Tokyo heroes to be awarded Senate Medal of Excellence

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s medalists in the Tokyo Olympics will be the first recipients of the newly created Senate Medal of Excellence, which was established by the chamber to honor individuals, who have been given recognition for their achievements by international bodies.

Senators on Monday adopted Senate Resolution 781, which established the Philippine Senate Medal of Excellence introduced by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Francis Tolentino and Sonny Angara.

“Filipinos who are recipients of major international award giving bodies are automatically qualified to receive the Philippine Senate Medal of Excellence,” Tolentino said.

He said the measure automatically confers the citation to Filipino recipients of the five international awards, namely the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, the A.M. Turing Award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the Olympic medal.

He said the international recognitions set the highest standards of excellence, nationalism, and virtue that their fellow countrymen can aspire for.

Tolentino said the Senate Medal of Excellence awaits Filipino athletes who won medals for the country in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, regardless whether it’s a gold, silver or bronze medal.

The award that is set to be given by the upper chamber is comparable to the Congressional Gold Medal of the United States Congress which is their highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions.

The Senate has consistently recognized and commended Filipinos who have excelled in their own field of expertise and, through their own actions and example, served as a symbol of hope to the nation, he said.