The Order of Lakandula () is one of the highest civilian orders of the Philippines, established on September 19, 2003. It is awarded for political and civic merit and in memory of Lakandula’s dedication to the responsibilities of leadership, prudence, fortitude, courage and resolve in the service of one’s people.
Criteria The order's administrative basis is the Honors Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 236 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on September 19, 2003). In Section 5, II of the Honors Code, the following is provided as the criteria for the conferment of the Order of Lakandula:
The Order of Lakandula is conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen: a. who has demonstrated by his life and deeds a dedication to the welfare of society; b. whose life is worthy of emulation by the Filipino people; c. for deeds worthy of particular recognition, including suffering materially for the preservation and defense of the democratic way of life and of the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines, for devoting his life to the peaceful resolution of conflict, or for demonstrating an outstanding dedication to the fostering of mutual understanding, cultural exchange, justice and dignified relations among individuals; or d. for acts that have been traditionally recognized by the institution of presidential awards, including meritorious political and civic service.
Ranks
+ Order of Lakandula Ribbon Bars Member Officer Commander Grand Officer Grand Cross Grand Collar
Grand Collar () Conferred upon an individual who has suffered materially for the preservation and defense of the democratic way of life, or of the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines, or upon a former or incumbent head of state and/or of government.
Grand Cross () Conferred upon an individual who has devoted his life to the peaceful resolution of conflict; upon an individual whose life is worthy of emulation by the Filipino people; or 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 () Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to the political and civic welfare of society; or upon a Chargé d'affaires e.d., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.
Commander () Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated exceptional deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or 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 () Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated commendable deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.
Member () Conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated meritorious deeds of dedication to the political and civic welfare of society as a whole; or upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attaché, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.
Champion for Life () The most recently created rank of the order, it was established in 2006 by President Gloria M. Arroyo. Although this rank was initially positioned after the rank of , it was later moved to the level of the Order of National Artists.Executive Order No. 547, s. 2006 Official Gazette of the Philippine Government. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
It is conferred for outstanding achievement in international sports or beauty events and similar fields of competition and achievement. These achievements should foster national pride and serve as an inspiration to others to achieve excellence. The first recipients were boxer Manny Pacquiao, beauty queen Precious Lara Quigaman, Efren "Bata" Reyes a global icon who revolutionized the sport of pool, Paeng Nepomuceno in 2007 for his three unbroken Guinness World Records in 2007, Filipino athletes who won gold medals at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, and the Filipino mountaineers who reached the peak of Mount Everest in 2006.
Notable recipients
Jaime Sin: Grand Cross (Bayani), December 8, 2003 José W. Diokno: Grand Collar (Supremo), 2004 (posthumous) James B. Reuter: Grand Cross (Bayani), 20066 artists receive Presidential Medal of Merit GMA New Online. Retrieved April 15, 2013. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo: Grand Collar (Supremo), May 19, 2006 Manuel V. Pangilinan: Commander (Kumandante), May 24, 2006; Grand Cross (Bayani), June 5, 2010 Edgardo Pamintuan Sr.: Grand Cross (Bayani), April 22, 2010 George Ty: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 5, 2010 Al-Muhtadee Billah: Grand Cross (Bayani), November 9, 2006 Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa: Grand Collar (Supremo), January 4, 2007 Domingo Lucenario Jr.: Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno), August 14, 2007 Armin A. Luistro: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 23, 2016 Lea Salonga: Commander (Kumandante), August 14, 2007 Rey Leonardo Guerrero: Commander (Kumandante), August 14, 2007 Juan Carlos I of Spain: Grand Collar (Supremo), December 3, 2007Getty Images, State visit of Philippines President in Spain, December 3, 2007, Group PhotoJuan Carlos, Grand Collar Felipe VI of Spain: Grand Cross (Bayani), December 3, 2007 Hassanal Bolkiah: Grand Collar (Supremo), January 30, 2009 Efren Peñaflorida: Commander (Kumandante), November 27, 2009 Shoichiro Toyoda: Grand Collar (Supremo), April 2010 Reynato Puno: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 12, 2010 Washington SyCip: Grand Cross (Bayani), 2011Pcco Hillary Rodham Clinton: Grand Cross (Bayani), November 16, 2011Secretary of State Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah: Grand Collar (Supremo), March 23, 2012 Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani: Grand Collar (Supremo), April 10, 2012 Richard Lugar: Grand Collar (Supremo), June 7, 2012News Yahoo Akihito, Emperor of Japan: Grand Collar (Supremo), June 3, 2015 Galo Ocampo: Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno), July 22, 2015 (posthumous) Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 27, 2016 Adam Malik: Grand Collar (Supremo), August 8, 2017 (posthumous) Abdul Razak: Grand Collar (Supremo), August 8, 2017 (posthumous) S. Rajaratnam: Grand Collar (Supremo), August 8, 2017 (posthumous) Thanat Khoman: Grand Collar (Supremo), August 8, 2017 (posthumous) Narciso Ramos: Grand Collar (Supremo), August 8, 2017 (posthumous) Enrique Manalo: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 18, 2018 Henry Lim Bon Liong: Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno), August 6, 2019 Bong Go: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 16, 2022 Arthur Tugade: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 16, 2022 Vince Dizon: Grand Cross (Bayani), June 16, 2022 Naruhito, Emperor of Japan: Grand Collar (Supremo), May 27, 2026
References
External links The Order of Lakandula, Official website