Recognizing global success and world-class excellence, The Filipino Times Awards 2015 has successfully gathered the most influential of UAE’s Filipino community in a red-carpet event in honor of exemplary Filipinos and in recognition of top brands which Filipinos prefer.

The role of Filipinos in nation building across the globe has become more prominent over the years. More than 12 million Filipinos work and live across the world. Close to a million are based in the UAE. Last year, overseas Filipinos sent a record high Dh100 billion in remittances to the Philippines, accounting for about 8.5 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Among the recipients was Ambassador Grace Relucio Princesa who was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award. Her Excellency, a career diplomat of 36 years, is a staunch supporter of trade and industry based on the abaca fiber and an advocate of financial literacy through the Pinoy Wise (Worldwide Initiative for Savings Investment and Entrepreneurship) movement. Ambassador Princesa will be ending her six-year tour of duty on Oct. 24, 2015.

The much-coveted The Filipino Times’ Rizal Award, which is named after the country’s national hero, was awarded to Dubai-based multi-awarded fashion designer Michael Cinco, the first Filipino designer to be featured on the Emmy-award winning reality show, America’s Next Top Model. His creations have been worn by celebrities like Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Sofia Vergara, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown, Fergie, Paris Hilton, among others.

The awards was launched to reward the excellence of the brands preferred by Filipinos.

Karen Remo, managing director of New Perspective Media and editor-in-chief of The Filipino Times, said: “Being the unifying voice of the Filipinos in the desert, The Filipino Times Awards aims to celebrate Filipinos’ ingenuity, global success and diversity. We also would like to recognize the excellence and performance of the brands preferred by the Filipinos.”

“The purchasing power of the Filipino is stronger than it has ever been and the average income has significantly increased over the years. Coupled with the fact that the community represents the third largest in the UAE, there’s no wonder why it is a vital target market,” Remo added.

More than 200 nominations have been submitted – 106 under the 16 brand categories and 97 under the 13 categories for the individual nominations. Nominees in the individual category were deliberated by esteemed judges led by His Excellency Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes; His Excellency Eng. Mohammed Saleh Badri of Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA); Eng. Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi, CEO of Geoscience Testing Laboratory and Emirates Businesswoman Awardee; Ken Fortun, project consultant at MyGMA Pay TV Service; Juliet Solas, shift supervisor at Latifa Hospital and Dubai Government Excellence Programme awardee; and Karen Remo, The Filipino Times editor-in-chief.