PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has conferred the Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu (Grand Cross, Gold Distinction) on South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa during a farewell call at the Malacañan Palace.
The award recognized Mr. Lee's "pivotal contributions to strengthening bilateral ties" between the Philippines and South Korea.
The Order of Sikatuna is the Philippines' national order of diplomatic merit, honoring foreign nationals and diplomats who render exceptional service in advancing international relations.
During the meeting, Mr. Marcos expressed his gratitude to Mr. Lee for his "impactful service during a transformative period that saw Philippines-South Korea relations attain historic milestones across political, economic, security, and cultural sectors."
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Lee expressed his gratitude to Mr. Marcos and the Filipino people for the warmth and cooperation extended to him throughout his assignment.
Mr. Lee concludes his tour of duty after serving as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of the Philippines since June 2023.
Since then, bilateral relations between South Korea and the Philippines have been formally elevated to a strategic partnership, with the implementation of the South Korea-Philippines free trade agreement in December 2024.
