Celebrating service: IPOPHL recognizes top performers and loyalty awardees at 2025 PRAISE ceremony

October 08, 2025

The Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPOPHL) celebrated the dedication and achievements of its workforce during its 2025 Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) and Loyalty Awards Ceremony, held in September at the Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

PRAISE is an annual ceremony that shines a spotlight on IPOPHL’s top performers and employees who have devoted a decade or more of satisfactory public service. This year’s event was held simultaneously with the celebration of the 2025 Philippine Civil Service Anniversary with the theme: ”Bawat Kawani, Lingkod Bayani: Puso, Dangal at Galing para sa Bayan.

This year, IPOPHL honored 23 loyalty awardees in addition to 14 top performers across different bureaus, divisions and units. The office further extended recognition to individuals and bureaus in several categories for their significant and innovative contribution to the success of IPOPHL’s mandates.

Former Director General Brigitte M. da Costa-Villaluz delivered the opening message.

Then Deputy Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo, who now serves as Acting Director General, led the PRAISE committee, as well as deliberations on the nominees from June to

August. In his speech, Arevalo gave notice to those he called the “quiet achievers” of the office working behind the scenes without spotlight or fanfare.

“Let us remember that the foundation of our institution is built on the efforts of those who quietly give their all, day in and day out,” Arevalo said.

Awards under the group category covered Best Bureau and Best Practice Sharing. For the latter, two bureaus—one from the Support group and one from Operations—were recognized for their exemplary initiatives that have enhanced the office’s effectiveness and service delivery.

Under the individual category, the office presented the Career and Self-Development Award to staff who recently completed higher studies while maintaining a high performance rating, as well as awards for Best Division Chief and Best Manager.

IPOPHL also confers the Saludo Award to government employees who have consistently upheld excellent standards of ethical conduct and create a positive impact in the community. This year’s Saludo Awardee is Nimfa L. Peruda, who has been cited as a shining example of ethical leadership and philanthropic service.

Selecting from among the top performers, the office recognized Jan Rayyan Barraca as the Outstanding IPOPHL Employee of the Year. Barraca spearheaded the creation of the Document Exchange Platform, a digital tool developed in partnership with Brunei Darussalam’s Intellectual Property Office that has significantly streamlined operations and generated P1.4 million in revenue for IPOPHL in 2024.

Closing the program, Deputy Director General Ann Claire Cabochan reflected on the importance of the work done by the office’s employees.

“For us in government, we rise every single morning not only for our families, but because we know we have a bigger stakeholder—the entire Filipino nation. Our work makes a difference every single day whether we are recognized or not,” she said.

PRAISE is part of IPOPHL’s continuing effort to engage with its workforce and foster a culture of excellence, integrity and commitment in government service. # # # (Rawl Maliwat, Communications and Marketing Writer)