The DILG Region 6 once again ended the year with a grand celebration that commemorated the successes, reflected on the lessons learned, and looked forward to the promises and hopes of 2024.

The annual Pagdayaw, held on December 11, 2023 at the Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City gathered DILG personnel and its various partners, handed recognition and appreciation to commendable performances in the implementation of various programs and projects of the Department through good local governance.

This year’s theme, “Resplendence and transcendence: Exploring more opportunities, discovering new successes was highlighted with events such as Relationship Building which served as the opening event followed by two award-giving programs of the DILG Region 6 namely UPRISE Rewards and Incentives Program and PRAISE-PISAN Awards. The fellowship night of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Employees Association 6 (DILGREA) was the culmination activity of the Pagdayaw.

UPRISE and PRAISE-PISAN are the two-award giving programs that emphasized the meaning of Pagdayaw which is “giving appreciation.” Each has specific recipients of the awards, local government units (LGUs) for UPRISE and the DILG personnel and organizational teams for the PRAISE-PISAN.

Last 2021, the DILG Region VI developed an initiative dubbed as Project RISE or Redefining Impact through Structural Empowerment. Structural empowerment refers to the ability to mobilize resources and achieve goals through access to information, support, resources, and opportunities. This year, the Project Development Maintenance Unit (PDMU) leveled up this initiative to create the Upscaling Performance and Redefining Impact through Structural Empowerment or UPRISE.

The DILG Region VI, through UPRISE, will identify the qualified LGUs for the awards based on the guidelines provided and will recognize the best practices and accomplishments of LGUs in three (3) performance criteria namely: (a) Physical Status based on submitted SWA and Certificate of Completion for FY 2021; (b) Financial Status based on submitted Report of Disbursement for FY 2021; and (c) Rating in the SubayBAYAN encoding for FY 2021.

This year, the DILG PDMU counterparts in the different provinces and cities in region 6, will also be given recognition for their exemplary performances in assisting the LGUs in the implementation of the DILG-Administered projects.

“In the performance of our function, we depend on our local government units to deliver programs and project interventions at the doorsteps of the communities and families we serve. You are the vital link that weaves together the fabric of nation development. Without your help, we can only do as much. That is why we regard our strong and dependable local government units not just as partners in implementing government programs and projects but as an indispensable force in carting the wheel towards national development moving in local scene,” said Mario L. Iringan, DILG Undersecretary for Local Government as he addressed the local government units in his message.

It is significantly desired that UPRISE will encourage, support, motivate and impact LGUs in the Region not just for compliance but it will eventually affect all LGUs in the Region to pursue timely and best performance in the implementation of DILG-Administered Projects.

For 2023, the coverage of the UPRISE will be the Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities in Region VI which implemented various DILG Administered Projects under the Fiscal Year 2021 for the programs DRRAP, FALGU, and SBDP.

PRAISE-PISAN Awards on the other hand was designed to encourage creativity, innovativeness, efficiency, integrity and productivity in the public service by recognizing and rewarding officials and employees, individually or in groups, for their suggestions, inventions, and superior accomplishments.

In 2003, DILG Region 6 conceived its own awards system named Performance Incentive for Service And Novelty or also known as “PISAN.”

PISAN is a Hiligaynon word which means industriousness. For 20 years of its implementation, it has produced regional and national finalists and 5 national winners on CSC DANGAL NG BAYAN and PAG-ASA awards, respectively which marked a milestone not only for Region 6 but for the Department. It has also produced awardees for the CapDev ACE by the Local Government Academy (LGA).

Pagdayaw has always been the most anticipated event of the DILG Region 6 giving recognition and appreciation that indeed DILG lived up to its adage “matino, mahusay at maasahangkawani ng gobyerno.”