PH Legion of Honor for Hidilyn proposed
DEPUTY Speaker and Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte to confer the Philippine Legion of Honor to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz for winning the first ever Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
As the country prepares for a hero’s welcome for Diaz, Villar filed House Resolution (HR) No. 2020 to congratulate and commend the Filipino weightlifting star for her unprecedented victory which brought hope in this time of pandemic.
“It is high time to confer to the four-time Olympian the Philippine Legion of Honor (Lehiyong Pandangal ng Pilipinas) for her heart-warming victory and for uplifting national glory and pride in the world sports stage,” Villar wrote in the resolution.
The Philippine Legion of Honor, considered the highest award the President can bestow without the need for approval by Congress, is conferred upon civilians or members of the military, Filipino or foreign, in recognition of valuable and meritorious service in relation to military affairs of the Philippines.
The lone district representative said Diaz, who is a sergeant at the Philippine Air Force, brought the much-needed good news and provided the opportunity for Filipinos to be inspired by her hardwork and determination.
The athlete is also a symbol of hope and unity and brought national honor before the international arena, Villar said.
“In her quest to deliver the country;s first-ever gold medal in the Summer Games, the bemedalled Zamboanga City native, a silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, had to endure hardships and even depression that made her think to bow out of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, as well as lack of financial backing, restrictions and hurdles due to the pandemic, emboldened her resolve with the moral support of her kababayans to emerge victorious in Tokyo 2020,” added Villar.
Tears of joy were shed following Diaz’s victory. The national anthem “Lupang Hinirang” was played for the first time for the official competitions in 32 editions of the Olympics.
