A police lieutenant who did not think twice about breastfeeding a crying baby she found in Barangay Old Capitol Site, Quezon City. A police corporal from Iloilo who distributed face shields and grocery items for people in her community, from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic up to the present. An off-duty sergeant from Negros Oriental who helped evacuate a PWD from his burning house.
These are just two of the 17 awardees of the inaugural Pulis Magiting X Pinoy Magiting Awards, a joint program of Ayala Foundation and the Philippine National Police (PNP). Initially launched in six regions nationwide, Pulis Magiting X Pinoy Magiting kicked off with the announcement of the awardees and the signing of the agreement.
Launched at the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame on July 6, Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting recognizes uniformed personnel who demonstrate the virtue of “kagitingan”—courage or valor—in the performance of their role, or even beyond the call of duty. Each awardee is chosen based on how they have shown a clear love of the country and their local communities, by serving with integrity, honesty, and honor.
As part of Ayala Foundation’s Maging Magiting advocacy program that promotes love of country, Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting will recognize between 15 to 20 police officers every month who show their pride in being Filipino by doing good and doing right, showing the different ways to express kagitingan in everyday life.
The initial six participating regions included the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region. The simultaneous awarding also coincided with the start of the PNP Community Relations Month.
Each Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting awardee receives a certificate of appreciation, a cash award from GCash, and gift certificates from Chooks-to-Go.
“Maraming mga pulis ang tumutupad sa kanilang tungkulin nang buong katapatan, pero laging nababaon ito dahil sa kalokohan ng iilan,” said Police General Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police. “Ang masaklap, parang sinukuan na rin ang iba ng pagkukuwento ng kabutihan ng mga kasama natin. Panahon na para muli nating ikwento at ipagmalaki ang kagitingan ng mga pulis.”
Said Ruel Maranan, president of Ayala Foundation: “Ang Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting ay isang proyektong nabuo dahil sa paniniwala at pagkakaisa ng business sector at ng civil society, na kapag kinilala mo ang kabutihan ng mga pulis, pipiliin nilang maging magiting, at gagawin nila ang tama para sa kapwa at bayan.”
Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting counts the Ayala group of companies, GCash, and Chooks-to-Go as its major business sector partners, and is actively encouraging other members of the private sector to show support.
This project also kicks off the Ayala group’s Brigadang Ayala community initiatives for the whole month of July. Brigadang Ayala is the Ayala group’s united contribution to serving people and communities nationwide. Initially a groupwide volunteerism program for the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela program, Brigadang Ayala expanded to include the disaster relief activities organized by Ayala Foundation and actively supported by the rest of the Ayala group. Today, Brigadang Ayala serves as the umbrella campaign for various social development and corporate social responsibility initiatives across the group—ranging from disaster relief and response, assistance for public education, championing of social enterprises, and public health advocacy, among others. Brigadang Ayala is one of the expressions of the Ayala group’s continuing commitment to national development.
Pulis Magiting X Pilipinong Magiting is also one of Ayala Foundation’s key initiatives for the year, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary.