Filipina tech leader Kat Borlongan knighted with France's National Order of Merit

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Kat Borlongan is honored as a Knight of the National Order of Merit in France

Kat Borlongan via LinkedIn

MANILA, Philippines — Filipina entrepreneur and tech leader Kat Borlongan was honored as a Knight of the National Order of Merit in France, likely the first Filipino to receive the distinction.

Borlongan was bestowed the honor last week by Clara Chappaz, France's former secretary of state and Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies.

The awarding ceremony took place at France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had previously granted Borlongan a scholarship to study in the country over two decades ago for a degree in Political Science and Government.

Her studies in Sciences Po Bordeaux came between educational stints in the University of Oxford and McGill University, the latter as a Beaverbrook Foundation Scholar for her Master's degree in Communication Studies.

Borlongan reflected on her distinction on LinkedIn, calling it the "French Dream," having embarked on "a journey built on solidarity, community, and the chance to give back to the country that welcomed her as a teenager."

"My daughters would be the first to remind me: a Knight isn't someone who simply receives a medal. A Knight is someone who defends what they love. And today, there are things worth defending," Borlongan said.

"We live in a time when fear of the 'other' too easily dominates the conversation, closing doors feels like the easy way out. But France has never been at its best when yielding to that impulse," she continued. "We are at our strongest when we choose trust: in our institutions, our capacity for innovation, and our values. Most of all, in the belief that belonging can be earned, learned, and built."

She ended her post by accepting the honor with deep humility and the hopes to keep the "French Dream" alive for her daughters and for those who will follow in her footsteps.

The National Order of Merit, in French the Ordre national du Mérite, is awarded by the President of France for individuals with distinguished civil or military achievements.

The Order has five classes — Knight (Chevalier), Officer (Officier), Commander (Commandeur), Grand Officer (Grand Officier), and Grand Cross (Grand-Croix) — each with a minimum requirement of years of public service and within a prior rank.

Knights must be at least 35 years old and have at least 10 years (15 years in practice) of public service. Men wear their medals on the left chest while women, like Borlongan, have medals in bow form when wearing dresses.

French citizens who were bestowed the National Order of Merit include former president Charles de Gaulle, oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, actors Isabelle Hupert and Alain Delon, art historian and curator Françoise Cachin, and basketball player Victor Wembanyama.

Foreign nationals are eligible for the order, which includes Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Empress Michiko of Japan.

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