MANILA, Philippines — Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto considers it a “tragedy” that Filipinos continue to look to a savior to rebuild the country.

Ordinary Filipinos, and not one single person, will save the country from further deterioration, said Meloto, who spoke at the launch on Monday of his book, “Builder of Dreams,” which he has dedicated to former President Corazon Aquino and Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

Meloto was talking in the context of who could carry on the legacy of Cory and Ninoy and the growing movement for the presidential candidacy of their son, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, as being the only one who can unite the country the way his parents did.

But Filipinos should also look at themselves as nation builders, said the Ramon Magsaysay awardee for community leadership.

He said it was tragic that Filipinos are “always looking for somebody to pin all our hopes on and also to blame when these hopes are not realized.”

“We don’t have to look for that one leader to bring our nation to glory. It’s important for us to see that every Filipino can love this country as much... because there’s only one Cory and one Ninoy in our lifetime. But there are millions of us within this lifetime who can love this country as much as they did,” he said.

Though he recognized that Noynoy has “lived his life with integrity,” Meloto declined to say outright if he would support the expected presidential bid of Noynoy, who was at the launch to speak on behalf of his parents.

“As far as partisan politics is concerned, we have made it our philosophy to work with everyone. Not to judge politicians but to engage them according to our vision. Right now, we believe there is a golden opportunity to build on the legacy of Ninoy and Cory. We should believe there is a Cory and Ninoy in all of us,” Meloto said.

This emerging Filipino spirit of volunteerism, how Filipinos here and abroad can work together to reduce poverty, is featured in his 451-page book, he said.

“Despite the gloom and doom of the global recession and whatever local political issues that tend to divide our people, there is a growing army of Filipinos all over the world who are starting to dream that dream together,” he said.