MMSU employees and units that rendered exemplary performance in the past year received plaques and certificates of recognition and cash during the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) program held at the university covered court on January 16.

Marissa I. Atis and Cenon L. Rigonan of the MMSU Research Directorate were recognized as outstanding researcher and research support staff, respectively. 

The College of Aquatic Sciences and Applied Technology (CASAT) obtained the Timpuyog Award for the unity of its faculty and staff in delivering quality academic services to the students and clientele.

Aside from these, Presidential Awards were conferred upon the following former and outgoing employees for their dedicated services in their respective fields: Atty. Ramon A Leaño as vice president for administration for more than 10 years; Dr. Epifania Agustin as vice president for research, extension and business for more than 11 years; Dr. Miriam E. Pascuaas university president for 10 years; Dr. Lucena Felipe as university librarian for almost 14 years; Dr. Artemio B. Alcoy as dean of CAFSD for more than six years; and Felina J. Isaac as university registrar for 14 years.

Presidential Awards were also given to three employees who brought honor to the university: Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. for being recognized as Outstanding Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer for 2019; Dr. Maria Eliza S. Lopez for having been awarded as Ulirang Guro 2019 by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino; and Christine Joy S. Lim for landing 7th place in the October 2019 Psychology Licensure Examination.

Other employees and groups also received the same award for their extraordinary services: Dr. Elizabeth Marfel F. Gagni (chief, University Psychological Testing Center); Prof. Reynold P. Villacillo (chief, Knowledge Management Unit); Dr. Mee Jay A. Domingo (director, External Linkages and Partnerships); Nataliza L. Llapitan (coordinator, university Gender and Development); Office of the Board Secretary for working with the President an extra mile in coping with the voluminous work and projects;  Food Service for generating the highest income for the university; quality management system (QMS) team for establishing and implementing the QMS that led the whole university in attaining ISO 9001:2015 certification; quacquarelli symonds (QS) team for collecting and preparing needed documents for the QS Stars the led the university in obtaining a 3 QS Stars rating; Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) team for the development of Special EcoZone Institute in Region I;  Physical Plant and General Services Directorate (PPGSD) Electrical and Electronics team for providing prompt service to the university anytime; Coordinated Agribusiness, Research, and Extension Strategies (CARES) team for consolidating the landholdings of the university to showcase technology in partnership with the farmer-cooperators; and the Information Technology Center (ITC) for being the key player in transforming the university into e-MMSU.

Six departments also received the Presidential Award for being the best performing degree programs: elementary education, pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy, and forestry for their exemplary performance in licensure examinations; and the agricultural sciences (crop science) as the first graduate program to obtain certificate of program compliance from the Commission on Higher Education.

The group of Charito Samsam, Joselito Rosario, Sergia Garma, and Roseller Ayson also received Presidential Award for bagging the best poster award in the 41st National Academy of Science and Technology Scientific Meeting last year.

Other Presidential awardees were Reynold M. Caoili and Irene Abigail Guererro for being the top PhD graduates at UPLB; and other 15 MMSU scholars -- Ruth Ann Claricel P. Batin, Elpidio P. Cadalzo, Jr., Bobby A. Eclarin, Edwin F. Galutira, Jerwin Mark L. Guillermo, Myra R. Lampitoc, Mark R. Limon, Pilar Carolyn V. Pascual, Danica Hannah A. Pastor, Society V. Salcedo, Robert A. Salvador, Karen Joyce C. Santiago, John Vincent B. Toribio, James V. Vicente, and Dinah C. Vidad. Ninety-six university employees also received loyalty awards for rendering 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service in the government.

The PRAISE Award Committee also conferred the special award to MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis for being a recipient of the William D. Dar Research Leadership Award from the Philippine Association of Research Managers, Inc.