Order of Sikatuna

The Order of Sikatuna is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. It is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippines, upon diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who have rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines, or upon personnel of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), both in the Home Office and in the Foreign Service.

The Order of Sikatuna may be awarded by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the name and by authority of the President.

History

It was created by Executive Order No. 571 signed by Pres. Elpidio Quirino on 27 February 1953. Section 2 of the E0 states, “The Order of Sikatuna...commemorates the first treaty (Pacto de Sangre) between the Philippines and a foreign country...” In the Quirino order, the Order of Sikatuna commemorates the pacto de sangre or blood compact, more popularly known as sandugo. This was, according to the Executive Order, the first international treaty of friendship between Bohol native chieftain, Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, between a Filipino and Spaniard.^[1] Lately, however, the Executive Order's premise has been put to question. The event was not the first blood compact since the first recorded happened 44 years before between Ferdinand Magellan, representing the Spanish crown, and raia Siaiu, king of the island-port of Mazaua. Magellan called the ceremony "casi casi", a Malayan term meaning "to be one and the same thing" or to be blood brothers^[2]. At the same time the first recorded Treaty of Peace was entered into on Tuesday, April 9, 1521 by datu Humabon of Cebu and Magellan. ^[3].

The Order of Sikatuna as already pointed out was established by President Elpidio Quirino as the "Order of Sikatuna" through Executive Order No. 571 dated February 27, 1953.^[4] Its original four-class composition was expanded by Presidents Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand E. Marcos. In 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reformed the Philippine system of orders, medals, and decorations, through Executive Order No. 236, known as the Honors Code of the Philippines which codified the civilian orders, decorations and medals of the Republic of the Philippines.^[5] Among its provisions was one renaming the order as simply, "The Order of Sikatuna," and clarifying its protocular standing.

Malacanang and the National Historical Institute have been notified of the historical infirmity behind the award. Instead of scrapping it, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo even added new ranks.

Ranks

Order of Sikatuna Ribbon Bars
Member	Officer	Commander	Grand Officer	Grand Cross

• Grand Collar (Raja) – Conferred upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government
• Grand Cross (Datu) – The Grand Cross shall have two (2) distinctions: (i) Gold (Katangiang Ginto) and (ii) Silver (Katangiang Pilak). The Grand Cross may be conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing
• Grand Officer (Maringal na Lakan) – Conferred upon a Chargé d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing
• Commander (Lakan) – Conferred upon a Chargé d'affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing
• Officer (Maginoo) – Conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing
• Member (Maharlika) – Conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attaché, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Awardees

• Jaime Cardinal Sin - Archbishop of Manila ^[6]
• Lt. General Aftab Ahmad Khan - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan for services rendered in the freeing of two hostages in 1986
• Manny Pacquiao -Filipino boxer^[7]
• Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. - former United States Ambassador to the Philippines ^[8][9]
• Mohammad Mohsin - former Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Rank of Datu ^[10]
• Stanislav Slavicky - former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic ^[11]
• Joao Jose Gomes Caetano da Silva - former Portuguese Ambassador to the Philippines, Rank of Datu ^[12]
• Iskandar Bin Sarudin - former Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines, Rank of Datu ^[13]
• U San Thein - former Myanmar Ambassador to the Philippines, Rank of Datu
• Wu Hongbo - former Chinese ambassador, Rank of Datu (Grand Cross) ^[14]
• Johannes de Kok - European Commission head of delegation, Rank of Grand Cross Datu (Gold Distinction) ^[15]
• Rafael E. Seguis - Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns, Rank of Datu ^[16]
• Tadao Chino - President, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Grand Cross ^[17]
• Syed Putra - Yang Di-Pertuan Agong III (Malaysia) ^[18]
• Chuan Leekpai - Former Prime Minister of Thailand
• Ban Ki Moon - U.N. Secretary General (Korea) ^[19]
• Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
• Dwight Eisenhower - 34th President of the United States
• Hillary Rodham Clinton - US Secretary of State
• Bhumibol Adulyadej- King Of Thailand
• Jose T. Almonte - former National Security Advisor to Pres. Fidel V. Ramos^[20]
• Daniel Inouye - United States Senator, rank of Datu ^[21]

This article incorporates public domain text from the library of the Philippine Congress.

Additional resources

• Manuel L. Quezon III. Medals Girondists off-duty rants
• Philippines Orders-Decorations-Medals
• Ribbons of the Philippines 1
• Ribbons of the Philippines 2

See also

• Sandugo
• Sandugo Festival

Bohol portal

References

1. ^ History of Bohol www.bohol.gov.ph Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ The Philippines: The Ancient Order of Sikatuna www.medals.org.uk Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
5. ^ Manuel L. Quezon III. Medals Girondists off-duty rants Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
6. ^ PJEE's Speech at the Conferment of the Order of Sikatuna on Jaime Cardinal Sin www.opnet.ops.gov.ph Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
7. ^ Pacquiao proves too classy, but Mexican foe displays grit The Manila Times Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
8. ^ Manuel L. Quezon III.Ricciardone moves on The Daily Dose Retrieved December 22, 2006.
9. ^ President Arroyo Confers Order of Sikatuna award on Ambassador Ricciardone Embassy of the United States in Manila. Retrieved 22 December, 2006
10. ^ Philippines Confers Order of Sikatuna on Former Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Gov.ph News Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
11. ^ PGMA confers order of Sikatuna on outgoing Czech Republic envoy Gov.ph News Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
12. ^ PGAM confers Order of Sikatuna to outgoing Portuguese Ambassador Gov.ph News Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
13. ^ PGMA confers Order of Sikatuna to outgoing Malaysia Ambassador Gov.ph News Retrieved 22 December, 2006.
14. ^ PGMA confers Sikatuna award to Chinese convoy Gov.ph News Retrieved 22 December, 2006
15. ^ PGMA confers Sikatuna Medal on EC official Positive News Media:Philippines Retrieved 23 December, 2006.
16. ^ PGMA confers Order of Sikatuna on DFA official Positive News Media: Philippines Retrieved 23 December, 2006.
17. ^ ADB President Chino Conferred the Philippines' Highest Honor Asian Development Bank Media Center. Retrieved 23 December, 2006.
18. ^ Their Majesties Virtual Malaysia's Tribute to the 48th National Day Celebration Retrieved 23 December, 2006.
19. ^ [3] PGMA confers ‘Order of Sikatuna’ on UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-Moon , 2008.
20. ^ Profile - Jose T. Almonte
21. ^ "FOR FIGHTING FOR FILIPINO VETERANS Order of Sikatuna conferred on US senator". INQUIRER.net. 30 April 2011. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20110430-333863/Order-of-Sikatuna-conferred-on-US-senator. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 

External links

• Orders, Decorations and Medals of the Philippines