UP-NCPAG Forum Invocation - Strengthening the Civil Service System: An Agenda for Reform Through Legislative Action

Let us bow down our heads in prayer.

Our Lord God Almighty, we thank you for giving us this opportunity to gather here today and hold this forum on Strengthening the Philippine Civil Service System.

Thank you Lord for our invited resource speakers and guest reactors who agreed to share with us their professional views, experiences and expertise.

Shower Your bountiful blessings upon those people who sacrficed their time, talent and resources to make this project a reality.

Grant us Your favor on this simple endeavor of ours and use this to enable us to uphold the principle that "public office is a public trust."

Continue to empower us to promote an ethical, excellent and engendered bureaucracy.

Grant us the strength to hold fast to the age old values of honesty, integrity and hardwork as these shall serve as our anchor against the turbulence of our times.

And as we continue to fulfill your will in our lives as public servants, draw us in the wisdom of Your Spirit as You lead us toward a higher purpose.

Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can and the wisdom to know the difference.

This is our prayer. In Jesus name. Amen.

Draft Prayer:

Our Lord God Almighty, we humbly come before Thy throne of grace and mercy as we gather here today to hold this forum on Strengthening the Philippine Civil Service System by discussing various reforms through legislation.

Thank you Lord for our invited resource speakers and guest reactors who agreed to share with us their professional views, experiences and expertise, even in such a short notice. Thank you that they can see the bigger picture of transforming the bureaucracy through the bite-size changes that a forum like this wishes to accomplish for Your greater glory:

Shower Your bountiful blessings upon those people who sacrificed their time, talent, effort and resources to make this project a reality. You have truly given us so much that we are required to give You back in return the watershed of blessings You have bestowed upon us.

Forgive us in our indifference, mediocrity and complacency in performing the tasks You have entrusted to us. Help us to exert every effort and seize every opportunity like this to brace ourselves to keep us abreast with the latest in our field, as we confront the formidable challenges of globalization lest we become lost in the maelstorm of sweeping change.

Grant us Your favor and success on this simple endeavor of ours and use this to enable us to uphold the highest principle of public service worthty of emulation which is that “public office is a public trust.” Continue to grant us you grace, favor and wisdom to transform us into an ethical, empowered, excellent and engendered bureaucracy. Help us also to learn the art of servant-leadership exemplified by Your son Jesus Christ that “he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Truly our country is in a woeful state and life presents so many baffling changes and circumstances, so we pray that may you bless us and stir our hearts so that we will continue in our commitment to help uplift and change the state of our nation through serving our fellowmen in our own unique and special ways.

Grant us the strength to hold fast to the age old values of honesty, integrity and hardwork as these shall serve as our anchor against the turbulence of our times. And as we continue to fulfill your will in our lives as public servants, draw us in the wisdom of Your Spirit as You lead us toward a higher purpose. “Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, to change the things that we can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Help us to prove our worth and regain the trust of our fellowmen as we faithfully apply what we will hear and learn in this forum as we religiously perform our duties and responsibilities beyond expectations.

This is our prayer in Jesus' mighty name, Amen