The provincial board of Benguet recently passed an ordinance institutionalizing the values restoration and enhancement program for its employees.
Also called “Benguet Values Restoration and Enhancement Ordinance”, the ordinance shall cover all officials and employees of the province.
The ordinance aims to reorient public officials and employees towards nurturing positive Filipino values alongside core values expected of government officials and employees as provided by law and to promote a high degree of public service and governance.
“The province of Benguet recognizes the necessity to sustain this culture and constantly reminds government officials and employees of these values to improve service quality and purge governance misconduct,” the ordinance stated.
The ordinance is in response to the Civil Service Commission’s announcement to support the national government’s values restoration program, which is a soft approach to anti-corruption initiatives.
The ordinance shall focus on the values stated based on CSC’s identified core values of patriotism, integrity, excellence, and spirituality.
“Moreover, it shall also have Filipino and Benguet cultural values aligned to it, particularly family orientation, hospitality, faith and optimism, hard work and industriousness, respect, and honor culture, generosity, joy, humor, flexibility, adaptability, resiliency and creativity,” it stated.
To implement the ordinance, the Benguet Values Restoration and Enhancement Council shall be formed through an executive or administrative order with a term of three years.
The council shall be led by the governor, co-chaired by the vice governor with members from the provincial administrator; SP chair or representative of the following committees: personnel administration, social services women’s and family, and finance and appropriations; provincial governor’s office information officer, CSC-Benguet field office staff, two representatives from religious groups, and two from accredited civil society organizations. The secretariat will be the provincial human resource management and development office.
The council shall serve as the policy-making body, create a technical working group for the crafting of the group’s plans and programs, implement and monitor the programs, and to source out funds, among other functions.
Further, the head of each department and offices shall designate three values restoration and enhancement focal person (VREP) from the supervisory level and rank file.
The designated personnel of the department or office may determine their representative to the council. They are also encouraged to implement the values restoration programs and activities in their respective offices.
The provincial human resource management and development office shall spearhead the implementation of the ordinance.
Each municipal government was also encouraged to craft an ordinance based on the CSC announcement on the values restoration and enhancement programs or issue an executive or administrative order. – Ofelia C. Empian
