MANILA, Philippines?Two of the seven Ramon Magsaysay Awardees of 2010, both from the People's Republic of China and both government bureaucrats, will not be coming to receive honors on Aug. 31.

But the third Chinese awardee, photojournalist Huo Daishan, has arrived and participated in a series of lectures and meetings with various advocacy groups.

There has been speculation that the two awardees' absence might be related to the diplomatic tension between Cina and the Philippines caused by the Aug. 23 hostage crisis near the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The hostage situation led to the death of eight tourists from Hong Kong and angered Chinese officials and especially the people of Hong Kong.

According to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Pan Yue and Fu Qiping are being recognized for "their exemplary vision and zeal, as public servants at two levels of the state bureaucracy, in advocating the inseparability of development and the environment in uplifting the lives of the Chinese people."

Pan, 50, is being cited for "his bold pursuit of a national environmental program, insisting on state and private accountability, encouraging state-citizen dialogue, and raising the environment as an issue of urgent national concern." He is currently vice-minister for environmental protection.

Fu, 61, is being cited for "his enterprising leadership and undeniable success in demonstrating how village-level economic development can be achieved without damage to the environment." A multi-awarded individual, Fu is presently chief of the Government of Tentuo Village, in Feng Hua, Zheijiang.

Magsaysay foundation president Carmencita Abella said she did not know the reason why Pan and Fu were not coming except that one of them "might have taken ill."

A number of times in the past several awardees from China were not able to attend the awarding ceremonies because of the sensitive nature of their work that might put their government in a bad light. But last year, two awardees from China, both environmental advocates, came to receive their awards, gave public lectures and visited places in Metro Manila.