Philippine Normal University officials and personnel attended the 3rd Public Service Excellence Forum held on January 13 to 14, 2026, at the Widus Hotel Clark in Pampanga. Held under the theme “Public Service Reimagined: Building Bridges to a Future-Ready Government,” the forum brought together public servants from various government agencies and featured a series of plenary sessions led by seven distinguished speakers who shared insights, innovations, and best practices in public service.
The PNU delegation was led by University President Dr. Bert J. Tuga, together with Vice President for Finance and Administration Dr. Lordinio A. Vergara. Joining them were personnel from the Human Resource Management and Development Office, namely Director Maribel G. Gerundio, Ms. Queenie M. De Leon, and Ms. Micaella B. Borre.
The first day of the forum highlighted discussions on citizen-centered governance, leadership, ethics, and accountability. Prof. Ma. Nieves R. Confesor, Adjunct Faculty and retired Associate Professor of the Asian Institute of Management, opened the sessions with her talk on citizen-centric design for public service delivery, emphasizing Ambisyon Natin 2040, the trust equation, and the importance of designing government services around citizens’ needs. This was followed by Mr. Michael Angelo Lobrin, national best-selling author and motivational speaker, who delivered a presentation on servant leadership and workplace spirituality, underscoring humility, gratitude, and focus as pillars of heart-centered leadership. Mr. Arvin Manuel R. Villalon, Acting Deputy Director-General for Museums of the National Museum of the Philippines, then discussed ethics and accountability in a rapidly changing world, highlighting Filipino core values as foundations of ethical public service. The day concluded with former Commission on Audit Commissioner Ms. Heidi L. Mendoza, who spoke on financial empowerment for public sector leaders and emphasized accountability as a cornerstone of sustainable and effective governance.
The second day focused on employee welfare, innovation, and workplace well-being. Ms. May Dar-Arizabal, First Vice President of the Land Bank of the Philippines, discussed employee rights and workplace harmony, sharing Land Bank’s employee development initiatives anchored on the 3Ps—Passion, Purpose, and Pride. Ms. Victoria F. Esber, Regional Director of CSC–NCR, followed with a presentation on reimagining public service for the common good, highlighting the importance of innovation, adaptability, and responsiveness in government. The forum concluded with an interactive session led by Mr. Paolo Martin L. Trinidad, Founder of Pinoy Laughter Yoga, who demonstrated how laughter yoga can help transform workplace culture by promoting happiness and positive engagement.
Following the plenary sessions, the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) Awarding Ceremony was held. In the said ceremony, CSC formally bestowed upon PNU the PRIME-HRM Bronze Award for attaining Maturity Level II.
PNU, together with other notable institutions, first took part in the Honor Walk for PRIME-HRM and Gawad Lingkod Bayani awardees, which was followed by the Awards Ceremony. The recognition was formally received by University President Dr. Tuga, Vice President Dr. Vergara, and HRMDO Director Ms. Gerundio, together with CSC–DPWH Field Office Director II Mira Michelle A. Brazil.
The PRIME-HRM Program aims to elevate human resource management in government agencies by strengthening systems, competencies, and practices that support good governance and effective public service delivery. PNU successfully passed its PRIME-HRM Assessment conducted on September 15–17, 2025, with the assessment team led by Director II Imelda R. Banzon. The University met all Level II indicators across the four core human resource management systems: Recruitment, Selection, and Placement; Learning and Development; Performance Management; and Rewards and Recognition. This achievement led to the conferment of the PRIME-HRM Bronze Award through CSC Resolution No. 2501275.
With this recognition, PNU is granted the authority to approve appointments subject to post-audit, avail of discounts on CSC Civil Service Institute trainings and conferences, and access other privileges that further strengthen its human resource management capabilities, reaffirming the University’s commitment to excellence in public service and institutional governance.
