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RAFAEL M. SALAS
Rafael M. Salas was born on August 7, 1928
in Bago, Negros Occidental and died on March 4, 1987 in Washington
D.C. In the intervening 58 years, he worked tirelessly for
the improvement of his native Philippines. He was the first
Executive Director of the United Nations Fund for Population
Activities (UNFPA), now United Nations Population Fund, with
the rank of Undersecretary General.
In December 1968, Rafael M. Salas was appointed to head a
group of concerned citizens who proposed the establishment
of a Commission on Population, which would be tasked to formulate
population policies and programs. And, as Executive Secretary
to President Ferdinand E. Marcos, he was credited for having
solved the country’s perennial rice problem.
He dedicated his life for the betterment of humankind, particularly
the most needy people of the earth, and always insisted that
population programs are means to an end and that people are
the center of such programs.
He is widely known as "Mr. Population" in the international
population community. He brought together more developed and
less developed countries, helping them to become aware of
the extent to which they share an interest in population and
development.
He is a great leader who made a difference,
a tireless crusader for population, and a man who cared deeply
about others.
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