Medal of Valor
This is awarded by the President of the Republic of the Philippines to military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including recognized guerrilla forces.
To earn this award, AFP personnel or member of the recognized guerrilla forces must have been involved in actual conflict with armed enemies, distinguishing himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. To justify an award of the Medal of Valor, one must perform in action a deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty as conspicuous as to distinguish him above his comrades.
The medal is a disc with golden sea lion and water waves on its face. The disc is resting on a cross and crossed swords. The sea lion is a relief in gold holding the Philippine sun and placed symmetrically on the disk. Portions of the body and the tail are submerged in water. The water waves is composed of five blue ripples and placed on the center base of the disc. The conventionalized cross is relief in red with gold borders. It superimposes another cross with the edges extended beyond its borders. The edges of the flanges are in arc. The flange at center chief has three golden stars arranged in a triangular pattern. The crossed swords are in gold, placed in level with the cross. The blades are at dexter and sinister chiefs, and the hilts are at the dexter and sinister bases. Both tangs are tangled to the sides of the cross at dexter and sinister bases. The bar is in gold. The top and lower sides have grooved borders with an embossed phrase “For Valor”. It connects the medal to the wreath. The wreath consists of ten (10) white sampaguita buds and twenty-two (22) green sampaguita leaves hinged to the bar and serves as a link to the neckband.
Every feature of the medal has symbolism and significance. The sea lion represents the awarding authority; the sun represents the eight (8) provinces of the Philippines that revolted against Spain; the four (4) blue ripples stand for GHQ and three Major Services of the AFP; the crossed swords for conflict with an enemy ont the defense of the nation; the three stars represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; and the wreath of sampaguita buds and leaves symbolize the highest honor for the courage and gallantry displayed. The red color signifies bravery.
The ribbon is crimson with eight (8) golden stars arranged horizontally forming two lines. Five stars in the first line and three stars in the second lines.
Distinguised Conduct Star
This is awarded by the Chief of Staff, AFP to military personnel of the AFP and friendly allied armed forces for conspicuous courage and gallantry in the face of an armed enemy.
To warrant this award, a person must perform an act of heroism so notable and involving risk of life so extraordinary as to set him apart from his comrades.
The medal is a bigger disc in gold and centered on a conventionalized star. It is suspended by a red neckband with the blue stripe at the center. The sea lion is a relief in gold which superimposes the center top portion of the disc, holding a dagger in the dexter hand and sitting on the muzzles of two cannons, each of them occupying the sinister and dexter flanks. The two bows, also in relief occupy the base of the disc and resting horizontally across the arrows and the chase of the two cannons. The spear is played vertically with head up and superimposes the criss-crossed arrows. A red star with golden border is superimposed by the disc. The two vertexes are attached to the metal link of the bar. The bar is in gold with grooved borders and embossed on it the phrase “For Gallantry” The wreath is made up of Sampaguita white buds and green leaves and attached to the upper edge of the bar with a metal link at the tie of the tendril.
The bows and arrows, and cannons supporting the sea lion signify a strong defense made by the awardee; the red star stands for heroism and gallantry, the garland represents high honor; and the wreath symbolizes glorious victory.
The ribbon is of red, blue and red vertical stripes
Distingguised Service Star
This is awarded by the Chief of Staff, AFP to officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for eminently meritorious and valuable service rendered in a position of major responsibility.
The performance of duty should be exceptional. A superior performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty of assignment, and experience of an individual is not adequate basis for this award.
Accordingly, the accomplishments of the duty should have been completed prior to submitting a recommendation, or a person being recommended has been transferred prior to completion, the accomplishment must have progressed to what may clearly be determined to be exceptional or significant.
The medal is in the form of star, the center of which is a disc where the seal of the Republic of the Philippine is placed. The golden scroll with border in relief occupies the chief of the medal in are pattern with the engraved word “Merit”. The wreath consists of twenty-six (26) dark green leaves and ten (10) white buds. The tie at the base serves as divider of the tendril and a link to the star through a metal ring.
The ring around the seal signifies eminently meritorious and valuable service to the Republic of the Philippines; the star for conspicuously meritorious achievements; and the wreath signifies the glory for such endeavor. Embossed at the back of the medal in pattern is the phrase “For Distinguished Service.”
The ribbon has a blue background with red stripes in the center
GOLD CROSS
This is awarded by the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Area Command and Major Service Commanders to military personnel of the AFP for gallantry in action not warranting the award of the Distinguished Conduct Star.
The medal has the profile of Manuel L Quezon in the golden relief placed in the center of a depressed blue disc which is encircled by a garland consisting of laurel leaves in gold, superimposing the cross. The conventionalized cross is in gold with sharp edges at the end of its flange with ridges sloping on both edges and center. The grooved border is in gold and placed in between the flanges slightly below the level of the garland. The metal loop is in gold fixed at the top flange of the cross.
The head of Manuel L Quezon stands for achievement worthy of a presidential endeavor and the blue background represents sincerity and devotion to duty; the garland stands for honor; the golden cross symbolizes the risks of life and sacrifices; and the grooved border signifies shining performance.
The ribbon is light blue with three small vertical lines at the center.
PHILIPPINE LEGION OF HONOR
(Degree of Chief Commander)
This is awarded by the President of the Republic of the Philippines to high-ranking military officers, civilian dignitaries including the Chief of State, Prime Minister or Head of Government and other persons holding high and respectable positions whose accomplishments can seldom be surpassed such as jurist, parliamentarian, statesman, diplomat, journalist and scientist.
This award is granted to the awardee in recognition for his eminently meritorious and valuable service rendered in a position of major responsibility. The performance of duty must merit exceptional recognition; however a superior performance of the moral duties of a position shall not alone justify the award. For civilian awardees, it should be for eminently meritorious and valuable service rendered to the Philippines that merit official recognition by the government.
The medal which is the same to all the Degrees, is a disc consisting of sea lion, sun and wreath. The sea lion symbolizes outstanding service or achievement; the conventionalized sun stands for the first eight provinces that revolted against Spain; the laurel wreath signifies high honor; and the red outline stands for bravery and courage in the execution of duty.
The Configuration of the medal and the colors of the ribbon are the same in the other Degrees.
The medal is pinned to a sash in red, white and blue stripes.
A golden sunburst is placed in the center of a rectangular golden bar, resting on a ribbon of a red. white and blue. A silk rosette is placed in the center of the ribbon instead of the sunburst and bar for civilian wear.
It is the emblazonment on the medal that identifies the degree of the award.
For the Chief Commander, it has a pink back medal.
PHILIPPINE LEGION OF HONOR
(The Degree of Commander)
This is awarded by the President of the Republic of the Philippines to the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff and Commanders of Major Services, AFP or their equivalent in the armed forces of friendly foreign nations; and to civilians, such as the President to the Senate, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Heads of Department or their equivalent in friendly foreign nations for eminently meritorious and valuable service in a position of major responsibility but in a lesser degree of category not warranting the award of the Degree of Chief Commander.
The medal has a green enameled laurel wreath fixed with a swivel at the top of one of the rays of the sun wherein a twin-around suspension ring is attached. It is suspended by a neckband of red, white and blue stripes.
The service ribbon is the same as that of the Degree of Chief Commander, but the bar is Silver in which a golden sunburst rests. For civilian wear, it is a small enameled bar with golden sunburst.
PHILIPPINE LEGION OF HONOR
(Degree of Officer)
This is awarded to military personnel for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service below that for which the DSS is usually awarded; and to civilians for outstanding service to the Philippines that merits official recognition by the government.
The medal has a small green enameled laurel wreath fixed with a swivel at the top of one of the rays of the sun wherein a twin around suspension ring is attached. It is suspended by ribbon of same colors as of neckband of the Degree of Commander.
The ribbon carries the same colors as that of the Degree of Commander but has a small gilt sunburst in the center instead of the bar with sunburst. This is the same for civilian wear.
