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GREATNESS OF SPIRIT LIVES!
BE PART OF HISTORY.
Calling all secondary and college students: the 5th Ramon Magsaysay Student Essay Competition (RMSEC) Philippines is on! The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) invites high school and college students to take part in the birth centenary celebrations of the late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay by participating in the contest.
Read and research on the lives, work and dreams accomplished by Asia's modern-day heroes and heroines - the Magsaysay awardees. They manifest the life of dignity and selfless service long associated with the much-loved president. President Ramon Magsaysay, well loved by his people and admired worldwide, was born on August 31, 1907. He died in a tragic plane crash on March 17, 1957, months before completing his astounding first term as the youngest President of the Philippines. His genuine concern for the people and his exemplary leadership inspired the creation of Asia's premiere prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
By immersing themselves in these fine gems of humanity, students will discover inspiring subjects for the essay competition theme, "The Magsaysay Awardee Who Inspires Me Most: the Magsaysay Greatness of Spirit Lives". Missionaries and military leaders, farmers, housewives and heads of government, great minds of science and gifted and socially-driven artists, a rice research body and an international relief agency are among Asia's living heroes. According to RMAF President Carmencita Abella, the essay writing competition is a Foundation crusade to animate the young generation to want to demonstrate the same selfless leadership in their own lives.
Students may surf the Foundation website - www.rmaf.org.ph - or visit its Asian Library. There is an array of available publications offering invaluable data to researchers. At selected libraries nationwide are copies of the Book of Record, a continuing compilation of the biographies of the awardees from 1958 when the first awards were given; it is now on its 14th volume. Co-published with Anvil Publishing Inc are two popular books, "Great Men and Women of Asia"(GMWA) and "Young Pens For Young Minds". GMWA Volumes 1 to 5 capture the riveting and remarkable lives and work of Magsaysay Awardees. "Young Pens" anthologizes a selection of winning essays from the first four years of RMSEC, three in the Philippines from 2000 - 2003 and a maiden run in Korea in 2004. The two books are at affordable prices at all National Bookstores and Powerbooks outlets nationwide, including Solidaridad bookshop, Tradewinds, Libros Filipino and Bookmark. All these reference materials are also at the Asian Library.
All entries must be original, written in English, with an estimated length of 2 - 4 pages or 500 - 1,000 words in length. Deadline for submission is on August 10, 2007. All participants are required to register online via www.rmaf.org.ph; secondary school principals and university/college registrars of participating students must also endorse online the students' participation. Essays may be emailed to rsmsec5phil@gmail.com.
For competition mechanics, other information and technical assistance, please contact the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation at 521-3166 to 81 or toll free 1-800-1-888-2390.
Entries are classified into regional clusters: National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. From each cluster, one collegiate and one high school finalist will be selected. The two national winners (high school and collegiate) will be selected from the eight regional finalists.
Prizes include P50,000 each for two national grand prize winners, and personal computers for regional winners. The private sector has been invited by the Foundation to participate in this undertaking. Philippine Airlines joins the roster of sponsors which include National Bookstore and Anvil Publishing Inc. Shoemart again hosts the "Ramon Magsaysay Student Essay Competition @ SM" travelling exhibit in its super malls nationwide from February to June.
The exhibit presents the winning works of past RMSEC grand prize winners and an introduction on the Ramon Magsaysay Awardees. Also travelling with the RMSEC exhibit is the Magysaysay: The People's President exhibit showcasing the life of the late President from his childhood to his meteoric rise to the presidency. A film bio entitled My Guy Redux will be shown in the exhibit area; an interactive video game Adventures with the Guy will also be available for a fun yet in-depth learning of the President's values. RMSEC posters will also be up on LRT and MRT stations.
The Department of Education (DEPED), National Historical Institute (NHI), Foundation for Worldwide People Power (FWPP) and the Gilas Consortium are key partners of the competition. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Studio 23 and Knowledge Channel join 5th RMSEC in promoting the contest to readers and audience nationwide. Educational organizations are invited to ensure wide participation: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) - Coordinating Council for Private Educational Association (COCOPEA), Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), Association of Christian Schools and Colleges (ACSC), Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines (ACUP), Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), and the Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAPSCU) . All remind high school and college students to join and make sure the Magsaysay greatness of spirit lives!
Foundation Contacts:
Lourdes Mercado-Balbin
Communications Officer
lmbalbin@rmaf.org.ph
Sandy Dela Cruz
Program Officer
adelacruz@rmaf.org.ph
Mai Ryza Amante
Communications Assistant
mamante@rmaf.org.ph
Telephones: 52103166 to 81 Locals 161, 203, 180, 184
Fax: 524-2390
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