Filipino priest Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) has been named a 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for his work in restoring dignity to the poor and homeless. Fr. Villanueva, popularly known as Father Flavie, is being honored for “his lifelong mission to uphold the dignity of the poor and the oppressed, daily proving with unwavering faith that by serving the least of their brethren, all are restored.”
In 2015, Fr. Villanueva established the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center in Tayuman, Manila, to provide holistic support for the poor and homeless. Its flagship programs reflect his integrated approach: KALINGA (an acronym for Kain-Aral-LIgo-naNG-umAyos, meaning Eat, Learn, Bathe, to be Well) offers meals, shelter, and hygiene facilities, while Paghilom focuses on emotional healing, restoring dignity, and helping families rebuild their lives.
By combining practical aid with spiritual guidance and community empowerment—and by mobilizing volunteers and local partners—Fr. Villanueva has transformed the Center into a space where the most vulnerable are not merely recipients of charity but active participants in reclaiming their futures.
Fr. Villanueva’s work demonstrates that every human being, no matter how marginalized, deserves to live with dignity. Through his programs, he has helped countless families reclaim hope, restore their lives, and strengthen their communities, showing that compassion combined with action can transform lives.
On receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Fr. Villanueva shares, “The Ramon Magsaysay Award is a hopeful reminder for everyone that Greatness of Spirit is not an elusive reality but a living voice disturbing us to march as ‘Witnesses of the Light.’ And as witnesses, we are resolved in defending the truth and radiating the good. This recognition leads me to a humbling resolve ‘to act justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with my God.’ (Micah 6:8)
I accept this honor on behalf of the countless homeless people in search of a fraction of space in the street to call ‘home’ and on behalf of the courageous widows and orphans victimized by the ‘war on drugs.’ Their resilience to rise from the ashes of injustice, poverty and impunity is a stark revelation that from a fractured world, a beautiful spirit and person can arise.
My deepest gratitude to the legacy of President Ramon Magsaysay. May we persevere in drawing strength from his example and in so doing, recreate a better world and a brighter future for us all and the next generation.”
Completing the roster of the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are Shaahina Ali from the Maldives and the Indian organization Foundation to Educate Girls Globally or Educate Girls. Ali is being recognized for her fight against plastic pollution and safeguarding fragile marine ecosystems in the Maldives. Educate Girls will receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for their groundbreaking work in addressing gender injustice in education in India’s most rural and remote areas.
The 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will formally receive their medallions and certificates during the 67th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies on 7 November 2025 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila, Philippines. The event will be livestreamed on the Foundation’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
For more information on the 67th Ramon Magsaysay Awards and the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, visit www.rmaward.asia and the Ramon Magsaysay Award’s official social media accounts.
 has been named a 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for his work in restoring dignity to the poor and homeless. Fr. Villanueva, popularly known as Father Flavie, is being honored for “his lifelong mission to uphold the dignity of the poor and the oppressed, daily proving with unwavering faith that by serving the least of their brethren, all are restored.”){kind=link}