Philippine President honours Dubai Police officer

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday honoured a Dubai Police official and 12 other overseas-based Filipino individuals with the “Presidential Awards 2024,” among the highest recognitions conferred by the President of the Republic of the Philippines and with December being the “Month of Overseas Filipinos.”

Gulf Today was alerted about Dubai Police-Criminal Investigation Division deputy director Major Bader Ahmed J. Al Zafeen being one of two recipients of the “Kaanib ng Bayan (Ally/Comrade of the Country) Award” Category through a forwarded Philippine Consulate General-Dubai Facebook Reel.

Meanwhile, from the website of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) which spearheads the search for the biennial prestigious global awards since 1991 and which is under the Office of the President, the “Kaanib ng Bayan Award” is “conferred only for foreign individuals (natural-born) or foreign organisations for their significant contributions to Philippine development or a particular sector/local community in the country and for advancing the cause of the Filipino diaspora/overseas Filipino community.”

Through the reel and with the Philippine Embassy-Abu Dhabi: “The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai extends its heartfelt congratulations to Major Bader Ahmed J. Al Zafeen of the Dubai Police for being the first Emirati to receive the prestigious Kaanib ng Bayan Award under the 2024 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organisations Overseas (PAFIOO), chaired by the Commission on Filipinos. This historic achievement marks the first-ever conferment of the award to a UAE national and member of the UAE Police.

“As a distinguished awardee, Major Bader received the Gawad ng Pangulo (Presidential Excellence) Medal from His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and a Plaque of Recognition from CFO Chairperson Dante Francis M. Ang II in a ceremony held at the Malacanan Palace on December 11, 2024.”

Based on the November 12, 2024 CFO press release that announced the 13 “distinguished and outstanding overseas Filipinos and foreign individuals and organisations from nine countries” out of 84 nominations from 27 other nations through the 41 Philippine Foreign Service Posts across Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North America, Bader, “an officer at the Dubai Police, is recognised for his compassion and dedication to safeguarding the welfare of Filipinos in the UAE, as demonstrated in his DNA project.”

From the reel: “Major Bader’s recognition significantly supports the Consulate’s efforts to repatriate at least 118 undocumented Filipino children from Dubai between 2021 and 2023. This initiative enabled these children to pursue education and enjoy a semblance of normalcy in their childhood.

“Going beyond his official duties, Major Bader led collaborative efforts with various UAE government agencies, ensuring the conduct of DNA testing and the issuance of exit passes – entirely free of charge to the families involved.”

Appreciative for the UAE efforts to the one million Filipinos across the seven emirates, the Philippine missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai pointed out that the honour bestowed upon Bader “underscores the critical role of global partnerships and cross-border collaboration, recognising those who go above and beyond in their support for the Philippines and its people.”

Bader’s co-Kaanib ng Bayan Award recipient is Victor Gaina, the Philippine Honorary Consul to Chisinau in Moldova “recognised for his extraordinary valour, profound sense of compassion, and unwavering commitment to providing crucial assistance in the successful rescue and safe repatriation of hundreds of Filipinos from Ukraine during the Russian invasion,” according to the CFO website.

From the ceremonies and as reported by ABS-CBN, Marcos Jr. in his speech, addressing all his countrymen all over the world: “I call on the Filipinos in all parts of the world: Let us emulate the spirited resolve of our awardees and strive to continue contributing to the overall progress of our local and global society.”

“We are in a globalised world, and talents will continue to move from one border to another. Annually, millions of people move across international borders to work. And so, against this backdrop, the Philippines remains committed to ensuring that the rights and well-being of our overseas Filipinos and their families are safeguarded at all times, wherever they may be.”