East Visayas nominee one of 2013 national Dangal ng Bayan awardees

Eastern Visayas nominee, Mr. Pablo U. Amascual III, adminIstrative chief of the Leyte Normal University, has been chosen as one of this year's national awardees for the Dangal ng Bayan Award. CSC Region 8 Director Rowin Riños said that Mr. Amascual, who is physically challenged, will join other national awardees in the awarding ceremonies to be led by President Benigno S. Aquino III in Malacanang sometime this month of September. Despite losing his eyesight in 2006, Amascual has continued to serve the entire Leyte Normal University (LNU) community where he works as the chief administrative officer, professor, resident ombudsman and a resident historian for 30 years to date. Amascual, who is a father of three children, believes that being differently-abled has nothing to do with the positive service he has started to render to the community that includes producing several publications in a national journal in history, proposing to the City Council of Tacloban the name for the street along the way to the New Bus Terminal as "Pres. Sergio Osmeña Avenue,” working on the official lot donation of more than seven hectares to LNU from the provincial government of Leyte and some others responsive to community development needs.

Mr. Amascual believes that "I don’t have to change because of my physical disability. I just have to continue what I’ve been doing and that is quality service. It takes more than just determination and courage to serve. If I can do it, they also can. If I can serve even without the full use of my senses, then how much more those who are more blessed with physical capabilities." The Outstanding Public Officials and Employees Award or the Dangal ng Bayan Award recognizes the government officials and employees who have shown extraordinary act of public service and consistent demonstration of exemplary ethical behavior. Dangal ng Bayan is just one of the three grants under the Honor Awards Program (HAP) of the Civil Service Commission. The other two are the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award and the Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award. The HAP is an annual undertaking which aims to motivate or inspire government employees to improve the quality of their performance and in still deeper involvement in public service. Dangal ng Bayan Awardees will receive a cash prize of PHP200,000 and a trophy designed by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva. They are also entitled to incentives such as bonuses, citations, directorships in government-owned or controlled corporations, local and foreign scholarship grants, paid vacations, and automatic promotion to the next higher position with commensurate salary suitable to their qualifications.