By Venus May Sarmiento
LINGAYEN,Pangasinan, Aug 6 – – The Province of Pangasinan is Region One’s entry to the national Bayanihan Service Awards of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Pangasinan’s Public Employment Services Office (PESO) was hailed as the regional winner in the Provincial Category while the City of Alaminos, Pangasinan won in the Component City Category.
DOLE Regional Director Evelyn Ramos said this search aims to recognize the PESO of local governments that had exemplified innovation and resilience, as well as offered humanitarian assistance during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is the way of the Department led by Secretary Sylvestre Bello III, to acknowledge the extraordinary performance of PESOs who continue to strive for excellence in giving services to the people despite the limitation brought about by the pandemic,” Atty. Ramos said.
Among the programs of Pangasinan PESO that led to its recognition include the Abig Pangasinan, Mobile, Mobile Skills Training project, Basic Handyman Training, Tulong Sundo sa OFW project, Tulong Pangakabuhayan project and the numerous local recruitment activities.
Documents of the regional contenders were evaluated in a desk validation held in the last week of June.
In May, the Provincial Evaluation Panel which includes representatives from the Philippine Information Agency, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and PESO. sat down in Dagupan City to evaluate the provincial nominees where a video presentation of the entries was also required.

Other regional winners include Rosario, La Union under the 1st-2nd class municipality level; Bacarra, Ilocos Norte for the 3rd-4th class municipality level; and the town of Pugo, La Union under the 5th-6th class municipality category.
Regional winners will vie for the national awards in September where nine national grand winners will take home Php100,000 each while every non-winner will receive a P20,000 consolation prize each. Philippine Information Agency