Mangyan Heritage Center

An awardee Amang us

Fr. Ewald Dinter, SVD, fondly called Amang by co-workers and close friends in the mission with the Mangyans was given the St. Joseph Freinademetz Mission Award by the SVD Philippine Central Province, recognizing him as the best example of living witness to prophetic dialogue and inculturation.

As part of the highlight of the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) centennial celebration (1909-2009), the SVD Philippine Central Province launched a nationwide search for candidates to be honored with the SVD Mission Awards in its closing ceremony, held at the St. Jude Catholic School-Manila last January 29. The eight recipients are individuals, groups and institutions, both Catholic and non-Catholic, who have contributed and/or collaborated to the mission of the SVD and the Church in the Philippines in the last hundred years. They made a difference in doing prophetic dialogue with the poor and marginalized, faith seekers or no faith community, other religious traditions or secular ideologies, and local or other cultures.

Friends and co-workers of Fr. Dinter who witnessed the event were touched and moved to tears when on-stage, the first Mangyan priest, Fr. Gabby Oybad, gave Amang a Mangyan necklace as a way of honoring and congratulating him. (This siwayang is usually worn as a stole by priests when celebrating Holy Mass in Mangyan communities.) In a move that surprised both the audience and the awardee himself, Fr. Dinter said, "I'm getting old; the first Mangyan priest gave me this ... the Mission must continue." And removing the siwayang from his neck, the older priest added, "...So I'm giving this back to him."

In his short bio, Fr. Dinter was mentioned as an advocate for indigenous peoples education, believing that this can make the Mangyans help more of their kind and eventually uplift their human dignity and attain their full human potentials in the world, without losing their identity and culture. He was able to send thousands of Mangyans to 30 elementary schools which he himself established. More than 300 Mangyans have since graduated from college. (read full bio)

In his acceptance speech, Amang said: "Thru genuine dialogue might we get a glimpse of the soul of the Mangyan people, their values, thoughts, songs, poetry, feasts, dreams and human potential, their indigenous laws, governance and problem-solving strategies. A great help is the Mangyan Heritage Center in Calapan with its anthropological research and reports." (read full text)

As a co-founder of the MHC, Fr. Dinter has fully supported the MHC the past 10 years, providing space for its library and office within the Mangyan Mission compound in Calapan City. He has been one of the 9 members of the MHC working board since its establishment a decade ago.