South Cotabato, Philippines – The Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE), implemented through the Office of the Provincial Human Resource Management Officer (OPHRMO), continues to promote a culture of excellence and accountability in the Provincial Government of South Cotabato by recognizing offices and individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service.
As part of its institutional recognition mechanism, PRAISE honors employees and offices whose performance reflects innovation, dedication, and measurable impact on service delivery.
For this recognition cycle, PRAISE conferred a Plaque of Recognition to the Office of the Provincial Population Officer (OPPO) for its innovative and outstanding performance in advancing population and development programs and strategies in the Province of South Cotabato.
The office achieved First Place at the Regional Level and Second Place at the National Level in the 2025 Rafael M. Salas Kaunlarang Pantao Award, granted by the Commission on Population and Development.
Provincial Population Officer Ms. Melanie C. Chiva, together with her staff, received the plaque during the flag ceremony. In her message, Chiva highlighted the dedication of her team in reaching communities across the province.
“Kahit ilang bundok ang aakyatin at ilang ilog o sapa ang tatawirin natin, our teams continue to show up for every community,” Chiva said.
She further noted that this marks the office’s second national recognition under the Rafael M. Salas Kaunlarang Pantao Award.
Awardees are formally acknowledged during the weekly flag ceremony, reinforcing the program’s role in motivating high performance across the provincial workforce.
Under PRAISE guidelines, only offices and individuals who meet established criteria are conferred a Plaque of Recognition.
These include having received regional or national recognition, demonstrated extraordinary performance and outstanding contributions, and making a substantial impact on the agency’s overall success.
The recognition underscores OPPO’s sustained commitment to championing responsive population and development initiatives that contribute to inclusive growth and improved quality of life for the people of South Cotabato.
Through PRAISE, the Provincial Government reaffirms its commitment to recognizing merit, encouraging innovation, and strengthening performance standards in public service.
