The 1966 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service

RESPONSE of Phon Sangsingkeo
Ramon Magsaysay Award Presentation Ceremonies
31 August 1966 Manila, Philippines

In accepting the 1966 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation for having bestowed on me this great honor. It is indeed the highest reward I have received in my life and it makes me feel inexpressibly delighted that the fundamental importance of mental health, to which interest my life has been devoted, should be recognized by this noble Award. I will be extremely happy if I may be permitted to say a few words to express my deep appreciation.

As a medical doctor, I always think that body and mind are one and indivisible. These two elements, combining together, form the person. When I give medical treatment to a patient, I do not think merely in terms of curing a disease but I direct my efforts at treating the person as a person. So we must in our studies explore ways and means to reach a better understanding of the interaction of culture, customs and social environment on human beings. Sociology and other related subjects should be compulsorily taught in the medical schools in order that students will gain clearer appreciation of the importance of the dictum: Treat the person as a person.

It is impossible to gain understanding of the person without studying his social structure. In any society, the family is regarded as the primary unit of that society. Therefore mental health of the community must be promoted through this same family unit. When the family attains happiness and peace then it is much more likely that the community, the nation and the world will also achieve those ends. The rapid advances in technology are frequently in conflict with local culture and give rise to some of the mental health problems today. But these problems and adjustments cannot be avoided and must be faced. If, however, one seeks to understand the nature of the changes and tries to adjust oneself to them without losing the finest features of the existing culture, the inevitable problems will be less disrupting to mental health.

Needless to say, the Ramon Magsaysay Award given to me this year is a good expression of its objective, which is to promote happiness and peace the world over. It is my firm belief that this Award is stimulating the people in various ways to appreciate the fields of endeavor which contribute to world peace and contentment.