Marilyn Cahatol

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) 2015 Presentation Ceremonies at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on Monday(August 31, 2015). Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards is Asia's highest honor and is widely regarded as the region's equivalent to the Nobel Prize. Benhur Arcayan, Malacañang Photo Bureau

Article (news)

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, recognizing transformative leadership and service that uplift communities and inspire hope across the region.</p><p>In a global announcement on August 31, the foundation named this year’s awardees: the Foundation to Educate Girls Globally (Educate Girls) from India, Shaahina Ali from the Maldives, and Fr. Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines.</p><p>Educate Girls, a nonprofit organization based in India, is being recognized for its commitment to breaking cultural barriers and promoting education among girls and young women in rural and marginalized communities. </p><p>The group has enabled thousands of girls to return to school, equipping them with the skills and confidence to achieve their full potential.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/31/studio-ghibli-s-hayao-miyazaki-among-honorees-at-2024-ramon-magsaysay-awards-1222">Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki joins environment, education and health advocates honored by Ramon Magsaysay Awards</a></div><p>Shaahina Ali, an environmental advocate from the Maldives, has been honored for her leadership in protecting the country’s fragile marine ecosystems.</p><p>As executive director of Parley Maldives, Ali has spearheaded large-scale campaigns against plastic pollution, engaging schools, communities, and the tourism sector in efforts to preserve the nation’s waters and natural heritage. </p><p>She is the first Maldivian to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/13/maldives-gets-imf-debt-warning-as-more-chinese-loans-loom-1751">Maldives gets IMF debt warning as more Chinese loans loom</a></div><p>Filipino priest Fr. Flaviano Antonio “Father Flavie” Villanueva, SVD, has been recognized for his lifelong mission of restoring dignity to the poor, homeless, and families of victims of the Philippine government’s anti-drug campaign. </p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:560px;height:316px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1962010961575067950&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-31T07%3A17%3A59.688659%3A66e7a07f-0959-431e-95a8-32d660c07a61%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=be7968d4f1553b3eb3fd23bde6350d27fd0aadc5&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1962010961575067950"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>Through the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center in Manila, which he founded in 2015, Villanueva provides holistic care meals, shelter, hygiene, and psychosocial support while his “Paghilom” program helps widows and orphans heal and rebuild their lives.</p><p>RMAF president Susanna Afan highlighted the theme of this year’s awards, “Illuminating Our Future,” saying the awardees embody hope and resilience.</p><p>First presented in 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award honors individuals and organizations whose selfless service has advanced justice, dignity, and progress in Asia.</p><p>The 2025 awardees will each receive a medallion bearing the likeness of President Ramon Magsaysay, a certificate of citation, and a cash prize. The 67th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies will be held on November 7, 2025.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/21/ramon-magsaysay-laureates-collaborate-to-give-free-cataract-surgeries-1904">Ramon Magsaysay laureates collaborate to give free cataract surgeries</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Edz2hICXjw4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>In a global announcement on August 31, the foundation named this year’s awardees: the Foundation to Educate Girls Globally (Educate Girls) from India, Shaahina Ali from the Maldives, and Fr. Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines.</p>

In a global announcement on August 31, the foundation named this year’s awardees: the Foundation to Educate Girls Globally (Educate Girls) from India, Shaahina Ali from the Maldives, and Fr. Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines.

Filipino priest, Maldivian conservationist, Indian NGO named 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

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Filipino priest, Maldivian conservationist, Indian NGO named 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 31, 2025 02:58 PM PHT

|

Updated August 31, 2025 07:33 PM PHT

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Ramon Magsaysay awards

Flaviano Villanueva

Awardees

2025

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