Ramon Magsaysay Award
Founded in April 1957 with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Philippine government, the first awards were presented in 1958. Initially comprising five categories—Government Service, Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism, Literature and the Creative Communication Arts, and Peace and International Understanding—the Emergent Leadership category was introduced in 2001. Since 2009, awards have been given without fixed categories except for Emergent Leadership. Laureates are selected regardless of race, creed, sex or nationality, and the ceremonies are held each August 31 in Manila. Recipients receive a medallion and a cash prize. The award is often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Asia."
318
Laureates
1958
First awarded
Annually on August 31
Announcement
Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation
Presented by
Awards by year
Individuals and organizations in Asia who have achieved distinction in Government Service, Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism, Literature and the Creative Communication Arts, Peace and International Understanding, and Emergent Leadership
History
In May 1957, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in New York provided seed funding and, with the concurrence of the Philippine government, established the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. The first awards were presented in 1958 in Manila and the ceremony has been held annually on August 31, Magsaysay’s birthday. Originally organized into five categories, the foundation introduced the Emergent Leadership award in 2001. In 2009, the foundation discontinued the five fixed categories, adopting an uncategorized format except for the Emergent Leadership award. The board of trustees, composed primarily of Filipino citizens, oversees a confidential selection process. To date, the award continues to honor individuals and organizations across Asia for their outstanding service to society.
2024
Indonesia
Viet Nam
Bhutan
Japan
Thailand
2023
Bangladesh
Timor-Leste
Philippines
India
2022
France, Indonesia
Cambodia
Japan
Philippines
2021
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Philippines, 
United States of America
Philippines
Indonesia
2019
Myanmar
Myanmar
Philippines
Korea (the Republic of)
India
Thailand
Thailand
2018
Cambodia
Timor-Leste
Philippines
India
Viet Nam
India
2017
Sri Lanka
Japan
Philippines
Indonesia
Singapore
Philippines
2016
India
Japan
India
Indonesia
Philippines
Lao People's Democratic Republic
2015
India
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Philippines
India
Myanmar
2014
Philippines
China
Indonesia
Afghanistan
Pakistan
China
2013
Philippines
Indonesia
Myanmar
Nepal
2012
Indonesia
Taiwan, Province of China
India
Bangladesh
Cambodia
Philippines
2011
India
Philippines
India
Indonesia
Cambodia
Indonesia
2010
Japan
China
China
Bangladesh
China
Philippines
Philippines
2009
Myanmar
India
Thailand
China
Philippines
China
2008
Philippines
Thailand
India
India
Japan
Indonesia
Sri Lanka
2007
Korea (the Republic of)
Nepal
India
China
China
United States of America, 
Hong Kong
2006
Korea (the Republic of)
Philippines
Philippines
Philippines
Nepal
India
2005
Indonesia
India
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Bangladesh
Korea (the Republic of)
2004
China
Thailand
Bangladesh
India
Pakistan
Philippines
2003
China
India
Philippines
Japan
Japan
Timor-Leste
2002
Pakistan
Myanmar
Nepal
Korea (the Republic of)
India
2001
China
India
Sri Lanka
Japan
Cambodia
Indonesia
2000
China
India
Indonesia
India
1999
Philippines
Bangladesh
Philippines
Taiwan, Province of China
1998
Thailand
Cambodia
China
Philippines
1997
India
Philippines
India
Japan
1996
Korea (the Republic of)
India
Philippines
Japan
1995
Pakistan
Taiwan, Province of China
Indonesia
Philippines
1994
Thailand
Afghanistan
China
Malaysia
Argentina, Japan
1993
India
Indonesia
Philippines
Japan
1992
Philippines
Pakistan
India
Philippines, United States of America
1991
Thailand
Taiwan, Province of China
India
Philippines
1989
India
Korea (the Republic of)
Philippines
Thailand
1988
Philippines
Japan
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Thailand
1987
Indonesia
Thailand
Taiwan, Province of China
United States of America, Bangladesh
1986
Pakistan
Pakistan
United States of America, Korea (the Republic of)
Korea (the Republic of)
Philippines
Philippines
1985
India
Bangladesh
Philippines
United States of America, Philippines
1984
Thailand
Bangladesh
India
Japan
1983
Thailand
Indonesia
Sri Lanka
United States of America, Korea (the Republic of)
1982
India
India
India
1981
Indonesia
India
India
Korea (the Republic of)
1980
Korea (the Republic of)
Bangladesh
Philippines
Japan
1979
Korea (the Republic of)
India
India
Sri Lanka
Indonesia
1978
Thailand
Bangladesh
Korea (the Republic of)
Indonesia
1977
Philippines
India
Nepal
Philippines
1976
France, Sri Lanka
Japan
India
Denmark, India
1975
Thailand
Korea (the Republic of)
India
Ireland, Korea (the Republic of)
1974
India
Japan
Philippines
United States of America, Philippines
1973
Philippines
Philippines
Thailand
Japan
United States of America, Philippines
1972
Philippines
Philippines
Netherlands, Indonesia
Japan
1971
Indonesia
Philippines
India
Thailand
Japan
1969
Taiwan, Province of China
Korea (the Republic of)
Sri Lanka
Japan
United States of America, Philippines
1968
Taiwan, Province of China
Japan
Philippines
Philippines
Viet Nam
United States of America, Philippines
1967
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Thailand
Malaysia
India
Japan
1966
Thailand
Korea (the Republic of)
India
Cambodia
1965
Thailand
India
Singapore
Japan
Philippines
1964
Japan
Viet Nam
Philippines
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong
China, Hong Kong
United States of America, India
1963
Pakistan
Korea (the Republic of)
India
India
India
United States of America
1962
Philippines
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong
Malaysia
Indonesia
Korea (the Republic of)
Albania, India
1961
Indonesia
Thailand
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hong Kong
India
United States of America, Thailand
1960
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Pakistan
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Pakistan
Malaysia
Taiwan, Province of China
1959
India
Philippines
Spain, Philippines
Myanmar
Tibet
Sri Lanka
Myanmar
1958
Taiwan, Province of China
Canada, Sri Lanka
India
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Philippines
Indonesia
Philippines