It is with great pride to know that this year, two out of the six awardees of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards are from the Philippines. Lilia de Lima, former Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director-General, and Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) were both awarded on July 27. This honor is considered Asia’s premier prize celebrating greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia. The other four awardees are Yoshiaki Ishizawa (Japan), Abdon Nababan (Indonesia), Gethsie Shanmugam (Sri Lanka), and Tony Tay (Singapore).
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation selects awardees annually. At present, about three hundred outstanding men, women and organizations received awards who have served selflessly through by giving solutions to the most demanding problems the society faces today. Each awardee is presented with a certificate and a medallion embossed with the image of Ramon Magsaysay.
The Philippines is Honored for Credible Public Service and Empowering Communities through Theater Arts
Former Director-General Lilia de Lima deserves the Ramon Magsaysay Award for exceptional service in promoting and regulating foreign investments in the country’s economic zones. Under her leadership, the country gained recognition for being one of the region’s top investment destinations. She reformed PEZA’s work culture established it as an honest, efficient and a “one-stop, nonstop service.” The system PEZA established in her time was cited by the World Bank for demonstrating “best practices” in worldwide ecozone management. The enacted policies included shifting ecozone development from being government-financed to private-sector-led and implementing 24-hour PEZA operations. Within her term, the problem of unemployment was significantly given answer to when PEZA generated about 6.3 million jobs for Filipinos.
Lilia de Lima was born in Iriga City, Camarines Sur and was raised by public servants with the ideals of integrity. In everything she has done, she remains humble saying that she cannot solve problems of the world. But if she can make a difference in her own “little area,” she says that she must make that difference.
The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is recognized by the board of trustees for its “bold and collective contributions in shaping the theater arts as a force for social change.” No other theater organization in the country has been as passionate and as committed as PETA in raising awareness and change in societies through the power of the arts. For fifteen years, PETA has been true to its vision as a “national theater” and a “people’s theater.” The “artist-teachers” of PETA strive for artistic excellence, holistic education, and social development. Among PETA’s major programs include the “Kalinangan Ensemble,” its repertory and performing arm; and the “School of People’s Theater,” that focuses on training and community development. PETA is dedicated to programs for women’s and children’s rights. They are advocates of domestic and overseas workers, environmental protection, reproductive health and electoral reform.
To date, PETA produced and performed around 540 plays (original, translated, or adapted) to about a million people both locally and internationally. They have trained about 4,650 artists, school teachers, community leaders and development workers. PETA President Cecilia B. Garrucho says that they envision a “nation of fully-actualized citizens, creative, and able to find a way, a solution, even when it seems like there is none.”
The Ramon Magsaysay Awards will be formally presented to Lilia de Lima and to PETA in Manila, Philippines on the 31st of August, the birth anniversary of the highly respected Philippine President.