The DSWD Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) was created under Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 3, s. 2003 in compliance with CSC Resolution No. 010112 and CSC MC No. 01, S. 2001 on the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE), where every government agencies shall establish its own employee suggestions and incentive awards system that is designed to encourage creativity, innovativeness, efficiency, integrity, and productivity in the public service by recognizing and rewarding officials and employees, individual or in groups for their suggestions, inventions, superior accomplishments, and other personal efforts which contribute to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement in government operations, or for other extraordinary acts or services in the public interest.
The PRAISE Awards has evolved significantly since its inception in 2016. Initially focused on recognizing individual and group achievements within the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the awards have grown to reflect the agency’s changing priorities and values.
2016: The individual award was renamed “Gawad HUWARAN”, recognizing exemplary public service, and new group awards like the Best Crisis Intervention Award and Gawad #DSWDMayMalasakit were introduced.
2020: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, new sub-categories like center-based and community-based awards were created, and Gawad Kalihim was added to recognize extraordinary service during the crisis. Special awards were also introduced for retirees and innovation in social protection.
2021: New awards such as the Best Houseparent Sprint Award and the OSH Kaya! Award were introduced, along with special citations for personnel showing compassion and fairness in community relations.
2022: The PRAISE awards resumed face-to-face ceremonies, recognizing extraordinary individual and organizational accomplishments.
2017: New categories such as Best Center Award and Best Operations Office Award were added to continue recognizing DSWD’s core values.
2018: Focused on positive public transformation, with individual awards for specific roles like Best Social Worker and Best Manager, alongside group awards such as Best Crisis Intervention Unit.
2019: The awards expanded with categories like Best Center Head and Best Knowledge Management Initiative, as well as new special citations. The criteria were enhanced, and grievance procedures were established.
2023: A new special citation, "Kaisa Para sa Kapayapaan", was established, and a category merge streamlined public information awards.
2024: The HEART Award for anti-red tape innovations was introduced, honoring DSWD offices that streamline bureaucratic processes to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
PRAISE National Committee
PRAISE SubCommittee
PRAISE Central Office Committee
PRAISE OBS Committee
PRAISE Regional Committee