Bontoc officials, employees attend seminar on values orientation and moral upliftment

By Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province -Elected officials and employees of the Bontoc Municipal Government underwent an in-house seminar on Values Orientation and Moral Upliftment, and Rules of Conduct and Ethical Behavior in Government Service on December 17 -18, 2020, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol auditorium.
    In compliance with health protocol due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants were divided into two groups.
In his message, Bontoc Mayor Franklin C. Odsey remarked that the topics in the seminar are of great help for the employees to effectively and efficiently serve the constituents and the public.
    Odsey added that the seminar aims to develop self-awareness and self-empowerment, and development of the right attitude towards work among officials and employees of the Bontoc Municipal Government by Republic Act 6713 on the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees".
    “I want our local government employees to be hard-working, pro-people, efficient, respectful, and God-fearing, ” the mayor said in a separate interview.
    Rev.Fr. Marcial Lloyd Castaneda, the Mission Rector of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Church in Kilong, Sagada is the resource speaker on Values Orientation and Moral Upliftment. In his talk, he underscored humility, honestly, and obedience.
Anita Verina Paredes, the Director of Civil Service Commission (CSC) Field Office -Mountain Province and Senior Human     Resources Specialist Vanessa Rose Galgala of the CSC Field Office-Mountain Province, discussed the Rules of Conduct and Ethical Behavior in Government Service. In their lectures, they emphasized the eight norms of conduct of public officials and employees which are commitment to public interest, professionalism, justness and sincerity, public neutrality, responsiveness to the public, nationalism, and patriotism, commitment to democracy, and simple living.
    As a gesture of gratitude, the Bontoc Municipal Government awarded Certificates of Appreciation and tokens to the resource speakers.
    A participant remarked that the seminar was a good opportunity for the Bontoc LGU officials and employees to know what public service is all about and how the training could instill discipline in their ranks.
    The activity was initiated by the Human Resource Management Office of the Bontoc Municipal Government.