Fifty years and 277 laureates later, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) reasserts its faith in the power of good to change Asia for the better. Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala declared this in his remarks during the RM Awards presentation ceremonies on August 31 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. At the same time, he took the cue from this year's awardees in setting the foundation's course in this age of technology and environmental crisis.

The work and sphere of influence of this year's heroes, he noted, call attention to two themes which he considers crucial to Asia's future. One is "placing science at the service of humanity," and the other, "treating the environment as our urgent and collective responsibility."

In a similar vein, guest speaker Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno observed "the marriage of science and service" in the awardees' work. He said the awardees use their professional expertise in effecting change in their communities.

RMAF acknowledges the "increasingly intersectoral and multidisciplinary nature" of the awardees' work in recent years, Zobel de Ayala said. So on its 51st year of honoring Asia's heroes, he announced, the Ramon Magsaysay Award henceforth shall no longer be given in fixed categories. The exception is Emergent Leadership, wherein age (40 years and below) is a factor.