CH awards outstanding employees

CEBU, Philippines - This year’s Outstanding Cebu City Hall Department Head has no plans of retiring until he can solve the city’s garbage woes through a new sanitary landfill and until all the streets in the city are well-lighted.

“Di ko mu-retire kay mao na akong ambisyon,” said Engr. Dionisio Gualiza, head of the city’s Department of Public Services.

Dualiza received the award during a ceremony at the Radisson Blu Hotel last Monday. He was chosen among 13 other department heads. The nominees were judged by the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence or Praise Committee based on their performance and accomplishment within a year.

Gualiza received a plaque, P50,000 cash prize, and a two-day accommodation for two in any local hotel and resort. The second-time recipient said he was not expecting to win the award again this year.

“I’m surprised. Di ko ka-express sa akong happiness. Nakita ni Mayor akong accomplishments and I’m challenged to do more. For the coming years, we will make Cebu more beautiful and liveable,” Gualiza said in a short speech.

The first time Gualiza was named outstanding department head was in 2007. Prior to that, he was recognized four times for his performance in supervisory positions.

Gualiza has been with the city government for 30 years, starting his career as a plumber also under DPS. His hard work and dedication brought him up the ladder as division chief, building maintenance official, property custodian, head of the General Service Office and now head of DPS. He took over the reigns of the department in 2006.

Gualiza has three children, all are now professionals. He will turn 60 next month, but said he will remain in City Hall until his plans come to fruition. He said he also wants to see all barangays in the city fully compliant with Republic Act 9003 or the ecological solid waste management act by coming up with their own material recovery facility.

Meanwhile, this year’s outstanding department is the City Treasurer’s Office headed by City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva. The department got P40,000 cash.

Oliva is part of the Praise Committee together with City Councilors Jose Daluz III and Sisinio Andales, City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete, City Budget Officer Nelfa Briones, City Planning and Development Coordinator Maricon Encabo, Human Resource and Development Head Mary Ann Suson and Personnel Selection Board Chairman Eugene Elizalde.

Veronico Morelos, assistant city administrator, was awarded the Outstanding Assistant Department Head.

The Mayor’s Special Awards were given to Giovanni Stephen Romarate of Cebu City Zoo , Randy Navarro of the Landfill Section, Juvelyn Montecillo of the Mayor’s Office, Apollo Dante of Engineering Department, Jaime Dagwayan and Dr. Lee James Maratas of the Cebu City Medical Center. They received P10,000 each.

Awardees for Outstanding Section Chiefs are Rosalima Cimagala and Efigenia Velasco of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, Agnes Shiela Guitguiten of DPS, Jose Rey Pacres of CPDO and Mevelyn Sta. Cruz of the City Agriculture Department. They received P20,000 each.

The Outstanding Division Chiefs are Navarro of DPS and Pilar Romero of DVMF. They received P30,000 each.

This year’s 20 Outstanding Rank and File employees are Hanzel Abrenica and Rachel Eusebia Martinez of CTO, Willy Ardiente, Eduardo Castro and Nicolen Aricayos Jr. of DVMF, Silveriana Baguio of City Library, Cecilia Birao, Raquel Mercado, Jerson Perlas and Ruth Lebumfacil of CCMC, Rosalio Cabasa, Lionel-Claudio Vasquez and Anie Saavedra of City Agriculture, Ildefonso Cobel, Felix Wagas, Jonas Ybanez and Sulpicio Zerda of DPS, Danilo Paez of Accounting, Irish Sagarino of the Civil Registrar and William Rensulat of MICS. They also received P10,000 each.

In his speech, Mayor Michael Rama said he did not regret holding the event in a five-star hotel as all City Hall employees who work daily to keep the city running deserve occasional treats.

“The issue of holding this event in a beautiful venue brought discussions. And I said, why not? For me, our employees can be in any beautiful hotel. If I can give all of you an award, I will do it, because all of you deserve it,” Rama said.

Rama promised a grander celebration of the city’s charter anniversary in 2012 because next year will be the city’s jubilee year. – (FREEMAN)