The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) recently announced the six 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees from around the region at the Luna Gardens, Rockwell, Makati City.
Leading the awardees was Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. The RMAF recognized her for “her moral courage and commitment to justice in taking head on one of the most intractable problems in the Philippines [graft and corruption], promoting by her example of incorruptibility, diligence, vision and leadership the highest ethical standards in public service.”
The second awardee, Dompet Dhuafa—which literally means wallet of the poor—is the largest philanthropic organization in Indonesia. RMAF recognized it for “redefining the landscape of zakat [charity]-based philanthropy in Indonesia, unleashing the potential of the Islamic faith to uplift, irrespective of their creed, the lives of millions.”
Following Dompet Dhuafa was Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), an organization of Japanese volunteers sent to their assigned local communities abroad to help improve the general well- being of the citizens in the area in which they are dispatched to. JOCV and its volunteers are awarded “for their idealism and spirit of service in advancing the lives of communities, other than their own, demonstrating over five decades that is, indeed, when people live, work and think together that they lay the true foundation for peace and international solidarity.”
Coming from Lao PDR was the fourth Ramon Magsaysay Awardee. Established in 2010, Vientiane Rescue is known for free ambulance service on a 24/7 basis, despite lack of funds. Vientiane Rescue received the citation for “its heroic work in saving Laotian lives in a time and place of great need, under the most deprived of circumstances, inspiring by their passionate humanitarianism a similar generosity of spirit in many others.”
Bezwada Wilson of India was the fifth Magsaysay laureate. The 50-year-old Wilson came from a family of dalit (oppressed), but believed that being a dalit is not their fate, but just a social status imposed by society. Wilson believed nobody should be doing belittling jobs, such as manual scavenging, which is a common job for dalits. RMAF held Wilson in high regard due to “his moral energy and prodigious skill in leading a grassroots movement to eradicate the degrading servitude of manual scavenging in India, reclaiming for the dalits the human dignity that is their natural birthright.”
Completing the roster of the 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees was Indian musician and performer Thodur Madabusi Krishna. Krishna is devoted to change societal codes of caste, creed or class with the use of music. He used his passion and artistry to influence and garnered him the 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent leadership. He was recognized for “his forceful commitment as an artist and advocate to art’s power to heal India’s deep social divisions, breaking barriers of caste and class to unleash what music has to offer, not just for some, but for all.”
“The Magsaysay awardees of 2016 are all daring to create social good in Asia. Clearly, they are creating bold solutions to deeply rooted social problems in their respective societies, problems that are most damaging to the lives of those trapped in poverty, ignorance, prejudice and unjust systems,” RMAF President Carmencita Abella said in a statement.
Wilson and Krishna, together with volunteers from Dompet Dhuafa, Vientiane Rescue and JOCV will be visiting Manila from August 27 to September 3. They will join Morales and will have activities for the 109th birth anniversary celebration of the late President Ramon F. Magsaysay. All six awardees will be conferred with their certificates, along with a medal with Magsaysay’s image and a cash prize on August 31 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The presentation ceremony is open to the public.