PAGPUPUGAY

[CSC Chairman Ricardo L. Saludo taking his oath of office with Senior Commission Cesar D. Buenaflor and Commissioner Mary Ann Fernandez Z. Mendoza]

Who would ever imagine that a high school graduate - a driver, whose only wish is to raise a family from the meager income he receives from the government; to have a house he can call a home in a remote Barangay in Legaspi City, Albay, with no public transport; and, to send his children to school, with unserviceable toilets – could make a difference. Who would ever imagine that this person can touch the lives of those working in his office, his neighbors in their Barangay and his fellow parents in a public school where his children were enrolled. Who would ever imagine that this person can attract the attention of many and shall continue to touch the lives of others, WORLDWIDE!

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita with CSC Chairman Ricardo L. Saludo confers the 2009 Pag-Asa Award on Laoag City Mayor Michael Fariñas. [Photo by: BERT CANILANG OPS/NIB]
[Cesar Letada, Driver, Office of the Director, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Revenue Region No. X, Legaspi City, 2009 DANGAL NG BAYAN AWARDEE]

On September 17, 2009, days after Vice-President Noli De Castro visited Barangay Estanza, in Legaspi City to oversee the government’s housing project in the area - Cesar Letada, a driver in the Director’s Office, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Revenue Region No. X, Legaspi City stood before the Honorable Chairman and Commissioners of the Civil Service Commission, the Honorable Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita with high ranking government officials in the civilian service at Malacañang to receive one of the most coveted award being given to civilian employees – “The Dangal ng Bayan Award”. The affair was hosted by Director IV Ma. Luisa Salonga-Agamata of the Public Assistance and Information Office, CSC, who was formerly connected with the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP). [Above photo: Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita during the 1st Anniversary of Pilipinas Ngayon Na!]

[Cesar Letada with his wife and five children at their home in Barangay Estanza, Legaspi City]
[ Dir. IV Cecilia R. Nieto, Dir. III Salvador C. Villarosa, Jr. with Jocelyn L. Marifosque and the staff of the Examination Service Division with some teachers of Rawis Elementary School]

While the awarding rites attended by high ranking officials in the civilian service may have been important, the efforts exerted by those in different agencies of the government and in the private sector who extended their support to bring about reliable and accurate information during the conduct of the investigation and validation to gather information concerning the nominees - is equally important. [Photo: Dir. IV Ariel G. Ronquillo, Office for Legal Affairs (OLA), with CSC Chairman Ricardo L. Saludo. OLA sent five of its staff to conduct background investigation concerning the nominees]

In honor of all the awardees and those who participated in the undertaking, this is only one story among the many Gawad Parangal Awardees: “A driver who returned a wallet containing P 10,000.00 and who donated a used toilet bowl to benefit the school children in his Barangay - a very simple person, could make a difference WORLDWIDE!