There being an urgent necessity of giving official recognition to Filipino citizens and to resident foreigners and other friends of the Filipino people who have rendered distinguished services or given noteworthy monetary or other material aid and encouragement to the campaign for the amelioration and improvement of the social, economic and moral conditions of the masses, I, RAMON MAGSAYSAY, President of the Philippines, pursuant to the powers vested in me by law, do hereby institute a special Presidential Award to be known as the Golden Heart Presidential Award.

SECTION 1.  The Golden Heart Presidential Award shall be presented to any individual, organization or entity, either here or abroad, that has rendered meritorious and distinguished services or contributed noteworthy monetary or other material aid and encouragement to the campaign of the government for the amelioration and improvement of the moral, social and economic conditions of the masses of our people, especially in the rural areas.

SEC. 2.  The Golden Heart Medal shall have on its obverse two outstretched hands offering to the people a golden heart, and below, the motto and theme of the award, MANUM TUAM APERVIT INOPE, a brief four-word Latin interpretation of Proverbs 31:20 - œShe hath opened her heart to the needy and stretched forth her hands to the poor.   Surrounding the design is the legend: THE GOLDEN HEART PRESIDENTIAL AWARD.  The reverse of the medal shall bear the Presidential Seal surrounded by a plain border on which the name of the recipient may be engraved.

SEC. 3.  In the case of individual awards, the medal and ribbon will be presented, and in the case of organizations or entities a simple narra plaque on which the obverse and reverse of the medal will be placed.  The medal should be of bronze gilded and of little intrinsic value but is should be something which will be a valued and honored heirloom for the recipients to hand down to their successors.

SEC. 4.  The award will not be limited to those giving large financial or other material contributions, as there are similar aids which may represent comparatively equal or even greater sacrifice on the part of the donor.  Until the Congress sets aside an appropriation for this award, the same shall be paid for from the discretionary fund of the President of the Philippines .

Done in the City of Manila, this 21st day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the Philippines , the eighth.

 

	(SGD.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
	President of the Philippines
By the President:
(SGD.) FRED RUIZ CASTRO
Executive Secretary