FVR among 12 productivity awardees

MANILA, Philippines – Former President Fidel V. Ramos will be among this year’s 12 awardees of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), which recognizes an individual’s contribution to productivity enhancing initiatives.

APO Secretary-General Ryuichiro Yamazaki announced that five regional and seven national winners had been chosen by the APO’s Governing Body to receive the awards during the 50th anniversary year of the organization.

The most distinguished recipient is former President of the Republic of the Philippines Fidel V. Ramos for his leadership in advocating sustainable development and contributions to the cause of productivity not only in his country but also throughout Asia.

The APO Awards are only conferred every five years. Individuals who have contributed significantly to advancing the productivity movement in the Asia-Pacific region are eligible for the Regional Awards, and those in a specific member economy of the APO are eligible for the National Awards.

Former President Ramos, along with Dr. Tyzz-Jiun Duh (Republic of China), Mr. Rachmat Gobel (Indonesia), Mr. Tsuneaki Taniguchi (Japan), and Dr. Dong-Kyu Choi (Republic of Korea) will be honored at the APO 50th anniversary commemorative event on April 19, 2011 at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo. The seven recipients of the 2011 APO National Awards are Dr. Pao-cheng Chang (Republic of China), Mr. Kunjung Masehat (Indonesia), Mr. Yousef Hojjat (Islamic Republic of Iran), Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum (Pakistan), Mr. Feliciano L. Torres (Philippines), Mr. Darshan Singh, (Singapore), and Mr. Upali Marasinghe (Sri Lanka). These national awardees will be honored by their governments through the National Productivity Organizations.

This is only the eighth conferring of the APO Awards since their inception in 1979. To date, 64 individuals, 13 of whom were regional awardees, have been honored. Secretary-General Yamazaki noted that in the 50 years since its establishment in 1961, the APO has been the sole international organization in the region with the mission of contributing to the socio-economic development of its members through enhancing productivity.

source: manila bulletin