Filipino Individuals and Overseas Organizations 2021 Presidential Awards Recipients

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is pleased to announce to the public the fifty-six (56) distinguished and outstanding overseas Filipinos and foreign-based organizations from 20 countries and territories who will be honored by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte with the 2021 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO).

Institutionalized in 1991 through Executive Order No. 498, the PAFIOO is a biennial search for overseas-based organizations or individuals who have dedicated their work in the service of Filipinos in the Philippines or abroad, selflessly supported relief, rehabilitation, and development programs in the home country, or excelled in their field of work or profession.

The awardees were selected from a total of 117 nominations received by the CFO-PAFIOO Secretariat since it opened the nominations in August 2019. These nominations came from 31 countries and were endorsed by 39 Philippine Foreign Service Posts across Asia, North and South America, Europe, and Australia.

The awardees were thoroughly screened through a 4-stage evaluation process. The first stage consisted of an evaluation by the Awards Screening Committee established and convened by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts. Nominees endorsed by the Posts went through the second stage of the evaluation process by an eight-member inter-agency Technical Committee composed of senior representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), De La Salle University (representing the academe), Center for Migrant Advocacy (representing the migrant NGO), and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) as the Chair.

Nominees whose ratings met the passing rate were further screened by a multi-sectoral Executive Committee headed by the CFO and comprised of senior officials and representatives from the DFA, Office of the Presidential Protocol, Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care for Migrants, and Itinerant People (representing the religious sector), Dynamic Outsource Solutions 1 Inc. (representing the private sector), and GMA Network, Inc. (representing the media). A shortlist was then submitted to the Office of the President for final evaluation and approval.
Details of the awarding ceremony are to be announced at a later time owing to the fluidity of circumstances in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The PAFIOO has four award categories – Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL), Pamana ng Pilipino, Banaag, and Kaanib ng Bayan.

LINGKOD SA KAPWA PILIPINO (LINKAPIL) AWARDEES

The LINKAPIL Award is conferred on Filipino individuals and organizations for exceptional or significant contribution to the reconstruction, progress, and development of the Philippines. The recipients of the 2021 Presidential LINKAPIL Award are:

PAMANA NG PILIPINO AWARDEES

The Pamana ng Pilipino Award is conferred on Filipino overseas, who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession. The recipients of the 2021 Presidential Pamana ng Pilipino Award are:

 

BANAAG AWARDEES

The Banaag Award is conferred on Filipino individuals and organizations for their contributions which have significantly benefited a sector or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. The recipients of the 2021 Presidential Banaag Award are:

KAANIB NG BAYAN AWARDEES

The Kaanib ng Bayan Award is conferred to foreign individuals and organizations for their exceptional or significant contribution to Philippine reconstruction, progress, and development, or have significantly benefited a sector or community in the Philippines, or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. The recipients of the 2021 Presidential Kaanib ng Bayan Award are:

SPECIAL CITATION

For further information, please contact the:

PAFIOO Secretariat
Commission on Filipinos Overseas
E-mail: pafioo@cfo.gov.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gawadpangulo
Website: www.presidentialawards.cfo.gov.ph

Unveiling the Simulation Packaging Testing Laboratory (SPTL) and Green Packaging Laboratory

One of the important DOST Projects under its Big 21 in 2021 is the establishment of the Simulation Packaging Testing Laboratory (SPTL) and Green Packaging Laboratory (GPL).  This project was funded through the DOST-GIA and implemented by the ITDI-Packaging Technology Division (PTD).   The ‘Unveiling Event’ for these two laboratories will be held on June 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the SPTL/GPL site inside the DOST Compound, Bicutan, Taguig.  The Keynote Speaker is DOST Secretary Fortunato De La Peña.  Key players from the private sector and academic institutions are expected to attend the event.

 

SPTL/GPL 

The SPTL was designed based on international standards in developing packaging design, performance evaluation and in developing testing protocols for distribution packaging.  With SPTL, the current capability of PTD in developing packaging design and performance testing of transport packaging will be significantly expanded.   

On the other hand, the green packaging lab or GPL is being established to provide alternative packaging or packaging options to the consumers, and not in any way to discriminate any type of packaging materials.  Green packaging could not be directly equated to biodegradable packaging.  GPL envisions to do research on the following areas:

• Processes that will reduce energy consumption and solid/liquid waste

• Materials reduction without compromising product quality and consumer safety

• Use of indigenous and renewable materials

• Circular/Recycling technologies

• Waste utilization

• Waste disposal

Retail and E-Commerce Summit Asia 2022!

In the past, retail and e-commerce were pitted in competition. Their mediums were different, and their customers were from different generations. Nowadays, because of the pandemic and the sudden shift in the world, retail & e-commerce can now co-exist.

E-commerce is being considered a key engine for growth is evident as the country witnesses the rapid changes placed across the globe as the pandemic continues. While the e-commerce market in the Philippines has seen a gradual growth based on the 2020 revenue figures, the country continues to rely on it for the economy to manage recovery along with other means. At the onset of the pandemic, at least 37% of the Philippines’ digital service consumers were new to online services according to a report issued by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Co. In spite of this, the report also stated that 95% of users will likely continue using online channels post-pandemic.

With the alarming concerns of health and safety, the uptake of e-money largely contributed to the significant growth of e-wallets and digital payments as Filipinos opt to complete their transactions through online fund transfers and bills payment. While effects on the brick-and-mortar businesses are slowly coming up, especially in the retail industry, experts say albeit the market is shifting online, there is a significant presence offline prompting businesses to strategize on how to weave in offline & online services into customers’ purchase experience. Retail brands’ visibility across different channels increases purchase rates and as consumers today move towards the convenience of online purchasing, brands are able to understand more of their customer’s behavior, therefore, propelling personalization which is crucial in creating a strategy relevant to customer personas. Because of the growing e-commerce market in the Philippines, the logistics and warehousing industry is expected to see a demand from 2021-2022 with fulfillment centers as a contributory factor. The increasing need for warehouses as the country continues to navigate through the challenges posed by the pandemic is also likely to be automated in the future as developments take place at its maturity. As consumers like to know where their purchases are in the midst of delivery fulfillment, businesses have to be able to provide real-time information through technology to bridge the gap in the supply chain.

As we move past two years with the pandemic, brands are eager to create a more seamless, personalized consumer overall experience, be it offline or online. Produced by Rockbird Media, the Retail & E-commerce Asia 2022 – Philippines Edition – is set to gather leaders of respectable brands across sectors to convene in high-level sessions about the most pressing and most in-demand topics in E-commerce today. Divided into two programs, we have topics curated accordingly for you.

Visit here for ticket details: Rockbird

Building a Cyber-Resilient Philippines at PHILSEC 2022!

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in the Philippines launched the National Cybersecurity Plan 2022 (NCSP) with an aim to make the nation cyber secure. As per several reports, the country needs to spend over $20 billion on cybersecurity between 2017 and 2025 to compare with the “global best-in-class countries”.

To maximize the efforts of DICT, Tradepass is hosting the 2nd edition PhilSec on 12 – 13 July 2022. The event will host 600+ cybersecurity experts (in-person & virtual) including the Heads of Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Forensics and Cyber Law from the leading public and private enterprises across the Philippines.

EVOLVING CYBER THREAT IN PHILIPPINES

With 74 million active internet users and a flourishing IT sector, the Philippines is booming with digitization which is also breeding a plethora of cybercrimes. Government, Healthcare, Retail, F&B, or any other sector, the cyber-attackers have got them all.

The Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI) has taken down over 2,000 phishing sites since the onset of the pandemic. The organizations in the country are looking to adopt and integrate a robust cybersecurity framework in their work infrastructure to avoid yearly massive losses.

2,000

phishing sites taken down by BPI

869

online scams between Mar-Sep '20

134,556

android malware attacks in 2019

900,000

customers’ data compromised in 2019

PHILSEC AWARDS 2022

PhilSec AWARDS 2022 aims to acknowledge and reward the best of talents, products, and organizations that are spearheading innovation and thought leadership in cybersecurity.

Organised by Tradepass, this award program will dive into the rich talent pool of myriad cybersecurity experts and bestow honor upon their groundbreaking work that has empowered and uplifted the entire cybersecurity landscape.

Register now on www.philsecsummit.com to hear from them.

Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center - CICC Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Cyber Security Philippines - CERT® 

#PhilSec #Cybersecurity #InfoSec #Philippines #Asia #ASEAN #Digital #Cybercrime #Hybrid #Cyberattack #Cybersafe #Online #Conference #Exhibition #Afterparty #Awards #DataProtection #Privacy #Solutions #Malware #Cyberspace #Technology #Hacking #IT #ICT #IoT #AI #Speakers #Experts

Unveiling the Simulation Packaging Testing Laboratory (SPTL) and Green Packaging Laboratory (GPL) An Epilogue

One of the important DOST Projects under its Big 21 in 2021 is the establishment of the Simulation Packaging Testing Laboratory (SPTL) and Green Packaging Laboratory (GPL).  This project was funded through the DOST-GIA and implemented by the ITDI-Packaging Technology Division (PTD).  The ‘Unveiling Event’ for these two laboratories will be held on June 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the SPTL/GPL site inside the DOST Compound, Bicutan, Taguig.  The Keynote Speaker is DOST Secretary Fortunato De La Peña.  Key players from the private sector and academic institutions are expected to attend the event.

SPTL/GPL 

The SPTL was designed based on international standards in developing packaging design, performance evaluation and in developing testing protocols for distribution packaging.  With SPTL, the current capability of PTD in developing packaging design and performance testing of transport packaging will be significantly expanded.   

On the other hand, the green packaging lab or GPL is being established to provide alternative packaging or packaging options to the consumers, and not in any way to discriminate any type of packaging materials.  Green packaging could not be directly equated to biodegradable packaging.  GPL envisions to do research on the following areas:

• Processes that will reduce energy consumption and solid/liquid waste
• Materials reduction without compromising product quality and consumer safety
• Use of indigenous and renewable materials
• Circular/Recycling technologies
• Waste utilization
• Waste disposal

DOST-S4CP Summit highlighted Agri, Energy and Pharma Technologies for MSMEs in NCR & South Luzon

The Department of Science and Technology - Science for Change Program (DOST-S4CP) held the final leg of its Summit Series last Friday, June 10, 2022 at Crimson Hotel in Alabang.  Focusing on projects located in Metro Manila and South Luzon, the summit presented technologies related to agriculture, pharmaceutical products, and technologies in support of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the mentioned areas.  

With total funding amounting to Php1.16 Billion for the National Capital Region (NCR) and South Luzon, the Science for Change Program continuously supports R&D projects in Manila, despite its aim of decentralizing government funds to the regions. We have Php880 Million for NICERs (15 NICERs), Php8.49 Million for RD Lead (20 RD Leads), Php258.5 Million for CRADLE (55 CRADLE) and Php20.95 Million (2 BISTs) 

“Science for Change forges new partnerships and synergizes the efforts of our local science community to support projects for nation-building,” says DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña.  “To accelerate R&D in the country, there is a need to focus our efforts and resources on sustainable solutions that contribute significantly to the economic development of the country.” 

“Our way forward for the S4CP is sustainability. We, as STI Champions, have the responsibility to continuously encourage more partners to engage in Research and Development in the country. We must remain incessant in our pursuit to advance Science and Technology that would result in more society-centric solutions,” said DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang. 

In focus is the plasma coating technology for furniture being developed by the University of the Philippines - Diliman in partnership with Filipinas Oro de Cacao, Inc.  Funded by the Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) Program under DOST-S4CP, the project will develop a dry-based cleaning system for the food manufacturing industry.  This system could improve the food industry's productivity and reduce operating expenses by using a fast and efficient plasma cleaning technology that does not use expensive wet-based chemicals. At the same time, the system may contribute to the reduction of wastes generated during the cleaning process. 

Showcased in the summit are other R&D breakthroughs like the partnership between UP Diliman and Batangas Egg Producers Cooperative (BEPCO) to produce egg powder from low value, cracked eggs. Studies on sambong to standardize the use in therapeutic medicine is also being funded under CRADLE with Pascual Pharma Corporation and the Technological Institute of the Philippines.  

For the Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) Program, four innovation centers have been established in Metro Manila and South Luzon.  The Center for Advanced Materials for Clean Energy Technologies based on Indigenous Materials (CAMCET) is in University of Santo Tomas .  In this project, a Direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC)-powered emergency LED flashlight with cellphone charging ports and textile-based supercapacitors will be developed based on biomass-derived electrocatalysts / electrocatalysts support. The project proposes to find a solution to increase the potential, life cycle, and stabilize the capacitance of a supercapacitor using organic material. Other NICERs in NCR and South Luzon include the Pili R&D Center in Bicol University, NICER Native Pig Center in Marinduque State University, and NICER on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center in the University of the Philippines - Manila.

“For a time, the Philippines experienced regional disparity in access to major resources that would fuel innovation and socio-economic growth, which is why the DOST implemented the S4CP to address the concern and to advance STI in the country,” related DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.  “The summit is a call to our stakeholders to support regional development through the Science for Change Program. 

For companies who wish to avail of the I-CRADLE program, you may contact the DOST-Science for Change Project Management Office at 2/F ADMATEL Bldg., DOST Compound, Gen. Santos Ave., Bicutan, Taguig City, with telephone numbers (02) 8837-2943/ 8837-2930.  You may also send an email to s4c.ousecrd@dost.gov.ph.  

MAFBEX Opens Its Doors Once Again This June 15!

This June 15, the country’s premier food and beverages expo goes back on-ground once again at World Trade Center Manila. MAFBEX brings everyone to a new world of good taste as the return was welcomed by various speakers and guests of honor at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony was held at the World Trade Center, and started with a doxology and after that, an entertaining dance and song performance. 

Along with that, WSI’s founding chairman, Joseph Ang, also gave his thanks for the continuous support for MAFBEX. Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano represented by Chief Peter Eric D. Pardo, the chief of staff of the Mayor of Pasay, also talked about the importance of local tourism and revitalizing the economy from the pandemic. Mr. Woodrow C. Maquiling, the undersecretary of the Department of Tourism, also welcomed the return of MAFBEX on-ground. Lastly, Senator Imee Marcos also discussed the importance of the logistics of food and the role of agriculture in the food industry during her speech. Sen. Imee Marcos, Chief Peter Eric D. Pardo, Mr. Woodrow C. Maquiling, along with Joseph L. Ang, Levi Ang, Jill Aithnie Ang, and Rene Ramos initiates the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of MAFBEX.

Important figures in the food and beverages industry such as the Department of Agriculture's Undersecretary Evelyn Lavina and Undersecretary Ms. Kristine Evangelista, Dr. Ramon Yedra, the OIC Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Services (AMAS), Mr. Benhur Ong, Chancellor of De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde, Dean Marie Castro of SHRIM DLS-CSB, and celebrity chef Ninong Ry also joined the opening ceremony and participated in the ribbon cutting.

This year’s 16th edition of MAFBEX brings the Chefs of the World program, Demo stages, and the Flaircup Competition on-ground once again. Besides that, there are also various zones, including the Brew District, that professionals, home cooks, and hobbyists can visit to find new and familiar products that can help elevate their cooking. 

MAFBEX will have its doors open from June 15-19, 2022 at 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM at World TradeCenter Manila. Buy your tickets here: http://register.worldbexevents.com/ 

Follow here: 

Fb page: MAFBEX 

IG page @MAFBEX 

MAFBEX is organized by Worldbex Services International in cooperation with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management, and for the benefit of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation.