A week before he steps down from office, President Benigno Aquino on Thursday honored outstanding members of his Cabinet and other administration officials by conferring awards to a number of them.

In his speech, Aquino expressed gratitude to his Cabinet and appointees for their sacrifice. He said the awardees were selected based on their "remarkable performance."

"On behalf of our people and from the bottom of my heart, I must say, thank you very much," Aquino said.

The awardees were:

Susan Reyes, Social Secretary

Celia Anna Feria, Chief of Presidential Protocol

Emmanuel Esguerra, NEDA Director General

Manuel L. Quezon III, OIC and Usec, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office

Lilia de Lima, Director General, PEZA

Gerardo Esquivel, MWSS Administrator

Robert Vergara, GSIS President and General Manager

Arnel Casanova, President and CEO of BCDA

Mary Ann Lucille Sering, Climate Change Commission

Chito L. Cruz, Chair, HUDCC; GM, NHA

Cesar Villanueva, Chair, Governance Commission for GOCCs

Joel Villanueva, TESDA Director General

Luwalhati Antonino, Chair of the Mindanao Development Authority

Cesar P. Garcia, National Security Adviser

Mario Montejo, DOST

Ramon Jimenez, DOT

Mel Senen Sarmiento, DILG

Dinky Soliman, DSWD

Janette Garin, DOH

Voltaire Gazmin, DND

Rosalinda Baldoz, DOLE

Armin Luistro, DepEd

Rogelio Singson, DPWH

Jose Rene Almendras, DFA

Not present but also recognized were:

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima

NEDA DG Arsenio Balisacan

Chief Presidential legal counsel Benjamin Caguioa

DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo.