Malacañang has encouraged the personnel of the Office of the President (OP) to serve the public with diligence and honesty, emphasizing their responsibility to the Filipino people.

Outstanding, long-time and retiring OP employees were honored during a program for the conferment of awards and incentives for service excellence on Thursday, based on the photos released by the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) on Friday.

During the ceremony, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto called on the Palace personnel to deliver “good results that Filipinos can feel.”

“Every task in the Office of the President is an opportunity to answer that trust with action,” Recto said.

Recto said public servants are expected to act as professionals and not as partisans.

Public service, he said, lives on in stronger institutions, younger colleagues inspired to do better, and the Filipinos whose lives have been improved by their work.

“The Filipino people deserve public servants like you who never stop learning, never stop improving, and never stop finding better ways to serve the country,” he said.

Around 15 OP employees who earned master’s degrees in Public Administration while working were recognized during the event.

Among them was Palace engineering office employee Joseph Timbol, the sole awardee under the Lifelong Learners Program, for earning a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the PUP Open University.

On behalf of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Recto thanked 20 loyalty awardees who have served for 30 to 45 years.

Recto also commended 19 retirees who, through multiple administrations, “responded to the demands of the OP through years of changes and challenges.”

He likewise honored the families of the recipients of the Pamana ng Paglilingkod: former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Rolito Rodriguez of the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat and Joven Rodil of the Engineering Office.

Recalling his years working with Enrile as a fellow legislator, Recto said he had learned much from the late senator.

Recto also paid tribute to Rodriguez and Rodil for the time, skill and effort they devoted to public service. (PNA)