December 10, 2008 was indeed a historical day for the Philippine Nurses Association
of America (PNAA). It was at the Rizal Hall of the Malacanan Palace, Manila,
Philippines where the PNAA representatives received one of the most prestigious Presidential Awards given till this day by
a Philippine President, the “Banaag Award,” Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagol-Arroyo (GMA) presented the
award to PNAA at a lunch banquet of Filipinos from around the globe.
The PNAA team was headed by current President Leo-Felix Jurado and immediate past President May
Mayor. With them were delegates from the United States: Beth Rose, PNAA Auditor
from PNA – Arizona; Pam Windle, Board of Director, PNA – Metro Houston; Dino Doliente, then President-elect, PNA
– Maryland; and myself, Antonio Jayoma, President, PNA of Texas – Cameron County (PNAT-CC).
From the Philippines were; Leah Samaco-Paquiz, President of Philippine Nurses Association, INC.
(PNA) and Carmelita Divinagracia, President of Associations of Deans of Colleges and Universities of Philippine Nursing Schools.
The Banaag Award is one of the four categories of awards in the Presidential Awards System for
Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. The system was established in
1991 by the signing of Executive Order No. 498. It was spearheaded and institutionalized
by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). The awards are meant to recognize
Filipinos and other individuals or organizations that contribute to Philippine development and progress, or promote the interest
of Filipino communities, according to spokesperson of Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
The first and second sets of award were given in 1993 and 1996 by former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, and since
then, they have been given biennially.
The four categories of awards are as follows: Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (Lingkapil) Award is conferred
to Filipino individuals or associations that contributed significantly to the reconstruction, progress and development of
the Philippines; the Kaanib ng Bayan Award is afforded to foreign individuals and organizations that have given similar exceptional
contributions to the Philippines communities’ progress and development, or have advanced the cause of Filipino communities
abroad; the Banaag Award is given to Filipino individuals and organizations for their contributions which benefited a sector
or community in the Philippines significantly or have advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities; and the Pamana
ng Pilipino Award is conferred to Filipinos abroad whose talent and industry have brought the country, the Philippines, honor
and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession.
Secretary Dante A. Ang of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, in his written, printed message,
stated that “as the Philippines celebrates December as the month of overseas Filipinos, the Commission pays tribute
to this year’s 2008 Presidential Awards System”, including the PNA of America (PNAA). He further stated that the
recipients of the awards are “being honored for their fidelity to their Motherland and for their demonstration of concern
for their families and loved ones and for the country’s less privileged”.
The Presidential Awards ceremony was held at the historic Rizal Hall of the Malacanan Palace. For
the year 2008, the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo honored 31 distinguished Filipinos and organizations from
13 different countries around the globe at a luncheon, from 12 noon till past 1pm. While the honorees and organization representatives
were being called to receive their awards one at a time, the other guests were enjoying the delicious meals served by the
Malacanan food crew that were made of assorted greens with pomelo, mango balls and Laguna cheese served with lychee vinaigrette,
cream of calabasa soup, guinataang sugpo with buco meat, beef mechado and pandant tia, and bibingka malagkit. The entire presidential
ceremony was very remarkable and historical to most of the attendees. A closing remark was delivered by a Pamana ng Pilipino
Award recipient Mr. Rico M. Hizon, the first Filipino male anchor of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World based
in Singapore.
