ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Sept 26 (PIA) – The
Council of Personnel Officers (CPO) of Isabela City hosted Tuesday (Sept 25) an
Inter-Agency Quiz Bowl as part of the observance of the 112th
Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.
At least seven government agencies and
institutions fielded their contestants to compete for the best employee that
possesses exceptional knowledge of Civil Service Laws, Rules and Regulations.
In her welcome remarks, CPO President Otilla
W. Ricablanca told government employees that the quiz bowl is more of an
exercise rather than a competition.
“The holding of this quiz bowl is not a
battle of the brains, but merely a drill, an exercise or a wakeup call for that
matter for all of us to know whether we are abreast or have the knowledge of
our ‘bible’, the ‘bible’ of each and every employee working in the
government—the Civil Service Laws, Rules and other updates,” she said.
In an innovative participative speech, City
Administrator Ramon T. Nuñal, Jr. asked some participants about their personal
thoughts on the celebration’s theme “Kawani,
ikaw ay isang lingkod Bayani.”
“Our first priority is to serve for the
common good, and second is for ourselves,” said Renie Egerra, Administrative Officer
of the Department of Education in Isabela City.
The rest who shared have common thoughts on
the theme, that government workers are obliged to serve the people, the classic
phrase “country first before self” seems to have remained embedded among the
civil servants.
Vido F. Yu of the City Government of Isabela dominates
the easy and difficult rounds and tops the competitors with 76 points, followed
by two employees from the Isabela Water District as second and third
respectively: Karla Shane R. Patega (60 points) and Mary Jacklyn S. Gagaracruz
(54 points).
Other participating agencies and institutions
include the Department of Education, Basilan Jail Management and Penology,
Basilan General Hospital, National Food Authority, and the Basilan State
College.
CPO Vice President Dr. Adelfa S. Tahil
reminded government workers that “we are all entrusted with a trust that is to
serve the public.”
“It may not always be rewarding, but we must
persist as this is the path we have taken. We are here to serve and not to be
served. We have all taken our oath to public service and that we must do,” she
stressed.
She also encouraged government workers to
continue working in the spirit of cooperation, coordination, respect and mutual
understanding.