Facing Strife and Winning

The largest television network in the Philippines gave live coverage to a ceremony in which The Council for Philippine Affairs awarded the “Bukas Palad” center “for its political determination in facing great strife.  Its experimental programs consider the human person in his/her entirety and have proven successful in serving the poorest among the poor”. Accepting the award at the Center was one the first members of the Focolare Movement in the Philippines, Irene De Los Angeles, recognized as “a people’s hero … for the humanitarian service and development of the community that is exemplified and incarnated in nearly 20 years of programs and activities at the center”. Rising in one of Manila’s poorest neighborhoods, the Center has brought about a profound social transformation. The motivation for the award recognizes the roots for such social involvement in an “unyielding spirit, faith in God and unconditional love for all brothers and sisters in the infinite possibility of serving the poorest among the poor”. During the ceremony, Irene De Los Angeles accepted the award in the name of the Focolare Movement, especially the numerous families of “Bukas Palad”, whom she called the true protagonists. She said the spirituality of communion, which began by discovering that God is Love, is the interior force driving their work towards unity between the rich and poor.
The Council of Philippine Affairs was founded in 1998 by a few people united in their desire to encourage the building of a society in which everyone has access to fundamental rights. The Council promotes quality in public service as well as moral responsibility with professional competence and transparency in government and society. Therefore, it gives recognition to individuals and groups which promote both democratic participation as well as communitarian heroism.