Who was Ramon Magsaysay?
— President Ramon Magsaysay’s “Credo”
DEL FIERRO MAGSAYSAY WAS THE THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (30 DECEMBER 1953 – 17 MARCH 1957) AFTER WORLD WAR II. HIS LIFE HAD GREAT IMPACT NOT ONLY IN HIS COUNTRY BUT ON MANY PEOPLE IN MANY LANDS. HE WAS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING LEADERS OF HIS TIME.
A MAN WITH A LIBERATING SPIRIT, MAGSAYSAY SAW HIS FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS BORN WITH THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS. HE WAS ANGERED AT INJUSTICE AND THE VIOLATION OF HIGH PRINCIPLES.
HE WORKED TO BUILD A NATION – A WORLD – IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE WERE FREE AND LIVED IN HONOR AND PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THE WORLD IS RICHER AND BETTER BECAUSE RAMON MAGSAYSAY LIVED. HIS SPIRIT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN INSPIRATION. HE EXEMPLIFIES THE HIGHEST TYPE OF LEADERSHIP. THE MAGSAYSAY AWARD
“I BELIEVE THAT THIS NATION IS ENDOWED WITH A VIBRANT AND STOUT HEART, AND POSSESSES UNTAPPED CAPABILITIES AND INCREDIBLE RESILIENCY…” (RM CREDO)
The Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Premier Prize, is now on its 59th year of “honoring greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in selfless service to the peoples of Asia.” Since its inception, over 300 individuals and organizations have joined the distinguished community of Magsaysay Awardees.
Regardless of race, nationality, creed or gender – the Award is given to persons – 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. Collectively, the Awardees’ stories paint a portrait of remarkable change and achievement in areas as diverse as rural and urban development, poverty alleviation, public health, the environment, governance, education, business, human rights, culture, and the arts.
In the almost six decades of the Magsaysay Award’s existence, Asia has made great progress, some nations more than others. Yet the region continues to grapple with problems of poverty, malnutrition, disease, and violence, as well as with newer problems that have come with economic progress itself, such as urban pollution and climate change.
In continuing to recognize individuals and organizations that address these issues with extraordinary vigor, integrity and selflessness, the RM Awards seeks to honor the legacy of President Magsaysay and to place living examples of inspiring leadership and service before the public. From them, present and future generations may draw courage, challenge, and hope.
“I BELIEVE IN THE MAJESTY OF CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL PROCESSES, IN THE INVIOLABILITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS…” (RM CREDO) PRESENTATION CEREMONIES
“I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD SET THE EXAMPLE OF A BIG HEART, AN HONEST MIND, SOUND INSTINCTS, THE VIRTUE OF HEALTHY IMPATIENCE AND AN ABIDING LOVE FOR THE COMMON MAN….” (RM CREDO)
Last 31 August (Thursday), we witnessed another inspiring RM Awards Presentation Ceremonies. The Magsaysay Award is presented formally to the year’s laureates in ceremonies at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The trustees of the Magsaysay Award Foundation bestow Asia’s highest honor personally to each of the awardees after their individual award citations have been read before the overflow audience. In turn, each awardee delivers a brief response, and the guest of honor closes the ceremonies with short congratulatory remarks.
Simple yet moving, these formal ceremonies are open to the public. After the ceremonies, the guests may personally meet and greet the Magsaysay Awardees during the joyous reception at the theater lobby.
Held every year on the birth anniversary of the late President Magsaysay, this is a unique event that many people really look forward to – leaders, students, scholars, the foreign community, entire families, and ordinary people alike – because it provides hope, inspiration, and pride to all who seek to build a better world.
AMONG THIS YEAR’S SIX AWARDEES IS OUR OWN LILIA DE LIMA, “… FOR HER UNSTINTING, SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A CREDIBLE AND EFFICIENT PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY PROVING THAT HONEST, COMPETENT AND DEDICATED WORK OF PUBLIC SERVANTS CAN INDEED REDOUND TO REAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO MILLIONS OF FILIPINOS.” Abangan — Next Week “RM Awards to Model Asians” ENCOUNTER WITH RM
THIS WRITER PERSONALLY MET THE GREAT RM SEVERAL TIMES – THE FIRST TIME IN SEPTEMBER, 1951, WHEN HE WAS REPORTING TO GHQAFP AT CAMP MURPHY (NOW CAMP AGUINALDO) FOR HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT.
FVR had just finished his MS in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois on a one-year scholarship from the AFP, as a 2nd lieutenant of the Corps of Engineers (CE). A month before, he had applied to GHQ for a change of branch of service from CE to Infantry since the DND-AFP, at that time, was into new campaigns against the Huks who “were knocking at the doors of Manila.” At that time, FVR felt that with four years’ cadetship at the US Military Academy, he could be more useful in the Battalion Combat Teams of the Philippine Army than in the GHQ Technical Services.
To his surprise, the AFP Assistant Chief of Staff-G1 (Personnel) Col. Carmelo Barbero, a UP ROTC graduate (Vanguards ’36) and tough Bataan veteran, brought him to the office of Defense Secretary RM. Apparently, RM had earlier expressed the wish to interview AFP officers returning from training abroad before their deployment to various units. When FVR saluted the SND, without much ado, RM instructed his aide to have orders issued for Ramos to be assigned as Junior Aide to him.
FVR was taken aback – because this wasn’t the “combat duty” he had sought – but recovered quickly enough to blurt out: In effect, FVR turned down the SND bluntly, maybe impolitely, right then and there – but to the credit of the great RM, who smiled, relented, and then instructed Col. Barbero: “OK, have Ramos assigned to Relosa.”
COL. JUAN RELOSA (PMA ’36) WAS COMMANDER OF THE 2ND BCT, THEN THE II MILITARY AREA’S STRIKE FORCE IN SOUTHERN LUZON, CONSISTING LARGELY OF ILOCANO-SPEAKING IGOROT SOLDIERS FROM THE OLD PHILIPPINE SCOUTS WHO MAD FOUGHT AS GUERRILLAS IN BESSANG PASS UNDER COL. EULOGIO BALAO (PMA ‘31). MAGSAYSAY’S EFFECTIVE STRATEGY
WHEN THE HUKS UNDER JESUS LAVA AND LUIS TARUC REBELLED AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF AGRARIAN ABUSES AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN THE LATE 1940S, THE AFP LAUNCHED LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS AGAINST THEM. THE ARMY’S UNWIELDY FORMATIONS, HOWEVER, PROVED INEFFECTIVE AGAINST THE HUKS WHO CONSISTED OF MOBILE ARMED CELLS AND ELUSIVE LOCAL AUXILIARIES.
Reshaping his strategy, Secretary Magsaysay directed the organization of compact hardhitting units, principally Battalion Combat Teams and Scout Rangers. The resultant small-unit actions that focused on endurance, stealth, tactical intelligence and jungle combat proved successful in hunting down the Huks through long-range patrols and first-strike operations.
Early on, it was recognized that the real battle was for people’s “hearts and minds,” especially among the rural poor, whose loyalty had to be won by Government at every step. Knowing that even elite combat troops wouldn’t be enough to quell the Huk rebellion, Magsaysay enhanced his pacification campaign by effectively combining “all-out force” (on the right hand) with “all-out friendship” (on the left hand) by including medical and engineering assistance to poor communities and homesteads (EDCOR farms) for landless tenants (with rebelreturnees and retired soldiers as co-settlers) in Mindanao and other conflict areas.
Magsaysay’s twin weapons of “all-out force” and “winning the hearts and minds” continue to be relevant and successful to this day. This is reflected in the AFP’s current “Development Support and Security Plan (DSSP) KAPAYAPAAN” under AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año and also during President Cory’s time in what was called the “Clear-HoldConsolidate-Develop” (C-H-C-D) strategy. (Please revisit FVR’s column “Not Back To Square One!”
19 May 2013). THE COMMON TAO AS TOP PRIORITY
THE ULTIMATE BOTTOMLINE IN ALL THESE EXEMPLARY RM STRATEGIES IS TO INVOLVE THE COMMON TAO (PEOPLE) IN THE PRIORITY ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN BUILDING ENDURING PEACE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – WHERE THERE IS TRUE INCLUSIVENESS AND MUTUAL SHARING OF BENEFITS FOR ALL.
THE BASIC CONCEPT OF THE COMMON TAO AS THE PRINCIPAL FACTOR IN AND ULTIMATE BENEFACTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, INDEED, IS AS RELEVANT TODAY UNDER P. DU30’S PRESIDENCY AS IT WAS IN RM’S TIME. AS RAMON MAGSAYSAY SAID FAMOUSLY: