MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo urged leaders to give attention to “the last, the least and the lost” and put others first before themselves amid the "deficit of hope and surplus of anger and frustration."
In her keynote speech at the 2017 Ramon Magsaysay Awards Thursday, Robredo said that progress is not real if people are left behind.
“If we want to see even more growth, exciting innovation and prosperity, we must accept the fact that we cannot move forward without taking care of each other and making sure that no one is left behind,” she said.
Robredo said people are “drowning in anger and frustration” because of the neglect of those in power.
The vice president also noted that the world needs transformational leaders.
“Our world today has great need of you: those who would attempt to take on trenchant difficulties no matter the personal cost and sacrifice, those who would not do something not because it is easy but because no else will take on the challenge, and those who are living examples of transformative leadership and inspiring service,” she said.
Robredo emphasized that leaders should also possess determination amid adversaries, respect for human dignity and faith in power of collective action.
“These awardees address real and complex issues, take bold and innovative actions that engage others to do likewise and create outcomes that ordinary individual can feel. They show unbelievable courage, initiative when faced with resource gaps, fight daunting adversaries and strong opposition,” she said.
This year’s laureates are Tony Tay of Singapore, Gethsie Shanmugam of Sri Lanka, Lilia de Lima of the Philippines, Yoshiaki Ishizawa of Japan, Abdon Nababan of Indonesia and the Philippine Education Theater Association.
Robredo’s late husband, Jesse, was also a Magsaysay awardee in government service in 2000.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award honors people who exemplify former president Ramon Magsaysay’s integrity in governance and service to the people.