DECREE CREATING AN ORDER TO BE KNOWN AS THE "GAWAD MABINI" AWARD

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 490
• Sections: 10

Preamble

I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by

virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant

to the Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General

Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, do hereby decree, order and make

as part of the Law of the Land the following measures:

Section 1

SECTION 1. There is hereby created an award to be known as

the "Gawad Mabini", to be conferred by the President of the Philippines

on personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs, both in the Home

Office and in the Foreign Service, as well as on other Filipinos who

have rendered distinguished service or promoted the interests of the

Republic of the Philippines at home and abroad.

Section 2

SEC. 2. The "Gawad Mabini" shall be of three ranks:

Dakilang Kamanong—To be awarded to the incumbent or

former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs

Officers with the rank of Chief of Mission, and Cabinet Members or other

high officials who have headed a Philippine delegation to an important

international conference on a ministerial level and have made

substantive contributions in the interest of the government and public

welfare as a result of their participation in such conference.

Dakilang Kasugo—To be awarded to officers from Career

Minister to Foreign Service Officer Class IV and to personnel of other

government agencies serving as attaches in Foreign Service

establishments who must have been recommended by the Chief of Mission or

the Principal Officer of the post where they have served, as the case

may be, or by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, in the case of officers

in the Home Office.

Kasugo—To be awarded to staff officers and employees of

the Department of Foreign Affairs. Nominees must have been recommended

by the Chief of Mission or the Principal Officer of the post where they

have served, as the case may be, or by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs,

in the case of personnel in the Home Office.

Section 3

SEC. 3. Before any Philippine government official or

employee may be entitled to the Dakilang Kasugo or Kasugo,

he must have rendered distinguished service, or helped promote the

interests and prestige of the Philippines abroad, and must have served

at least a minimum of four years in the Department of Foreign Affairs,

provided that such prescribed period shall not apply in extraordinary

circumstances, such as in display of acts of heroism or loyal

performance of responsibility beyond the call of duty, as decided by the

President upon recommendation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Section 4

SEC. 4. The decoration "Gawad Mabini" may be

awarded posthumously in any of the three ranks, to any person entitled

thereto, in which case the decoration shall be received by his legal

heirs or if there be no heir or nearest of kin, by any person designated

by the President of the Philippines, or by the Secretary of Foreign

Affairs, acting by authority of the President, on behalf of the

deceased.

Section 5

SEC. 5. The form, make and design of the "Gawad Mabini"

award as well as the manner of wearing it and other details shall be

prescribed in such rules and regulations as may be proposed by the

Philippine Heraldry Committee and approved by the President of the

Philippines.

Section 6

SEC. 6. Nominees for the conferment of "Gawad Mabini"

with the highest rank, Dakilang Kamanong, shall be duly screened

by a Committee to be appointed by the President. Nominees for the

conferment of the "Gawad Mabini" with the rank of either Dakilang

Kasugo or Kasugo shall be duly screened by a Committee

Composed of the following: Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Chairman; the

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Executive Secretary, the

Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Members; and the Director of Protocol

of the Department of Foreign Affairs as Secretary.

Section 7

SEC. 7. With the exception of the rank of Dakilang

Kamanong, the award may be conferred by the Secretary of Foreign

Affairs in the name, and by authority of the President.

Section 8

SEC. 8. The decoration "Gawad Mabini" shall be conferred

annually on 22 July, the birthday anniversary of Apolinario Mabini, the

first Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the

Philippines.

Section 9

SEC. 9. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 24th day of June in the year

of Our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four.

(Sgd.)

FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.)

ALEJANDRO MELCHOR

Executive Secretary