Ramon Magsaysay awardee Howard Dee: ‘Goodness and righteousness will triumph’

Vice President Leni Robredo in commending latest batch of Ramon Magsaysay awardees placed emphasis on their "quiet courage", which she said is exemplified excellently by Howard Dee. 

In her Congratulatory Remarks, Robredo honored the Philippines' own Howard Dee in particular as she said that she believed that the Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation were right in describing him as quietly heroic. 

Dee in 1975 established the Assisi Development Foundation (ADF) and through this alone, he implemented 4,123 projects that served 10.5 million Filipinos. This was followed bya micro-financing institution, ASA Philippines, and "Hapag-asa", an integrated nutrition program that has fed 1.8 million children. 

Dee also founded Tabang Mindanao (Help Mindanao), an crisis-response program that has provided over 2 million families with food relief, shelter, water, and economic support when they needed it most. 

Despite all of his accomplishments, Howard Dee remains an unfamiliar figure and in his acceptance speech, he continued to underscore the fact that his achievement is the achievement of everyone who shared his vision and worked to help build it into reality. 

The full text of his speech follows: 

It is with a deep sense of profound gratitude, and unworthiness, that I receive this great and distinct honor, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2018.

The accomplishments attributed to me, in truth, are not mine alone, but of many co-workers. We receive this Award on behalf of our Lord and Master for whom we work: the "Omnipotent One in Three." He is our motivation and our inspiration, the source of our strength and the strength of our cause. Nothing is impossible for Him. 

There are a number of people that I wish to thank. First of all, my wife Betty and my family, for their love, prayers and sacrifices to support and sustain my work. Then I wish to thank the five presidents of the Philippine Republic who gave me their trust and the privilege to work for five administrations: their Excellencies, President Cory Aquino of happy memory, President Fidel Ramos, President Joseph Estrada, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. 

There are many colleagues, associates, and co-workers who gave me invaluable help in my social apostolate of 50 years. I wish to thank all of you — in public service, at the peace office, private foundations, international aid agencies — for your commitment to the cause of the poor and for your work for justice, peace and development.

We live today in a world in turmoil and uncertainty. All human institutions today are at risk — our democracy, our family, our national sovereignty. But let us not be afraid. For it is in the darkness that our lamps must be lit. It is in the darkness that we see the stars of heaven.

The victory promised by our Lady of Fatima is near. Goodness and righteousness will triumph and justice and peace will reign in our land.

And finally, our heartfelt thanks to the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation for keeping alive the legacy of President Magsaysay's greatness of spirit, so that "those who have less in life would have more in law."

Mabuhay Ramon Magsaysay! Mabuhay Pilipinas, bayang magiliw! Aming ligaya na 'pag may mang-aapi ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo!

The Ramon Magsaysay award was officially conferred to Howard Dee on August 31, 2018 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He is joined by Youk Chhang of Cambodia, Maria De Lourdes Martins Cruz of Timor Leste, Bharat Vatwani of Indiai, Vo Thia Hoang Yen of Vietnam, and Sonam Wangchuk of India. — GMA News