TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur (September 12, 2008) – - The mayor of this well-known town as ‘gateway to Ilocandia” was adjudged by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) as one of this year’s national Pag-asa awardees, it was learned.
Mayor Roque “Jun” S. Verzosa Jr., who bested some 249 nominees for the award nationwide, was the first town’s chief executive in Ilocos region that won the most coveted Pag-asa award since 1962.
The mayor, one of the six winners of the national individual category of Pag-asa award, bagged the award in recognition to the unprecedented socio-economic development of his town through his Agpiarkam Siglatmo Agkaykaysakam Panagrang-aymo (ASAP) Tagudin program.
The ASAP Tagudin program was eventually evaluated as a key program that geared towards the upliftment of the socio-economic life of the residents of the town.
Launched in 2004, the ASAP Tagudin Project of Mayor Verzosa was formulated to address the needs, aspirations and clamor of the local folks for a truly democratic socio-economic development. The project was composed of 12 flagship programs to include tourism, revenue enhancement initiative, integrated social welfare center (Serbisyo Sapasap), public market – relocation, controlled dumpsite, agricultural diversification, edukasyon para iti amin – mobile education with IT, health, youth and sports, infrastructure, peace and order, and values formation.
“The award confer for me by the CSC is unexpected. I’m very glad as one of the awardees for this year’s search of outstanding publice servant initiated by the CSC because our sacrifices for the betterment of the governance of our town will now start to bear fruits,” Verzosa said.
Ilocos Sur’s CSC Provincial Director Hedy Jose Lardizabal told that Mayor Verzosa will receive his Pag-asa Award on September 19, 2008 in Malacanang as part of the celebration of the 108th anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service.
“As a national Pag-asa awardee, Mayor Verzosa will be expected to receive a “gold guilded medallion,” a plaque of recognition, a cash reward and a scholarhip grant for his immediate family,” Lardizabal said.
Mayor Verzosa will join the five other individual Pag-asa awardees, the six winners on Pag-asa group category, the ten Lingkod bayan awardees and the seven Dangal ng bayan awardees in a simple ceremony in Malacanang.
He disclosed that the selection of Pag-asa awardee was focused on the significant role employed by civil servants who are responsive to people’s needs and take pride in the nobility of their profession despite challenging times
He also cited Mayor Verzosa as a consistent awardee as he won the outstanding award for this year’s search for “Best Practices in Local Government Units” sponsored by the Regional Development Council (RDC-1).
Meanwhile, the Ilocos Norte Water District (INWD) in Laoag City was also chosen as one of the winners on the group category of the CSC Pagasa award due to its cost-efficient, self-reliant and socially-responsive expansion of the water system in the towns of Badoc, Pinili, Currimao, Solsona and Piddig, Ilocos Norte.
Lardizabal also disclosed that Mayor Verzosa and the INWD were led the list of civil service awardees in the regional level in a simple ceremony held Friday in San Fernando City, La Union.
The search of the Pag-asa, Lingkod bayan and Dangal ng bayan awardees is the CSC’s Honor Awards Program (HAP), an annual undertaking of the CSC that recognizes government officials and employees who have displayed outstanding work performance. The conferment of honor awards aims to motivate or inspire government employees to improve the quality of their performance and instill deeper involvement in public service. (PIA – Ilocos Sur)
by FREDDIE G. LAZARO
