[Faye posted the pictures accompanying this occasion last February 27, 2010, with the heading “Ang Parangal”. — epd]

Celebrating service
Gawad Retirado’s rewards and recollections.

Dr. Erlinda F. Camara delivered the response
on behalf of the faculty retirees.

Every year, the UPD community gives itself a collective pat in the back for a year’s job well done through the Linggo ng Parangal. But nowhere is it more poignant than during the Parangal sa mga Retirado at Gawad Paglilingkod (PRGP), where a lifetimes’ worth of service and history are glimpsed and celebrated in less than two hours.

The ceremony, held Feb. 25 at the National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED) Auditorium, honored 106 UP personnel, many of whom devoted half of their lives to UP.

Of the total, 29 are faculty, 17 are Research, Extension and Professional Staff (REPS) and 60 are administrative personnel. Each received a certificate of appreciation encased in a diptych frame and a medallion.

Noted among the faculty retirements is that of Dr. Ma. Concepcion Alfiler of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), who was still serving as UP’s Vice President for Planning and Finance when she passed away in July last year due to cardiac arrest.

The College of Social Science and Philosophy (CSSP) had the most number of faculty retirees at five while among the REPS retirees, the UPD Library had the most with seven. Among the administrative retirees, the University Food Service and the College of Science (CS) had the most with each unit losing four of its staff.

But rewards also came in the form of the newly established Natatanging Gawad Paglilingkod Retirado, given to retirees with more than 40 years of service to the University. Each awardee received a check for P10,000.

This is in addition to the Gawad Paglilingkod, given to employees in active service with more than 40 years of service to the University. Eleven were honored that afternoon. They are: Adelina Soriano of  the University Library, Ricardo Olino (School of Urban and Regional Planning), José Polon (University Health Service), Cipriano Razon (College of Education /CE), Honorio Saulog (NISMED), Aurora Villavicencio (NCPAG) and Dr. Leonardo Liongson, Dr. Rene Felix, Romeo Albaniel and Samuel Barcial and Saturnino Castro—all from the CS.

Of the retirees, 29 (27%) served the University for less than 30 years. The shortest length of service was 12 years while the longest, by an administrative staff at the CE, was 46 years. The average length of service for the faculty, REPS and administrative retirees for this year were 29, 33 and 34, respectively.

Dr. Melendre V. Araos delivered the
response on behalf of the REPS/
administrative retirees.

The formal response for the faculty retirees was given by Dr. Erlinda Camara from the CE, who conveyed a sense of fulfillment and gratitude.

“I am sure all of us retirees are going by the feeling that our work in UP has not been in vain. We have carved an indelible niche in our line of work. We would like to believe what the public say that we have created an impact in the country […] with our incessant teaching, pioneering researches, and adventurous extension services in different parts of the country and outside of it …”

A similar sentiment echoes through the words of Dr. Melendre Araos, who responded in behalf of the administrative personnel. It is an honor to have been a part of molding the future of the country…We can proudly say that in our own way we helped make the University grow, she said.

She stressed the perseverance required of the administrative staff, something she became especially sensitive to during her tenure as Director of the University Health Service. She called then “unsung heroes” because of the roles they play every single day, eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, for the past 10–14 years or more.

The ceremony was made livelier by performances from the UP Woodwind Quintet and the UP Dancesport Society while the friendly banter of MCs Profs. Regina Gochuico and Ramona Flores kept the audience at the edge of their seats.

–A.K. Regidor