A three-storey building, with an approved budget of PHP 50 Million funded under the General Appropriation Act (GAA) of FY 2021 Local Infrastructure Program-National Building Program will soon house the Civil Service Commission Regional Office at the Regional Government Center (RGC) in Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City.
This Tuesday, 15 June 2021, dated the blessing of the site and groundbreaking ceremony officiated by Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Baculi which was attended by Hon. Joseph “Jojo” Lara, Atty. Vic Casauay, Atty. William Babaran, DPWH Asst. District Engr. Mariano B. Malupeng, DENR-ARD on Management Services Lilia Abel, RCPO President, and other executives of various agencies. Officials and staff of the regional and field offices of CSC RO II witnessed the entire ceremony at the site while other employees joined virtually via zoom.
The 18m x 36m size building, designed with a Learning and Development Resource Center in its third floor, will be occupying a 648 sq. m. ground area and has a total office space of 1, 944 sq. m. located beside CSC Field Office Cagayan-Batanes, with a total lot area of 4, 313 sq. m. donated by the Regional Development Council in 1996.
Seeing the need for a regional office building to be settled at the RGC as a tangible reflection of the profound enforcement of rules and laws of the central human resource agency in Region 02, this PHP50M construction project funded from the 2021 Local Infrastructure Program of Congressman Joseph Lara of the 3rd District of Cagayan is to be completed within a span of 360 calendar days. This building will create an aesthetically conducive new normal workplace for employees for them to deliver responsive, convenient and safe service to the public.
Director II Ma. Noemi S. Bustamante of the CSC FO Cagayan-Batanes set off the program as she acknowledged the guests, executives, members of the media and attendees who witnessed the event.
Meanwhile, Atty. Marites P. Lappay, CSC RO II Director III, avidly reminisced the journeys and milestones of the regional office as she delivered her opening message. In her speech, she expressed her warmest thanks to the honorable congressman who brought into the attention of the House of Representatives the proposal for the construction of a regional office building. She thanked DPWH-RO II, NEDA-RO II, Cagayan 3rd Engineering District and partner agencies which are instrumental in turning the blue print into a reality.
Asst. District Engr. Mariano B. Malupeng of the Department of Public Works and Highways 3rd Engineering District II presented the profile, background, description and envisaged impact of the project.
HRD Chief HR Specialist Valnizan HC. Calubaquib felt so much honored at introducing the honorable congressman who serves as the voice of the Cagayanos from the 3rd congressional district in Congress. His commitment to public service owes him the authorship of numerous House Bills and House Measures on Health, Education, Culture, Environment, Science and Technology, Agriculture and Food, Disaster Management and Relief Measures, Infrastructure, Economy, Trade and Industry and the like.
“Credibility, good relationship and noble reputation are the true marks of public service,” said Congressman Lara as he addressed the audience after the groundbreaking ceremony. Feeling so much elated by the words of gratitude expressed by the CSC RO II family, Lara feels so much proud to be part of this historic event.
His opening words “You wished for the star but you’ve got the universe,” painted joy among the faces of the crowd as he congratulated CSC RO II for not giving up to their dreams of having a regional office at the seat of the Regional Government Center. He said that public servants deserved to be provided with conducive, comfortable and safe working environment most especially now that health and safety are a priority to ensure uninterrupted delivery of public service.
“Soon as the CSC RO II new building will be completely constructed, you will truly call it your home and it will inspire you even more at serving the people. Government workers deserve a decent workplace for this has a multiplier effect for those recipients of our services. I get even more inspired hearing your sincere messages and heartwarming statements. These are the words that give us hope. I am thankful for the trust you have given me which allows me to volunteer myself at helping you find ways and means to solve our problems.
Proud and excited of this big shot, Director IV Nerissa B. Canguilan lauded the honorable congressman for his efforts of allocating the PHP50M out of his 2021 funds for Local Infrastructure Program. CSC got a big chunk which was initially expected to be amounting to PHP25M only.
Director Canguilan remembers how she and Atty. Lappay met the good congressman in 2019 in the House of Representatives during their courtesy call after the Budget Hearing for CSC. She recounts how they mentioned to him their concern about the donated lot intended for a Regional Office Building for CSC RO II in the Regional Government Center. But in 2014, the field office for Cagayan-Batanes was constructed in a portion of the 4,00 sq. m. lot. Because of this, they expressed concern that the donation may be canceled and granted to other offices unless a CSC RO building will be erected thereat. In the process, they have expressed their request for support for a budget to build one. Aware of the wise and productive utilization of land resources, Congressman Lara expressed his willingness of helping them source out fund for the construction of a regional building to fit the purpose of the land donation given by the RDC in 1996.
Director Canguilan expressed, “This is like a dream! Who would have ever thought that in the middle of a pandemic, we will be constructing a building!” Allow me to speak in the Ibanag dialect just so I could affably express my heart. “Sakan siguro sangaw y kalagawan nga Regional Director ta CSC ta intero Filipinas. Awan tu CSC Regional Office nga egga building na nga fifty million. Awan tu mappataddak ta building in the middle of a pandemic-CSC Region II laman. And this is because of Congressman Lara. For so many years since this lot was donated to us, plans were sketched, and fund allocation was many times requested. CSC has very low budget ceiling. CSC RO II has in fact only 1.6 M annual MOOE from the general fund. It was almost impossible to be able to have a budget as big as P50M for a building.”
These words seamlessly capture the happiness the director cannot contain in her heart as she is so much filled with joy and pride. For so long a time CSC RO II dreamt of settling at the RGC but no funds were available. She spilled out that the existing 32-year-old regional office building will be transformed into a Regional COMEX Center which shall be first across all regions as this can accommodate as many as 200 examinees in a given scheduled computerized examination in the future.
Atty. Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada, CSC Commissioner, joined CSC RO II virtually as she delivered her congratulatory message and words of gratitude. She gladly shares the excitement in witnessing the milestone not only of CSC RO II but for all the Cagayanos who will be benefiting from this endeavor. She said, “It will serve as a place designed and dedicated to comfortably cater to the needs of agencies and stakeholders, human resource practitioners and the transacting public. The inclusion of an L & D Resource Center highlights the premium place of the Commission in developing and enhancing the capabilities of every lingkod bayani in Region 2.
In her video message, Chair Alicia Dela Rosa-Bala highlighted the celebration of partnership and collaborative efforts between and among agencies and offices. She acknowledged the major contribution of Congressman Jojo Lara in making the project proposal a reality by allocating funds through DPWH with a very significant amount. She thanked DPWH for taking time to support the Commission technically in preparing the plan that is practically fit for CSC RO II. According to her, “I see this milestone an opportunity of having a new building that will serve constituents in Region 2 a better place with more and wider spaces. With this, transacting business with us will become more pleasant.”
Joining the CSC Family and the partner agencies and the Regional Council of Personnel Officers are members of the media who also graced the occasion. CSC RO II feels so much delighted to welcome 2022, staying and working in the state-of-the-art regional office building.