PIA Press Release
Monday, January 23, 2012 Eastern Visayas bags two 2012 DSWD 'Panata Ko sa Bayan' awardsTACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, January 23 (PIA) -- Two Eastern Visayas entities are among this year’s “Pagkilala sa Natatanging Kontribusyon sa Bayan” or “Panata ko sa Bayan” awardees who will be cited during the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) anniversary culmination rites at the said department's central office on January 26.DSWD Region 8 Director Leticia Diokno identified the awardees as the SOS Children’s Village of Calbayog City as Best NGO under the Salamat Po Award and LGU Calbiga in the province of Samar for its model SEA-K KABAYAN or the Self-Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran Level II livelihood program implementation, under the GAPAS award. Calbiga’s Angat Kabuhayan SEA-Kabayan, Inc. of Calbiga, Samar, awardee of the Panata Ko Sa Bayan Awards under the Model SEA-Kabayan or SEA-K Level II category, is a merger of five SEA – K associations that have successfully graduated SEA-K level I. SOS Children’s Village in Calbayog City is a non-government organization committed to long term family care and education to orphaned, abandoned and neglected children. The “Pagkilala sa Natatanging Kontribusyon sa Bayan” or “PANATA KO SA BAYAN Awards” aims to acknowledge the efforts of individuals, groups, and organizations whose ‘panata’ or vow is to share their resources, time and selves in providing for a better opportunity for the disadvantaged sectors. The “Pagkilala sa Natatanging Kontribusyon sa Bayan” or “Panata ko sa Bayan Awards” is an upshot of the “Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan” (GAPAS) which was started in 2000, and give honors to “stakeholders and employees who have contributed to the realization of the shared vision of empowering individuals, families, and communities, DSWD Region 8 Director Leticia Corillo informed. The Salamat Po Award is a commendation of donors or resource agencies and volunteers who provided assistance in the Department’s delivery of services as well as a recognition to non-government organizations (NGOs) with best practices. On the other hand, the “ Gawad sa Makabagong Teknolohiyang Panlipunan is an award given to either a local government unit (LGU), NGO, or DSWD Field Office that has introduced a new and effective social technology deemed as best practice based on the standards set. The “GAPAS Awards is a commendation given to a Local Government Unit implementing DSWD programs and services such as Day Care Services, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, the Model Self-Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran/Kabayan, and the best People’s Organization like the PAG-ASA Youth Association, Kapisanan ng mga Liping Pilipina Nasyonal, National Day Care Workers Federation, Inc., Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Gawad Ulat is a recognition given to media organizations and media practitioners who were committed to advance the advocacy, promotion and publicity of the Department’s programs. (PIA 8) | 
