PRESS RELEASE
12 November 2024
CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE FILIPINO DIASPORA: CFO ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS FOR FILIPINO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS OVERSEAS (PAFIOO)
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas proudly announces the recipients of the 2024 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO), which include thirteen (13) distinguished and outstanding overseas Filipinos and foreign individuals and organizations from nine (9) countries who will be honored by His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in December 2024 at the Malacañan Palace.
The PAFIOO, to be conferred by President Marcos, Jr., is one of the highest recognitions conferred by the President of the Republic of the Philippines upon outstanding overseas Filipinos and foreign individuals and organizations. These awards celebrate exceptional achievements and meaningful contributions that have advanced the welfare of overseas Filipinos, supported national development efforts, or raised the international profile of the Filipino diaspora.
The PAFIOO has four award categories – Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL), Pamana ng Pilipino, Banaag, and Kaanib ng Bayan.
PAFIOO Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) Award Category
This award honors overseas Filipino individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Philippine development and progress. It emphasizes the spirit of giving back, highlighting those who have actively participated in reconstruction efforts, humanitarian work, or nation-building projects in their homeland.
The recipients of the 2024 PAFIOO LINKAPIL Award are:
1. Leo-Felix M. Jurado | United States of America (Lasam, Cagayan) – a nurse, educator, and leader recognized for his exemplary advocacy for the nursing profession and remarkable achievements and contributions, which had a profound impact on Filipino nurses, breaking down barriers, fostering inclusivity, and creating broader opportunities for them in the United States.
2. Emilio P. Quines, Jr. | United States of America (Tagudin, Ilocos Sur) – a doctor and philanthropist recognized for his boundless generosity and compassion, as exemplified in his long-standing humanitarian efforts and contributions that have benefitted the diverse and marginalized communities in the Philippines.
3. Philippine Nurses Association of New York, Inc. (PNANY) | United States of America – a New York-based organization recognized for its pivotal role in securing the allocation and expediting the release of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines, which aided the country’s pandemic response, and its tireless efforts in upholding the highest standards of nursing practice while bolstering the professional development and welfare of the Filipino-American nursing community.
4. The Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation, Inc. (NOF) | United States of America – a Washington D.C.-based organization recognized for its unwavering dedication and contribution to delivering specialized care for Filipinos with complex neurosurgical conditions, which highlights its collective efforts to elevate the quality and accessibility of neurosurgical treatment for the underprivileged in the Philippines.
PAFIOO Pamana ng Pilipino Award Category
This award recognizes the Filipinos overseas who have brought honor to the Philippines through excellence and distinction in their professions. Whether excelling in the arts, sciences, business, sports, or other fields, these awardees exemplify the talent and perseverance that Filipinos are known for worldwide.
The recipients of the 2024 PAFIOO Pamana ng Pilipino Award are:
1. Larry E. Carumba | Saudi Arabia (Victorias, Negros Occidental) – a medical supply company employee for 30 years cum self-thought artist recognized for his exemplary achievements as a visual artist, which earned respect and admiration for Filipino talent from the Saudi Arabian art community and created a positive image for Filipino artists and workers in general in the Middle East.
2. Jane Y. Gerardo-Abaya | Austria (Kalibo, Aklan) – a retired Director at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recognized for her exemplary achievements and groundbreaking contributions to the advancement of geology and geothermal hydrology and her relentless advocacy for the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
3. Roberto Eusebio R. Lavides | Canada (Gumaca, Quezon Province) – a narrative artist and creative director based in Ontario recognized for his exemplary achievements in the arts and literature, and his staunch efforts in propagating Filipino culture, and Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s legacy, which have enriched patriotism and cultural pride among the Filipino diaspora and fostered cross-cultural understanding between Filipino and Canadian communities.
4. Melvin J. Sanicas | Switzerland (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental) – a renowned expert in global health, immunology, and preventive medicine recognized for his exemplary achievements and remarkable contributions, which aid the world’s response to COVID-19 and other formidable infectious diseases.
PAFIOO Banaag Award Category
This award is conferred on overseas Filipino individuals and organizations whose efforts have significantly benefitted a sector or championed the cause of the Filipino community overseas. It highlights the importance of collective action and community support, showcasing initiatives that address pressing social, economic, or cultural challenges faced by Filipinos abroad.
The recipients of the 2024 PAFIOO Banaag Award are:
1. Elvy G. Barroso | United States of America (Ligao City, Albay) – a doctor for infectious disease based in New York recognized for his remarkable work in public health education on tuberculosis, which has significantly enhanced infection control practices and expanded access to life-saving treatment for Filipinos and other ethnic communities in New York.
2. Zita T. Cabais | France (Bani, Pangasinan) – a trafficking survivor and human rights advocate based in Paris recognized for her story of resilience and impactful contributions to championing the rights of Filipino domestic workers and the fight against labor exploitation and human trafficking, which have driven awareness and movement for stronger policies toward decent work in France and Europe in general.
3. Elvira A. Dela Cruz | Morocco (Pozorrubio, Pangasinan) – a household service worker and community leader recognized for her relentless efforts and selfless dedication in helping overseas Filipino workers in distress and fervently advocating the rights and welfare of the Filipino community in Morocco.
PAFIOO Kaanib ng Bayan Award Category
This award is presented to foreign (natural-born) individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to the Philippines’ progress or championed the cause of the Filipino community overseas. This award underscores the importance of global partnerships and collaboration, recognizing those who have gone above and beyond in their support for the Philippines and its people.
The recipients of the 2024 PAFIOO Kaanib ng Bayan Award are:
1. Bader Ahmed J. Al Zafeen | United Arab Emirates – an officer at the Dubai Police recognized for his compassion and dedication to safeguarding the welfare of Filipinos in the UAE, as demonstrated in his DNA project and crucial support to ensure legal documentation and facilitate the repatriation of undocumented Filipino children and their mothers.
2.Victor Gaina | Moldova – the Philippine Honorary Consul to Chisinau recognized for his extraordinary valor, profound sense of compassion, and unwavering commitment to providing crucial assistance in the successful rescue and safe repatriation of hundreds of Filipinos from Ukraine during the Russian invasion.
The 2024 PAFIOO recipients will receive the prestigious Gawad ng Pangulo medallion from President Marcos, Jr., during an awarding ceremony to be held this December 2024 at the Malacañan Palace.
This year’s awardees were selected from 84 nominations received by the CFO-PAFIOO Secretariat since it opened the nominations in December 2023. These nominations come from 27 countries through the Philippine Foreign Service Posts across Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America.
All nominations underwent a rigorous four-stage review and evaluation process. Initially, the nominations were assessed by the Awards Screening Committees at the respective Philippine Foreign Service Posts. Those endorsed by the Posts advanced to the second stage, where the Awards Secretariat conducted a detailed administrative review and profiling of the nominees.
The third stage involved a comprehensive evaluation by the Inter-Agency Awards Technical Committee, chaired by the CFO, with members from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the University of the Philippines – Diliman (representing the academe), and the Institute for Migration and Development Issues (representing civil society). The Committee met five times between July 16 and September 5, 2024, to establish an initial shortlist of nominees for further review by the Executive Committee.
At the fourth stage, the Executive Committee, chaired by the CFO, convened on September 12 and 19, 2024, to finalize the shortlist. The committee included representatives from the Office of the Presidential Protocol (OPP), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Dynamic Outsource Solutions 1, Inc. (representing the private sector), CBCP-Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People (representing the religious sector), and IBC DWAN 1206 AM (representing the media).
Shortlisted nominees underwent final vetting and derogatory checking by the concerned Philippine Foreign Services Posts before being endorsed to the Office of the President. The final list of awardees was then approved by the Office of the President in November 2024.
Institutionalized through Executive Order No. 498, the award has been conferred by six Presidents on 540 individuals and organizations based in 53 countries and territories from 1991 to 2022.
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The PAFIOO is managed by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (www.cfo.gov.ph), an agency under the Office of the President tasked with promoting the interests, rights, and welfare of Filipino immigrants.
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For more information, please contact the:
PAFIOO SECRETARIAT
℅: Policy, Planning, and Research Division
Commission on Filipinos Overseas
Email: pafioo@cfo.gov.ph
Website: https://presidentialawards.cfo.gov.ph/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gawadpangulo
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