President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conferred the Order of Sikatuna, with the Rank of Datu (Grand Cross), Gold Distinction, upon outgoing South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa during a farewell call at Malacañang Palace on Thursday.
The Order of Sikatuna is the Philippines’ highest diplomatic merit honor, awarded to foreign officials, diplomats, and nationals who have demonstrated exceptional efforts in bolstering international relations.
During the ceremony, the President’s citation—read by Undersecretary Reichel Quiñones, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs—praised Ambassador Lee for his “outstanding and dedicated service in the field of international relations” and recognized him as an “exceptionally worthy and competent representative of the Government of the Republic of Korea.”
The prestigious award highlights Ambassador Lee’s significant contributions to strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership and overall relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. Notably, the citation credited the Ambassador for promoting high-level official dialogues and successfully facilitating numerous government-to-government cooperation agreements.
Under Ambassador Lee’s tenure, bilateral initiatives advanced across a remarkably broad spectrum of sectors, including:
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Security & Governance: Maritime affairs, defense procurement, veterans affairs, law enforcement, legal cooperation, and efforts to combat transnational crime.
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Economic & Digital Innovation: Trade and investment, infrastructure development, agriculture, critical raw materials, cosmetics, intellectual property, digital cooperation, and digitalization.
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Energy, Education & Culture: Nuclear energy, cultural exchanges, tourism, and education.
The citation further commended Ambassador Lee’s role in driving South Korea’s consistent contributions to the Philippines’ socio-economic growth. This includes promoting major investments in strategic industries, such as semiconductors and shipbuilding, and advancing vital development assistance through technical cooperation in health, agriculture, and the environment.
Ambassador Lee was joined at the ceremony by his wife, Madame Lee Eun-hwa. The event concluded with the President expressing gratitude for the Ambassador’s many laudable initiatives that have fostered lasting amity and mutual appreciation between the Filipino and Korean peoples.
