By Jaspearl Tan

The government of Japan on Wednesday awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon to former National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba.

The award was conferred by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa to Cordoba, now Commission on Audit chairman, in a ceremony at the envoy's residence in Makati City.

In a speech, Koshikawa said that Cordoba’s “diligent efforts” helped establish strong ties between Japan and the Philippines in the information and communications technology sector.

“Without Commissioner Cordoba’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, the deployment and dissemination of the ISDB-T (Integrated Service Digital Broadcast Terrestrial Technology) would never have materialized,” Koshikawa said.

“His significant work in the Philippine telecommunications sector, including his pivotal role in the adaption of the Japanese digital terrestrial TV standard, earned him the Info Communications Promotion Commendations from Honorable Noda Seiko, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan in 2018,” he added.

Koshikawa said they are working with the Philippine government to expand the ISDB-T.

Cordoba said he accepted the award with “much gratitude and humility”.

“As I receive this award, I am reminded of the extensive efforts undertaken to determine Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcast Terrestrial Technology (ISDBT) which was the optimal choice for the Philippine migration digital television,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by Cordoba’s family, First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, House Majority Leader Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, NTC Commissioner Ella Lopez and Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of former President and now Deputy Speaker of the House Gloria Macpagal Arroyo. DMS