Marcos honors Apo Whang Od's contributions to PH arts

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Wednesday honored Apo Whang Od for her contributions to the Philippine traditional arts. 

Marcos made the remark during the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Honor Awards Program (HAP), which recognizes public service exemplars who have displayed outstanding work performance and ethical behavior.

Apo Whang Od was bestowed with the Outstanding Government Workers of 2023 and the Presidential Medal of Merit awards during the ceremony. 

''We are honoring Apo Whang Od for works that have made her and the country famous for other achievements that make her Filipino worthy of our respect and of our admiration. She’s a pioneer in shattering gender stereotypes venturing into tattooing when it was just a man’s exclusive preserve,'' Marcos said in his speech. 

''She's a keeper of the oral traditions and a mentor teaching a new generation of artists thus ensuring that her artform lives on to tell tales of our community's history. Her craft and stature as an internationally recognized artist raised international awareness of our country's rich cultural heritage,'' he added. 

Marcos said that Apo Whang Od could be considered as a national treasure because her work appeals to diverse cultures.

Awards given out by the President were the 2023 Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award, 2023 Dangal ng Bayan Award, the 2023 Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award and the Presidential Medal of Merit.

The Presidential Communications Office said these awards were conferred to an individual or group of individuals for exceptional or extraordinary contributions with nationwide impact on public interest, security and patrimony.

As he recognized the Dangal ng Bayan awardees, Marcos said they have proven that they can exercise the highest standards of work ethics even in the face of risks or temptations as they became examples of commitment to public interest, professionalism, and responsiveness to the public.

The CSC Pagasa awardees, on the other hand, have made their workplaces and communities better with the projects and programs they have introduced to address gaps and to elevate public service in their respective areas. 

Meanwhile, Marcos also praised the Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardees for their work that had nationwide impact in their respective fields.

“We congratulate our professors, master teachers who make up majority of our awardees this year, as well as our group awardees who battled the COVID-19 pandemic through the strategic use of technology,” said Marcos.

The president also recognized the accomplishments of the Lead Contact Tracing Team from the City Government of Baguio led by Mayor Benjie Magalong “for they have introduced an effective and efficient contact tracing system.”

“We also have the LANDBANK Agent Banking Program Team for introducing branchless banking to promote financial inclusion; and, as we have mentioned before, the S-PaSS Core Team for helping ease movement during the pandemic,” he added. —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News