It is a wonder how a foreign individual who lives so far away from the Philippines could sustain his dedication to our country for so many decades. In the last 35 years, Dr. Robert Sommer Martens, a native of Hamburg, Germany, has actually taken on the tasks of promoting Philippine progress as well as the well-being of Filipinos in Germany.
Dr. Martens is a professor at the University of Hamburg. For more than three decades, he has been conducting University lectures on Geography, Culture, Health and Environment of Asia and South East Asia with particular emphasis on the Philippines. Among these are: Philippine Geography, Philippine History, Philippine Environment, Philippine Culture, Philippine Ecology and Philippine Landscapes.
In the 1990s, at the University of Hamburg, Dr. Martens headed the Monsoon Asia Research Group. As head of the group, he directed and coordinated the conduct of a series of researches on an ecosystem approach for the sustainable management of Laguna de Bay. It aimed to restore the natural quality of drinking water for Metro Manila. As head of the research group, he required all English speaking students in the group to acquire basic knowledge of Tagalog for communication with the local people involved in the study.
As a professor, Dr. Martens encouraged greater interest of young Filipino-Germans towards the Philippines. He has served as adviser to students for their masteral thesis and dissertations on a variety of research topics on Philippine geology, ecology, tourism, etc. He encourages his students to work with Philippine NGOs concerned with development and social welfare, and urges and inspires them to obtain a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the country by traveling and staying here for extended periods of time.
His personal warmth towards the Filipinos he meets and his sincere efforts to extend a helping hand to those who need it, is something that countless Filipinos who have met Dr. Martens either in his native Hamburg or elsewhere, have experienced. He provides advice to Filipino students and citizens on matters pertaining to study and living conditions in Germany as well as the rest of Europe. Dr. Martens also provided support to Filipinos in the preparation of their documents required by German authorities. His generosity and the wisdom he imparts to Filipinos trying to cope with life in Germany are gifts which his Filipino friends and acquaintances cherish.
To promote the welfare of Filipino students in Germany and the European Union, and to foster the academic and cultural exchange between the Philippines and the European Union, Dr. Martens initiated and co-founded PHILSTUD, a Philippine Students Association, in 1989. The activities of PHILSTUD included the conduct of regular scientific meetings (thesis, symposia) two to three times a year; the conduct of social gatherings among Filipino and German students; and the annual publication of a magazine in English, Tagalog and German. Also with a literary gift, Dr. Martens has been a regular contributor of poems at PHILSTUD’s magazine. Another one of his notable achievements is the publication of a book of poems which reveal his deep personal affection for the Philippines and his hope that greater understanding between the two countries shall one day be achieved.
Finally, Dr. Martens who took every opportunity to encourage cooperation between Germany and the Philippines, co-founded the Answering the Cry of the Poor (ANCOP), Germany. The association was founded in 2002 by Filipino and German citizens in cooperation with the Embassy of the Philippines in Berlin, Germany. It supports the activity of the Philippine ANCOP in restructuring slum areas in Philippine municipalities and cities through various fund-raising activities.
In conferring the Kaanib ng Bayan Award to Dr. Robert Sommer Martens, the President recognizes his lifelong dedication to support development efforts in the Philippines, the well-being of Filipinos in Germany and understanding and friendship between Germans and Filipinos.
