Despite no-show, 2 Chinese officials accept RM awards

MANILA, Philippines – Even if they would not be able to personally receive their awards in this afternoon’s ceremony at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay laureates from China Fu Qiping and Pan Yue have accepted the conferment of the prestigious award.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) president Carmencita Abella said in behalf of Fu, cited for practicing environment-friendly and cost-effective business practices in his once impoverished village, Yuan Kun of state-run Ning Bo Corporation would receive the award. Ning Bo is a municipality that comprises Fu’s Tengtou village.

Abella said Fu himself informed the foundation that he suddenly became sick and cannot attend the awards ceremony.

He did not disclose his illness. She said, however, that Pan Yue, vice-minister of China’s Environmental Protection Ministry, has not confirmed attendance at the awards ceremony since he was informed of the conferment of the award.

Pan has also not nominated a representative to receive the award in his behalf. Pan is awarded for proactively implementing Chinese environmental laws.

The foundation cites his “bold pursuit of a national environmental program insisting on state and private accountability.”

“Mr. Yue did not reject the award. The official announcement of his receiving the Magsaysay award was made by the foundation last Aug. 3. We just have not received confirmation of his travel arrangements,” Abella said.

There have been speculations that the two Chinese Magsaysay laureates decided not to show up at the awards ceremony because of strained relations between the Philippines and China as an offshoot of the hostage-taking incident at the Luneta Granstand last Aug. 23 that ended with the deaths of eight Chinese tourists.

Abella said the non-attendance of the two awardees was not caused by the turn out of the hostage crisis.

“It has nothing to do with the hostage incident,” she said. Abella said the citation for Pan would still be read in the awarding ceremony.

The foundation would send him the medallion. “But we are still figuring out (how to send the medallion) because up to now we are still waiting to hear from him,” she said.

Aside from the medallion bearing the likeness of former president Ramon Magsaysay, this year’s awardees would receive a cash prize of $50,000 – or $25,000 if the award is shared – and a certificate.

Pan and Fu were cited for creating opportunities to address China’s environmental crisis brought about by its rapid economic growth.

As vice minister of China’s environmental protection agency, 50-year-old Pan has actively implemented the Environmental Assessment Law of 2003 and the Open Government Information Regulations of 2007.

In 2005, he either reprimanded or shut down 76 energy-generating projects worth billions of dollars for non-compliance with environmental regulations.

Pan also required China’s biggest industries to disclose their environmental practices.

Fu, a farmer and chief of Tengtou village in Zheijiang province, took advantage of China’s decentralized system to initiate environment-friendly agriculture and use of renewable energy in his village.

Thirty years ago, Tengtou was flood prone and impoverished. Now, the village of only 830 inhabitants has a wastewater treatment system and solar-powered streetlights.

It also promotes ecotourism, and hosts some 60 investors engaged in textile, food processing and other businesses.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognizes the 62-year-old Fu’s “enterprising leadership and undeniable success in demonstrating how village-level economic development can be achieved without damage to the environment.”