Teno flies to Manila to receive Philippine Presidential Award

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio flew to Manila yesterday to receive a prestigious award from Philippine President Joseph Estrada for his commitment to promote the well-being and uplift the conditions of thousands of Filipinos in the Northern Marianas.

Mr. Tenorio’s trip to the Philippines coincides with the signing of the amended version of the existing bilateral labor agreement, which aims to further improve the working and living conditions of Filipino workers on the islands.

The governor was accompanied by Philippine Consul Julia C. Heidemann, along with officials of the CNMI Department of Labor and Immigration headed by Secretary Mark Zachares who will meet with their counterparts from Manila for the labor pact.

The Presidential Awards is a biennial worldwide search for Filipino individuals and organizations, as well as foreign individuals, whose works have given form and substance to Filipino excellence and time honored-values of pakikipag-kapwa (brotherhood), pagtutulungan (cooperation), and pagkakaisa (unity).

The CNMI-based Filipino community, consisting businessman Rodrigo Ceron, the Marianas Association of Filipino Engineers and Architects, the Marianas Association of Filipino CPA, VizMinda, and the L & T Group of Companies on Saipan, collectively won the Presidential Kaakabay ng Bayan Award.

Mr. Tenorio and representatives from the Filipino organizations here will receive their awards at the Malacanang Presidential Palace on Dec. 19, 2000.

The governor was conferred the Banaag Award for his efforts and commitment to advance the cause of the Filipino community in the Northern Marianas, which makes the CNMI one of the most OFW-friendly places in the world.

The award is given to Filipino and foreign individuals or associations whose efforts are focused at advancing the cause of Filipino communities overseas or for supporting specific sectors in the Philippines.

Mr. Tenorio’s win of the Banaag Award was based on his administration’s strong efforts to address the needs and concerns of the Filipino community in the Northern Marianas.

His nomination to the prestigious award was evaluated based on the impact of his contribution, social consciousness and community spirit, his motivation, dedication and commitment, as well as resourcefulness and initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Kaakabay ng Bayan Award is given to Filipino communities, federations or groups of Filipinos overseas who have united for the common objective of assisting and supporting Philippine development and progress.

Bagging two of the five prestigious Philippine Presidential Awards is an unprecedented victory for the CNMI, according to Consul Julia C. Heidemann.

Three other awards — Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino, Kaanib ng Bayan and Pamana ng Pilipino — will also be conferred to Filipino individuals and associations for their exceptional contributions to progress and development in the Philippines and for excellence in their work or profession.

The award was coordinated by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs’ Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

It covered outstanding overseas-based Filipinos and organizations.

At present, over six million Filipinos are scattered around the world. Majority of them are in the United States, as well as countries in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.