Yorac an example to follow — Noli

Vice President Noli de Castro lauded yesterday Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairwoman Haydee Yorac for being one of the recipients of the prestigious 2004 Ramon Magsaysay Awards in recognition of her outstanding service in government.

The Vice President said Yorac’s shining example in public service should be emulated by those in government.

"You have maintained the dignity in government service by your dedication and sincerity in offering yourself to work for the benefit of the people," De Castro said.

"Ang iyong sakripisyo sa ngalan ng paglilingkod sa pamahalaan ay hindi matatawaran. At ito ay makakapagpatunay na ikaw ay isang huwarang lingkod ng bayan (Your sacrifice in the name of government service is invaluable and receiving this award will prove that you are a role model to the nation)," he said.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) cited Yorac for "her building the people’s confidence in government through service of exceptional integrity and rigor and her unwavering pursuit of the rule of law in the Philippines."

Another Filipino, Benjamin Abadiano will also receive the award — considered Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize — for "Emergent Leadership" for his work to bring peace and progress to the country’s indigenous peoples.

De Castro cited Yorac’s bravery for defying odds in transforming the bureaucracy when she headed the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the National Unification Commission and the PCGG where she made impressive accomplishments.

Yorac performed the "Herculean" task of ensuring peaceful and orderly polls in Mindanao during her stint at the Comelec, the Vice President said, noting how the region was replete with political warlords.

De Castro said he was particularly impressed with Yorac’s tenure at PCGG as she relentlessly pursued cases of alleged hidden wealth of the Marcoses, accumulated during the 20-year rule of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Notwithstanding her health problem, Yorac’s perseverance resulted in human rights victims of the Marcos regime finally getting compensation.

Yorac has been diagnosed with cancer.

Yorac was appointed PCGG chairwoman two years ago and during her term, the commission "successfully recovered" some $684 million in Swiss bank deposits linked to Marcos and won favorable court decisions on assets in United Coconut Planters Bank and San Miguel Corp.

De Castro also praised Abadiano, president of the Ilawan Center for Peace and Sustainable Development.

The Vice President pointed out that Abadiano helped the Alangan Mangyan get education by lobbying for the construction of a school for the indigenous group.

"His work reflects his selflessness and his heart truly belongs to our indigenous brothers," De Castro said.

The RMAF announced Monday the seven recipients of the award.

The other Magsaysay awardees are Abdullah Abu Sayeed for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts (Bangladesh); Jiang Yanyong for Public Service (China); Prayong Ronnarong for Community Leadership (Thailand); and Laxminarayan Ramdas (India) and Ibn Abdur Rehman (Pakistan), who shared the award for Peace and International Understanding.