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PGMA's Speech during the Departure Ceremonies for a 5-day visit to the U.S.A. and Europe (Centennial Terminal II, NAIA, Pasay City - 24 Sept 2003)
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General Abaya and the other major service commanders, fellow workers in government, minamahal kong kababayan:

Paalis ako ngayon patungong Estados Unidos, Italya at pransya kaugnay ng ating hangaring polisyang panlabas foreign policy nababatay sa kapayapaan, kaunlaran at paglaban sa terorismo.

Ang nangyari sa Oakwood ay bahagi na ng nakaraan. Ang pagkakaisa ng bansa ay nabuo na muli.

Ang proseso ng katarungan para sa militar at sibilyan ay patuloy ang pag-inog. Patuloy na umuusad ang ating laban kontra sa kahirapan, lalo na ngayong may inaasahang pang-matagalang kapayapaan sa Mindanao.

Ang mga nagkakalat na intriga at nanggugulo ay isasantabi na.

I have designated Vice President Guingona as caretaker while I'm away. This is an institutional act. Some people are sowing intrigues about our policy differences with the Vice President but these are not pertinent to his designation. I am confident in his full capacity and resolve to uphold and implement constitutional governance and he will have the full support of the executive branch. Ang mga pangamba na dulot ng giyera sa Iraq, banta ng SARS, El Niņo, destabilisasyon ay tuluyan nang napawi, at napalitan na nang bagong pag-asa sa mga lungsod at kanayunan.

Pinili ko bilang susunod na Secretary of National Defense si Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita. Siya ay lilipat sa Defense kapag sa palagay niya ay maaari na niyang iwanan ang trabaho ng peace process sa kaniyang kapalit, na 'yan ay si National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Ging Deles.

I call on the Armed Forces, the Defense department and the public to lend their full support for Secretary Ermita when he assumes the position sometime in the near future. And also to support Secretary Ging Deles when she also is ready to assume after Secretary Ermita decides that he has reached a stage when he can leave it to her. Not that Ging is not capable but of course Secretary Ermita I'm sure would like to be there when some of the early fruits of his hard work are bearing.

Secretary Ermita comes with an impressive track record in peace, development and security management. I am giving him three priorities: one, sustain the momentum of reforms in the military organization; two, bring the peace process into the mainstream of defense doctrine; and three, push forward the AFP modernization. I'm confident his impressive government record and vast experience will lead him on.

Makikipag-pulong ako kay Prime Minister Mahathir sa New York -- nandoon nga si Ed Ermita, trabaho pa 'yan ng OPAP 'yon -- kakausapin ang foreign ministers rin ng Organization of the Islamic Conference o OIC at magtatalumpati sa United Nations. Ang mensaheng aking ipaparating sa kanila ay tungkol sa kapayapaan at seguridad.

Sa Vatican, ipaparating ko sa Santo Papa ang mainit na pagmamahal ng ating sambayanan, at hihilingin sa kaniya na basbasan ang bawa't mamamayan, pamilya at tahanang Pilipino saanman sila naroroon.

Sa Paris, pasasalamatan ko ang UNESCO dahil sa tulong nito sa Pilipinas para itaguyod ang kapayapaan, kaunlaran, kagalingan ng utak ng ating mga kabataan, palakasin ang ating kultura kasama na 'yung pagpapa-alaga ng ating rice terraces sa ating mga pinakaliblib na mga barangay.

Sa aking mga pakikipagpulong, bibigyang-diin ko ang kahalagahan ng kapayapaan sa mindanao at ang pagtulong sa ating laban kontra sa kahirapan at terorismo.

Pagkatapos ng Cancun, kailangang harapin natin ang mga pagbabago sa trade politics na makatuwiran para sa mga umuunlad na mga bansa o developing nations at nagpapahalaga sa ikagagaling ng sangkatauhan.

Sa Oktubre ay apat ang kaganapang may kaugnayan sa ating pambansang kapakanan: ang Asean Summit sa Bali, ang APEC Summit sa Bangkok, ang OIC Summit sa Kuala Lumpur at ang pagdalaw ni Pangulong Bush sa Pilipinas.

Ang mga lider ng mundo ay magiging mainit ang pagtanggap sa bagong ugnayan ng Pilipinas sa mundo, patunay na ang ating mga pagsisikap ay nagbubunga na. Kailangan natin ang pinakamagandang pakikipagloob ng mundo kung gusto nating umasenso.

Kaya samahan ninyo akong magdasal habang ipinapakilala natin ang Pilipinas sa mundo at itinatakda ang malaking pagbabago sa ating pambansang pamumuhay, pagkakaisa mula sa pagkakawatak-watak, kapayapaan mula sa kaguluhan, at katiyakan mula sa pag-aalinlangan.

Patuloy nating itataguyod at ipagmamalaki ang kagalingan at panindigan ng ating bansa.

Maraming salamat.

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PGMA's Speech during the breakfast meeting hosted by Asia Society and Council on Foreign Relations (The Asia Society Bldg., Garden Court New York, USA - 26 Sept 2003)
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Thank you very much, Frank.

Chairman Holbrooke; Ambassador Platt; Ernie Bower, who shared the Presidential table with us in the state dinner that President Bush gave in my honor; Ambassador Murphy; members of the Philippine delegation; ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you all for coming.

It's good to see many of you again. I was the guest of honor when this office was opened. And before that, I spoke to many of you -- who are here today -- in November of 2001. At that time in November of 2001 when I was your speaker, I spoke of the inseparability of peace, stability and economic progress. That was a few months after 9-11, and everybody was trying to explain away 9-11, trying to look for an explanation of why such an evil should happen. And I was probably the first or at least one of the first voices to say that there is a close link between terrorism and poverty. There is a close link between peace and progress. There is a close link between stability and progress.

And as I said that in November, I don't know how many of you caught it, but it was still a new idea which later on was institutionalized and accepted in Monterey. Today, more than ever, it is clearer than ever before that peace is an indispensable condition for economic development just as development is an essential component of peace.

And for my country, nothing will do more to lift the Philippines out of poverty than peace itself. And to that end, my trip to New York is motivated by my keen desire to advance peace on all fronts. I will travel anywhere anytime to advance peace in Mindanao, in the Southern Philippines.

I'm speaking before the U.N. today but I advanced my trip to New York one day ahead so that I could meet with Prime Minister Mahathir to help advance the cause of peace in Mindanao. The Prime Minister is a prime mover in helping us negotiate with the MILF, the Muslim separatist group in the Southern Philippines. He is a leader in the Muslim world. He is a leader in the organization of the Islamic countries. We expect him to be the next chairman. His role is indispensable. And I'm glad that he continues to support, more than support, push forward our peace process. I hope one of his many legacies will be to bring peace to Mindanao.

Today, I am having lunch with the ambassadors and foreign ministers who are in town from the organization of the Islamic conference. I will be attending the OIC conference next month in Malaysia upon the invitation of Prime Minister Mahathir. That OIC conference will take place just the day before President bush lands in Manila. And I hope to use that time - two days in Kuala Lumpur -- with the OIC leaders to advance the peace process in Mindanao and advance the understanding between all faiths. Because aside from the link between poverty and terrorism, between progress and peace, one of the things that I pointed out and instructed my administration to do when we put together our holistic approach to counter terrorism is that we must advance interfaith dialogue. We must have an understanding of one another's religions. The terrorists of 9-11 and following tried to provoke a religious war. We must use that tragedy as an event and motivation for religious understanding instead.

In the same vein, I met over lunch yesterday with several of the gentlemen who are here in this hall, as in their capacity as leaders of the U.S. Institute of Peace and as experts in peace negotiations, they will also aid the Philippines in the negotiations in Mindanao. I am very happy to learn that five former ambassadors to the Philippines are very actively working through the institute of peace to help us in our peace process. It just shows that once you live in the philippines you will love the philippines and wish it well.

I also believe that some kind of federal system for the Philippines could help solve the problem of Islamic separatism in the south. At the same time, I'm working with other heads of state to ensure continued cooperation in our battle to rid Southeast Asia of the threat of terrorism. More than ever, we need strong alliances to defeat our common foes. And today, our greatest common foe, physically, is terrorism. We need strong alliances too to build global prosperity.

As we make significant progress in Mindanao, let me also reassure you that we also have well in hand the reported threats to our political and economic stability from the military that has captured headlines of late. I speak here of the ill-fated mutiny of July 27, which ended peacefully and quickly without a drop of blood, without any damage to property, solved in about 18 hours.

The Philippines is stronger today than it was before that attempt. That attempt by handful of officers and the political intriguers who backed them. That day we showed that our institution stood tall. Monday, when the market opened, it was relatively stable. The population was calm, the political process is intact.

Speaking of the political process, for those of you who are Philippine watchers -- and there are many of you in this hall who are -- you know full well that the rumor mill is in full tilt in our election season. It's our equivalent of a... Our political equivalent of a typhoon season. That's part of the culture I certainly hope to wreck as I strive to build stronger institutions to support a stronger republic. We must wreck that cycle, but let me assure you the nation is stable, the economy is stronger than many of our neighbors today, and peace in Mindanao is within our grasp.

That doesn't mean that everything is perfect or that I'm downplaying the significance of the event. What I do want to underscore is the underlying strength of our system and reassure you that I'm in firm control. That the country is stable and moving forward on all cylinders.

I inherited, in 2001, a weakened economy, at a time when the global economy itself was weak and volatile, as it continues to be. But notwithstanding that weakness that I inherited domestically and internationally, we have had success in addressing the structural issues that have prevented our economy from reaching its full potential and we're committed to do more.

The potential of our economy to a large extent lies in some of the best human resources to be found anywhere in the world. Many of you here represent some of the international companies investing in the Philippines. You are there in finance. You are there in manufacturing, not only consumer products like cigarettes but also products in the electronics sector, the sector of the 21st century. And many of you are there in ICT and business process outsourcing.

I consider myself not only the head of state responsible for a nation of 80-million people in-country but also the CEO of a Philippine global enterprise of 8-million Filipinos who live and work abroad and generate billions of dollars a year for our economy.

In the past two years, we fortified our macroeconomic fundamentals. And this has paid off in consistent growth all these several years while our neighboring countries were going 'boom and bust' -- big growth rates, one year negative the next or vice versa -- we were steady. And we have low inflation as well while many of our neighbors are suffering from lower or negative growth.

We're making solid investments in infrastructure to help move people and goods and enhance the quality of life. We are focusing on raising government revenues to finance the infrastructure and other needs to make business want to invest more in the Philippines. Our focus on increasing government revenues is centered on improving transparency, something that we are seeking to do throughout the government. We passed the Anti-Money Laundering Bill which has gone a long way in increasing transparency in the banking system.

Our efforts to broaden and strengthen our tax base are also bearing fruit. And those of you who have been following our progress on this front know that this is one reason why we are having such success now in reining in our deficit. Improved collection procedures and anti-graft measures have led to eight consecutive months of higher than target tax revenues.

I'm often asked about the challenge the Philippines and other nations in our region face from the Chinese economy. I have always responded that China is both a competitor and a major market. But judging from our exports to China and our tourists from china in the last two years, I would say that the healthy Chinese economy will be good for our nation and our region.

Finally, Richard Holbrooke asked me about Cancun. And I said that's great because I'm going to say a last word about Cancun. I must say a word about the failure of the Cancun-WTO ministerial to reach agreement on a road map for negotiations to reach the goals by the end of 2004. The WTO, of course, has an upside. It has been instrumental in the explosiveness in the growth of global trade, but it also has its downside. It has increasingly been perceived as not responsive to the needs of developing countries. And when Richard Holbrooke asked me about that collapse in Cancun, well, I reserve our official judgment for this speech and it is: "no deal in Cancun is better than a bad deal" especially, particularly in agriculture.

Now -- I was telling Richard -- now perhaps, there will be a better chance that differences will be ironed out eventually. Because now that the developed countries have gotten this wake up call from Cancun, we can have a balanced result by the next time negotiations are concluded. And while the results may not however be as ambitious as originally planned in the volume of new trade, it might be better in terms of equitable benefits to developed and developing countries alike.

On our part, moving into the post-Cancun world; moving into the post-China entering the WTO world; moving into the world of greater alliances against terrorism; moving into the world where we're still grappling with a world slowdown, I would say that on the part of the Philippines, our resilience and the strategic positioning I have placed on our economy and security agenda will hopefully serve us well.

We will continue to pursue developing our economy on a foundation of market enterprise, strong institutions of governance and rule of law. A willingness to engage the global economy while helping affected sectors of our society to make the difficult adjustment to the inevitable global competitiveness.

Regional stability and prosperity have a direct impact on our own security and economic well-being, and that is why we are very close to our neighbors. In short, we face the future with confidence. Confident that our people will rise to the task and win in partnership with sincere allies.

While at the U.N. -- as I said, after this appointment -- my next one is my speech at the general assembly. Yesterday, I met with Kofi Annan and I am also finalizing the election of the Philippines as the Asian representative to the National Security Council.

My time in New York is targeted and well-spent. And part of that is being able to dialogue with our friends in the Asia society because we are all interested in events of regional security and integration which drive on.

Events of regional security and integration, yes, they drive on. And we shall embrace them with the same fervent spirit that we shall work with all nations for a better world.

Thank you.

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PGMA's Speech during the Luncheon with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors (West Terrace, UN Delegation Bldg. New York, USA - 26 Sept 2003)
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Excellencies, distinguished foreign ministers and permanent presidents and representatives of the organization of the Islamic conference, members of the Philippine delegation, ladies and gentlemen:

I'm honored to share this occasion with valued friends from the OIC. This is the first time that the Philippine president has the honor to meet with a gathered leaders of the OIC. And I'm very thankful for that especially now that we meet at a critical time for peace in the world and for peace in my country.

The OIC is a treasured friend of the Philippines. We have benefited immensely from your support in the search for a lasting solution to the Mmindanao conflict. The untiring efforts of the OIC particularly the committee of the eight led by Indonesia has ensured that our 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF would take root and flourish.

Today we stand on the verge of completing the work for the committee of the eight, hopefully with the determination of the OIC that the Philippines has complied with its obligations in our 1996 peace agreement. The success of that peace agreement is a shining tribute to the dedicated efforts of the OIC and its commitment to peace.

Our 1996 peace agreement and its successful implementation by the Philippines is a major diplomatic achievement of the OIC and living proof that working together even the most difficult conflicts can be resolved.

Allow me therefore to take this opportunity to express my country's gratitude for the continued support and friendship of the OIC and your governments, but our work is far from over. Our policy for Mindanao stands on three fundamental principles:

The first is to ensure that peace and development in the region go hand and hand. To resolve the Mindanao issue, we would need to look out the causes of injustice and economic exclusion that had stymied our people from benefiting from the fruits of stability and progress. I wish to thank the OIC governments for the technical and material assistance you have extended to our policy alleviation efforts in the Southern Philippines.

Second principle for Mindanao is that we are committed to the principle that any peace and stability in Mindanao should preserve the country's territorial integrity under the Philippine constitution. We beg our OIC friends like Malaysia and Libya that when they talk with the MILF they always uphold these principles as they support the peace process.

The third principle of our policy is to pursue our nationhood with complete awareness that the Philippines as a cultural country is enriched by various cultural and ethnic groups that should be respected and given due recognition, which support the recognition and development of Muslim traditions in the Philippines including the putting up of Shariah courts including the declaration of Eid'l Fitr as a national holiday and many other such manifestations of respect for the Islamic traditions in our country.

To these three fundamental principles, we may add a fourth in response to contemporary challenges. We need to ensure that the terrorism perpetrated by a dwindling set of rogue groups would not obstruct our well laid plans to fight peace and stability in Mindanao.

I'm working with heads of neighboring OIC states to ensure continued cooperation in our battle to rid Southeast Asia of the threat of terrorism.

Today, with your support hostilities in Mindanao have abated. As we approach the final stages of preparation for formal peace talks. Malaysia is the prime mover in helping us negotiate peace with the MILF, the Muslim separatist group in the Southern Philippines. I hope one of the many legacies of Prime Minister Mahathir would be to bring peace to Mindanao.

We welcome the help of other OIC friends who would be willing to join the monitoring team for the monitoring of the ceasefire between the MILF and the Philippines. We also welcome the help that many of you have given in facilitating rehabilitation and development in conflict-affected areas. For instance, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain have been financially supporting the development in Southern Philippines. Much of what we have accomplished in Mindanao would not have been possible without the catalytic role that the OIC has played in the peace process. We hope that countries and friends like Bangladesh, Bahrain, Indonesia will be willing to be part of the monitoring team for our ceasefire.

The OIC has proven to be a significant actor in the Philippine peace process. But not only that, also a significant actor in the larger world stage. That is why we look forward to your support for our bid to become a non-member of the security council of the U.N. to begin the term of two years starting in 2004.

We are determined to uphold and promote the principle espoused by the oOIC in our tenure as a council member. We have to continue the proud legacy that Syria will leave behind as we take over the Asian seat.

We are convinced that our common interest and shared goals provide a firm foundation for a long lasting and meaningful partnership between the Philippines and OIC. And I would like to thank Prime Minister Mahathir for his invitation to me to attend the OIC conference next month in Malaysia. I hope to see many of you again there and I hope to use that time to again advance the peace process in Mindanao and advance the understanding between all faiths.

I will be at the OIC conference because i sincerely believe that we are bound together by a strong determination to fight suffering, oppression and injustice in the world today. To further our endeavors, we are seeking to be admitted as an observer state in the OIC. We seek this partnership motivated by our desire to contribute to the full realization of the OIC's objective of improving conditions of mankind through collective action.

We hope that your governments will support our intention to join your distinguished organization. We hope that when it comes to peace none of us are ever alone.

Thank you.

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PGMA's Speech during the United Nations General Assembly (26 Sept 2003)

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MR. President, in behalf of the Philippine delegation, I would like to extend warmest congratulations to you and the members of your bureau on your election to the leadership of the 58th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The past 12 months were the most difficult and challenging period for the United Nations, of a community of cynicism formed on the ability of the United Nations to rise from the morass of disunity and disruptive competition among major powers to fulfill its catalytic role for international peace and security and development. But, while it is undeniable that the United Nations has struggled over the last 12 months, it's predicted decline is greatly exaggerated.

Economic linkages among nations have widened and deepened in many sectors, the interconnectedness of the global village continues to infringe traditional, political boundaries.

For instance, the tentacles of international terrorism are insidiously spread all over. These and other current developments have displayed that without the centripetal pull provided by international cooperation and partnership through the UN, the world would tend to drift apart. The rich would become richer, the poor poorer. Conflict and disharmony would erupt along political, ethnic and even religious fissures. We face the paradox of a world contracting through advancing technology that is, at the same time, drifting apart in the seams of inequality.

Mr. President, three years ago, 146 heads of state in government, and 189 member states, in total, blazed the trail to our future by crafting the millennium declaration, in the three years since the millennium started, in the three years since the millennium summit, much has been done to achieve the goals that the UN set for the 21st century.

I am pleased to report that the vision of the millennium summit and the pursuit of the millennium development goals in my country have begun to bear fruit as they have been applied in our peace process for the Southern Philippines in Mindanao. The Philippine government, and I believe, even the MILF, the Muslim separatist group in the Southern Philippines, realize that the prescription of the United Nations is the correct and only viable one; and that is, that peace is an indispensable condition for economic development just as development is an essential component of peace. Nothing will do more to lift the Philippines out of poverty than peace itself. That is why we are negotiating peace with the MILF. The government of Malaysia has been a prime mover in helping us negotiate peace. And I thank them.
To compliment these efforts, the Philippines has launched its bid for observer status in the Organization of the Islamic Conference. I will be attending the OIC conference next month in Malaysia, and hope to use that time to advance the peace process in Mindanao, and to advance the understanding between all faiths.

Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the United Nations community for its support for the Philippines as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2004 to 2005, and to ask for your continued support during the elections for the council. We wish to contribute our long experience in the UN system as an original founding member of the organization. We have actively participated in the council's initiatives towards the preservation of global peace and security throughout the past six decades, both as a past non-permanent member and as a contributor to UN peacekeeping operations and other council activities.

The Philippines has actively contributed military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe over the past half century. Now, we are preparing to contribute a contingent to join the latest UN operation: the deployment to Liberia next month.
Our guiding principles for our council participation include the following: the principle of collective security established under the UN charter should be observed; the Security Council should maintain and pursue a multilateral approach towards the performance of its primary role of maintaining international peace and security; observance of the rule of law is of paramount importance in the maintenance of international peace and security.
I believe there is a strong role for the UN to play in Iraq, and I welcome and encourage you in involvement to share the burden with other nations, like the Philippines, that are already participating in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Mr. President, it is heartening that at the last session of the general assembly, we adopted an important resolution on conflict prevention. As long as conflict occurs, there is a need to strengthen our capacities for peacekeeping, peace making and peace building. International security, which, in recent experience, is mostly threatened by imploding and failed states, must be animated by the need to protect individuals and communities from violence.

It has also been amply demonstrated that democracy is the most conducive condition for the rule of law to flourish. Erecting machineries and infrastructure for the rule of law should be included as a key part of any exit strategy of UN peace operations. It is our view that the Security Council should provide the leadership in moving the United Nations to a stronger commitment to the rule of law in areas where the UN is conducting peace operations.

Meanwhile, the challenges posted by the global threat of terrorism are being effectively addressed through growing international coordination and cooperation particularly in the exchange of information, best practices and lessons learned. We are actively assisting the work of the UN Security Council's counterterrorism committee in fighting the specter of global terrorism, and we are in the process of ratifying the important international conventions on terrorism. At the same time, I'm working with other heads of states to ensure continued cooperation in our battle to rid Southeast Asia of the threat of terrorism.

Mr. President, what is required of us today is to link up once more with the vision that our leaders started at the millennium summit and other recent international conferences, and we should do this behind the banner of the United Nations. The United Nations was invented fifty-eight years ago to serve as the multilateral forum of international community to join hands in confronting challenges. It is sobering to remember that no country, big or small, rich or poor, can feel safe or think that it can remain unaffected by violent conflicts, environmental degradation and human suffering. The UN, to fulfill its envisioned role, must continue to adapt to changing conditions, and we support the call of the secretary general for reforms in the structure of the UN.

The United Nations is a sui generis institution that can play a catalytic role to confront all these challenges now and in the future. Therefore, it behooves every member of this organization to make the United Nations increasingly relevant and invigorative in order to become a modern, nimble and determined agent for change which benefits mankind's condition.

Mr. President, we should instill the concept of strength and greatness, not in terms of the ability to achieve or maintain dominance over others, but in terms of the ability of nations to work with others in the interest of the international community as a whole. We are for the strength of consensus in which lies the future of world peace, security and prosperity.

Thank you.

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PGMA's Arrival Statement after a 5-day visit to the U.S.A. and Europe (NAIA Terminal I, Pasay City - 30 Sept 2003)
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Deputy Speaker Gonzales, Deputy Speaker Espinosa, Secretary Romulo and the other Cabinet members, General Abaya and the other generals, fellow workers in government, mga minamahal kong kababayan.

First, I would like to thank Vice President Guingona for taking care of the government while I was gone. And I would like to report to you, the nation that I had a very productive trip, together with my delegation, we brought the cause of peace, security and development to important venues and events. I would like to thank my delegation, especially the legislative members - senators Nene Pimentel and Manny Villar, and congressmen Nograles, Nachura, Mitra, Bacani and Villar for contributing to the success of our visit to the United Nations to the Vatican and to the Unesco. I look forward to our continuing close partnership with the legislature in mapping out and undertaking Philippine foreign policy.

I will go to a Cabinet meeting straight from here where we shall thresh out the domestic measures necessary to exploit the opportunities we have gained. These opportunities are: first, rapidly consolidating international support for the peace and development process in Mindanao. Also, the firm global consensus against terrorism and transnational crime; the growing confidence in our political stability and our economy; and a surge in dynamism within the global community of Filipinos as a result of more jobs, more remittances and greater political empowerment.

My meeting with the Holy Father in Rome renews and strengthen my resolve to wage the peace and to help the poor of the Philippines uplift them and empower them.

Things are falling into place. Peace in Mindanao is within our grasp. Buoyed not only by the Pope's blessing but by a confluence of positive circumstances and events:

- We have the full support of the U.N. Secretary General;
- Malaysia will continue to spearhead the facilitation of the peace talks;
- The OIC countries are keenly awaiting developments with growing commitments of aid and investments;
- The U.S. Institute for Peace will work with Washington to put in concrete support for conflict-resolution.

We are paving the way for the establishment of a multi-donor trust fund that will cut in once a new Mindanao peace accord is forged. The fund is organized by the World Bank and the USAID with commitments from the Islamic Development Bank, the OPEC, the governments of Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. We will push the envelope on this effort as we unleash massive public resources and official development assistance for infrastructure, socioeconomic programs and autonomous capacity-building in Mindanao.

Our quest of domestic security will also be enforced by our imminent seat in the U.N. Security Council. There I intend to push the principles of collective security, multilateral approach and the rule of law. We are ready to join U.N. law enforcement and humanitarian teams in Liberia. Our involvement in global peacekeeping is just as important as our participation in the global coalition against terrorism. The restoration of strong democratic institution is indispensable to our bid to marginalize and defeat terror everywhere.

Overseas remittances in the first half of the year have already overtaken the record of last year. We are having a boom in the deployment of caregivers, teachers and medical personnel. They're sending more resources homeward as we are extending to them broader political rights and welfare programs. Filipinos are the best citizens of the world and the best citizens of the Philippines. We're a global enterprise and proud of it.

But being global doesn't simply mean business. I addressed the Unesco conference in Paris together with the president of Italy and thanked the organization for its indispensable contributions to Philippine culture and heritage. Unesco supports the restoration of the Banaue Rice Terraces - our Ifugao rice terraces rather - the preservation of Tubbataha reef and the documentation of the 1986 Edsa People Power revolution in the world's register of memory.

The political season seems to be in full tilt, unfortunately, and I hope it's not getting too much in the way of thinking straight about our priorities. I call on all quarters to transform the partisan flavor of current debates into something more constructive. We need everybody's contribution to the shaping of good policy, whether as a proponent or fiscalizer. Let's bring the level of discourse to policies and platforms so that our people can derive the best benefits from politics and governance.

I will continue to weave the right tapestry of foreign and domestic policies that will best serve our nation and people.

Thank You.

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