Of Faith and Achievement

Dr. Helena Z. Benitez has seen and done it all. From government service to education, she has stood out and accomplished plenty without asking much in return. It is no surprise then, that a woman whose strong but agreeable personality that everyone can look up to has been given the Mother Teresa Award — an honor given only to a very select few.

Tita Helen, as she is called by those close to her, has been involved in many fields of work that benefited Filipinos, particularly the less fortunate. At 89, she is still very active in programs on housing for the poor and cultural affairs, providing a lot of families gainful employment in various communities. She is also known for being a "women’s rights advocate and a promoter of Philippine arts and culture".

A distinguished legislator, diplomat and civic leader, Tita Helen is indeed a woman who wears many hats. But she still humbly wants to be remembered as an educator –someone who touched people in her own special way.

"You are never in a one-to-one competition with anybody as an educator. It is my safety blanket because I can help people through it without being rivals with someone else. Being an educator is such a broad and beautiful thing, and it’s very hard for me to remember how I became one because I felt that it came to me naturally," shea says. "I’m very touched and moved by this because first of all, it is an honor to Mother Teresa. And for all this time that I’ve been receiving such honors, it is almost a sense of patriotism in my calling. The sweetest thing about these kinds of awards is that I get a feeling of satisfaction because it’s given to a Filipino woman–someone who usually doesn’t get noticed abroad."

Helena Benitez, however, is someone who got noticed a lot even in her younger years. She graduated magna cum laude from the Philippine Women’s University, finished her post-graduate studies abroad and has been conferred seven doctorates in humane letters, political science, management science, and law.

A former senator, ambassador and member of parliament, she served as chairperson and as senior advisor in programs and meetings of the United Nations on Human Settlements, the Status of Women and the Environment and Habitat. Just recently, she was inducted into the Democratic Hall of Fame International by the National Graduate University in Washington, D.C., only the third person to gain such a distinction, joining former US Presidents Harry S. Truman and Ronald Reagan.

A versatile and well-rounded person, Tita Helen has dedicated the majority of her life to assisting people who need it most. And she says that there are many others like her who just prefer to do their "development work outside of the limelight."

"I’ve been luckily blessed with many honors. I just happen to be in the category of pioneers in my field who got noticed publicly. There are others who work for people just as hard as I did. And they don’t want any recognition. I’m glad I can share this award with them," she says.

Tita Helen’s humility is something to admire, which is probably why high-profiled personalities like Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and Jaime Cardinal Sin gladly graced the Mother Teresa Award ceremonies last week. Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco, chairman of the AY Foundation, said that although Dr. Helena Benitez has been recognized for her deeds, there is still a side to her that is not as well-known to many — a fact that makes her even more admirable.

"She is a spiritual and religious person who, quietly and without fanfare, answers God’s call for us to do something for ‘the least of His brethren’. It is this compassionate side of her that sees to it that in all her educational, legislative, cultural, civic, religious and personal endeavors, the less privileged in our society would be the prime beneficiary," Yuchengcho says.

Although age has started to show in Tita Helen, she still shows no plans of slowing down. She just arrived from the states two days prior to the ceremonies and graciously accepted the award. She apologizes for being "speechless and out of breath". "It’s like coming from the plane and straight to this auditorium," she jokes.

"I was successful with what I have done because of the Lord. And I’d like to put an emphasis on the ordinary people, those with good hearts who help others in an indirect way. What makes me happy is being in a state of tranquility and knowing how many people I’ve touched," Tita Helen says as she receives a cash prize of P1 million during the ceremony.

"One of the greatest experiences that I got in my entire life is the fact that it never fails to invest in people. And that’s what I’ve done."

The Mother Teresa Awards, a project of the AY Foundation and the Manila Jaycees, is an annual search for outstanding Christian leaders who best exemplify the selfless service to the poorest of the poor by the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta.