Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. was born on December 9, 1934, on the island of Cabilan, near Dinagat Island in Surigao del Norte, Philippines. He was born into a humble family during a period when many island communities faced limited access to transportation, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. These early conditions exposed him to the realities of rural life and the daily struggles experienced by ordinary Filipinos.
As the youngest child of Jose Ecleo and Justiniana Edera, he was raised with the values of perseverance, faith, discipline, and service to others. His childhood coincided with the difficult years surrounding the Second World War, which disrupted formal education throughout the country. Despite these challenges, he continued pursuing learning while helping support his family through various forms of livelihood, strengthening the resilience and determination that would later define his public life.
During his youth, Ruben traveled extensively throughout the Visayas and Mindanao. These journeys broadened his understanding of the conditions faced by communities living in remote provinces, where poverty, limited government services, and geographic isolation remained significant challenges. The experiences reinforced his conviction that meaningful change required both humanitarian action and organized community participation.
Alongside his commitment to public service, Ruben became increasingly devoted to a spiritual mission centered on faith, moral renewal, compassion, and the pursuit of healing. He emphasized the importance of strengthening both the spiritual and social well-being of individuals, believing that genuine community development must be guided by moral responsibility, unity, and service under the Fatherhood of God.
By the 1950s, his humanitarian initiatives, community outreach, and spiritual mission had expanded across numerous provinces, inspiring volunteers to participate in organized efforts dedicated to charity, civic responsibility, and mutual assistance. His vision extended beyond individual acts of kindness toward building a movement capable of promoting lasting social, moral, and community development.
This vision culminated in the establishment of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) on October 19, 1965. Organized as a non-stock, non-profit corporation under Philippine law, the association promoted humanitarian service, civic responsibility, community development, spiritual values, and brotherhood under the Fatherhood of God. PBMA expanded throughout the Philippines and eventually established chapters among Filipino communities overseas, becoming one of the country's most recognized civic organizations.
Ruben E. Ecleo Sr.'s influence later extended into public service through local government. He served as Mayor of Dinagat, where his administration became associated with initiatives promoting community welfare, grassroots development, volunteerism, and participatory local governance. His leadership contributed to strengthening civic engagement and community organization, leaving a lasting influence on the social and political development of Dinagat.
Today, Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. remains a significant figure in the history of Dinagat Islands. His early life reflects a journey shaped by humble beginnings, perseverance, spiritual commitment, humanitarian service, and public leadership—qualities that laid the foundation for a legacy influencing the province's civic, social, and political development for generations.
Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. was once called "The South’s Mysterious Superstar" by the WHO Magazine in (September 26 Issue) 1981, for being a charismatic leader, the undefeated mayor of Dinagat and the architect of Barangay San Jose in the municipality of Dinagat for making it as the “Most Outstanding Barangay of the Philippines” in 1980; a recognition given by the elite Rotary Club of Makati. San Jose was then home of his association, the PBMA. He was chosen as the “Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines” in 1985. The south mentioned here is Mindanao, being one of the three big groups of islands in the Philippine Archipelago. Mindanao is being tagged as the land of promised by some local writers and historians. This land is blessed with abundance of natural reasources, fertile soil, mineral reserves and the best climate in the world yet a dangerous place for many. It evokes contrasting images of bounty and want, of war and peace, of rapid development amid the increasing impoverishment of its people.