President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Confers the 2023 Gawad Mabini

MANILA 19 July 2023 - President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., through Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, conferred the 2023 Gawad Mabini on four (4) officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, for their distinguished contributions and accomplishments in the foreign service, in a ceremony held at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace.

Said ceremony was attended by the Department’s senior officials, legislators, other prominent government officials, and a descendant of the late Apolinario Mabini, the Philippines’ first Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

The Gawad Mabini is a prestigious award created by virtue of a Decree signed by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. in 1974, and conferred upon personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs and upon Filipinos, in recognition of their distinguished service or their promotion of the Republic’s interest, in the country and abroad.

The Gawad Mabini has three ranks - Dakilang Kamanong or Grand Cross, Dakilang Kasugo or Commander, and Kasugo or Member.

This year’s Gawad Mabini, Dakilang Kamanong (Grand Cross) awardees are:

• Nathaniel G. Imperial, former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs and current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines to Italy, who led DFA efforts in promoting and protecting the Philippines' interest in its relations with countries in the Asia and Pacific. His efforts led to the revival of the PH-Australia Ministerial Meeting in August 2021 and the eventual endorsement by the Ministers of both countries of the Plan of Action (POA) 2021-2022. Under his leadership, the Philippines continued to strengthen its bilateral relations with the People's Republic of China, while at the same time protecting the country's interests in the West Philippine Sea.

• Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga, Assistant Secretary of the Office of American Affairs, who has cultivated relations with American and Canadian counterparts in their respective missions in the Philippines since his assumption in 2021. His efforts broadened PH-U.S. relations which led to the launch of the negotiations for a 123 Agreement with the U.S.; securing tangible U.S. commitment to support the UN Joint Programme for Human Rights; and strengthened explicit recognition from the U.S. of the alliance to common defense and security interests.

The Gawad Mabini, Dakilang Kasugo (Commander) awardees are:

• Christian L. De Jesus, Executive Director of the Office of Consular Affairs, who spearheaded the "Save as Pending (SAP) Project" aimed at rectifying more than 20,000 suspended passport applications. Parallel to this, he assisted in the updating and streamlining of the procedures for the Department's Passport Watchlist Database, as well as contributed to elevating the quality and timeliness of the services of the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) to the public. The improvements in OCA's processes and physical arrangements resulted in a 90.96% agency score in the ARTA Report Card Survey, garnering the RCS Silver Award.

• Elizabeth P. Ramos, former Vice Consul and Head of the Philippine Consulate in Dubai’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Section and current Acting Director of the Economic Diplomacy Division of the Office of International Economic Relations, whose leadership in her previous role has resulted in several significant accomplishments and the resolution of some of the most intractable ATN concerns in Dubai and Northern Emirates. Through Ms. Ramos’ able representations, undocumented Filipino children were given proper documentation enabling the Consulate to bring them home to the Philippines to be reunited with their mothers.

The Department takes pride in having Gawad Mabini awardees among its ranks, who continue to serve as an inspiration for the delivery of excellent public service. END