Ambassador and Permanent Representative Antonio M. Lagdameo receives the 2022 UN Public Service Award from UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Jinhua on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – (UN Photo Library)

 

NEW YORK, 24 October 2023 – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippines was one of the winners of the 2022 United Nations Public Service Awards.  DOST was particularly recognized for its Science for Change Program (S4CP), and won the UN Award in the category “enhancing the effectiveness of public institutions to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.” 

Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations, received the award on behalf of DOST at the awarding ceremony held at the ECOSOC Chamber of the UN Headquarters in New York on 24 October 2023.

DOST launched the S4CP in order to accelerate science, technology and innovation (STI) in the Philippines, ensuring that the country keeps pace with global developments where technology and innovation are game changers.  Through the S4CP, DOST has significantly accelerated STI in the country and has greatly increased investments in science and technology, including human resource development (HRD) and research & development (R&D).

The United Nations Public Service Awards annually recognize excellence in public service delivery worldwide, seeking initiatives and programs inspired by the creativity and dedication of public servants and their partners in bringing these initiatives to fruition.

For the 2022 UN Public Service Awards, the UN received more than 350 innovative submissions from 58 countries across all regions.  The UN considered innovations across four categories, namely: (1) innovation to deliver inclusive and equitable services; (2) enhancing the effectiveness of public institutions to reach the SDGs; (3) promoting gender-responsive public services; and (4) a special category -- on Institutional resilience and innovative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across these four categories, 10 initiatives were selected for the 2022 UN Public Service Award.  Each winning initiative demonstrated excellence and innovation in delivering public services with a people-centered approach. They have also committed themselves to providing more efficient public services, indispensable to achieving sustainable development.

Other winners included Thailand, Ukraine, Brazil, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Panama, Ireland and Republic of Korea. END

UN Under-Secretary-General Li Jinhua poses with all the representatives of the 2022 UN Public Service Award winners – (UN Photo Library)