Subic Bay Freeport — A government employee and doctor was hailed as the most outstanding employee for 2024 by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for going above and beyond her call of duty.

During the SBMA’s Employee of the Year 2024 Awards Ceremony held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on 17 November 2025, the agency named Dr. Arlene Cesa as the SBMA Employee of the Year (EOY) 2024 – Category 2.

Cesa is a Medical Officer IV and officer-in-charge of the Medical Division of the Public Health and Safety Department of the Support Services Group of the SBMA.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño led the awards ceremony and welcomed guests and awardees.

“Our finalists, chosen through a rigorous process, truly embody what it means to be a breed apart. Employees who go beyond routine, think outside of the box, and serve with creativity, integrity, and compassion. Public service is both a responsibility and an honor. It is not defined by rank nor title, but by the trust we uphold, and the excellence we bring to even the smallest task. Transparency, accountability, and dedication are the values that elevate the ordinary work into extraordinary service,” Aliño said.

In her acceptance speech, Dr. Cesa said she accepted the award not only for herself but for her entire department.

“This is not about one person, but about the whole of Public Health and Safety Group, particularly the Health and Safety Department, in both creation and redemption. When we offer our daily efforts in union with the Lord, our profession becomes more than labor. It becomes a way to sanctify the world,” Cesa said.

“The journey of becoming a health care professional humbles us. We can encounter human sufferings, face our own limitations, and realize we can’t fix everything. And that’s okay. That awareness makes us more approachable, more compassionate, more humane. Humility makes us more humane, and our patients will feel that. Our patients will not only remember our medical knowledge. But they will definitely remember how we made them feel,” she added.

Cesa is well known in the agency for her calm demeanor toward patients and colleagues, demonstrating a team-player mentality.

Over her 24 years in the agency, she has consistently accommodated patients even when off-duty, stayed beyond working hours when needed, and volunteered as a reliever for colleagues.

Her commitment has also driven several health-related projects in the department, including the quarterly health caravan — an information campaign involving SBMA employees and stakeholders — as part of the agency’s bid to secure certification of ISO 45001:2018, the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety.

Other contenders in Category 2 were Julious Macam of the Chairman & Administrator’s Group, Beatrix Anagaran of the Business & Investment Group, Librado Canara Jr. of the Operations Group, Roderic Grueso of the Public Services Group, and Rossell Abuyo of the Regulatory Group.

Meanwhile, Helen Castillones of the Regulatory Group bagged the EOY 2024 in Category 1.

Castillones holds a Secretary I position in the Ecology Center and handles administrative tasks, while also working in the Policy and Monitoring – Waste Management Division. Despite her workload, she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Office Management in August 2024.

She became a finalist for taking charge of the regular recycling day in housing areas in the Subic Freeport — Binictican, Kalayaan, and Cubi. She also initiated the department’s digitization of records and trained personnel from the Pastolan Forest Conservation Group on filing and data management.

Other contenders in Category 1 were Grace Encina of the Chairman & Administrator’s Group, Cresencia Maulas of the Business & Investment Group, Marifel Sazon of the Operations Group, Marjorie Anne Tiania of the Public Services Group, and Sheila Mae Mari of the Support Services Group.

The EOY 2024 Awards Ceremony was followed by the Loyalty Awards Ceremony, where 175 service awardees were recognized, including a posthumous awardee. The honorees include employees who served 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years.