President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred to Dr. Ester B. Ogena, Director of the Science Education Institute of DOST, the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award in simple ceremonies held at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacanang Palace on 19 September 2003. Dr. Ogena is one among the nine Lingkod Bayan awardees chosen from a number of nominees considered to be the bureaucracy's cream of the crop. The Award is being given in celebration of the 103rd Anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service. As a Lingkod Bayan awardee, Dr. Ogena received a P100, 000 cash award and a promotion to the next higher position in her agency or an increase in salary equivalent to the next higher position. She also received a gold gilded medallion and a plaque.

After the awarding ceremonies in Malacanang, the awardees for the Lingkod Bayan, Dangal ng Bayan and Pagasa were honored in a musical tribute dubbed Parangal…Pasasalamat 2003 at the Teatro Aguinaldo in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.