About the Program for Asian Projects (PAP)

The Program for Asian Projects (PAP) was created by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) in direct response to the outcomes of the first-ever Magsaysay Awardees Assembly held in November 1987 in Bangkok, Thailand. The PAP was born to encourage Awardees to implement projects in support of the Bangkok Assembly recommendations that identified the four critical areas of Rural Environment, Urban Environment, Culture, Education and Religion, and Peace and Security.

Hence, the (PAP) was officially established in 15 November 1987 during the first PAP Board of Advisers meeting at the Regent Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

The PAP’s primary objective is to advance the work of Magsaysay Awardees by providing financial assistance for their continuing or new projects. Through a system of small grants approved annually by the RBF Board, the Magsaysay Awardees, whose proposed projects have been reviewed and recommended for funding by the PAP Board of Advisers, are able to get financial assistance for their continuing or new projects. The PAP is funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) and is administered by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF)

The PAP is directed by a Board of Advisers composed of three past Awardees -- one each from Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia -- a chair of the RMAF Board of Trustees and the President.

Overview of PAP-Funded Projects

PAP has continuously adhered to its principal purpose of supporting the specific initiatives of Awardees that continue or enhance their current development-related work by providing financial assistance for their continuing or new projects. In its fifteen (15) years of implementation, one hundred sixty eight (168) projects have so far been implemented by a total of ninety three (93) Awardees.

General Guidelines on PAP Project Grants

  1. PAP grants are awarded only to Magsaysay Laureates, through project proposals that enhance or continue their development-related work. The PAP Board of Advisers reviews these proposals during their regular meeting held annually. The recommended proposals for funding are forwarded to the RBF Council for final approval.
  2. The number of proposals to be recommended will be contingent on the amount of grant funds made available by the RBF for the grant year. In all cases, recipients of PAP grants are selected on the merits of their proposals and on the potential contribution to advancing the program objectives
  3. Projects are classified into two types: individual and collaborative projects, defined as follows:
    • Individual projects are focused on the specific initiatives of the Awardees in their crusading work. These may reflect an expansion or enhancement of their present development-related work.
    • Collaborative projects are aimed at harnessing the collective resources of two or more Awardees in implementing a project focused on the PAP development themes or an innovative strategy that may be replicated across countries in the region.
  4. Individual projects have a ceiling of US$10,000 while a maximum of US$40,000 may be allotted to a collaborative project. The amount of the grant, however, will be contingent on the scope of the project rather than on the number of collaborators. (Collaborative work means a genuine partnership among the various proponents. Appending the name of a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee only incidentally cannot be classified as collaborative work). At least one grant will be awarded to a joint project every year.
  5. If an Awardee’s proposal is approved, he/she will not be eligible to submit a new proposal until the funded project is completed and all the required reports submitted. The Board reserves the right to schedule when a PAP recipient can again submit another proposal.

Project Implementation

  1. The duration of each project generally should not exceed two (2) years.
  2. In the course of project implementation, Awardees will submit biannual interim reports on project accomplishments and fund disbursement.
  3. Should there be project delays, Awardees will advise RMAF on the changes, specifically on revised schedules of major project activities. Updates will be provided in the biannual interim reports.

  4. At the end of each project, two reports will be required of the Awardees – a Project Report and a Financial Report. Project reports have been set to simplify and standardize the reporting procedure.
  5. In the event that the Awardee is unable to complete the project, he/she may request for project termination by specifying the reason for his/her inability to proceed with the project and reimbursing the remaining grant funds to the RMAF. A brief report on the project activities undertaken with the spent portion of the grant will also be required.