The Honors Code of 2003 was the code that created the Order of National Social Scientists, grouped and ranked with the Order of National Scientists and the Order of National Artists as the Order of Artistic, Cultural, and Scientific Merit of the Republic. This in effect removed social scientists under the purview of the Order of National Scientists, and established it as a separate order. As of 2020, the award has been given to a total of eight (8) social scientists. The last conferment was held last 2011 to National Scientist Raul V. Fabella for his significant contributions in the field of Economics.
