DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 July 2026) – Mindanao’s lone Cardinal, Orlando B. Quevedo, accepted the inaugural Harmony in Diversity Award in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon, citing the Common Word in the Qur’an and Christian Scriptures: “Love God and love your neighbor” as his overarching motivation. The 87-year-old Cardinal recounted that his work in harmonizing diverse cultural and religious groups began in the early 1970s when he was appointed President of Notre Dame University (NDU) in Cotabato City at 31. NDU, a Catholic university in predominantly Muslim Cotabato City, serves as the seat of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Quevedo initiated a program of attitudinal change to reduce biases among Christians, Muslims, and Indigenous Peoples, which led to seminars and workshops that inspired similar efforts across Mindanao. His achievements earned him recognition as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in 1973. Quevedo noted that many Moro revolutionary commanders, including Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, BARMM’s interim Chief Minister from 2019 to 2025, graduated from NDU. Former Governor Bai Nariman Ambolodto and her husband, Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, who nominated Quevedo for the award, were also NDU alumni. Quevedo expressed gratitude to Temasek Foundation and the 5P Global Movement, calling his work “a continuing mission from the Almighty.” The Harmony in Diversity Award, launched on August 1, 2025, aims to promote social cohesion in Southeast Asia, receiving over 70 nominations. Quevedo was selected for his lifelong commitment to peacebuilding and interfaith understanding in Mindanao. Halimah Yacob, Patron of the award and former Singapore President, praised Quevedo for fostering dialogue and understanding, emphasizing harmony through everyday choices. Quevedo’s legacy includes establishing the Bishops-Ulama Conference in 1996 and advocating for peace legislation like the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Bai Nariman Ambolodto, introducing Quevedo, described him as a “moral compass and bridge builder” who championed inclusivity through his Triple Dialogue framework. The award’s judges included HRH Tunku Tun Aminah, Retno Marsudi, Joy Belmonte, Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, and Ng Boon Heong. Quevedo will speak at a peace-building forum in Jakarta on Thursday. (Carolyn O. Arguillas /MindaNews)
