2009 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees - New Breed of Heroes

2009 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees - New Breed of Heroes

Dr Abe V Rotor

The Ramon Magsaysay Award is in recognition of greatness of spirit shown in service to the peoples of Asia. Since 1958 the Award has been given to more than 270 individuals and organizations in 22 Asian countries and territories.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award is the counterpart of the Nobel Prize Award. Like the latter, it epitomizes the common tao the masa, in the words of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, the grassroots where rise greatness in the true sense of the the unknown soldier of change, of peace, of brotherhood, of freedom, of selflessness.

Krisana Kraisintu - Thai. For placing pharmaceutical rigor at the service of patients through her untiring and fearless dedication to producing much-needed generic drugs in Thailand and and elsewhere in the developing world.

Deep Joshi - Indian. For his vision and leadership in bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in India by effectively combining head and heart in the transformative work of rural development.

Yu Xiaogang - Chinese. For fusing social science knowledge with a deep sense of social justice, in assisting dam-affected communities in China to shape the development projects that impact their natural environment and their lives.

Antonio Oposa Jr. - Filipino. For his pathbreaking and passionate crusade to engage Filipinos in acts of enlightened citizenship that maximize the power of law to protect and nurture the environment for themselves, their children, and generations still to come.

Ma Jun - Chinese. For harnessing the technology and power of information to address China's water crisis, and mobilizing pragmatic, multisectoral, and collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable benefits for China's environment and society.

Ka Hsaw Wa - Burmese. For dauntlessly pursuing nonviolent yet effective channels of redress, exposure, and education for the defense of human rights, the environment, and democracy in Burma.

The Ramon Magsaysay Awardees constitute an emerging new breed of heroes our society and the whole world need in these trying times.~~~

Light from the Old Arch 2, AVR