The House of Representatives on Monday adopted a resolution institutionalizing the Congressional Medal of Excellence, with Tokyo Summer Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as the very first recipient of the award.
House Resolution (HR) 1981—introduced by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano—creates the newest congressional award to be given exclusively to Filipino athletes who have won a gold medal in the Olympic Games.
The House also adopted HR 2041 congratulating, commending and awarding the Congressional Medal of Excellence to Diaz for her historic gold medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
HR 2041 was introduced by Velasco, Romualdez, Paduano, Isabela 5th District Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe.
The Congressional Medal of Excellence was created to give honor and commendation to “exceptional modern-day national heroes in sports who win the gold medal in the Olympics.”
The award, according to authors of HR 1981, will “immortalize the achievements” of Olympic gold medalists and “give them a legacy to leave behind by providing future generations with inspirational lessons that they can take to heart.”
There are currently two congressional medals being handed out by the House: Congressional Medal of Distinction and Congressional Medal of Achievement.
The Congressional Medal of Distinction is given to Filipino achievers in sports, business, medicine, science, and arts and culture; while the Congressional Medal of Achievement is awarded to political, economic, and cultural leaders, who have distinguished themselves through their life-work and their vision.
Five years ago, the House awarded Diaz the Congressional Medal of Distinction for winning a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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