BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing an annual Search for the Most Outstanding Persons with Disability (PWD), City and Barangay government Employee of the Year and providing funds for the said purpose.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Isabelo B. Cosalan, Jr. stated the measure aims to give recognition to the valuable contributions of differently-abled individuals employed in the different departments and offices of the local government, including the barangays.
The implementation of the ordinance shall cover all persons with disability employed with the local government, city government enterprises and barangays regardless of status, position and nature of appointment, including barangay volunteers who have been in the volunteer work for 3 consecutive years at the time of nomination, except, elected city and barangay officials.
Under the proposed ordinance, any bonafide resident and registered voter in the city can nominate any qualified PWD city or barangay employee, and that heads of offices, supervisors and the barangay councils, are also encouraged to nominate or endorse deserving PWD employees in their respective offices.
The ordinance stipulated that the Search and Selection Committee shall be composed of the City Mayor as the chairperson with the city Human Resource Management Officer and Persons with Disability Affairs Officer serving as action officers. The members of the committee shall include the City Social Welfare and Development officer, Chairperson of the City Council Committee on Employment, Livelihood, Cooperatives and Persons with Disability, Chairperson of the City Council Committee on Ethics, Governmental Affairs and Personnel, City Health Services Officer, City Budget Officer, Liga ng mga Barangay, and representative from civil society organizations working for the welfare and interest of persons with disability.
The Search and Selection Committee shall issue the proper information or announcement for the submission of nominees 120 days before the awarding ceremony; accept and screen nominations for the Most Outstanding PWD City and Barangay Employees of the Year; conduct review and assessment of the nominee in accordance to the parameters prescribed; select the 3 most deserving nominees for each category and submit a final report to the City Mayor and the local legislative body indicating the winners, 2 weeks before the awarding ceremony.
The ordinance asserted that among the aspects that should be considered by the committee members in the said search include personality, including registration with the different government offices and member of a PWD organization; performance and community development impact.
The categories in the said search shall be the city and barangay categories wherein there will be 3 winners in each category who shall be selected as the second runner-up, first runner-up and the Most Outstanding PWD Employee of the Year.
The Most Outstanding PWD Employee of the Year shall receive a plaque and monetary award while the first and second runner-ups will also receive a certificate and monetary award that shall be determined by the local government.
By Dexter A. See