The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino: Gawad Ramon Magsaysay) is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government. It is often called the "Nobel Prize of Asia".
History In May 1957, seven prominent Filipinos were named to the founding board of trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, the non-profit corporation tasked with implementing the awards program. Later on, the board of trustees diversified and included prominent Asians from all over the Asian continent and outlying islands. The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation gives the prize to Asian individuals achieving excellence in their respective fields.
The award is named after Ramon Magsaysay, the seventh president of the Philippines. This has generated criticism due to allegations of brutal suppression of dissent and subserviency to the US government during Magsaysay's tenure as defense secretary and president.
Award categories The award recognizes and honors individuals and organizations in Asia regardless of race, creed, sex, or nationality, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and have helped others generously without anticipating public recognition.
The awards used to be given in six categories, five of which were discontinued in 2009: Government Service (1958–2008) Public Service (1958–2008) Community Leadership (1958–2008) Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts (1958–2008) Peace and International Understanding (1958–2008) Emergent Leadership (since 2001)
Awardees The winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards come from different parts of Asia, although there are some instances where the winners came from countries outside Asia who had served, worked or accomplished something in different Asian countries. As of 2021, recipients have come from twenty-two Asian countries.
The following is a partial list of the awardees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award.Complete list of awardees by year Awardees' individual nationality or country of origin and citizenship are indicated.
Starting 2009, the Award is no longer being given in fixed categories except for Emergent Leadership.
Government Service (1958–2008) To recognize outstanding service in the public interest in any branch of government, including the executive, judicial, legislative, or military.
Year Image Recipient Nationality or Base Country Citation 1958 Chiang Monlin(1886–1964) Taiwan "The Board of Trustees recognizes his distinguished leadership of the Chinese and American Commission that has been largely instrumental in bringing about significant improvements in the rural life of his countrymen." 1959 Sir Chintaman Dwarakanath Deshmukh(1896-1982) India "for their exemplary performance in the service of their respective governments. As our late president regarded government office as a public trust, this ideal has characterized the careers of the one in India and the other in the Philippines." Jose Vasquez Aguilar(1900–1980) 1960 Not awarded 1961 Raden Kodijat(1890–1968) Indonesia "for his dedicated and skillful direction of the massive yaws eradication effort that is freeing his countrymen from a disfiguring and crippling disease." 1962 Francisca Reyes-Aquino(1899–1983) "her original research on Filipino folk dance and music, preserving this rich heritage for future generations." 1963 Akhtar Hameed Khan(1914–1999) Pakistan "for his inspiring personal commitment of experience, erudition and energy to scientific testing and application of a viable pattern for rural reform among his people." 1964 Yukiharu Miki(1903–1964) Japan "for his humanistic foresight in engineering rapid but orderly modernization, assuring well-being for the entire community." 1965 Puey Ungphakorn(1916–1999) Thailand "for his dedication, unquestioned integrity and high order of professional skill brought to the management of Thailand’s public finance." 1966 Fon Saengsingkaew(1907–1980) Thailand "his farsighted design in creating and staffing superior mental health services for his country." 1967 Keo Viphakone(1917–2006) Laos "his sustained initiative and integrity in inaugurating public services for Lao villagers under handicaps that easily could have excused defeat." 1968 Li Kwoh-ting(1910–2001) Taiwan "for his vigorous, rational guidance of Taiwan’s economy, generating one of the world’s most rapid rates of industrial growth." 1969 Hsu Shih-chu(b. ?) Taiwan "for his enthusiastic yet practical role in establishing on Taiwan's rural health, sanitation, and family planning services that are models for developing nations." 1970 Not awarded 1971 Ali Sadikin(1926–2008) Indonesia "for his innovation, foresight and compassion in design and management of a modern administration giving residents of Indonesia's capital a sense of increased well-being in a finer community."1972Goh Keng Swee(1918–2010)"for his role in transforming Singapore's economy during 1960s"1973Balachandra Chakkingal Sekhar(1929–2006)"for his leadership of scientific and technical advance that assure a more prosperous and stable future of rubber growers"1974Hiroshi Kuroki(1907–2001)"for his role in modernizing Miyazaki Prefecture as its governor"1975Mohamed Suffian bin Moh. Hashim(1907–2001)"for his uprightness and humanity in adapting western legal form to realities of his own plural society"1976Elsie Tu(1913–2015)"for his role in making Hong Kong Government more responsive to the less affluent"1977Benjamin Galstaun(1913–1989)"for his role in guiding a new generation of Indonesians toward understanding and valuing animals and nature in Asia"1978Shahrum bin Yub(1934–2016)"for his role in making a living museum an enlightening experience for all ages"1986Ben Mboi(1935–2015)Indonesia"for the couple's open-hearted invigoration of government and cooperating agencies in East Nusa Tenggara Province of Indonesia"Nafsiah Mboi(b. 1940)1988Miriam Defensor Santiago(1945–2016)"for bold and moral leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency."
Public Service (1958–2008) To recognize outstanding service for the public good by a private citizen.