Zamboanga Sibugay fisher among 2021 Ramon Magsaysay winners

MANILA, Philippines — A fisherman from Zamboanga Sibugay was among the recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for leading a community in restoring their coastal environment and reviving their primary source of livelihood. 

Roberto “Ka Dadoy” Ballon was one of the winners of Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize. He was the lone Filipino among this year’s awardees.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognized Ballon for “his inspiring determination in leading his fellow fisherfolk to revive a dying fishing industry by creating a sustainable marine environment for this generation and generations to come, and his shining example of how everyday acts of heroism can truly be extraordinary and transformative.”

Transforming the community

In 1986, Ballon and other small scale fishermen started Kapunungan sa Gamay nga Mangingisda sa Concepcion. The association decided to restore mangrove forests in Kabalasan town that were severely degraded by abandoned fish ponds.

The association saw its members dwindle to just three because the benefits of mangrove reforestation are not felt quickly, but Ballon persisted.

With government backing, Ballon and his fellow were able to transform abandoned fish ponds into 500 hectares of healthy mangrove forests.

This led to improvement in fish catch: from only 1.5 kilograms in an eight-hour fishing trip to as much as 7 kilograms in three to five hours of fishing. This also helped improve the quality of life of fishermen.

Members of the association were deputized to guard municipal waters from illegal fishing and mangrove cutting. They were also involved in oyster production, shell and crab culture, and seaweed farming.

“His exceptional dedication to serving others and self-sacrificing leadership that puts the group’s interest before his own have transformed his community,” the foundation said. 

For fellow fishers

In a video messaged shared by the foundation, Ballon dedicated his award to his fellow fisherfolk.

“I dedicate this to all fishermen, especially small fishermen across the Philippines. Because of this, let us keep improving and strengthening our programs,” Ballon said in Filipino.

“Hopefully because of this, more people will know and support our programs for the small fisherfolk in the Philippines,” he added.

Ballon also thanked the foundation for the “huge honor” as well as his family, and government agencies and private institutions that assisted his association’s initiatives.

Other winners

The Ramon Magsaysay Award is given to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the “same selfless service and transformative influence that ruled the life” of late President Ramon Magsaysay. It is Asia’s premier prize and highest honor.

This year’s other honorees include:

• Steven Muncy (Southeast Asia) for his dedication to humanitarian work, refugee assistance and peace building
• Firdausi Qadri (Bangladesh) for her contributions to vaccine development, advanced biotechnological therapeutics and critical research that has been saving millions
• Muhammad Amjad Saqib (Pakistan) for creating a microfinance program that has helped millions of poor families
• Documentary maker Watchdoc (Indonesia) for using investigative journalism, documentary filmmaking and digital technology in its efforts to transform Indonesia’s media landscape