DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 08 July 2026) – Mindanao’s lone Cardinal, Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, the Catholic religious leader who played a major role in the Bangsamoro peace process, will be honored on July 15 in Jakarta, Indonesia as the first recipient of the Harmony in Diversity Award.
The 87-year old Quevedo, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Cotabato, was nominated by the predominantly Muslim Bangsamoro Transition Authority for the award that will be conferred by the Temasek Foundation in collaboration with the 5P Global Movement, to honor individuals who have demonstrated “outstanding efforts to foster social cohesion and harmony between people of different cultures in Southeast Asia.”
The Award “promotes aspirations for social harmony, and aims to amplify the impact of fostering social cohesion in the region.”
Photo courtesy of Cardinal Quevedo
Quevedo received a letter from Halimah Yacob, Patron of the Harmony in Diversity Award, informing him that the Judging Committee was “moved by the nomination from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority which outlined your efforts to build harmony across lines of faith to achieve peace in Mindanao.”
“In recognition of your contributions, the Committee wishes to honor your personal achievements and for exemplifying the values at the heart of Harmony in Diversity: fostering understanding across differences, building bridges between communities, and advancing a spirit of mutual respect, inclusion and shared
belonging,” Yacob said in her letter dated June 23.
Halimah Yacob served as Singapore’s first female Speaker of Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and the first female President from 2017 to 2023. She is now Chancellor of the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
Judges
She said the Judging Committee was composed of HRH Tunku Tun Aminah, Ms Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, Mayor Joy Belmonte, Mr. Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, and Mr. Ng Boon Heong.
Aminah is a member of the royal family of Johor in Malaysia, and is Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of the Berjaya Corporation Berhad; Marsudi is an Indonesian diplomat who formerly served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the first woman appointed to that post, Belmonte is Mayor of Quezon City, Sirivadhanabhakdi is a Thai businessman and Chief Executive Officer of Frasers Property, a Singapore-based real estate development firm, and Heong is Executive Director and CEO of Temasek Foundation.
The awarding will be held on July 15 at the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta.
The Harmony in Diversity Award website noted that the 2025 Southeast Asian Social Cohesion Radar, a regional study conducted by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, showed that the region’s social cohesion index averaged 72.4%, indicating the potential for greater awareness of harmony and diversity, as well as continued shared appreciation across Southeast Asia.
Bridging divides and fostering social cohesion and harmony
The Harmony in Diversity Award aims to: increase understanding and awareness of social cohesion and harmony initiatives in Southeast Asia; establish a network of Harmony in Diversity champions to promote social cohesion and harmony in Southeast Asia; and increase cross-cultural collaborations to amplify the impact of fostering harmony in the communities in Southeast Asia.
At the launch of the Harmony in Diversity Award on August 1, 2025, its website quoted Yacob as saying that social harmony does not happen by chance but is “built, nurtured, and protected” and must not be taken for granted. “In times of uncertainty, we should not be daunted. We should continue to build bridges across divides and walk alongside one another. The Harmony in Diversity Award is a recognition to those who have chosen to bridge divides and foster social cohesion and harmony in Southeast Asia and to inspire more initiatives. Thank you to Temasek Foundation and the 5P Global Movement for championing this meaningful journey,” Yacob said.
For Heong, Executive Director and CEO of Temasek Foundation, the Harmony in Diversity Award is more than a recognition.
“It’s a call to action. It’s a platform to build a regional community of champions who are advancing harmony in meaningful ways, creating shared spaces of trust, respect and understanding. By spotlighting their stories, Temasek Foundation hopes to inspire greater awareness, strengthen connections, and spark collective action to deepen social cohesion across Southeast Asia,” he said.
Arsjad Rasjid P.M., founder of 5P Global Movement, the supporting secretariat of the Award, also spoke at the launch and described the award as a reflection of what they believe at 5P, that “peace and prosperity come from honoring people, protecting the planet, and building partnerships rooted in trust.”
“True harmony takes all of us, from individuals to institutions, working together. By recognizing those who bridge divides and lift others up, we hope to inspire greater collaboration across sectors, borders, and generations,” he said.
The award is open to citizens of Southeast Asia “who have driven impactful and innovative initiatives to advance social harmony in their communities.”
Nominees were evaluated based on the R.A.I.S.E. framework: Relevance to the challenges in fostering harmony; Alignment with values of peace, prosperity, people, planet and partnership; Innovation in approach or concept; Significance of demonstrated community impact; and Elevate and improve lives and foster belonging.
The awardee will receive the Harmony in Diversity Award trophy, a cash prize, and will attend a series of curated events to showcase his work and achievements.
Peace and Justice
Quevedo has received several awards, the latest of which was on June 16 when the Metro Infanta Foundation, honored him with the 2026 Bishop Julio X. Labayen Memorial Award.
The award honors leaders whose lives reflect Bishop Labayen’s prophetic vision of the Church of the Poor — a Church that is humble, servant, participatory, courageous, and deeply committed to justice, peace, human dignity, and the Gospel.
The Foundation said Quevedo’s life and ministry have long reflected the vision of Labayen.
“As a shepherd of Mindanao and a respected voice for peace, he has helped the Church stand close to communities wounded by conflict, poverty, displacement, and division. He has shown that peace is not simply the absence of violence. Peace is built through dialogue, justice, reconciliation, respect for human dignity, and patient accompaniment of communities.”
In September 2023, he was conferred the Gawad Kapayapaan (Peace Award) by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity for his decades-long work in promoting reconciliation, peace-building, and interfaith dialogue among Christians, Muslims and the Lumads (Indigenous Peoples).
In 2014, the Ateneo de Manila University conferred on Quevedo the Bukas Palad Award, honoring him as “an authentic peace builder, especially between Christians and Muslims in Mindanao.”
“He has consistently championed the rights of the poor and marginalized in society, regardless of their beliefs” and through his work and life, “truly embodies the Ignatian spirit of generosity and has greatly contributed to the creation of what Pope Francis calls a ‘culture of encounter,’ which the Pope says is the foundation of peace.”
Mindanao’s first and only Cardinal
He once served as President of the Notre Dame University, Bishop of Kidapawan from 1980 to 1996, Archbishop of Nueva Segovia from 1986 to 1998 and Archbishop of Cotabato from 1998 to 2018. He was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Francis in February 2014, Mindanao’s first and only Cardinal until now.
He was secretary-general of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conference (FABC) from 2005 to 2008.
Quevedo was President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for two terms (1999 to 2001 and 2001 to 2003), the period when two major wars broke out in Mindanao: the “all-out war” waged by the Estrada administration against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2000 which displaced nearly a million residents, and the Arroyo administration’s 2003 Buliok war against the MILF which displaced nearly half a million residents. Both wars occurred in the midst of peace talks.
The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro between government and the MILF was signed in March 2014, the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was passed in July 2018, ratified in January 2019 and he inaugural session of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority – the government during the transition period – was held in March 2019.
The BARMM will hold its long-delayed 1st Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on September 14 this year and its first elected officials will assume their posts on October 30, which will also mark the end of the transition period.
Government and Moro leaders sought and are still seeking Quevedo’s assistance especially during critical moments in the peace process. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
