Three Asian public-service figures will receive this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awards: Myanmar political-prisoner advocate Bo Kyi, Bangladesh humanitarian leader Runa Khan and veteran Singapore diplomat Tommy Koh. Their careers were built in very different settings, but each reflects a sustained commitment to work with broad public impact.

Koh has spent decades working at the intersection of diplomacy, international law and environmental policy. He represented Singapore at the United Nations and played a major role in international negotiations, including work connected to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1992 Earth Summit. The award foundation highlighted his ability to translate diplomacy into practical cooperation among countries facing shared problems.

Runa Khan founded Friendship, a Bangladesh-based social-purpose organization known for delivering health care, education and other essential services to communities that can be difficult to reach. Its work has included people living on river islands and in areas vulnerable to flooding, erosion and other climate-related pressures. Her recognition draws attention to a model that combines direct relief with programs intended to strengthen communities over time.

Bo Kyi’s work grew from his own experience as a political prisoner in Myanmar. He co-founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an organization that documents arrests, deaths and detention while providing support to prisoners and their families. That mission has become especially consequential amid Myanmar’s continuing political crisis, when reliable documentation and assistance can carry significant personal risk.

Although the recipients operate in different fields, the selection presents public service as work that can happen through institutions, community organizations or human-rights advocacy. Koh’s career shows the value of sustained negotiation; Khan’s emphasizes services designed around the realities of marginalized communities; and Bo Kyi’s focuses on accountability and solidarity under repression.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award was established in 1958 and is named after the former Philippine president. It has often been described as one of Asia’s most prominent honors for leadership and public service. Recipients are selected for contributions that the foundation believes demonstrate integrity, courage and practical benefit to others.

The 2026 awards also underline the breadth of challenges facing the region. Climate vulnerability, humanitarian access, political imprisonment and cross-border cooperation are not isolated subjects. They affect how communities withstand crisis and whether institutions can respond fairly and effectively. Each honoree has spent years addressing one or more of those pressures.

The foundation’s announcement begins the public recognition process, with the formal presentation traditionally held in Manila. For the three recipients, the honor places long-running work before a wider regional audience. It also offers a reminder that major public achievements are often the result of persistent efforts carried out over decades rather than a single dramatic moment.