BUTUAN CITY - The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) on Thursday, June 29, announced the start of the nationwide 2023 Rafael M. Salas Kaunlarang Pantao Award (RMS-KPA) Search for Most Outstanding Barangay Population Volunteers and Workers. CPD-Caraga Director Alexander A. Makinano said the search will choose prime-movers in promoting and advancing population and development programs and strategies on the local level. The RMS-KPA for this year is designed to acknowledge the efforts of the barangay population volunteers and workers called “Bayani ng Komunidad” (Heroes of the Community) who exhibited exemplary performance, commitment, and dedication in the delivery of information and services to their respective locality in empowering Filipino families and communities, he said. This year’s search will cover the performance of the community volunteers for 2020 to 2022 and specifically give focus on the initiatives and strategies employed within the onset of the pandemic up to the present, Makinano said. The CPD said nominees shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:  Performance,  40 percent; impact of performance and achievement, 20 percent; demonstrated commitment and dedication, 20 percent, and integrity and professionalism, 20 percent. All interested applicants were encouraged to prepare Letter of Expression addressed to the municipal or city population officer. The provincial or city population officers shall screen all interested applicants following the attached criteria and only one nominee will be officially endorsed to the region. This year’s national search has two specific awards for the Most Outstanding BPVs – city and municipal category. The top three winners in both categories shall receive P100,000, P75,000, and P50,000 each, the CPD added.