The 2008 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service

RESPONSE of Grace Padaca

The Honorable Chief Justice, Chairman and Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, distinguished guests, fellow Awardees and dear friends. Good afternoon.

You must have observed how the mere act of standing and sitting is difficult for me. Thankfully, people now pay much less attention to my physical handicap, as they focus more on the challenging things that I have hurdled and continue to face as leader of one of the largest provinces in the Philippines, the province of Isabela.

Four years after we Isabelinos freed ourselves from an oppressive political structure, we are happy that the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation once more brings to focus what we dared do and succeeded in doing-make democracy work, especially in the matter of using wisely our right to elect our leaders. If our victory in Isabela has to be truly meaningful, it needs to be replicated in other parts of the country, especially that in less than two years, we will all once more go to the polls and elect not only our local leaders but the new president of the Philippines.

Sen. Barack Obama of the United States talks about the audacity of hope but many of us, Asians, who have suffered so much more but have also been blessed to rise above our many challenges, need also to talk about the burden of the brave-the need to continue succeeding after raising the hopes of our people. Because if we ourselves fall short of expectations, especially if those who are shaken by our radical actions continue to work against our people's interests, we will have further weakened the faith of our people in democracy.

Amazing victories are actually very fragile, and need to be protected. Please don't just be happy for us. Please continue to be supportive and encouraging. Many times, I need the encouragement very badly. Every success is not just one person's job. That's why I share this award with all of you who have been cheering me on, helping me and helping Isabela.

Lastly, kindly allow me to use this chance to pay my dues to the One Great Being who made all of this possible. Way back in 2001, when very few outside Isabela had even heard about a Grace Padaca, I already won the elections for congressman, but somebody else was proclaimed. But… electoral victory was not the most important thing to me. I just longed for the chance to be able to say to as many people as I could reach… "To God be the glory!"… for all the many seemingly impossible things that were starting to happen then and were changing the situation in our province. I was deprived of that chance seven years ago, only to stand before all of you now, for no less than the Ramon Magsaysay Awards and proclaim not only the words "To God be the glory"… Because glory upon glory has happened. Now I can say to as many people as I can reach … All glory and honor is yours, almighty Father!"

To Him who blesses us all, and to all of you, maraming, maraming salamat po.