Outstanding overseas Filipinos and groups receive Presidential Awards

Fifty-six distinguished Filipino individuals and organizations overseas received the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO).

Fifty-six distinguished Filipino individuals and organizations overseas received the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) at an awarding ceremony on June 29 at Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay City.

On behalf of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Commission on Filipinos Overseas Secretary and Chairperson Justice Francisco P. Acosta (Ret.) conferred the most inclusive and the highest honor given by the Philippine government to Filipinos and organizations based overseas.

The PAFIOO awardees were selected from a total of 117 nominations from 31 countries, endorsed by 39 Philippine Foreign Service Posts across Asia, North and South America, Europe, and Australia.

Nominees whose ratings met the passing grade set by the Technical Committee were further screened by a multi-sectoral Executive Committee headed by the CFO and comprised of senior officials and representatives from the DFA, Office of the Presidential Protocol, Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care for Migrants, and Itinerant People (ECMI), Dynamic Outsource Solutions 1 Inc. (DOS-1), and GMA Network, Inc. A shortlist was then submitted to the Office of the President for final evaluation and approval.

The Presidential Awards have four distinct categories – Kaanib ng Bayan, Lingkod Sa Kapwa Pilipino, Banaag, and Pamana ng Pilipino.

The LINKAPIL Award is conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for exceptional or significant contributions to the reconstruction, progress, and development of the Philippines. See the list of LINKAPIL awardees here.