Outgoing French Ambassador Conferred Order of Sikatuna
French Ambassador Gilles Garachon has been awarded with Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Grand Cross (Datu), Gold Distinction (Katangiang Ginto) by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario, on behalf of President Benigno S. Aquino III, last 22 July 2015. The said distinction was conferred to honor and recognize Ambassador Garachon’s contributions in deepening and sustaining the relationship between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and Republic of France.
Ambassador Garachon assumed his duty as the Ambassador of the Republic of France to the GPH in July 2012. It was during his term that significant events which further strengthened diplomatic relations between the two states took place. Among the high level initiatives he facilitated with the GPH’s Department of Foreign Affairs was President Aquino’s visit to France in September 2014- the first official visit of a Philippine Head of State to France since 1994 – and French President Francois Hollande’s official visit to the Philippines last 26 to 27 February, which made a mark in history as the first official visit of a French head of state to the Philippines. During this visit, the Manila Call to Action on Climate Change was launched by Philippine President Aquino and French President Hollande.
Ambassador Garachon has likewise been an instrument in strengthening bilateral negotiations that contributed to the growth of the economy, renewable energy, urban transportation and infrastructure, sustainable development, and management of natural resources in the country. Other sectors of cooperation during his watch are in the health care sector, tourism, and education.
More significantly, Ambassador Garachon played an important role in expediting humanitarian relief from the French Republic for those deeply affected and devastated by the Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.
The conferment ceremony was held at the Department of Foreign Affairs and was attended by Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario, other high-level officials and personal guests of Ambassador Garachon.
The Order of Sikatuna is an order of diplomatic merit for exceptional and meritorious contributions to the Republic of the Philippines. Named after the first treaty between the Philippines and a foreign country, it is conferred upon diplomats, officials, and nationals of foreign states for fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines, or upon personnel of DFA who displayed such meritorious service between the Philippines and foreign states.
The Gold Distinction (Katangiang Ginto) conferred to Ambassador Garachon is the highest distinction under the Rank of Grand Cross (Datu), given only to a crown prince, vice president, senate president, speaker of the house, chief justice or the equivalent; a foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, ambassador, undersecretary, assistant secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.
Before he was assigned in Manila, Garachon served as the Political Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Bangkok (1999-2003), the Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Jakarta (2003-2007) and the head of the Human Resources Department (non-permanent staff) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for four years.
