Celso Abesamis Lacuna, a retired Novo Ecijano diplomat, is featured as one of the country's modern-day heroes in the book “Mga Bagong Bayani – 200 Filipino Achievers Overseas”.

He is cited for his “35 years of loyal and meritorious services with the Philippine Government and for his dedicated work at the Philippine Embassy, Bonn from 1966 to 1997, dutifully attending to the needs of Filipinos and Germans alike in the course of his work”.

While serving in Bonn, Lacuna -- a member of the Order of the Knights of Rizal with the rank of Knight Commander -- retraced the travels of Dr. Jose Rizal in Germany and several other European countries. He promoted Philippine history through three websites on the Internet: “Rizal Heritage Trail in Germany”, “Rizal Heritage Trail in Switzerland” and “Rizal Heritage Trail in Austria”.

He initiated and authored ten resolutions to name, designate and declare the routes traveled by Rizal in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Great Britain, Spain and the United States as “Rizal Heritage Trails” which were approved by the Supreme Council of the Knights of Rizal

In 1995, Lacuna was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal of Rizal for his "meritorious and extensive research on Rizal's stay in Germany and the memorable voyages of Rizal on the Rhine River" and for his "tireless efforts in promoting friendship and understanding among the German and Filipino people in the manner of a true Rizalist".

During the 30th founding anniversary of the Bonn chapter of the Knights of Rizal on October 20, 2007, he was conferred the highly coveted Distinguished Service Cross of Rizal.

Lacuna was born on January 9, 1932 in Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija where he spent his childhood and took his basic education. He was the editor-in-chief of the official Peñaranda High School organ "The Golden Leaves" and  an honor graduate of Class 1951.

He finished Foreign Service at the University of Manila.

He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1962, serving the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland from 1963 to 1966. He was transferred to Bonn, Germany in 1967.

He served as member of the working group for the state visits to Germany of President Corazon Aquino in 1989 and President Fidel Ramos in 1994.

Lacuna retired in 1997 after 35 years of continuous service.

He and his wife Helen have two children, Annabelle and Christine Lacuna-Holland. ###