We continue with our listing of people who make us proud. This time, let’s focus on public officers and civil servants whose dedication to their jobs earned the recognition of no less than the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Since its formation, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has the distinction of having the second highest number of awardees after the National Capital Region. This is quite an achievement considering that CAR has the lowest number of public servants of all the country’s 17 regions.

We would like to acknowledge Sunstar Baguio (hats off to writer Ramon Dacawi) which consistently publishes stories about Cordillera civil servants. Sunstar is the primary source (here and here) of this 12th installment of The List.

The CSC awards are categorized into the following: The Dangal ng Bayan, the Lingkod Bayan, and the Pag-asa. Dangal is given to individuals for exemplary conduct and ethical behavior. Lingkod Bayan is given to an individual or group for outstanding work performance that has nationwide impact on public interest, security, and patrimony. Lastly, Pag-asa is awarded to individuals or groups for outstanding contribution and performance that directly benefit more than one government department.

But, how exactly do we differentiate these awards? Ramon Dacawi gives us a clearer idea with his report on some Dangal awardees:

“Specially moving were the “Dangal” awards presented posthumously to three health workers — nurse Rosario Magala and midwife Elena Buenafe, both of Abra, and midwife Teresita Dodon of Sablan, Benguet. Sometime in 1993, Magala and Buenafe were on their way to immunize children and distribute iodine capsules to remote barangay when they were swept by strong currents while crossing a swollen river. That same year, Dodon was coming home later after a whole day immunizing children in far-flung barangays when she figured in a vehicular accident. ‘As she lay dead on the road, she was still protectively clutching the vaccines and medical paraphernalia, the tools of the trade she loved so much,’ her citation noted.

“And who says there are no honest workers in government? In 1997, John Marquez, an engineer with the public works and highways office found and returned a bag containing P1.03 million. He refused to receive a reward.”

About some Lingkod Bayan awardees, Dacawi writes: “Baguio City Mayor Domogan was honored in 1995 for steering the city back on its feet after the 1990 earthquake devastation. Meanwhile, Perseveranda Acoba was cited in 1998 for her pioneering use of herbal medicine long before the Department of Health officially advocated its use.”

Lastly, the Philippine Information Agency gives us a clearer idea of the Pag-asa award through its report on this year’s awardee Cenon Querobin: “Querobin was nominated basically for his two major accomplishments. First, he pioneered the establishment of the Apayao Development Center in Apayao where he served as provincial director prior to his assignment in Abra. Second, he upgraded the facilities of the Abra Skills Development Center in Pidigan, Abra which caused a tremendous increase of more than 100% in the number of enrollees after the upgrading. Moreover, through his unorthodox way of managing people and the innovations he introduced in the system, the agency was able to save at least P150T in the project undertaking.”

Okay, here’s The List for Cordillera’s good and faithful civil servants. These people are proof that the common misconceptions about public servants as lazy, slow, or incompetent are not true at all.

Dangal ng Bayan Awardees:

1Lt. Jo-ar Herrera, Philippine Military Academy, Baguio City, 2006

Nadelline Orallo, Commission on Audit, 2002

Basilo Saking, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 2002

Vilma Fangsilat, Baguio City Jail, 2001

Cipriano Consolacion, Benguet State University, 2000

Rosaria Pang-et, Sagada, Mt. Province, 2000

Meriam Aldaca, Provincial Health Office, Abra, 1999

Julian Bacnog, Ifugao College of Arts and Trades, 1998

John Marquez, Department of Public Works and Highways, 1997

Joseline Niwane, Dept of Social Welfare and Dev’t, Ifugao, 1997

Teddy Baguilat, Kiangan, Ifugao, 1996

Agustina Bagwan, Bontoc, Mt. Province, 1996

Carlos Corpuz, Philippine Military Academy, 1996

Gaudelia Ciubal, Pilar, Abra, 1995

Victor Cosalan, Benguet, 1994

Isidro Vazquez, Abra, 1994

Teresita Dodon, Sablan, Benguet, 1994

Elena Buenafe, Department of Health, Abra, 1994

Rosario Magala, Department of Health, Abra, 1994

Francisca Bayle, Department of Education, Abra, 1993

Rolando Galera, Department of Education, Abra, 1992

John Ullibac, Baguio Fire Station, 1992

Jovito Sumadchat, Baguio Police Station, 1991

Osmond Belmonte, Department of Science and Technology, 1990

Ray Ekid, Baguio City Police, 1990

Lingkod Bayan Awardees:

Elena Badival, Baguio City National High School, 2006

Municipal Health Office, Sta. Marcela, Apayao, 2006

Celia Piloten, Luna, Apayao, 2004

Danilo Falgui, Kalinga State College, 2002

Elena Tampican, Bauko, Mt. Province, 2002

Ramon Dacawi, Baguio City Mayor’s Office, 2001

Thomas Killip, Sagada, Mt. Province, 2001

Valeriano Banggolay, Alfonso Lista, Ifugao, 1999

Victor Baculi, Luplupa, Tinglayan, Kalinga, 1998

Perseveranda Acoba, Baguio General Hospital, 1998

Edwin Balaki, Benguet State University, 1998

Pedro Enon Sr., Caganayan, Tineg, Abra, 1998

Armando Galimba, Department of Trade and Industry, 1998

Caroline Idos, Commission on Audit, 1997

Jovito Layugan Jr., Ifugao Provincial Environment Officer, 1996

Persinia Belmes, Department of Education-Abra, 1995

Mauricio Domogan, Baguio City, 1995

Petra Bringas, Department of Education-Abra, 1994

Candelaria Alzate, Department of Education-Abra, 1993

Genara Buenafe, Department of Education, 1992

Pag-asa Awardees:

Cenon Querobin, Bangued, Abra, 2006

Under-Five Clinic, Baguio General Hospital, 2002

Sweet Potato Homegarden and Snackfood Processing Enterprise Team (2001)

Abra OFW Team, 1999

Leprosy Control Team, Department of Health-CAR, 1998

Barangay Bila-bila, Sallapadan, Abra, 1997

Municipal Nutrition Council, Kapangan, Benguet, 1996

Mercedes Garcia, Baguio City Police Office, 1992

Silkworm and Egg Production Project staff, 1991