To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools
Chiefs of Divisions

1. In order to strengthen the implementation of DepED Order No. 9, s. 2002 entitled Establishing the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) in the Department of Education, all regional directors and schools superintendents are enjoined to organize their respective PRAISE committees and institute the program in their respective offices.
2. The program aims to encourage, recognize, and reward employees, individually or in groups, for their suggestions, innovative ideas, inventions, discoveries, superior accomplishments, heroic deeds, exemplary behavior, extraordinary acts or services in the public interest and other personal efforts contributing to efficiency, economy and improvement in government operations which lead to organizational productivity.
3. The PRAISE committee in the regional and division levels shall be constituted as follows:Regional Office
   • Regional Director or his/her duly authorized representative to act as Chairperson.
   • Head of the Budget and Finance Division who will act as co-Chairperson;
   • Highest administrative officer in-charge of personnel management;
   • Any of the chiefs of the Elementary, Secondary, ALS or Health and Nutrition Divisions; and
   • A representative of the employees’ association/teachers’ associations.

   Division Office

   • Schools Division Superintendent or his/her duly authorized representative who will act as Chairperson;
   • Head of the Budget and Finance Unit;
   • Highest administrative officer in-charge of personnel management;
   • Any of the chiefs of the Elementary, Secondary, ALS or Health and Nutrition Units; and
   • A representative of the teacher’s association.

   The tenure of membership in the committee of representatives of the chiefs of the technical divisions and the employees’/teachers’ associations shall be two years.

4. The PRAISE committee shall be responsible in implementing the welfare and benefit programs in the regional and division offices to include the granting of awards and incentives to teachers/employees who have rendered meritorious services or excellent performance. The regional and division PRAISE committees shall formulate and establish their respective internal rules, policies and procedures to govern the conduct of activities which shall include the guidelines in evaluating the nominees and the mechanism for recognizing the awardees.
5. As provided in Section 6.2 of the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (Enclosure to DepED Order No. 9, s. 2002), the following awards may be given by the regional and division PRAISE committees:
   5.1 Best Employee Award – granted to an individual or individuals who excelled among peers in a functional group, position or profession;
   5.2 Gantimpala Agad Award – given outright to employees commended by clients for their courtesy, promptness, efficiency and dedication to duty;
   5.3 Exemplary Behavior Award – based on the eight norms of conduct provided in RA 6713 (code of Conduct and Ethical Standards);
   5.4 Best Organizational Unit Award – granted to the top organizational unit on the basis of meeting the organization’s performance targets and other pre-determined criteria;
   5.5 Cost Economy Measure Award – granted to an employee or team whose contributions such as ideas, suggestions, inventions, discoveries or performance of functions result in savings in terms of manhours and cost, or otherwise benefit the DepED and government as a whole;
   5.6 Service Award – conferred on retirees whether under optional or compulsory retirement schemes; and
   5.7 Such other awards which the committee may decide to give.
6. The regional and division offices that are implementing the program for the first time may adopt the awards being given by the Central Office PRAISE Committee listed in the enclosure.
7. The regional and division offices shall allocate at least 5% of their respective HRD funds to implement the PRAISE programs and incorporate the same in its annual Work and Financial Plan and budget.
8. It is desired that the PRAISE committees in the regional and division levels shall have been organized by June 2008. The employees Welfare and Benefits Division, being the PRAISE Secretariat shall monitor the implementation of the PRAISE program in the regional and division offices thereafter.
9. Immediate dissemination and compliance with this Order is directed.

Encl.: As stated
Reference: DepED Order: (No. 9, s. 2002) Allotment: 1- -(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
COMMITTEES
EMPLOYEES
OFFICIALS
PRIZES or AWARDS
PROGRAMS