President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. conferred the Order of National Scientists (ONS) and the Presidential Medal of Merit to two officials for their contribution to the country in terms of healthcare and international trade.

In a ceremony in Malacañang on Thursday, Aug. 31, Marcos conferred the Order of National Scientist upon Dr. Carmencita Padilla and the Presidential Medal of Merit upon Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty.

Padilla was recognized for her contributions and expertise in the field of Genetics which played an important role in the passage of Republic Act (RA) No. 9288, or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004, RA 10747, or the Rare Diseases Act of 2016, and her recent spearheading of the establishment of the Philippine Genome Center.

The Newborn Screening Act is known to have saved thousands of infants all over the country from mental retardation and death, while the Rare Diseases Act protects and promotes the right to health of the Filipino people, including the right of persons suffering from rare diseases to survive and healthy development as individuals through access to timely health information and adequate medical care.

The Philippine Genome Center was at the forefront of the country’s Covid-19 pandemic response and provided the government and the country’s policymakers with the information needed to better understand the virus and implement measures to limit and manage its spread.

Gepty, on the other hand, was commended for his contribution to the negotiations in relation to the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The RCEP is known to be the biggest trade bloc in the world which is anticipated to open opportunities for Filipinos and Philippine companies to export trade and services to a market exceeding two billion people that are within the region.

The Philippines’ participation in RCEP is expected to strengthen linkages in regional supply chains and serve as a catalyst for attracting more foreign direct investments into the country.

Under the RCEP the country would be able to source raw materials for local production of products for export to RCEP countries at a preferential rate.

“Both Dr. Padilla and Asec. Gepty exemplify what it means to be a public servant and these awards are our form of recognition and a testament to that service,” Marcos said.

“Their service goes above and beyond typical duties and responsibilities and their achievements have created and will continue to create a positive and lasting impact,” he added.

The President also thanked the two awardees for their “outstanding service to the country and to the Filipino people” and reminded them to continuously serve with excellence.