GAWAD PASASALAMAT AT PARANGAL 2022

A Tribute to the Modern Heroes of Pandemic

By: Evelyn Rose Hernandez

Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Regions IV-A and IV-B together with the members of the VaxCert sub-Technical Working Group (sTWG) coming from the agencies of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), joined forces to serve the unserved and underserved communities by providing systems for COVID-19 vaccination, free access to ICT and services through the Vaccination Information Management System (VIMS). These systems aim to provide a systematic way of data consolidation and make data gathering of inoculation faster than manual.

As a way of appreciation by the VaxCert sub-Technical Working Group (sTWG) headed by the DICT on the efforts and initiatives of all Local Government Units (LGUs) within CALABARZON region and inter-agency partners to upload all the remaining backlogs in the Vaccine Administration System Line List (VAS LL), the Department conducted a face-to-face recognition entitled “Gawad Pasasalamat at Parangal Ceremony 2022: Tribute to Modern Heroes of Pandemic” last September 15, 2022, held at Fidelis Ballroom, Lima Park Hotel, Lima Commercial Estate, Malvar, Batangas. This event is a tribute to VIMS partners and LGUs in terms of data upload towards VaxCert generation. The ceremony was attended by some of the DICT executives namely Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa M. Camba, Director Amelia S. Dean, DREAM Team Project Manager represented by Mr. Jayson Martinez, partner agencies coming from the DREAM TEAM, Local Chief Executives, and other invited guests.

The ceremony highlighted the recognition of the VaxCert Technical Working Group (sTWG) for their invaluable contributions to the fulfillment of the initiatives of the DICT in the implementation of VIMS and VAS line list compliance. Local Government Units (LGUs) were also commended for their initiatives, full support, and dedication to uploading all the vaccination records in the VAS LL and Vaccine Operations Reporting System (VORS). Here is the list of awardees in no particular order: Province of the Batangas - Top Performing Province; City of Antipolo, Rizal - Top Performing Municipality; Municipality of Mulanay, Quezon and Mabitac Laguna - Top Performing Municipalities; Balayan, Batangas - VaxCertPH Award; Paete, Laguna - Most Consistent LGU Award; Calauan, Laguna - DVAS User of the Region; City of Santa Rosa, San Pedro, City of Biñan and Los, Baños, Laguna and, City of Antipolo Rizal as the Bayanihan Act Awardees. Each awardee received a Plaque of Recognition and Commendation.

Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky.

They are people who say: This is my community, and its my responsibility to make it better.

- Tom Mccall