Honors Code of the Philippines

Policy, purpose, and coverage limits

The Honors Code is designed to rationalize the roster of civil awards and decorations of the Philippines.
It aims to ensure consistency of criteria in conferring honors and to preserve integrity and prestige.
It clarifies and definitively establishes the order of precedence of the honors.
It conforms to internationally-accepted traditional and protoco(l)ar norms and practices.
It emphasizes that the Honors covered by the Honors Code have exceptional prestige, and only those enumerated as Honors within the Order of Precedence are considered Honors under the Code (Section 1).
It distinguishes Honors from other tangible presidential recognitions by limiting “Honors” to the enumerated categories (Section 1 and Section 7).

Definitions: Orders, Decorations, Medals, Awards

An Order is an award that grants membership in an exclusive association of honored individuals and carries distinctive insignia to be worn by recipients (Section 2).
A Decoration is a wearable award usually conferred for a specific act of meritorious service (Section 2).
A Medal is a wearable award usually conferred to recognize service and/or achievement or to commemorate a significant event (Section 2).
An Award is a tangible means of recognizing accomplishment and/or merit, usually in the form of a citation, plaque, trophy or medallion (Section 2).
Orders, Decorations, and Medals are collectively referred to as Honors for purposes of this Executive Order (Section 2).

Official order of precedence

The Honors Code officially ranks civilian honors conferred by the Republic of the Philippines, past and future (Section 3).
The Order of Precedence runs in descending order as follows (Section 3):
- Quezon Service Cross
- Order of Lakandula
- Order of Sikatuna
- Philippine Legion of Honor
- Order of Gabriela Silang
- Order of National Artists
- Order of National Scientists
- Order of National Social Scientists
- Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
- Gawad Mabini
- Order of the Golden Heart
- Presidential Medal of Merit
It expressly limits “Honors” for this Code to those enumerated in the Order of Precedence (Section 1).

Designation of responsible offices and protocol functions

The Chancellery of Philippine Orders and State Decorations is created in the Office of Presidential Protocol (Section 8).
The Chancellery is responsible, in coordination with the Office of Protocol and State Visits of the DFA, for implementing the Honors Code and all technical and protocular matters relating to it (Section 8).
The Chancellery must maintain and update a roster of all individuals (Filipino or foreign) who received Honors and provide copies to the Office of Protocol and State Visits, DFA and the Heraldry and Display Section, National Historical Institute (NHI) (Section 8).
The Chancellery must promulgate and update guidelines for general distribution on the Order and Manner of Wear (Section 8).
It must recommend modifications to the Order of Precedence and/or the Honors Code when changing circumstances and conditions so warrant (Section 8).
In consultation with the Heraldry and Display Section, NHI, it must create, maintain, revise, redesign, and/or enhance technical drawings and schematics for official specifications of Orders, Decorations, Medals, and Presidential Awards, unless directed otherwise by the President (Section 8).
Consistent with procurement laws, it must approve manufacturers/suppliers of Orders, Decorations, Medals, Presidential Awards, and related items to ensure consistent quality, in consultation with the Heraldry and Display Section, NHI (Section 8).
It must supervise and ensure adherence by manufacturers/suppliers to promulgated specifications (Section 8).
It must promulgate guidelines to implement the Executive Order subject to Presidential approval (Section 8).
It performs other functions necessary to achieve the objectives and consistent with the Executive Order (Section 8).

Committee on Honors and nomination evaluation

A Committee on Honors is created to assist the President in evaluating nominations for recipients of Honors under the Code and Presidential Awards (Section 9).
The Committee consists of:
- Chairman: Executive Secretary
- Vice Chairman: Secretary of Foreign Affairs
- Members: Head, Presidential Management Staff; Presidential Assistant for Historical Affairs; Chief of Presidential Protocol; Chief of Protocol and State Visits, DFA (Section 9).
The Committee may authorize relevant departments or agencies to maintain Honors/Awards Committees to process nominations (Section 9).
The Committee meets quarterly or as often as it deems necessary (Section 9).
The Chancellery provides necessary technical and administrative support to the Committee (Section 9).

Order and manner of wear

The Chancellery of Philippine Orders and State Decorations prescribes the Order and Manner of Wear for all Orders, Decorations, Medals (and/or other Presidential Awards), including those conferred by foreign governments, states, institutions, and/or individuals (Section 4).
The prescriptive “Order and Manner of Wear” means the prescribed order and manner in which insignia are worn, consistent with the Order of Precedence (Section 4).

Honors conferred: scope, eligibility, and ranks

Honors listed under the Order of Precedence are the enumerated civil honors officially ranked by the Honors Code (Section 3 and Section 5).
All specific Honors are conferred consistent with their eligibility rules, rank compositions, and conferment authorities stated in Section 5.

Quezon Service Cross

The Quezon Service Cross is a Decoration conferred by the President with the concurrence of Congress, upon Filipino citizens for exemplary service to the nation in a manner and degree that adds great prestige to the Republic or contributes to lasting benefit of its people (Section 5).
Nominations must state the services meriting the award and may be made only where the service performed or contribution made can be measured on the scale established by the national benefaction of late President Manuel L. Quezon (Section 5).

Order of Lakandula; Order of Sikatuna; Philippine Legion of Honor

The Order of Lakandula is an Order of political and civic merit in memory of Lakandula’s dedication to leadership, prudence, fortitude, courage, and resolve in serving one’s people (Section 5).
The Order of Lakandula may be conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen who meets any of these substantive bases (Section 5):
- Demonstrated by life and deeds dedication to the welfare of society
- Life worthy of emulation by the Filipino people
- Deeds worthy of particular recognition, including materially suffering for preservation and defense of the democratic way of life and territorial integrity; peaceful resolution of conflict; or outstanding dedication to fostering mutual understanding, cultural exchange, justice, and dignified relations among individuals
- Acts traditionally recognized by presidential awards, including meritorious political and civic service
The Order of Lakandula consists of ranks (Section 5):
- Grand Collar (Supremo): conferred upon one who suffered materially for preservation/defense of democratic way of life or territorial integrity; or upon a former/incumbent head of State and/or of government
- Grand Cross (Bayani): conferred upon one who devoted life to peaceful resolution of conflict; or life worthy of emulation by the Filipino people; or upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or equivalent, foreign minister or cabinet-rank equivalent, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno): conferred upon one with life-long dedication to political and civic welfare of society; or upon a Charge d’affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Commander (Komandante): conferred upon one with exceptional dedication deeds to political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Charge d’affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in an embassy consular section, consular officer with personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Officer (Pinuno): conferred upon one with commendable dedication deeds to political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Member (Kagawad): conferred upon one with meritorious dedication deeds to political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or person of similar/equivalent rank
The Order of Sikatuna is an Order of diplomatic merit commemorating the first treaty (Pacto de Sangre) between the Philippines and a foreign country (Section 5).
The Order of Sikatuna is conferred upon individuals who rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic; upon diplomats, officials, and nationals of foreign states who rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing, and strengthening relations with the Philippines; or upon personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in both home office and foreign service (Section 5).
The Secretary of Foreign Affairs may award the Order of Sikatuna in the name and by authority of the President (Section 5).
The Order of Sikatuna consists of ranks (Section 5):
- Grand Collar (Raja): conferred upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government
- Grand Cross (Datu): has two distinctions: Gold (Katangiang Ginto) and Silver (Katangiang Pilak); may be conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or equivalent, foreign minister or cabinet-rank equivalent, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Grand Officer (Maringal na Lakan): conferred upon a Charge d’affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Commander (Lakan): conferred upon a Charge d’affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an embassy, consular officer with personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Officer (Maginoo): conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Member (Maharlika): conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or person of similar/equivalent rank
The Philippine Legion of Honor is conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen in recognition of valuable and meritorious service related to the military affairs of the Republic of the Philippines (Section 5).
It is conferred on the anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence (Section 5).
The Secretary of National Defense may award it in the name and by authority of the President (Section 5).
The Philippine Legion of Honor includes a civilian division composed of ranks (Section 5):
- Chief Commander (Punong Komandante): conferred upon a civilian for life achievement in public service not otherwise qualifying for the Quezon Service Cross; or upon a former/incumbent head of State and/or of government
- Grand Commander (Maringal na Komandante): conferred upon a civilian for singular acts of service with tangible impact on the Philippine military sphere; or upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or equivalent, foreign minister or cabinet-rank equivalent; or upon an Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or person of similar/equivalent rank for life achievement in the military field
- Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno): conferred upon a civilian for acts of exemplary merit benefiting the Republic; or upon a Charge d’affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Commander (Komandante): conferred upon a civilian for acts of conspicuous merit benefiting the Republic; or upon a Charge d’affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in an embassy consular section, consular officer with personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Officer (Pinuno): conferred upon a civilian for acts of commendable merit benefiting the Republic; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or person of similar/equivalent rank
- Legionnaire (Lehiyonaryo): conferred upon a civilian for acts of merit benefiting the Republic; or upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or person of similar/equivalent rank

Order of Gabriela Silang

The Order of Gabriela Silang may be conferred upon the spouses of heads of State and/or of government, both Filipino and foreign (Section 5).

Order of National Artists; Order of National Scientists; Order of National Social Scientists; Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan

The Order of National Artists is the highest national recognition conferred upon Filipinos who made distinct contributions to arts and letters, upon recommendation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) (Section 5).
The National Artist for Historical Literature created under Executive Order No. 451 dated October 9, 1997 is subsumed under the Order of National Artists (Section 5).
The Order of National Scientists is the highest national recognition conferred upon Filipinos for distinguished individual or collaborative achievement in the physical sciences and/or technology (Section 5).
The National Academy of Science and Technology may recommend annually not more than ten (10) scientists, who are accorded by the President the rank and title of National Scientists (Section 5, citing Book IV, Title XVIII, Section 33 of the Administrative Code of 1987).
National Scientists receive gratuities and are entitled to privileges enjoyed by National Artists (Section 5).
The Order of National Social Scientists is the highest national recognition conferred upon Filipinos for life achievement in the Social Sciences (Section 5).
The National Academy of Science and Technology may recommend annually not more than ten (10) individuals, who are accorded by the President the rank and title of National Social Scientists (Section 5).
National Social Scientists receive gratuities and are entitled to privileges enjoyed by National Scientists (Section 5).
The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan is conferred upon a Filipino citizen or group of Filipino citizens engaged in any traditional art uniquely Filipino, whose skills have reached a high level of technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on and widely practiced by present generations in the community with the same degree of competence (Section 5).
The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan is conferred under rules, regulations, and criteria promulgated by the NCCA (Section 5).

Gawad Mabini

The Gawad Mabini may be conferred upon personnel of the DFA in the home office and foreign service and upon Filipinos who rendered distinguished service or promoted the interests of the Republic at home and abroad (Section 5).
The Secretary of Foreign Affairs may confer it in the name and by authority of the President (Section 5).
It is conferred on July 22 of every year, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Apolinario Mabini, the first Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines (Section 5).
Gawad Mabini consists of three ranks (Section 5):
- Grand Cross (Dakilang Kamanong): conferred upon a former/incumbent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Mission, cabinet member or other high official who headed a Philippine delegation to an important international conference on a ministerial level and made substantive contributions to public interest and public welfare
- Commander (Dakilang Kasugo): conferred upon an officer with a rank between career Foreign Service Officer class IV, or on DFA personnel who serve as an Attache in a foreign service establishment, recommended by the Chief of Mission or Principal Officer of the post served (or by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for home office personnel)
- Member (Kasugo): conferred upon a staff officer or employee of the DFA, recommended by the Chief of Mission or Principal Officer of the post served (or by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for home office personnel)

Order of the Golden Heart; Presidential Medal of Merit

The Golden Heart Presidential Award is renamed the Order of the Golden Heart (Section 5).
The Order of the Golden Heart gives official recognition to Filipino or foreign citizens who rendered distinguished services or gave noteworthy monetary or other material aid and encouragement to the campaign for amelioration and improvement of the moral, social, and economic conditions of Filipino masses, and for volunteerism in serving the Filipino masses (Section 5).
The Order of the Golden Heart consists of ranks (Section 5):
- Grand Collar (Maringal na Kuwintas): conferred upon former or incumbent head of State and/or of government
- Grand Cross (Maringal na Krus): conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or equivalent, foreign minister or cabinet-rank equivalent; or Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or person similar/equivalent
- Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno): conferred upon a Charge d’affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or similar/equivalent
- Commander (Komandante): conferred upon the specified diplomatic/foreign service ranks listed in the law (Charge d’affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an embassy, consular officer with personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or similar/equivalent)
- Officer (Pinuno): conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or similar/equivalent
- Member (Kagawad): conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attache, Principal Assistant, or similar/equivalent
The Presidential Merit Award is renamed the Presidential Medal of Merit (Section 5).
The Presidential Medal of Merit is conferred upon an individual, Filipino or foreign, for (Section 5):
- Outstanding service to the President, the Administration, or cabinet members
- Gaining prestige for the country in an international event in literature, the sciences, the arts, entertainment, and other civilian fields that foster national pride and artistic excellence
- Being a retiring cultural worker or artist after serving the government in an official or advisory capacity, or a foreign artist who has promoted Philippine culture
- Acts that enhance the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines, including heading the Philippine delegation or contributing materially to the success of a major international conference or event that brought prestige and honor to the country, including Presidential visits overseas and major international events held in the Philippines

Posthumous honors and presidential awards outside the Code

All Honors may be conferred posthumously, and the Honors are received by legal heirs (Section 6).
If there is no heir or nearest kin, the Honors are received by any person designated by the President of the Philippines to receive an Honor on behalf of the deceased (Section 6).
The President may confer Presidential Awards not otherwise included in the Order of Precedence of the Honors Code (Section 7).
Presidential Awards not enumerated in Section 3 of the Honors Code are not considered Honors under the Honors Code (Section 7).

When honors are conferred

Honors are conferred on national holidays (Section 10).
The President may confer Honors on other occasions when necessary or warranted (Section 10).

Discontinuance of prior civilian awards

Upon effectivity of this Executive Order, only Honors enumerated under Section 3 shall be awarded (Section 11).
The following civilian awards are no longer conferred upon effectivity (Section 11):
- Medal of Honor
- Rizal Collegiate Palms
- Mabini Teachers Medal
- Rizal Pro Patria Award
- Presidential Citation for Honesty and Integrity
- Order of the Grieving Heart
- Presidential Award in Education
- Order of Kalantiao
- Republic Cultural Heritage Award
- Presidential Citation for Outstanding Humanitarian Services
- International Artist
- Bayani ng Bagong Republika
- Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service to Philippine Democracy
- Presidential Award for Heroism in Times of Disaster
- Sajid Bulig Presidential Award for Heroism
- Presidential Mineral Industry Environment Award
The discontinued awards remain extant during the lifetime of the last holder, and holders continue to enjoy the rights and privileges attached to those awards (Section 11).
After the lifetime of the last holder, each affected award ceases to exist and is discontinued (Section 11).
Other awards not previously mentioned may continue to be awarded as Presidential Awards, but they are not considered Honors for purposes of the Honors Code (Section 11).

Implementation coordination and affected issuances

The Chancellery coordinates with the Office of Protocol and State Visits, DFA, the NCCA, the Heraldry and Display Section, NHI, and other relevant agencies to obtain copies of records and memoranda, paraphernalia, items, and technical or schematic drawings needed for implementation (Section 12).
This Executive Order is based on, and identifies as affected issuances, the following (Section 13):
- Congressional Joint Resolution No. 4 dated October 21, 1946
- Presidential Decree No. 490
- Proclamation No. 1151 dated June 7, 1973
- Republic Act No. 7355
- Executive Order No. 251 dated January 17, 1940
- Executive Order No. 571 dated February 27, 1953, as amended by Executive Order No. 24 dated October 19, 1962 and Executive Order No. 174 dated February 26, 1969
- Executive Order No. 663 dated December 29, 1953
- Executive Order No. 40-A dated June 21, 1954
- Executive Order No. 429 dated June 2, 1961
- Executive Order No. 9 dated May 12, 1962
- Executive Order No. 20 dated April 12, 1966, and Memorandum Order No. 33 dated June 14, 1966
- Executive Order No. 268 dated October 29, 1970
- Executive Order No. 294 dated March 1, 1971
- Executive Order No. 316 dated May 6, 1971
- Executive Order No. 329 dated August 10, 1971
- Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972
- Executive Order No. 930 dated January 6, 1984
- Executive Order No. 316 dated January 10, 1988, as amended by Executive Order No. 323 dated April 12, 1988
- Executive Order No. 421 dated September 7, 1990, and Memorandum Order No. 318 dated September 7, 1990
- Executive Order No. 393 dated January 22, 1997
- Executive Order No. 399 dated February 3, 1997
- Executive Order No. 451 dated October 9, 1997
Administrative Order No. 362 dated September 30, 1997 is amended (Section 13).
All other presidential directives, issuances, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with Executive Order No. 236 are repealed or modified accordingly (Section 13).