A Catholic priest who helped families of drug war victims in the Philippines is among the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award honorees.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announced that Society of the Divine Word priest Fr. Flaviano Antonio Villanueva is one of three recipients of the award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Asia.”
The other honorees are marine conservationist Shaahina Ali of the Maldives and India’s Educate Girls, a nonprofit promoting education in rural communities.
Villanueva is being recognized for his holistic “Paghilom” program, which guides widows and orphans of drug war victims through a process of healing and empowerment.
Founded in 2016 at the height of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs,” the program offers grief counseling, legal assistance, livelihood training, and educational support.
His efforts to seek justice for victims of extrajudicial killings have made him a target of criticism, hate, and even death threats.
In 2019, Villanueva was among those charged with allegedly attempting to overthrow Duterte, a case later dismissed by the courts.
Even before the drug war, Villanueva was known for providing holistic care—food, hygiene, and emotional support— to Manila’s poorest.
In 2015, he founded the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center to serve the homeless and marginalized with dignity and compassion.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, praised Villanueva’s work.
“His witness embodies the spirit of the Church’s social teachings and the Gospel call to uphold the sacredness of life,” David said.
“This recognition affirms his prophetic ministry among the poor, especially his courageous work of giving dignity to victims of extrajudicial killings and their families, and his tireless advocacy for human rights, justice, and compassion,” he said.
“The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation could not have chosen a more fitting servant-leader to inspire Asia and the world with faith that acts in love,” David added.
In 2021, Villanueva also received the Human Rights Tulip Award from the Dutch government for his work as a human rights advocate.
Over the past six decades, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has honored 13 Catholic priests.
RMAF Chairperson Edgar Chua said these clergymen were recognized for ministries that “have gone far beyond the walls of their churches, leading movements for justice, guiding the lost and standing in the breach for the most vulnerable.”
“This year, [Villanueva] will join their ranks, carrying forward that legacy of faith in action,” Chua said.
