PRAISE system to commend best performing city workers

CEBU - Awards are up for those officials and employees of the Cebu City government who demonstrate exemplary performance in carrying out their respective jobs.

Councilor Joey Daluz III, chairman of the Suggestions, Incentives, and Awards Committee, said that they are now finalizing the procedures on how to grant the awards and on whether such would be “in cash or in kind.”

Daluz said that Civil Service Commission-7 regional director Judith Chicano informed them their policy on the granting of awards to city officials and employees was already approved by the CSC.

The system called PRAISE is “designed to encourage creativity, innovativeness, efficiency, integrity, and productivity in public service by recognizing and rewarding officials and employees, individually or in groups for their suggestions, inventions, superior accomplishments, and other personal efforts which contribute to the efficiency, economy or other improvements in government operations, or for other extraordinary acts or services in the public interest.”

PRAISE stands for Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence, Daluz said.

The councilor, who is also the chairman of the City Council’s committee on budget and finance, is hoping that with the said system the performance of the employees will greatly improve.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier said that many of the 5,000 city employees are lazy, aside from being corrupt. But Daluz is optimistic that the PRAISE system will encourage the employees to change their work attitude this year.

The public is also encouraged to nominate city officials and employees they find deserving. A selection committee is set to evaluate the public’s recommendations to ensure that those awarded are most qualified. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)