MS JOANNA PORTILLA

Member of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (Accord)

Public Service Star

Ms Joanna Portilla has been a member of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (Accord) since 2008, and is part of its Family and Community Council.

The latter has organised outreach programmes such as focus group discussions and national service information sharing sessions.

It also organised the Women's Boot Camps in 2018 and 2019, to let women better understand the importance of NS and the contributions of their loved ones as national servicemen.

Ms Portilla, 49, who is also Patron of the People's Association's Women's Integration Network Council, said she is humbled to receive the recognition.

"I have found my work in Accord very meaningful as the projects address queries on NS-related matters and have helped allay women's concern for their loved ones by giving them an opportunity to understand and experience a slice of military life," she said.

"As a leader in women's empowerment and advocacy work, I endeavour to continue my work together with my peers in Accord, to interest fellow Singaporeans in issues related to defence through meaningful projects."

A full list of this year's National Day Award recipients is available at the PMO website.

Correction note: An earlier version of this story said Ms Joanna Portilla chairs the People's Association's Women's Integration Network Council. Ms Portilla is actually its Patron. We are sorry for the error.