MANILA — The Philippines awarded the “highest honors” to two Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots on Saturday, as soon as their remains arrived at the Villamor Air Base days after the aerial mishap that led to their demise.

PAF Major Jude Salang-oy and First Lieutenant April John Dadulla were accorded the Distinguished Aviation Cross after their FA-50 lead-in trainer fighter jet crashed into Mount Kalatungan earlier this week.

“Ang morale ng PAF is in mourning right now. We are deeply saddened by this event but our mission goes on,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo told reporters.

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“This will inspire us to do our mandate better. We hope the whole nation will join us in giving honor to the bravery and patriotism of our fallen comrades,” she said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo led the military honors for the fallen pilots after the C130 plane carrying their remains arrived in Pasay City from Cagayan de Oro.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was supposed to lead the ceremonies, but canceled hours before the event “due to an urgent matter.”

Aside from the posthumous award, the pilots’ families will also receive financial assistance for interment, as well as livelihood and education packages, Castillo said.

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A vigil will be held for the pilots in the PAF Headquarter in Pasay for a day, before another ceremony in the Basa Air Base in Pampanga.

Salang-Oy was a member of the Philippine Military Academy's "Siklab Diwa" Class of 2014, while Dadulla is part of the PAF’s Officer Candidate Course 'Sinaglawin' Class of 2020.

They were on a mission to provide air support to government troops in Bukidnon with other members of their flight when they went missing, the PAF earlier said.

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After the crash, the PAF’s FA-50 units are placed on “administrative grounding” while investigations continue, Castillo said.

“Ang directive naman ng Pangulo, as well as yung chain of command, is for a thorough investigation to be conducted,” she said.

“Iche-check ang current fleet para ma-rule out ang material factor… pero kung kailangan natin sila lumipad to respond to emergencies then we will bring them back to air,” she said.

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The Philippines acquired the 12 FA-50 units from South Korea from 2015 to 2017 for P18.9 billion.

“Mayroon tayong recommendation to buy another 12 aircraft but it will depend on higher headquarters,” the PAF spokesperson said.

The PAF has yet to say when their investigations are expected to be completed and if the findings will be released to the public.