Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
by Ma.Arlene Gabon
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., represented by Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto, awarded 24 individuals and six teams with the 2025 Gawad Lingkod Bayani, the nation’s highest civil service awards, held at the Malacañang today, 28 January 2026, honoring public servants whose innovations and dedication have transformed lives and communities across the nation.
The awarding ceremony, Pagpupugay 2025: Parangal sa mga Lingkod Bayani, paid tribute to extraordinary public servants who continue to redefine excellence in government through scientific advancement, grassroots innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards.
“Ipinagdiriwang natin sa araw na ito, ang puso ng pamahalaan. Ang mga kawaning tahimik na naglilingkod para sa sambayanang Pilipino at sa bansa,” said President Marcos in his message delivered by the Executive Secretary.
The Gawad Lingkod Bayani, administered annually by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), honors exemplary government workers who embody Puso, Dangal, at Galing Para sa Bayan, setting benchmarks of patriotism, integrity, and excellence in public service.
CSC Chairperson Marilyn B. Yap formally presented the awardees, underscoring their role as beacons of excellence and integrity in the civil service and as sources of inspiration for the entire bureaucracy.
“The men and women we honor today are lingkod bayani because they concretized in their work their utmost fidelity to the unremitting ethic of public service – service to the nation and the people first and above all. Una ang bayan, hindi sarili; una ang serbisyo sa mamamayan hindi sariling interes.”
The President also urged the honorees to continue exemplifying excellence and integrity in the performance of their duties. He challenged them to remain transparent and accountable to the Filipino people and to serve as catalysts for a more efficient, responsive, and people-centered Bagong Pilipinas.
“Sa gitna ng dilim at ingay, kayo ang hibla ng liwanag na nagbibigay pag-asa sa ating sambayanan. Naniniwala ako na hanggat may lingkod bayang katulad ninyo, mananatiling matatag ang ating Republika. Patuloy ninyong isabuhay ang diwa ng Bagong Pilipino – disiplinado, mahusay, at mapagmahal sa bayan,” added the President.
As an incentive for their dedication, awardees received gold-gilded medallions, presidential plaques, and cash rewards. They also gain eligibility for automatic promotion to the next higher position and scholarship grants for themselves or their beneficiaries.
