Nerissa Mendoza-Gerial, a registered nurse, a doctor of philosophy in nursing education, a career executive service eligible and the current Deputy Executive Director for Nursing Services of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), and the Founding President of the Urologic Nurses Association of the Philippines (URONAP), was awarded the Outstanding Cost Effective Officer (CEO) Award given by the Career Executive Service Board of the Philippines (CESB) under Resolution Number 1606 signed by its Chairperson Alicia Dela Rosa-Bala, CESO 1, and other members of the governing board.
The Outstanding CEO Award aims to recognize the strategic leadership qualities of Career Executive Service Officers (CESOs) and Career Executive Service Eligibles (CESEs); whose decisions or actions create a desired level of performance that leads to the maximum utilization of resources or increased agency savings.
The Career Executive Service is the ‘third level’ or the managerial class in the group of career positions in the Philippine Civil Service.
The Career Executive Service (CES) was created by Presidential Decree No. 1 to “form a continuing pool of well-selected and development-oriented career administrators who shall provide competent and faithful service.”
Deputy Executive Director Gerial won the award for implementing a holistic program to ensure adequate number of skilled nurses who handle patients affected by the COVID-19 virus through sustained and efficient hiring process and resource planning; implementation of safety policies; initiating the conduct of trainings for proper donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs); infection control measures including the handling, management and triage of suspect, probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases in coordination with the Infection Prevention and Control Committee; and keeping the nurses committed and engaged through words of encouragement, rewards and recognition programs.
Out of 10 nominees from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) under the Department of Health, Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), 4 winners passed the standards of the board. Dr. Nerissa M. Gerial, is the lone winner for the Outstanding CEO Award.
Together with her triumph, 3 winners for the CES Very Innovative Person (VIP) Award were also awarded, namely Mr. Arleigh J. Adorable, Director IV Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region 10; Mr. Romelito G. Flores, CESO V Schools Division Superintendent Department of Education – General Santos City and Mr. Alejandro G. Ibañez, CESO VI Officer-in-Charge, Schools Division Superintendent Department of Education – Navotas City. They received the award during the Career Executive Service Board Leadership Conclave last September 24, 2021.
Dr. Nerissa M. Gerial’s impact to the Nursing profession, both as an individual and as a professional, is immense and substantial. She has lived up to par as a thought leader, and she has sustained innovation, built collaboration, and has inspired public service excellence that is authentic, compassionate, and responsive to the ever-changing needs of society.
She has displayed personal, leadership, and resilience, more so in the time of the pandemic, which rightfully earned Dr. Gerial the award that represents the kind of public leaders every citizen ought to be, to rightfully steward this nation. An embodiment of a strong and fierce trailblazer, Dr. Gerial has proven time and again that to lead is to inspire, and to inspire is also to publicly serve.