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| This year's Presidential Awardees include Tiamson (6th from left in the last row) and Wimler's Leila Rispens-Noel (in front row, 6th from left) |
By The SUN
Two Hong Kong nominees – a
musician and a foundation – were among those conferred the Presidential Awards
for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) at ceremonies held in Malacanang on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Drummer and Filipino community leader Saturnino H. Tiamson,
Jr was awarded the Pamana ng Pilipino
award while Wimler Foundation Hong Kong Limited received the Banaag Award. Previously, Tiamson was
also conferred the Bagong Bayani award
by the Department of Labor and Employment.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte handed out the awards, assisted
by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Social Welfare Secretary Rolando
Bautista, CFO Secretary and Chairperson Justice Francisco “Nick” Acosta, and
OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac.
Tiamson and Wimler were among 25 outstanding overseas
Filipinos and organizations who received awards, along with six families who
were honored with the Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) award.
“OFWs are the lifeblood of the nation. As appreciation for
all your hardships, you have my assurance that the protection and promotion of
your welfare and well-being will remain as one this administration’s top
priorities,” President Duterte said in his speech during the awarding ceremony.
“This nation will always recognize your invaluable
contribution to nation-building, and this administration will continue to craft
policies and implement programs that will respond to your needs and protect
your rights,” he added. He also urged the OFWs to remain committed to their
families “as we work towards a more equitable progressive future for our
country.”
A total of 96 nominations were received this year by the
Commission on Filipinos Overseas from 28 countries through 37 Philippine
embassies and consulates.
The Presidential Awards is a biennial search for individuals
and organizations based abroad who have dedicated their work in the service of
Filipinos.
This year’s Presidential
awardees come from 12 countries and territories and had gone through a 4-stage
selection process involving multi-sectoral representation. The Awards have four
categories – Banaag, Pamana ng Pilipino, Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL),
and Kaanib ng Bayan.
The Banaag Award is
conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for their contributions that
have significantly benefited or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino
communities. Aside from Wimler Foundation, the other Banaag awardees are
Corazon A. Francisco (Australia ),
Agnes Katbeth O. Kreimer (Peru ),
Dindo B. Malanyaon (Italy ),
Juliet Montano (Taiwan ),
Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California (United
States ), and Maria Cristina F. Sulaik (Sudan
The Pamana ng Pilipino Award is conferred on Filipino overseas, who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession. Tiamson received the Pamana ng Pilipino award along with Paul C. Balan (
The LINKAPIL Award is conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for exceptional or significant contributions to the reconstruction, progress and development of the
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| The MOFYA 2018 awarding, also at Malacanang |
The Kaanib ng Bayan Award is conferred to foreign individuals or organizations for their exceptional or significant contribution to Philippine reconstruction, progress and development, or have significantly benefited a sector or community in the Philippines, or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. The Kaanib ng Bayan awardees are Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (
After the conferment of the Presidential Awards, President Duterte
also awarded this year’s MOFYA, which is given to OFW families that have
successfully hurdled the challenges of overseas employment. It also aims to
highlight the role of OFW families in achieving socio-civic, education and
professional success.
The 2018 MOFYA awardees are engineer Mohammad Ali Sulay Urao
and family (outstanding achievement in community projects); engineer Arnulfo
Navarro Geganto and family (in entrepreneurship); Josefina dela Chica Villamor and
family (Model OFW Family of the Year: land-based); and Domingo Cuanang Jr. and
family, Reynaldo Granada Gaitan and family, and Gemelito Geloca and family
(sea-based OFW family).
The event was hosted by CFO Usec. Astravel Pimentel-Naik and
OWWA Deputy Administrator Arnell Ignacio.
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