National Artist Ryan Cayabyab receives Ramon Magsaysay award

THE Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation on Friday announced its 2019 awardees, which include National Artist for Music Raymundo “Ryan” P. Cayabyab.

“The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) today announced that this year, five individuals from South Korea, Myanmar, India, Thailand, and the Philippines will receive Asia’s premiere prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award,” the RMAF said in a statement.

Mr. Cayabyab is being recognized for “his compositions and performances that have defined and inspired Filipino popular music across generations,” said the RMAF.

The other awardees are Kim Jong-ki of South Korea, Ko Swe Win of Myanmar, Ravish Kumar of India, and Angkhana Neelapaijit of Thailand.

South Korea’s Kim Jong-ki is being awarded for “his quiet courage in transforming private grief into a mission to protect Korea’s youth from the scourge of bullying and violence.”

For his part, Ko Swe Win of Myanmar is being recognized for “his undaunted commitment to practice independent, ethical, and socially engaged journalism in Myanmar.”

Ravish Kumar of India receives an award for “his unfaltering commitment to a professional, ethical journalism of the highest standards.”

Thailand’s Angkhana Neelapaijit also gets recognition for “her unwavering courage in seeking justice for her husband and many other victims of violence and conflict in southern Thailand.”

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, which was established in 1957, is known as Asia’s highest honor, celebrating the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine President after whom the award is named, according to the RMAF.

This award is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia “who manifest the same selfless service and transformative influence that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader.”