MANILA (UCAN): Society of Divine Word Father Flaviano “Flavie” Villanueva, of the Philippines, has been honoured with the prestigious Human Rights Tulip Award by the Dutch government.
A staunch critic of the president, Rodrigo Duterte, Father Villanueva is among 12 awardeees from around the world to be bestowed with the prestigious award, recognising his work in supporting families of the slain. The award also recognised his relief efforts in feeding Manila’s street dwellers by providing them with legitimate sources of income like soap making and carpentry.
“The Human Rights Tulip is an annual award of the Dutch government to support human rights defenders in their work advancing and protecting human rights around the world while highlighting related issues,” said Ambassador Saskia de Lang of the Netherlands during the presentation ceremony held in Manila on November 24.
The Netherlands supports human rights defenders so that they can work effectively and safely, she said.
“Human rights defenders stand up for vulnerable groups, expose human rights violations and demand justice. Human rights defenders often work under difficult circumstances, receive death threats and are jailed, tortured and sometimes even killed,” she underlined.
Each year since 2008, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has awarded the awards to an outstanding rights defender.
Father Villanueva received a trophy and a certificate that said the priest “has been working as a human rights defender for the past 35 years. He is the founder of the Paghilom programme, a Church-based support group that works with families of victims of extrajudicial killings.”
Paghilom is Father Villanueva’s foundation that sought to lend a healing touch to drug war victims’ families including giving them a final resting place in Catholic cemeteries.
Father Villanueva said that defending human rights, especially the right to have food and a home, was never easy, especially for a priest.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
“The work is most certainly enormous and even life-threatening at times. But when I see a homeless person smile and say ‘thank you’; whenever I see a homeless person sharing the meals we offer to those who failed to receive … whenever I see and listen to homeless people saying ‘I have never felt so valued as a person until I came to Kalinga Centre [that cares for the homeless] and thus I will begin to value my life’, [it is worth it]” he said.
Father Villanueva said he was inspired by homeless orphans and widows.
“When I learn about an orphan under my care persevering to study amidst the harsh environment and struggling internet connection; when a widow decides to arise from her slumber and works laboriously to become the father and mother her brood needs; when the victims equate justice with the desire to heal their lives, yet courageously and non-violently stand for what is just and true, these stories are my pockets of hope; they are my inspirations,” he said.
