The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) named its MIMAROPA regional office as the country’s most outstanding among 17 regional offices during the agency’s 127th founding anniversary Monday.

DPWH MIMAROPA Region, led by Regional Director Gerald Pacanan and Assistant Regional Director Ruben Santos, received the recognition based on technical performance, planning, financial management, procurement and stakeholder engagement.

The award was determined by DPWH’s Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) Committee, which evaluates offices across multiple performance criteria.

In a separate recognition, the DPWH Palawan 3rd District Engineering Office, headed by Engineer Amelia Fajardo, was named the most outstanding among 197 district engineering offices nationwide using similar evaluation standards.

Engineer Ralph Pestaño from the same Palawan office also claimed the 2025 National Engineers’ Olympiad championship, recognizing technical knowledge and expertise.

In a message of appreciation, Pacanan called the regional award “the very first of such recognition that DPWH MIMAROPA Region has received since its establishment.”

“This is not merely an award; it is a testament to the collective efforts and dedication to excellence of a region that has risen from modest beginnings with dignity, commitment, and unity toward national recognition,” he said.

Pacanan, who became regional director in October 2021, said the award belongs to field engineers, administrative staff, planning teams, maintenance crews and all personnel who contributed to the collective mission.

MIMAROPA encompasses the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

The DPWH, established in 1898, oversees the country’s road networks, bridges and other public infrastructure projects.