The Civil Service Commission (CSC) Region 6 conferred early today the PRIME-HRM Bronze award to DSWD Field Office VI.

“This is only a beginning. We believe that the public we are serving deserves the best. The kind of Human Resource Management that we have reflects how we institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence among our workforce. This will translate to the kind of people that we have who serve the public,” said Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre during the simple awarding rites graced by CSC Director Nelson Sarmiento.

The Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) is a mechanism that empowers government offices by developing their human resource management competencies, systems, and practices toward HR excellence.

PRIME-HRM entails greater engagement not just of the human resource management officer (HRMO) but also of the officials and the rank-and-file employees of the agency.

CSC Director Sarmiento, for his part, said that the agency now has “bragging rights,” because being a bronze awardee allows the agency to act on appointments by itself.

According to Lucrecia Garces, OIC-Chief Human Resource Specialist of Policies and Systems Evaluation Division of CSC who also attended the awarding ceremony, the benefits and privileges of being a Bronze Awardee under the Enhanced PRIME HRM, among others, are that the agency can have authority to appoint officers; 50 percent of appointment will be subjected to review by CSC and exclusive membership to community of learners.

Also in attendance were Director John Esar T. David and Donato A. Cardona, Admin. Officer IV, DSWD Assistant Regional Director for Operations Evangeline B. Felecio and Assistant Regional Director for Administration Delia Villa-Bagolcol.

CHALLENGE

Director Macapobre threw a challenge to the Field Office Human Resource Management Development Division (HRMDD) during the ceremony.

“I am throwing this challenge to my staff to never settle for Bronze. I have told them to aim for the PRIME-HRM Gold Award, not because of the benefits and privileges to the agency, but because that is what the public deserves,” said Director Macapobre.

The HRMDD, headed by Division Chief Fredylin Saclote, has embarked on the PRIME-HRM journey when Director Macapobre assumed office in January 2019.

RESPONSIBILITY

Consistent with the challenge of Director Macapobre to her people, Director Sarmiento added that while the agency now has bragging rights as a Bronze Awardee, it has also the responsibility to strive to even improve by aiming for the Silver and Gold awards.

“Of course, coupled with the benefits and privileges of this award, is the responsibility to preserve the standard of excellence,” Director Sarmiento said. /dswd6