THE religious community in the Philippines expressed profound sadness over the passing of Sr. Eva Fidela Maamo, a surgeon, missionary, and a 1997 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, whose kindness and love touched all who knew her through her missionary works in depressed communities and far-flung areas among indigenous groups. She was 85.
"A life so beautifully lived in service to the poor and those in need deserves to be beautifully remembered. May she rest in peace,” said the Our Lady of Peace Hospital, which was founded by Sr. Eva, in a statement on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), which honored individuals achieving greatness in their respective fields, equivalent to Asia’s Nobel Prize, called Sr. Eva “a tireless servant of the poor.”
In 1986, Sr. Eva, who hailed from Liloan, Southern Leyte in the Eastern Visayas region, established the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc., giving free health clinics, organizing livelihood programs, providing shelter to street children and abused women, and feeding malnourished children, among other charitable works.
“Her medical-surgical missions brought volunteer doctors, nurses, and dentists to far-flung communities across the country—treating tens of thousands at no cost,” RMAF said.
“Diminutive in stature but immense in spirit, she led not by authority but by example. Her volunteers pressed on in exhausting surgeries, they said, simply because Sister Eva kept going. Through a life wholly given to ‘the least of His brethren,’ she showed that compassion, made concrete and courageous, is itself a form of nation-building,” it added.
Grace Padaca, a former politician and journalist, recalled meeting the late Magsaysay awardee and how she treated the poor free of charge, a mission she carried out for more than 40 years.
“I had the opportunity to sit beside her many times during the Ramon Magsaysay Award ceremonies. In the past two years, I noticed that there were times when she would repeat her stories. Her eyesight had also weakened, and she already needed assistance when moving around. Despite this, she remained active,” Padaca said on Thursday, April 16.
“She still traveled to Zambales to visit the Aeta communities she helped support. She even served as a speaker during a retreat in Holy Week. This means Sister Eva did not suffer long before she passed on to be with the Lord. What a way to go, what a way to live,” Padaca added.
The De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines also honored Sr. Eva with the Lasallian Star of Faith Award in 2006, the highest award given by the Philippine Lasallian Family.
“Throughout her mission, Sr. Eva remained a steadfast ally to the marginalized, providing essential healthcare and education to indigenous and urban poor communities across the Philippines…We celebrate her legacy of compassion and join her friends and family in prayer. May her life continue to inspire our shared mission of service,” the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines said in a statement.
Sister Eva’s wake will be from April 15–17 at the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc. Office at Coastal Road, Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City. Interment details to follow. (Ronald O. Reyes/SunStar Philippines)
