DepEd orders implementation of program for service awards

The Department of Education has directed its regional directors and school superintendents nationwide to start organizing their respective committees for the implementation of PRAISE, or the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence.

PRAISE has been designed to encourage, recognize, and reward employees—either individually or in groups—for their suggestions, innovative ideas, inventions, discoveries, superior accomplishments, heroic deeds, exemplary behavior, and extraordinary acts.

It also aims to promote productivity and services in the public interest and other personal efforts contributing to efficiency, economy, and improvement in government operations.

Every PRAISE committee, either in the region or in the division level, shall carry out the welfare and benefit programs, including the granting of awards and incentives to teachers or employees who have done meritorious services or excellent performances.

The awards that may be given by the regional and division PRAISE committees are: Best employee award, gantimpala agad award, exemplary behavior award, best organization unit award, cost economy measure award, and service award. The committee, on its own discretion, may also give additional awards.

DepEd Order No. 78 stated that the regional PRAISE committee shall be headed by the regional director, as chairperson, with the budget and finance division head as its co-chairperson. In the division PRAISE committee, the division superintendent or any authorized representative will be the chairperson together with the budget and finance head.

The tenure of membership in the committee of representative of the chiefs of the technical divisions is two years. Every committee shall set its internal rules, policies and procedures for the conduct of the PRAISE activities, including the guidelines for evaluating nominees and recognizing awardees. — Phoebe Jen Indino/RAE