A total of 112 city government retirees were honored for their years of service during Tuesday’s Davao Pasasalamat 2022 at the SM Lanang Premier.
Spearheaded by the Davao City Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), the Pasasalamat program is an annual thanksgiving event to show gratitude and appreciation to the retiring public servants under the local government unit. Tuseday’s Pasasalamat marked the return of the program to a face-to-face setting after two years of virtual celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program was attended by Acting City Administrator Atty. Francis Mark Layog, HRMO Head Melody Herrera, Commission on Civil Service XI Director Cyril Nathan Eamiguel, city government department heads, other public officials and relatives of the retirees.
During the event, the retirees were welcomed by a marching band, followed by a “Pista sa Nayon” themed vignette show by the Sining Sayon Dawit Ensemble from the Davao City National High School.
Each retiree was then presented with a plaque of appreciation. They also received cash incentives based on their years in service (P1,000 for each year of employment under the city government).
Layog thanked the 112 “dedicated government employees who have poured their hearts into public service.”
He said reaching this phase in their public service career is a “testament to countless hours of dedication, hard-work and sacrifices” that benefitted the entire city and its people.
Layog also said Mayor Sebastian Duterte has pledged to give P50,000 to each retiree.
Eamiguel called the retirees “lingkod-bayanis” who are heroes in their own right for living lives “dedicated in rendering public service with utmost responsibility, integrity loyalty and efficiency”.
He said retirement will free the public servants from many constraints and will allow them to finally put their own interests first before the interests of their public office.
“Once you retire, you can do anything that your heart desires without taking a second thought that it might hamper the delivery(of government service). You deserve such break,” Eamiguel added.
Herrera assured the public servants that “retirement is not a deadline” nor is it solely the juncture of goodbyes. She said the employees’ commitment and dedication to the city will leave a legacy that will perpetually benefit generations to come.
“Collective efforts will remain with us and give us wisdom in our hope of providing better service to our fellow Dabawenyos. Davao City will surely continue to benefit from their years of excellent public service,” Herrera said. CIO
