Philippine Legion of Honor

Philippine Legion of Honor
Philippine Legion of Honor
	File:LegionOH.jpg
Type	Single Grade Neck Order/Sash/Medal
Description	The medal which is the same to all the Degrees is a disc consisting of sea lion, sun and wreath. The sea lion symbolizes outstanding service or achievement; the conventionalized sun stands for the first eight provinces that revolted against Spain; the laurel wreath signifies high honor; and the red outline stands for bravery and courage in the execution of duty. The Configuration of the medal and the colors of the ribbon are the same in the other Degrees. The medal is pinned to a sash in red, white and blue stripes. A golden sunburst is placed in the center of a rectangular golden bar, resting on a ribbon of a red, white and blue. A silk rosette is placed in the center of the ribbon instead of the sunburst and bar for civilian wear. It is the emblazonment on the medal that identifies the degree of the award. For the Chief Commander, it has a pink back medal. The medal has a small green enameled Sampaguita wreath fixed with a swivel at the top of one of the rays of the sun wherein a twin around suspension ring is attached. It is suspended by ribbon of same colors as of neckband of the Degree of Commander. The ribbon carries the same colors as that of the Degree of Commander but has a small gilt sunburst in the center instead of the bar with sunburst. This is the same for civilian wear. The medal is suspended by a ring connected at the top of the ray of the sun. The blazonry and tincture of the accessory is the same as that of the Degree of Commander. The blazonry and tincture of the service ribbon is the same as that of the Degree of Officer but without sunburst.
Eligibility	Military Personnel, Diplomats, Heads of States & Government
Status	Currently Awarded
Established	1947
Precedence
Next (higher)	civilian: Quezon Service Cross military: Gold Cross
Equivalent	civilian Order of Lakandula, Order of Sikatuna; foreign: Legion of Merit
Next (lower)	civilian: Order of National Artists, Order of Social Scientists, Order of National Scientists military: Outstanding Achievement Medal
Related	Legion of Merit

The Philippine Legion of Honor was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honor was patterned after the Legion of Merit of the United States of America, and was meant to honor both civilians and members of the military, Filipino or foreign. Originally, like the U.S. Legion of Merit, the Philippine Legion of Honor only had four classes, known as Degrees, with Legionnaire being the basic rank, and Chief Commander being the highest. With the reform of the Philippine system of orders and decorations in 2003, the Philippine Legion of Honor's classes were renamed "ranks" instead of "degrees," and the ranks expanded.

Criteria

Today, the Philippine Legion of Honor is conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen in recognition of valuable and meritorious service in relation to the military affairs of the Republic of the Philippines. It is thus the primary order of military merit of the Republic of the Philippines.

To signify the importance of the civil service in military affairs in the preservation of the honor of the Republic of the Philippines and in nation building, the Philippine Legion of Honor is conferred on the anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence.

The Philippine Legion of Honor may be awarded by the Secretary of National Defense in the name and by authority of the President of the Philippines.

Ranks

The civilian division of the Philippine Legion of Honor is composed of the following ranks:

Chief Commander (Punong Komandante) - Conferred upon a civilian for life achievement in public service not otherwise qualifying for the Quezon Service Cross; or upon a former or incumbent head of State and/or of government

Grand Commander (Marangal na Komandante) – Conferred upon a civilian for singular acts of service with a tangible impact on the Philippine military sphere; 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; or upon an Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing for life achievement in the military field

Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno) – Conferred upon a civilian for acts of exemplary merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Charge d’affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Commander (Komandante) – Conferred upon a civilian for acts of conspicuous merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Charge 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 (Pinuno) – Conferred upon a civilian for acts of commendable merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing

Legionnaire (Lehiyonaryo) – Conferred upon a civilian for acts of merit benefiting the Republic of the Philippines; or upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attaché, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has its own regulations governing the conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor.

Famous recipients

Chief Commander

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, first recipient of the rank (then known as degree) of Chief Commander, given posthumously in 1947
Emperor Akihito of Japan
General Douglas MacArthur
Fidel Valdez Ramos
Jaime Cardinal Sin

Grand Commander

This rank was only established in 2003, and there have been no receipients of this rank to date.

Grand Officer

This rank was only established in 2003, and there have been no receipients of this rank to date.

Commander

Officer

Legionnaire

This article incorporates public domain text from the library of the Philippine Congress.