Secretary Del Rosario, Pacquiao no-show at Carlos P. Romulo Awards
Manny Pacquiao (Inquirer file photo) and Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario (AFP file photo)
MANILA, Philippines—In behalf of President Benigno Aquino III, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras lauded Tuesday the recipients of General Carlos P. Romulo Award for “showing strength, resilience and love for country.”
Held at the multipurpose hall of the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, the United Nations Association of the Philippines paid tribute to the awardees; boxing champion and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Commission on Higher Education chair Patricia Licuanan and businesswoman Lawyer Loida Nicolas-Lewis for “contributing to world peace and development like General Romulo.”
Although del Rosario and Pacquiao were not able to personally receive the award, Licuanan and Nicolas-Lewis graced the event to accept their CPR awards on the 115th birthday of Romulo, who was once President of the United Nations General Assembly.
But Almendras called for the audience’s “forgiveness” as the DFA secretary cannot come to the ceremony due to “a very important meeting in the Palace.”
Earlier, the DFA raised alert level 1 for the Filipino community in Thailand amid the anti-government protests aiming to shut down the capital city of Bangkok and pressure Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down from office.
“But let me tell you why he so much deserved this award. Secretary del Rosario has shown his love of country through the many diplomatic challenges our has been through the past years… Despite the challenges, criticisms and intrigues, both in the local and international scene, he has stood his ground,” he said.
The former Department of Energy secretary added that it was a privilege for him to “work side by side” with del Rosario for he has displayed “amazing statesmanship and diplomatic maturity.”
“Finally, I also want to honor Congressman Pacquiao but he’s not here. We all know what he has done. He has faced challenges but at the end of the day, he has made the Filipino people around the world proud,” he said.
Fresh from winning his bout against Mexican-American Brandon Rios November last year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue garnished Pacquiao’s bank accounts over a P2.2 billion tax delinquency case.
“The four honorees that you have chosen today, through their love of country, through their resilience, have brought honor, pride and glory to our country,” Almendras said.
“And because of the four of them, tayong lahat, pwede nating sabihin, ang sarap maging Pilipino sa mga panahon na ito,” he added.
Some of the past CPR awardees include broadway singer Lea Salonga, former DFA secretary Jose Ingles, Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani and former President Fidel V. Ramos; the late Senators Jose W. Diokno and Lorenzo Tañada, and the late Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee.
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