'The Maestro' Ryan Cayabyab receives Ramon Magsaysay Award

Ryan Cayabyab receives the Ramon Magsaysay Award. Danny Pata

Ryan Cayabyab received the Ramon Magsaysay Award on Monday at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

"The Maestro," as Ryan is fondly called, was honored for his contributions in shaping culture through music.

In his speech at the ceremony, he spoke about how he wanted to spend his life teaching music when he was only starting out at the University of the Philippines College of Music in Diliman.

“Aren’t you afraid that by teaching everything you know, you’re divulging trade secrets?” he recalled a professional musician asking him.

“Because of his remarks, it became clearer to me why I wanted to teach. Teaching can transform lives,” he said.

Cayabyab said he wanted his students to be better than him “so our music community can move forward, bring the entire music industry to new heights and hopefully help the country move forward by becoming leaders and songwriters of new music for the world to hear.”

After his speech, he called the Ateneo Chamber Singers to perform a recent piece of work called “Memore.”

Cayabyab is one of five awardees this year, which included South Korea’s Kim Jong Ko, whose work helped reduce suicide in his country, journalists Ravish Kumar of India and Ko Swe Win of Myanmar, and Thailand’s Angkhana Neelapaijit for her work in upholding human rights.

The awarding ceremony was attended by Vice President Leni Robredo, whose husband Jesse Robredo received the award in 2000. Former President Fidel V. Ramos was also present.

Already on its 61st year, The Ramon Magsaysay Award is considered the premiere awards in Asia. —JST, GMA News