Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace
December 5, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte awarded 25 distinguished individuals and foreign-based organizations with the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) in a ceremony at the Rizal Hall in Malacañan Palace.

“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 of this administration’s top priorities,” said President Duterte, recognizing the awardees’ outstanding contributions to the national development efforts.

Divided into four (4) categories of awards, namely the ‘Banaag’, ‘Pamana ng Pilipino’, ‘Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino’ (LINKAPIL), and ‘Kaanib ng Bayan’, the PAFIOO is a biennial award implemented and managed by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). It is the highest honor given by the Philippine government to Filipinos and organizations based overseas.

For the past 27 years, the PAFIOO has been bestowed to 460 Filipinos and organizations from 51 countries.

Foreign individuals and organizations that provided national assistance and advanced the causes of Filipinos abroad may also be conferred with the award.

Likewise, the Chief Executive acknowledged the contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) by awarding them with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) 2018 Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA).

The MOFYA aims to promote success stories of OFWs amidst the challenges of overseas employment and also seeks to highlight the role of the OFW families as units in achieving socio-civic, educational, and professional success.

In his closing remarks, President Duterte reiterated and stressed the importance of the OFWs’ contributions to the nation’s progress, and urged them to remain steadfast in their dedication to their families.

“All I ask is of you, our OFWs, to remain committed to your families as we work towards a more equitably progressive future for our country,” the President ended.

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