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The 2021
Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Presenting this year's recipients of Asia's premier prize and highest honor

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Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute

Greatness of Spirit. Leadership. Asian Solutions.

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President Ramon Magsaysay

(31 August 1907 - 17 March 1957)
The seventh president of the Philippines
hailed as the "Champion of the Masses"
and celebrated as one of the most outstanding global leaders of his time

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Asia's premier prize
and highest honor

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia. Since 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has been bestowed upon over three hundred outstanding individuals and organizations whose selfless service has offered their societies, Asia, and the world successful solutions to some of the most challenging problems
of human development.

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Muhammad Amjad Saqib

Pakistan

A visionary who founded one of the largest microfinance institutions in Pakistan, servicing millions of families

Firdausi Qadri

Bangladesh

A Bangladeshi scientist who has been instrumental in discovering vaccines that have saved millions of lives

Steven Muncy

Southeast Asia

A humanitarian who has been helping the displaced refugees of Southeast Asia rebuild their lives

2021 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Watchdoc Media Mandiri

Indonesia

A production house that ingeniously combines documentary filmmaking and alternative platforms to highlight underreported issues in Indonesia

Roberto Ballon

Philippines

A fisherman from Southern Philippines who has led a community in restoring their rich aquatic resources and their primary source of livelihood

Muhammad Amjad Saqib

Pakistan

A visionary who founded one of the largest microfinance institutions in Pakistan, servicing millions of families

Firdausi Qadri

Bangladesh

A Bangladeshi scientist who has been instrumental in discovering vaccines that have saved millions of lives

Steven Muncy

Southeast Asia

A humanitarian who has been helping the displaced refugees of Southeast Asia rebuild their lives

Watchdoc Media Mandiri

Indonesia

A production house that ingeniously combines documentary filmmaking and alternative platforms to highlight underreported issues in Indonesia

Roberto Ballon

Philippines

A fisherman from Southern Philippines who has led a community in restoring their rich aquatic resources and their primary source of livelihood

Each year, transformative leaders working in Asia are added to the roster of distinguished Ramon Magsaysay laureates.

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Our Awardees

Celebrate greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation was created by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, in concurrence with the Philippine government, in 1957, the year the world lost a leader who was
well-loved for his simplicity and humility, his passion for justice, particularly for the poor, and his advancement of human dignity: Pres. Ramon Magsaysay.

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Quick facts on the
Ramon Magsaysay Awards

Rockefeller Brothers Fund

The trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) established the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation in 1957 to honor the memory and perpetuate the example of integrity in public service of Pres. Ramon Magsaysay.

The first Ramon Magsaysay Awards were given on August 31, 1958 to a Philippine-based organization and five outstanding individuals working in India, Indonesia, Philippines, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Sri Lanka.

Since 1958, the award has been given to individuals and organizations working in Asia—regardless of race, nationality, creed or gender—who address issues of human development in Asia with courage and creativity, and in doing so have made contributions which have transformed their societies for the better.

Republic Act No. 3676

The Philippine Congress in 1959 made a gift of land to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) equivalent in value to the original RBF grant. This is where the Ramon Magsaysay Center continues to reside today. In 1963, a subsequent legislation gave RMAF full tax exemption.

Until 2008, the award was given in each of the six fields of activity: Government Service; Public Service; Community Leadership; Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts; Peace and International Understanding; and Emergent Leadership.

Emergent Leadership

The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership is conferred to outstanding young individuals who are 40 years old or below, and to organizations not more than 10 years old that are engaged in exceptionally worthy work. It is supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation.

As of 2021, 314 individuals and 26 organizations from 22 countries across Asia have been elected to receive Asia’s premier prize and highest honor.

Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI)

Created in 2009, RMTLI was established as a major program of the RMAF, to further expand the impact of the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the transformative work of the Magsaysay laureates

Celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia

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Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute

In 2009, the Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI) was established as a major program of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, to further expand the impact of the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the transformative work of Magsaysay laureates.

RMTLI presents an avenue for creative collaboration; a hub for sharing and connecting the solutions of Magsaysay Laureates across sectors and borders. So that more lives can become full and productive.

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Social Justice and Peace Building

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Latest Happenings

News & Events

Published on Jun 03, 2022

Tribute for Ahmad Syafii Maarif

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Published on May 16, 2022

THE RAMON MAGSAYSAY CENTER: Modernizing an icon of the Manila skyline

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Published on May 06, 2022

8 Things Every Person Should do to become an Engaged Citizen

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Published on Apr 21, 2022

NextGen Blogs: How President Magsaysay's leadership values inspire the leaders of today

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Published on Apr 21, 2022

Green transition calls for innovative solutions

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Published on Mar 08, 2022

BREAKING BIASES: A selection of women who received the Ramon Magsaysay Award

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Published on Aug 18, 2021

Meet the NextGen Leaders

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Published on Oct 26, 2021

The One Constant

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Published on Oct 21, 2021

INSPIRING VOICES: Changing Asia For The Better

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Published on Nov 05, 2021

Bravo, ASIA!: Feast for the Senses, Food for the Soul

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The Center

The Ramon Magsaysay Center:
An Asian Landmark

Three things stand out in the Ramon Magsaysay Center: discipline, elegance, and technique. There seems a unique union of ideology common among its creators, anchored in efficient planning, cost of building, and structural integrity. - BluPrint Magazine

THE CENTER