Philippine Diplomatic Visits: Philippine Diplomatic Visits

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Philippine Diplomatic Orders & Decorations

a. Order. An Order is an award that grants membership in an exclusive association of honored individuals, and which by tradition carries with it distinctive insignia to be worn by recipients.

b. Decoration. A Decoration is a wearable award usually conferred for a specific act of meritorious service

Order of Sikatuna

Created by Executive Order No. 571 dated February 27, 1953, as amended, in commemoration of the first treaty (Pacto de Sangre) between the Philippines and a foreign country, the Order of Sikatuna is an Order of diplomatic merit conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippines, upon diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who have rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines, or upon personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), both in the Home Office and in the Foreign Service.

The Order of Sikatuna may be awarded by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the name and by authority of the President.

The Order of Sikatuna shall be composed of the following ranks:

Grand Collar (Raja) - Conferred upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government

Grand Cross (Datu) - The Grand Cross shall have two (2) distinctions:" (i) Gold (Katangiang Ginto) and (ii) Silver (Katangiang Pilak). The Grand Cross may be conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Grand Officer (Maringal na Lakan) - Conferred upon a Charge d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Commander (Lakan) - Conferred upon a Charge d'affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Officer (Maginoo) - Conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Member (Maharlika) - Conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Order of Lakandula

The Order of Lakandula is an Order of political and civic merit awarded in memory of Lakandula's dedication to the responsibilities of leadership, prudence, fortitude, courage and resolve in the service of one's people.

The Order of Lakandula is conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen:

a. who has demonstrated by his life and deeds a dedication to the welfare of society;

b. whose life is worthy of emulation by the Filipino people;

c. for deeds worthy of particular recognition, including suffering materially for the preservation and defense of the democratic way of life and of the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines, for devoting his life to the peaceful resolution of conflict, or for demonstrating an outstanding dedication to the fostering of mutual understanding, cultural exchange, justice and dignified relations among individuals; or

d. for acts that have been traditionally recognized by the institution of presidential awards, including meritorious political and civic service.

The Order of Lakandula shall be composed of the following ranks:

Grand Collar (Supremo) - Conferred upon an individual who has suffered materially for the preservation and defense of the democratic way of life or of the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government

Grand Cross (Bayani) - Conferred upon an individual who has devoted his life to the peaceful resolution of conflict; upon an individual whose life is worthy of emulation by the Filipino people; or upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno) - Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated a life-long dedication to the political and civic welfare of society; or upon a Charge d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Commander (Komandante) - Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated exceptional deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Charge d'affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Officer (Pinuno) - Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated commendable deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Member (Kagawad) - Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated meritorious deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Third
Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Philippine Legion of Honor

Created by Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947, the Philippine Legion of Honor is conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen in recognition of valuable and meritorious service in relation to the military affairs of the Republic of the Philippines.

To signify the importance of the civil service in military affairs in the preservation of the honor of the Republic of the Philippines and in nation building, the Philippine Legion of Honor shall henceforth be conferred on the anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence.

The Philippine Legion of Honor may be awarded by the Secretary of National Defense in the name and by authority of the President.

The civilian division of the Philippine Legion of Honor shall be composed of the following ranks:

Chief Commander (Punong Komandante) - Conferred upon a civilian for life achievement in public service not otherwise qualifying for the Quezon Service Cross; or upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government

Grand Commander (Maringal na Komandante) - Conferred upon a civilian for singular acts of service with a tangible impact on the Philippine military sphere; or upon a Crown Prince, Vice, President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank; or upon an Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing for life achievement in the military field.

Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno) - Conferred upon a civilian for acts of exemplary merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Charge d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Commander (Komandante) - Conferred upon a civilian for acts of conspicuous merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Charge d'affaires, a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of ,In Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Officer (Pinuno) - Conferred upon a civilian for acts of commendable merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Legionnaire (Lehiyonaryo) - Conferred upon a civilian for acts of merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Order of Gabriela Silang

The Order of Gabriela Silang may be conferred upon the spouses of heads of State and/or of government, both Filipino and foreign.

Order of the Golden Heart

Created by Executive Order 40-A dated June 21, 1954, the Golden Heart Presidential Award is hereby renamed the Order of the Golden Heart.

The Order of the Golden Heart gives official recognition to Filipino or foreign citizens who have rendered distinguished services or given noteworthy monetary or other material aid, encouragement to the campaign for the amelioration and improvement of the moral, social, and economic conditions of the Filipino masses, and for volunteerism in the service of the Filipino masses.

The Order of the Golden Heart shall be composed of the following ranks:

Grand Collar (Maringal na Kuwintas)- Conferred upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government

Grand Cross (Maringal na Krus) - Conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank; or upon an Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno) - Conferred upon a Charge d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Commander (Komandante) - Charge d'affaires, a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Officer (Pinuno) - Conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Member (Kagawad) - Conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing