The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), through the Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI), in partnership with Miriam College – Women and Gender Institute (WAGI), conducted a two-day workshop titled “Datin Doris Ong Women Empowerment Workshop: Outgrowing the Norm” in celebration of Women’s Month and the 25th anniversary of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership.
The workshop drew inspiration from the work of Farwiza Farhan, 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership from Indonesia, whose advocacy for environmental conservation has sparked intergenerational dialogue and collective action. Her leadership has encouraged communities—especially the youth—to reclaim their role as stewards of the natural world and to act with hope and responsibility.
Emphasizing the need for empowered female leadership, RMAF President Susan B. Afan remarked, “Women have always played a critical role in community leadership, environmental stewardship, and social progress. Yet, their voices are still underrepresented in decision-making spaces. This workshop is our way of ensuring that these voices are heard, empowered, and equipped to lead. Over the next two days, you will engage in discussions, problem-solving exercises, and mentorship sessions that will translate ideas into action.”
The workshop was also held in memory of Datin Doris Ong, the late mother of former RMAF Trustee and main program proponent Dato Timothy Ong, whose lifelong dedication to education and service. In his opening remarks, he shared, “She taught me a central lesson: that our lives on earth are short and to be lived fully and meaningfully.” He added, “In this increasingly cynical world, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation and the lives that it honors are powerful reminders that greatness of spirit matters… that love, compassion, and generosity have extraordinary power in helping to illuminate our paths to a better world.”
Participants composed of next-generation changemakers from diverse professional backgrounds—including law, journalism, activism, and development—engaged in activities such as the panel discussion and open forum, and break-out sessions for problem-solving workshops with participating environmental organizations like Masungi Georeserve, Waves for Water Philippines, Haribon Foundation, Palawan NGO Network Inc., and Greenpeace Philippines.
The Datin Doris Ong Women Empowerment Workshop exemplifies the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation’s mission to champion transformative spaces where leaders grow, values are lived, and the Magsaysay legacy is carried forward with purpose.