In DOLE’s first flag-raising ceremony in 2014
Baldoz lauds DOLE-NCR and other DOLE employees for starting the year right

Elated over the large number of officials and employees who attended the DOLE’s first flag-raising ceremony for the year last Monday, Labor and  Employment Secretary  Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz  lauded the officials and employees who  religiously observed the flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies every Monday and Friday, respectively, in 2013, even as she commended the DOLE-NCR for its achievements during the past year.
“Attendance to the flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies is a sign of respect for  the Philippine tri-color.  It is a patriotic duty and it is when we are  constantly reminded of how we  must conduct ourselves as public servants,”  Baldoz said.
Secretary  Baldoz, who  was cited last year by the DOLE Human Resource and Development Service as one of those  who had the most number of flag-raising ceremonies attended, said the unusually large number of attendees for the first flag-raising ceremony is a good and happy sign.
“It is a good way to start the New Year,” she observed.
Other  DOLE officials, who the HRDS cited were also  regular  attendees of  the flag- raising and flag-lowering ceremonies in 2013,  were   Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III; Assistant Secretary Gloria Tango; Directors Lily Pearl Guerrero of the Administrative Service; Katherine Brimon of the Human Resource and Development Service; Cristina Quismundo of the Internal Audit Service; Nicon Fameronag of the Labor Communication Office; and OIC  Director Teresa Peralta of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics.
Flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies are pursuant to Republic Act 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, which requires all government offices to observe the flag-raising ceremony every Monday and the flag-lowering ceremony every Friday afternoon.
Attendance to the flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies is provided under  Section 10 of DOLE Administrative Order  476, Series of 2010, which states that “DOLE officials and employees shall honor the flag and are encouraged to regularly attend the flag-raising ceremony every Monday, as an expression of respect and loyalty to the Department and to the country.”
For the first DOLE flag raising ceremony in 2014, the DOLE-NCR, headed by Regional Director Alex Avila, stood as host and showcased its accomplishments for 2013 in a video presentation accompanied by live music from the DOLE-NCR Chorale.
Noting the large number of DOLE-NCR employees at the ceremony, Baldoz said it was an indication that 2014 is off to a good start.   “This also poses a challenge to other agencies hosting the ceremony to top the record number of attendees,” she said.
“From the looks of it, it seems all the DOLE-NCR personnel are here,” Baldoz observed.

End/LetMaring