Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian commended and thanked the nominees and winners of the Central Office PRAISE (Programs on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence ) Awards and Loyalty awardees during the recognition rites on Friday (February 2) at the DSWD Central Office.

The awarding was one of the highlights of the celebration of the agency’s 73rd Founding Anniversary.

In his message, Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that the activity aimed to recognize the notable contributions of the PRAISE, Loyalty, and Service awardees.

“Over the course of the DSWD’s 73 years of existence, the PRAISE Awards has formed a significant foundation, illustrating the Department’s core values of providing timely and compassionate service by recognizing the unwavering commitment of DSWD officials and staff to serve the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized Filipinos,”  Sec. Gatchalian said.

“Despite the challenges that we have faced in the previous years, the Department has successfully fulfilled its mandate, all thanks to our Loyalty awardees for their vital contributions in our delivery of social protection services for ten years and more,” the DSWD chief pointed out.

Secretary Gatchalian also thanked the retiring employees for their “loyalty and dedication to public service.”

The PRAISE Awards is an annual recognition given to outstanding DSWD employees or offices for exhibiting notable contributions toward the improvement of systems, processes, and operations in the Department.

It is designed to encourage creativity, innovativeness, efficiency, integrity, and productivity in the public service.

On the other hand, the Loyalty Awards is conferred to permanent, contractual, and casual employees who have rendered faithful public service in the Department for 10 to 40 years.

The loyalty and service awardees and Central Office PRAISE winners will receive cash incentives and plaques.