Philippines, Republic. An Ancient Order Of Sikatuna, Grand Collar (Raja), Heads Of State Issue, C.1955

(Orden ni Sikatuna), Instituted in 1953. Conferred upon Former or Incumbent Heads of State and/or of Government. Collar Badge in silver gilt with red, white, green, ultramarine blue and dark blue enamels, in the shape of a Maltese cross with a sea-lion emerging from the waves between the four arms of the cross, backed by an eight-pointed multi-rayed star, the centrepiece illustrating two arms, one gauntleted in European-style and the other in tortoiseshell mail, both of which hold daggers that drop blood into a cup resting upon a treaty parchment scroll, representing the Blood Compact made between Raja Sikatuna of Bohol and the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565, the two arms surmounted by the eight-rayed Philippine sun, the reverse with a cartouche illustrating the seal of the President of the Philippines, surrounded by the inscription "ANCIENT ORDER OF THE SIKATUNA / RAJA" and maker marked "A. ZAMORA & SONS" (Angel Zamora & Sons), the badge measuring 78.2 mm (w) x 82 mm (h), with a sampaguita wreath above in silver gilt with green and white enamels, measuring 78.2 mm (w) x 117 mm (h) inclusive of the badge.

The neck chain houses fourteen badges, all within oval frames and connected to one another via three chain links, which includes four badges illustrating the Philippine sea-lion emerging above stylized waves in silver gilt with light blue and dark blue enamels, measuring 53 mm (w) x 32.5 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops, four badges illustrating the baton of authority resting upon a treaty parchment scroll in silver gilt with white and green enamels, measuring 52 mm (w) x 31 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops, four badges illustrating the Philippine sun emerging above stylized waves in silver gilt with yellow, white, green and dark blue enamels, measuring 52 mm (w) x 30.7 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops, with the badges placed in an alternating pattern. In addition, there are two badges bearing the Republic of the Philippines coat-of-arms in silver gilt with red, white and dark blue enamels, measuring 56.5 mm (w) x 30.7 mm (h) each inclusive of their loops, one placed in position where its rests at the back of the wearer's neck, the other positioned at the front with a 22.3 mm (w) x 42 mm (h) ribbon banner in silver gilt with dark blue enamels suspended from it inscribed "COMMANDER LAUREATE", the coat-of-arms and the ribbon banner together measuring 56.5 mm (w) x 54.5 mm (h), with the aforementioned wreath and badge suspended from them, each of these four insignia connected to one another via a single chain link. The collar chain measures approximately 860 mm in length, with intact enamels, very light contact, near extremely fine.

Footnote: The Order of Sikatuna is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. It is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippines, upon diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who have rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines, or upon personnel of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), both in the Home Office and in the Foreign Service. It may be awarded by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the name and by authority of the President. The Order of Sikatuna was established by President Elpidio Quirino as the "Order of Sikatuna" through Executive Order No. 571 dated February 27, 1953 and designed by Gilbert Perez. Section 2 of the executive order states, "The Order of Sikatuna [...] commemorates the first treaty (Pacto de Sangre) between the Philippines and a foreign country..." In the Quirino order, the Order of Sikatuna commemorates the pacto de sangre or blood compact, more popularly known as sandugo. This was, according to the Executive Order, the first international treaty of friendship between Bohol native chieftain, Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, between a Filipino and a Spaniard. Lately, however, the Executive Order's premise has been put to question. The event was not the first blood compact since the first recorded happened forty-four years before between Ferdinand Magellan, representing the Spanish crown, and raia Siaiu, king of the island-port of Mazaua. Magellan called the ceremony "casi casi", a Malayan term meaning "to be one and the same thing" or to be blood brothers. At the same time the first recorded Treaty of Peace was entered into on Tuesday, April 9, 1521 by datu Humabon of Cebu and Magellan. The Order of Sikatuna's original four-class composition was expanded by Presidents Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand E. Marcos.

In 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reformed the Philippine system of orders, medals, and decorations, through Executive Order No. 236, known as the Honors Code of the Philippines, which codified the civilian orders, decorations and medals of the Republic of the Philippines. Among its provisions was one renaming the order as simply, "The Order of Sikatuna, " and clarifying its protocolar standing. It is awarded in six grades: Grand Collar (GCS) (Raja), conferred upon a former or incumbent Head of State and/or of Government; Grand Cross (GCrS) (Datu), the Grand Cross having two distinctions: (i) Gold (Katangiang Ginto) and (ii) Silver (Katangiang Pilak) and may be conferred upon a Crown Prince, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice or the equivalent, foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, Ambassador, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing; Grand Officer (GOS) (Maringal na Lakan), conferred upon a Chargé d'affaires, e.p., Minister, Minister Counselor, Consul General heading a consular post, Executive Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing; Commander (CS) (Lakan), conferred upon a Chargé d'affaires a.i., Counselor, First Secretary, Consul General in the consular section of an Embassy, Consular officer with a personal rank higher than Second Secretary, Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing; Officer (OS) (Maginoo), conferred upon a Second Secretary, Consul, Assistant Director, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing; and Member (MS) (Maharlika), conferred upon a Third Secretary, Vice Consul, Attaché, Principal Assistant, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing.