Valenzuela City), and the following PESO finalists: Malabon City, City of Manila, Muntinlupa City, Taguig City, Parañaque City, and Pasig City. Aside from the plaques of recognition, said regional winners, runners-up, and finalists also received their cash prizes and their annual incentives.
Lifetime Achievement Award
In recognition for his significant contributions to the labor department as Manager of the Navotas City PESO for the past fourteen years, DOLE-NCR also conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award to Genesis M. Sanoy who will be retiring in October 2021. In his message to DOLE and fellow PESO Managers in Metro Manila, he emphasized that he will continue to be of service to all those people in need, particularly to the fisherfolk in Navotas City.
“Mukhang ang panahon ay hindi ako papayagang magpahinga na magsilbi sa tao dahil ngayon pa lang po ay meron na pong kumakausap sa akin na para sila ay matulungan…ito po ang mga fisherfolk ng Navotas. Ako po sa totoo lang, isa po akong fisherfolk dahil meron po akong pag-aaring bangka na naipundar ko sa pagtatrabaho ko, sa pagseserbisyo ko kaya gusto kong ibalik ang kung anumang biyaya sa akin sa mga tao,” he said.
PESO recognition for the pandemic-related initiatives
Meanwhile, DOLE-NCR senior officials also recognized the following LGUs in Metro Manila for extending their COVID-19 humanitarian response to the labor department’s personnel: Mandaluyong City, Marikina City, San Juan City, Caloocan City, Valenzuela City, Las Piñas City, City of Manila, Pasay City, and Municipality of Pateros.
“We also give due recognition to the LGUs through its PESO, which provided free RT-PCR tests for our personnel, free quarantine facility accommodation and sharing their COVID-19 vaccination roll-out both to DOLE-NCR and DOLE Central Office employees,” said Director Mirasol in a statement, adding that their assistance to the labor department are indications of the LGU’s selflessness and dedicated service to the public. END / Hershey Aquino with report from Genevieve De Castro (TSSD-EPWW); all photos courtesy of Rhomar Espela Pante (IMSD)