The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) premiered a three-part documentary series profiling nine Asian changemakers at the Cinematheque Centre Manila in the Philippine capital last October 24, highlighting their contributions to community development, democratic governance, and service to marginalized people.
Titled Where the Sun Sets and Hope Rises, the trilogy comprises The Vision to Empower, The Courage to Hold the Line, and The Heart to Serve. The films feature individuals across Southeast Asia whose work has helped strengthen communities, uphold democratic institutions, and improve the lives of vulnerable groups.
Each screening opened with a video message from ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn. His participation recalled the Ramon Magsaysay Award conferred on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1979 for International Understanding. The premiere also formed part of activities ahead of the Philippines' upcoming chairmanship of the regional organization.
The documentaries portray a range of initiatives, including the grassroots microfinance work of CARD MRI, the public service of former Philippine Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, and community-based enterprises involving weavers and health workers in Southeast Asian countries.
The premiere brought together diplomats, civil society representatives, educators, and campus journalists. Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a Catholic media organization based in Quezon City, Philippines, and Veritas 846, a Philippine Catholic radio station, also attended the screenings.
The event highlighted RVA's own connection with the Ramon Magsaysay Award. In 1986, Radio Veritas received the award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in recognition of its contribution to truth and democracy during a critical period in Philippine history.
Media educator and development communicator Pie Mabanta-Fenomeno served as the trilogy's supervising producer and editor, working with film director Sockie Fernandez to bring together interviews, regional footage, and archival materials.
The project was produced in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Cinematheque Centre Manila, and PHINMA Education, with additional institutional support from the Magsaysay Group of Companies and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Audience discussions following the screenings brought viewers into conversation with Ramon Magsaysay laureates, youth representatives, and members of the production team.
Following its Manila premiere, the trilogy is scheduled for a university caravan and regional screening tour across educational institutions in the Philippines, bringing the stories to students and young people.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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