MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday recognized the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and other agencies and officials for their contribution to the successful chairmanship of the Philippines for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2017.
The Philippine hosting of ASEAN 2017 gathered world leaders of the ASEAN Member-Countries to discuss key economic and political concerns.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar accepted the Presidential Citation on behalf of the PCOO at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace.
Andanar was with Rhea Cy, Officer-In-Charge of the Planning and Communication Research Division of the Philippine Information Agency, during the awarding ceremony. Cy was the overall focal person of PCOO during last ASEAN chairmanship.
Presidential Citations were also given to the following agencies: National Organizing Council (NOC) - ES Medialdea, Amb. Marciano Paynor, Roland Pondoc, Revimarc De Mesa, Reginald Bernabe, Araceli Villanueva; Department of Foreign Affairs - Usec. Ernesto Abella; Department of Finance - Asec. Maria Edita Tan; Department of Public Works and Highways - Sec. Mark Villar; Department of Labor and Employment - Sec. Silvestre Bello III; Department of National Defense - Usec. Cardozo Luna; Department of Trade and Industry - Sec. Ramon Lopez; Department of Social Welfare and Development - Sec. Rolando Joselito Bautista; Department of the Interior and Local Government - Sec. Eduardo Año; Department of Tourism - Asec. Maria Rica Bueno; Department of Transportation - Sec. Arthur Tugade; Department of Budget and Management - Usec. Tina Rosa Maria Canda; Department of Energy - Usec. Jesus Posadas; Department of Information and Communication Technology - Acting Sec. Eliseo Rio Jr.; Office of the President - Bids and Awards Committee - Ryan Acosta, Asec. Kelvin Lester Lee, and Dir. Estrellita Reyes; Office of the Presidential Protocol - Robert Eric Borje; Bases Conversion and Development Authority - Chairman Gregorio Garcia III and Pres. Vivencio Dizon; Armed Forces of the Philippines - Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.; Philippine National Police - P/Dir. Erwin Roque; Presidential Security Group - Col. Jose Eriel Niembra; The Province of Pampanga - Gov. Lilia Pineda; Angeles City, Pampanga - Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan; Manila International Airport Authority - General Manager Eddie Monreal; and Clark International Airport Corporation - Hilarion Rityche Nakpil.
Presidential Citations were also conferred to the following awardees: Catalino Cuy - Former Officer-in-Charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government; Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. - ASEAN NOC Director-General; Revimarc de Mesa - ASEAN NOC Deputy Director General for Conference Management Services; Reginald Bernabe - ASEAN NOC Deputy Director General for Tourism and Special Events Services; Araceli Villanueva - ASEAN NOC Deputy Director Genera for Tourism and Special Events Services; and Roland Pondoc - ASEAN NOC Assistant Deputy Director General for Administration and Logistics.
Duterte, meanwhile, conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Gold to Executive Secretary and Chairman of the ASEC National Organizing Committee Salvador Medialdea; Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez; and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano for the successful Philippine Chairmanship of the ASEAN 2017.
The President also conferred a posthumous award, the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kalasag, to PO1 Mark Mendoza, a policeman who died on Oct. 16, 2017 for rendering route security and traffic assistance along the North Luzon Expressway as part of the route security operations for the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting.
Mendoza’s wife Honesty, and their son John received the award. (PNA)
