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PGMA's Speech
during the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI)
Executive Counselors Meeting |
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Thank you very much Chairman Okamura. Other officers and members of the Japan Chamber, Secretary Romulo, Senator Santiago, Senator Angara, our Deputy Speakers, our other Cabinet members, members of Congress, members of the Filipino Business Community, ladies and gentlemen. And, of course, our leaders and shakers of the Japanese Business Community. It is an honor to address you. Japan has been an extraordinary friend and ally of the Philippines. Through the years, in good times and bad, Japan has consistently lent a helping hand to the Philippines. You are our largest source of development assistance. You are an important trading partner and foreign investor. As Mr. Chairman said, I have been to Japan seven times, that’s only seven times during my presidency. But if you’re going to talk about how often I’ve been to Japan since I was a student then we cannot count how many times I have been to Japan. Japan is a very important country for our people and for my family. And so I honor… I’m very honored by those seven times I have been to Japan during my presidency including a State Visit with Their Majesties in 2002. This time my talks with senior government officials and with the leaders of the business community, such as you, focus on the significant benefits we can realize from the first-ever bilateral trade agreement between Japan and the Philippines -- the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA. With the JPEPA our bilateral relations are at their highest peak since the State Visit made by Their Imperial Majesties, who were then Crown Prince and Princess of Japan to the Philippines during the administration of my father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal. Now, we have a new chapter again with the entry into force of JPEPA. Now, we open a new era of economic relations. In this new era we are determined to further expand and strengthen our bilateral relations. The JPEPA is about bringing advantages to both nations while minimizing disadvantages. Any trade agreement requires adjustment for both Parties, but the net result of this agreement will benefit both of our economies. I believe that that was the message that was made to the senators when they ratified the JPEPA by our sponsors who are here with us today. The primary sponsors: Senator Defensor Santiago, who is Chairman of the Committee on International Relations, and by Senator Edgardo Angara, who used to be Senate President, who worked very hard to explain the economic benefits of JPEPA to the Philippines. The Agreement will bring about liberalization of trade and services between our two countries. It will bring about facilitation and greater liberalization of investment. It will bring about enhanced technical cooperation and capacity building. It will promote an increased flow of resources and help create a bigger market that will provide greater opportunities and larger economies of scale for Philippine and Japanese businesses. Japanese consumers will be better able to enjoy Philippine bananas, pineapples, crabs, shrimps, chicken, tuna. Japanese industries will be able to supply the Philippine manufacturing sector with critical inputs such as specialty steel products, auto parts, electrical and electronic parts. Textiles and apparel will enjoy mutual elimination of tariffs. The Agreement enhances the access to the Japanese market of much-needed Filipino service providers and guarantees them non-discriminatory treatment. For the first time, Japan is accepting foreign health workers -- Filipino nurses and care workers -- who will be very important to the aging population of Japan. Last May, 283 Filipino nurses and caregivers arrived in Japan for the first time under the JPEPA framework. They have begun their language training in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima. Through the framework of JPEPA, as mentioned earlier in our dialogue, we should now work on substantive action. We should encourage more investment from Japan to the Philippines, which will create employment opportunities and boost demand in the entire region.To maximize this potential, we will strengthen dialogue with you, the private sector, because it is so important for us to know what the private sector expects so that they will continue to expand their investments in the Philippines. Under the framework of JPEPA, we will promote economic cooperation based on your needs, the private sector’s needs, as well as economic cooperation focused on infrastructure and human resource development, which you need, and the improvement of business and investment environment. We will base our economic cooperation on these matters with a view to actualizing the potential of your private sector investment. Japanese investors should maximize the economic opportunities offered by JPEPA. I have mentioned earlier some of the trade opportunities. I have mentioned earlier some of the service opportunities that you will be needing from Filipino service providers. As far as investment is concerned I dare say we offer one of the best values for investment in our region from Business Process Outsourcing, tourism, energy and technology, to mining, biofuels and infrastructure. And to add to these, especially for Japanese investors, Japanese language schools can even be established in the Philippines to shorten the training period for nurses and caregivers prior to their assignment in Japan. As far as a general environment of the Philippines is concerned, no nation is isolated from the impact of the global crisis, but the Philippines is blessed to be among those faring better than others. In 2007 before the crisis, Philippine GNP grew 8.0 percent. In 2008 when two-thirds of the world went into recession, Philippine GNP still grew at 6.1 percent. In the first quarter of this year, our GNP still grew at 4.4 percent. This is because we took the bitter pill of economic reform years ago. We raised revenues at great political cost. In the Senate, that was championed by our now head of the National Economic Development Authority, Ralph Recto, and in the House of Representatives many of those who are here present today. As I said, we have two Deputy Speakers: Villarosa and Singson, we have our Deputy Majority Leader Gonzalez and several other congressmen and congresswomen who are here today. They worked very hard to raise those revenues. And we were able to invest these new revenues heavily in long overdue physical and human infrastructure which helped to expand our domestic demand aside from making investment more convenient. And this increased in domestic demand reduced our reliance on exports to 28.5 percent of GDP today from 49.0 percent before my Administration in year 2000. Indeed, one of the attractions of investing in the Philippines is our large domestic market. Another large attraction is our English speaking hardworking, proficient, easily trainable workforce. Our environment is business-friendly. We have 68 economic zones and Information Technology Parks which offer incentives and ease of doing business. We have made progress in combating corruption that puts additional costs in doing business. The 2009 Asian Corruption Survey conducted by the Hongkong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy shows improvement in our scores, reaffirming our government’s commitment to win the fight against corruption through a platform of good governance. Our reforms are succeeding in attracting more investment. They will also ensure that our priority industries, which I mentioned to you earlier, continue to grow as drivers of our growth. Major investments by various international companies including Toshiba, Marubeni and Tokyo Electric, Toyota, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi UFJ, just to mention a few, validate our strategy. Companies which are willing to take risks in times of economic uncertainty, such as what we have now, will be the first ones to tap new opportunities and reap the windfall once the global economy rebounds. And in our conversation earlier with the Chairman he was talking about the consensus that is arising now, that is emerging now among the business sector and even among the financial sector that Japan has probably already hit the bottom -- it is now beginning its slow rise to normalcy. And so as we prepare for that rebound that we all know will come, let me say to the Japanese business community: for growth even through the global crisis, invest in the Philippines, trade with the Philippines. Thank you. |
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PGMA's
Statement during the Official Dinner hosted by Prime
Minister and Madame Taro Aso |
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Prime Minister Taro Aso, Madame Aso, officials of the Japanese government,
members of the Philippine delegation, ladies and gentlemen: In behalf of my husband and the members of my delegation, I thank Your Excellency and the government and the people of Japan for the warm hospitality accorded to us. I thank Prime Minister Aso for his wonderful and interesting account of the centuries-old relationship between Japan and the Philippines. Japan has been an extraordinary friend and ally to the Philippines. And in talking about the similarities between the Philippines and Japan over the centuries, especially the rice terraces, I do hope that Prime Minister Aso and Madame Aso will be able to see the rice terraces someday. That would mean, of course, going to our summer capital of Baguio City, and it’s interesting to note that the road going to Baguio City, our mountain city, was built by Japanese construction engineers in the early part of the 20th century. At that time the American government had just come to colonize the Philippines. American construction companies were too far away in America to come to the Philippines to build the roads. There were no Spanish construction companies left over from the Spanish time. So, geographically, the nearest country from where to get construction companies was Japan. And as it took years to build those roads to Baguio City, many of the Japanese who went to build the roads remained in the Philippines, had families and so we had a thriving community of Japanese descendants in that beautiful summer capital city of Baguio. Given the many facts since our relationship with each other, person-to-person relationships, cultural relationships, economic relationships, it is no wonder that during my nine-year Presidency I have been to Japan seven times, including a state visit in 2002. The occasion of my visit this time is to be able to work on how we can smoothly realize the significant benefits from the first-ever bilateral trade agreement between us, the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement. With this agreement our bilateral relations are at their highest peak since the historic visit made by Their Imperial Majesties, who were then Crown Prince and Princess of Japan, to the Philippines during the Administration of my father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal. Since that historic visit our continued engagement with each other keeps enhancing our nations security and prosperity and our friendship with each other. And now this particular visit highlights the new era of economic links between us occasioned by the entry into force of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement. In this spirit and in behalf of the Filipino nation and people, I offer a toast: to the continued good health and well-being of Their Imperial Majesties, to the well-being of Their Excellencies Prime Minister and Madame Taro Aso, to the continued peace and prosperity of the Japanese and Filipino people, to the enduring friendship between Japan and the Philippines. Kampai! |
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PGMA's Remarks
during the Signing Ceremony of the Exchange of Notes for
Philippine Economic Cooperation |
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Thank you. Thank you Mr. Prime Minister. I thank the government of Japan and Prime Minister Taro Aso for the dialogue we had just had. I need not repeat the points that were recounted now by the Prime Minister. Let me just say that the Philippines values Japan as an extraordinary friend and ally. I have been to Japan many times before including a State Visit in2002 but I have come back again because we want to celebrate the first ever Bilateral Trade Agreement between Japan and the Philippines -- the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA. An important part of our discussion was a significant benefits we can realize from this agreement. Also, the focus of our talks on security issues like, for instance, the issues post by North Korea are important to the Philippines. And it is also important that we discussed avenues and cooperation in the face of the global economic crisis. With JPEPA our bilateral relations are at their highest since the State Visit made by Their Imperial Majesties, then Crown Prince and Princess, to the Philippines during the administration of my father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal. Now, with the entry into force of JPEPA we open a new era of economic relations, and in this very important meeting we discussed how we can further expand and strengthen our bilateral relations based on the smooth implementation of JPEPA. So, once again, I thank Prime Minister Taro Aso for his hospitality as we embark on the new chapter of our strategic partnership. |
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PGMA’s
Speech during the Forum Organized by the
International Friendship Exchange Council
(FEC) Japan-ASEAN Economic and
Cultural Committee, and the Asian International
Exchange system (AIS) |
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Thank you very much. Mr. Inamori, Mr. Hanioka, officials of the International Friendship Exchange Council, Secretary Romulo, other officials of the Philippine government who are here today, members of the business delegation, ladies and gentlemen. I thank the Chairman and President of the International Friendship Exchange Council for inviting me to address you, the members of the FEC. I thank the various Ambassadors who have also joined us here today. The FEC are friends of the Philippines. We share many goals. As we are all aware, the world is experiencing unprecedented economic challenges. Without doubt, this is a global economic crisis that has affected all nations, rich and poor, developed and underdeveloped, North and South. This is also a crisis that has taught us all many lessons that will serve us well as we work together to restructure the global economic system. The most important thing we have learned is that our economies are all closely interconnected. We sink or swim as one global economy. Only months ago, the condition of that global economy was quite grim. Today, while we are by no means out of the woods, there are rays of hope. I heard this from leaders of the business community that I spoke with yesterday, and I heard this with officials of the Japanese government as I have been hearing from American economists and other experts from around the world. Japan deserves special credit for its role in working to return the world to sustainable economic growth. Its innovative, generous and bold leadership in the G-7, G-20, ASEAN Plus Three and East Asian Summit, and its early pledge to provide the IMF 100 billion dollars for lending to countries facing financial liquidity not only provided much-needed support at a very critical time, it also encouraged other large economies to make similar pledges. Japan’s commitment to global and regional development has also been instrumental in tripling the capital of the Asian Development Bank and in increasing to a 120 billion dollars the level of funds for the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, which is an ASEAN solution to an ASEAN challenge. Moreover, Prime Minister Aso’s “Growth Initiative towards Doubling the Size of Asia’s Economy” comes at a very crucial time for developing Asia. We in the Philippines will do our part to meet its objectives because we recognize that it can contribute to enhancing the economic prosperity of East Asia and lead to greater economic stability throughout the world. If there is any silver lining in this crisis, it is that the world will emerge from this challenge with a structure that is more aligned to global realities than it was before the global downturn. But we must not look only at the economic situation of the world, we must also look at the security of our region. And in doing this, we cannot overlook the important issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and its nuclear weapons’ program. The Philippines stands with our trusted friend and ally, Japan, against the dangerous experimentations with nuclear weapons by North Korea. Japan has stood with the Philippines, with ASEAN, and with the region. Now we must stand with Japan for the success of critical talks about the future of the Korean peninsula. In this regard, we support the decisions of the United Nations Security Council. And while we all want North Korea to become a responsible member of the world of nations, the Six-Party Talks is the appropriate forum to make this happen. The Philippines is committed to work for a world free of nuclear weapons. In this regard, we continue to work as a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure an efficient and effective Agency for the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and for the prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation. In cooperation with the IAEA, the Philippines is in the process of renewing our energy options including the use of nuclear power. We seek the cooperation of Japan for the training of our technical people and for Japan’s counsel and advice in this very sensitive area. As part of our drive for energy independence, the Philippines is also engaged in the development of renewable energy sources like geothermal, solar and wind which are climate friendly. We also have projects for alternative transport fuels in biodiesel and bioethanol. Large tracks of land have been identified for the development of alternative fuels. They offer tremendous opportunities for foreign investment. And just this morning, before I came to this hall for this talk with you, I received the Chairman of Toyota who said that, indeed, Toyota intends to invest in this alternative energy in the Philippines. Forty-four percent of Philippine energy requirements are supplied from renewable resources. We intend to increase the share of this renewable energy in power generation. In this regard, we are seeking the cooperation of Japan. And later this shall be part of our message when we have our conversation with JBIC. As an island developing country, the Philippines is seriously affected by climate change. And that is why renewable and climate friendly energy is important to us. According to a recent report of the ADB, Southeast Asia could face falling rice yields, a lack of water and higher costs to our economy due to the impact of climate change. But while Southeast Asia is especially vulnerable to climate change, for the whole world, the challenge of climate change and the devastating permanent impact it will have on economies around the world will still be with us long after the global economy returns to health. That is why we must all take immediate and collective action to do everything possible to halt the practices that cause climate change. Action on this front is urgent. We count on Japan to use its considerable influence to convince other major economies to commit to medium-term targets and the 80 percent 2050 target for emission cuts. The Philippines would like to see a meaningful medium-term target and a goal of an 80 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in line with the upper limit announced by former Prime Minister Fukuda. Without diminishing the urgency of climate change as an important challenge for our nation, the Philippine economy remains, of course, our priority. In 2007, Philippine GNP grew by 8.0 percent, the highest in many years. Last year, when two-thirds of the world went into recession, our GNP grew at 6.1 percent. For the first quarter of this year, GNP growth was 4.4 percent. We remain optimistic, though cautiously optimistic, about our prospects for growth in 2009. We are heartened by the fact that we are still so far a growth story in the midst of this global challenge. We certainly don’t take this for granted. We will remain vigilant. We will continue to take whatever action is required to preserve our hard-earned economic progress. The Philippines has resisted the worst effects of the global downturn so far because we resisted the temptation, we broke the temptation to continue on our nation’s previous path of debt, deficit and slow growth. That cycle was broken a few years ago when we pushed through fundamental reforms that changed the way we do business. Today, the Philippines is one of the best investment choices in Asia, with our strong workforce, our world-class information and communications technology infrastructure, and our renewed commitment to economic reform, fiscal responsibility and global engagement. Since 2004, Philippine national government debt has improved from more than 78 percent of GDP to about 56 percent at the end of 2008. Our ability to reduce debt has been due in large part to our success in raising revenue. This can be attributed in turn in large part to the increase of our Value Added Tax in 2006. Tax reforms, including tax administration, as well as an aggressive privatization program, have provided the much-needed space for fiscal expansion during the current economic downturn. The Philippines is finally unlocking its full potential and value for the benefit of its people but also for the benefit of its strategic partners. And no partner is more crucial to our success than Japan. I would love nothing more than for our two nations to accelerate our economic relations and build on the Japan Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA that was ratified recently by the Senate, by our Philippine Senate. We are proud that our Philippine Senate -- represented here in the hall by Senator Angara and in our trip by Senator Miriam Santiago as well who chaired the Committee on International Relations that took care of the ratification -- we are proud that our Senate, very independent by tradition, joined hands with our Administration and forged ahead with a new strategic economic relationship with Japan that will help define the contours of our economic relations for generations. And that is the reason why we are here again here in Japan for the seventh time in my Administration including a State Visit in 2002 because this time our focus is on making sure that we have a smooth implementation of the Japan-Philippines EPA. Last May, Filipino nurses and caregivers, who came to Japan under the new Japan-Philippines EPA framework, started language training in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima. This, I hope is the beginning of a mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries in the important healthcare sector. I am confident that these, our first batch of Filipino nurses and caregivers and other Filipino healthcare workers who are very much in demand in the whole world, will help satisfy the fast-growing manpower requirements of Japan’s aging population. Our countries are also cooperating closely in the maritime sector. The Philippines accounts for approximately 70 per cent or 30,000 seafarers of the sailors manning Japanese vessels. It is no wonder that whenever I have a meeting with the Philippine community here in Japan we always hold it in the headquarters of the Japan Seamen’s Union because they are such a dominant presence in that union. Japan shipowners have established schools and training facilities in the Philippines. This is an important and creative approach to economic cooperation. It could be applied in other sectors of Japanese industry, in particular, the health sector now that the Japan-Philippines EPA has opened the doors for health workers to come to Japan. As a major supplier of the world’s seafarers, we greatly appreciate Japan’s decision to send vessels from the Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Indian Ocean to protect Japanese ships and foreign ships from the scourge of piracy. Piracy is an international crime that requires close cooperation if it is ever to be stopped. The active participation of Japan in combating piracy in the Indian Ocean is an example of the many roles that Japan have assumed internationally. This action and other actions clearly demonstrate that Japan should be a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. And as Asia’s largest economy and largest source of Official Development Assistance, Japan is also in a position to work towards or to lead the work towards an Economic Community of Asia, to include South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Russia and Oceania, to maximize growth, trade, investment and financial stability in the Asian region. Because if we look at the world around us, Asia is the best situated to weather the global crisis and come out the strongest, compared with other regions. Japan is in a position to convene the regional groups such as the East Asian Summit, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SARC, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Southwest Pacific Dialogue to discuss an Economic Community of Asia as a bulwark against economic crisis. Ladies and gentlemen, FEC members, members of the diplomatic community, members of the Philippine delegation, we have all learned from the Japanese experience. We would do well to remember that in good times and bad, Japan has been there for all of us these last 50 years. In every endeavor, Japan has helped move mountains, be it in areas of regional peace and security, global economic stability or environmental stewardship. On the part of the Philippines, we will remain on our path of reform and renewal, of fiscal prudence, targeted investments, and the fight against poverty. We want to succeed someday as Japan has succeeded. We need the continued investment, development assistance, and political leadership of Japan now more than ever. With deep appreciation for all that Japan has done and is doing for our people and the world, I express our heartfelt thanks from a grateful nation for the historic support from the people of Japan. We may all be challenged by the current state of the global economy, but I dare say our best days are ahead of us maybe because precisely of the lessons we have learned from this global crisis. Asia, the best place to survive the crisis and come out the strongest for it has tasted the bitter sting of economic setback, but we Asians are fighters. Far from setback, we are poised for a comeback. And we are glad that the Japan-Philippines EPA will be there to help us in this Asian comeback. I thank you. |
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PGMA’s
Speech during a
Meeting with the Filipino Community |
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Maraming Salamat, Secretary Romulo sa iyong pagpakilala. Maraming salamat,
Ambassador Siazon sa iyong mga salitang pag-welcome sa atin at sa mga
ginagawa mo na rin dito sa Hapon para sa ating bansa at pati na rin sa ating
mga Pilipino na narito sa Hapon. Kasama ko rin itong gabing ito ang ilang mga kasapi ng ating pamahalaan bilang miyembro ng ating delegasyon. Nandito hindi lamang ang aking si Atty. Mike Arroyo, ang aking asawa; nandito rin si Senator Edgardo Angara; nandito rin ang ilang mga congressmen at kumakatawan sa kanila dito sa entablado, si Deputy Speaker Eric Singson; Meron din tayong mga gobernador, mga negosyante at siyempre mga kasapi ng ating kabinete at senior government officials na kasama sa pag-uusap sa mga opisyal ng Hapon dito sa ating pagbisita. Kami lahat ay bumabati sa mga Pilipino dito sa Hapon. Careng cabalen cung capangpangan, mayap a bengi quecongan. Dagiti cacailian ni Ambassador Siazon, naimbag nga rabii yo amin. San saray kabaleyan nen mamang ko, masantos ya labi ed sikayon amin. oy konti lang ang Pangasinan dito. Kanatong mga kaigsunan gikan sa Bisayas ug Mindanao, maayong gabii. And I saw earlier mga kasimanwa sang akong bana, mga Ilonggo maayong gab-i sa inyo nga tanan; Sa mga Bicolano, marhay nga banggi sa indo gabos. Ayon nandito si Nonoy Andaya, yung ating Bicolanong cabinet member; at magandang gabi sa inyong lahat. Malaking pagbati at pasasalamat sa lahat ng mga dumalo dito ngayon. Salamat, mabuhay din kayo! Alam ko na iba sa inyo ay nanggaling pa sa mga malalayong lugar, hindi ba Ambassador Siazon? Sa Nagano, sa Ibaraki, sa Kanagawa, sa Chiba, ay iba pala yung prefecture kaya maraming salamat sa pagbiyahe niyo dito. Sa nadinig namin yung inyong mga iba’t-ibang adhikain bilang Overseas Filipino Workers dito sa Hapon. At bumulong na sa akin si Secretary Roque na yung OFW Wing sa Philippine General Hospital ay itatayo na magsimula sa susunod na buwan. Hindi lang doon magtatayo rin ng OFW Wing doon sa Iloilo, so doon tayo magsisimula next month. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Japan Seamen’s Union for always being supportive of the Filipino community here. I’m so familiar with this place because the old Japan Seamen’s Union has always allowed us so generously to use this venue everytime we have a gathering with the Filipino community. So in behalf of the 38,000 Filipino Seafarers who work on Japanese shipping lines and our members of all Japan Seamen’s Union, tonight we conferred a Special Presidential Citation on the Japan Seamen’s Union together with the three hospitals that have been helping so much our Filipino workers. Kanina nanggaling ako sa… nakipagkain nga ako sa Japan Seamen’s Union pati na rin sa Japan Ship Owner’s Association, pinag-uusapan ang kapakanan ng mga seafarers lalung-lalo na yung mga panganib hindi lamang dahil sa global economic crisis, kundi na rin yung panganib sa inyong katawan dahil marami sa mga Filipino Seafarers ay umaabot sa Gulf of Aden at kung minsan, hindi lang kung minsan, siyempre may panganib na baka makasama kayo doon sa dadamputin ng mga pirata doon sa bandang Somalia. At nagpapasalamat ako dahil yung Hapon, ayaw naman nilang i-ban natin ang mga Filipino Seafarers kasi talagang sa hirap natin, na sunod-sunod naririnig natin noon ang mga balita na kinikidnap yung mga Pilipinong mga Seafarers doon sa Gulf of Aden, pinag-isipan nga ng Department of Foreign Affairs dahil sila parati ang kailangang mag-negotiate pag merong mga nakikitang nahohostage na siguro i-ban na lamang yung mga seafarers na nagtratrabaho sa mga barko na dumadaan doon pero anong mangyayari sa buong industriya ng Hapon? Ano ang mangyayari doon sa ating mga 38,000 Seafarers? At hindi lang tayo nag-iisip noon, ang Hapon ang nag-iisip noon, ang gobyerno at ang Japanese shipping industry. Kaya ang magandang balitang ibinigay sa akin kanina nong kanilang Minister of Transportation and Member of Parliament, binalita rin ni Prime Minister Taro Aso kahapon na kanina, pinasa ng Japanese Diet yung batas na yung mga Patrol Trucks, yung Self Defense Force ng Hapon ay puwedeng pumunta sa Gulf of Aden upang ipagtanggol hindi lamang yung mga barkong mga Hapon kundi lahat ng barko sa buong mundo, kaya yon ay makakatulong sa kaligtasan ng ating mga Pilipino. Palagay ko yun ay isa sa pinakamagandang balita na maiuuwi natin sa ibang mga seafarers na nandoon sa Pilipinas na natatakot sa kanilang kapalaran, at yun ay kwinento nga ng mga Hapon na mula pa nong Marso, nagsimula na sila. Ngunit nong Marso, ang ipinagtatanggol lang nila, ang binabantayan lang nila yung mga barkong Hapon ngunit pinahayag nila kay Secretary Romulo, ang ating DFA Secretary na siyang kailangan parating nagne-negotiate pag merong nakikidnap na Filipino Seafarer mula nong yung Hapon ay nagsimula na bantayan yung mga barko nila sa Gulf of Aden, wala nang kidnapping na nangyari, lalo na ngayon na lahat ng barko kahit na anong bandila ay puwedeng ipagtanggol at puwedeng proteksyonan ng mga Seacraft at Aircraft ng Japanese Defense Force. (applause) Sabi nga ni Secretary Romulo, maraming nagsasalita tungkol sa problema ng pagkapirata sa bandang Somalia, pero ang Japan ang unang-unang nagbigay ng kumprehensibong sagot para ipagtanggol at proteksyonan ang ating mga Filipino Seafarers na dumadaan doon. And this shows how Japan is a strong and reliable partner to the Philippines and to our region as a whole. With the global economic crisis continuing to create challenges for all our economies, there is no better time than now to strengthen our partnership between Japan and the Philippines. At ito ang ating pinagdidiriwang sa aking pagbisita ngayon ay yung bagong Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement o JPEPA, na ito ang magiging sanhi na kailangan para dalhin ang mga benepisyo ng higit pang kooperasyon sa ekonomiya sa pamamagitan ng Hapon at Pilipinas at ang taumbayan ng dalawang bansa natin. At ang dahilan kung bakit ang inyong lingkod ay nagpunta dito kasama ng ating mga economic managers ay upang makipagtrabaho, to work closely with Japan to ensure that the JPEPA is fully implemented and effectively implemented para naman yung mga oportunidad na nalilikha ng agreement ay talagang puwedeng Makita natin yung paglikha ng trabaho, yung paglawak ng ekonomiya at yung mga oportunidad sa negosyo dito sa mga mahihirap na panahon. Malaking bagay sa ating bansa ang pagpapatupad ng JPEPA. Magdadala ang JPEPA ng mas madaling pangangalakal sa pamamagitan ng ating dalawang bansa. Magiging mas madali ang investment sa Pilipinas galing sa Hapon, at madadagdagan ang mga tulong ng Hapon sa Pilipinas. Mas madaling makakapasok sa Hapon ang mga galing sa Pilipinas na saging, pinya, alimango, hipon, manok, tuna. At mas makakagamit ang mga pabrika ng Pilipinas ng mga importanteng gamit mula sa Hapon gaya ng mga produktong espesyal na bakal, mga auto parts, mga electronic and electrical parts para mas efficient ang ating manufacturing, mga tela at damit ay mas madaling papasok sa isa’t isa. At dahil sa JPEPA, mas maraming mga kababayan natin ang magkakaroon ng trabaho dito. Noong Mayo lamang, 283 na mga nurse at caregiver ang dumating dito. Meron ba dito mga nurse, kayo ang mga dumating? Okay at bukas bibisitahin na natin yung iba. At nagsimula na ng training sa salitang Hapon. Sa mga darating na araw, linggo at buwan, higit pang maraming Pilipino ang makakakuha ng trabaho dito lalo na pag nagsimula na yung recovery ng Japan, ang economic recovery ng Japan ay nasisimulan na nating makita ngayon hindi lang sa mga nurse at caregiver kundi pati na rin sa mga English teacher at mga nagtatrabaho sa Information Technology. Dito sa Hapon, marami ring siyempre, 38,000 ang Seafarers, yun ang napakalaking bahagi ng Filipino Community dito, pero dinig ko, 200,000, is that right Ambassador Siazon ang buong Filipino Community dito? At marami dito ay nandito dahil kayo ay napangasawa at nagkaroon na ng pamilya dito sa Hapon. At nong ako ay nagbisita, kami ni Atty. Arroyo at ako nagbisita sa kanilang mga Mahistad, ang Emperador at Emperadora ng Hapon ay binigyan niya ako ng permiso na sabihin sa inyo na parati niyang iniisip at parating gusto niyang mangyari na maganda ang pamumuhay ng mga Pilipina na nag-asawa sa mga Hapon dito sa kanyang bansa at sa ating bansa. On your regional and global level, Japan deserves special credit for its role in working to return the world to sustainable economic growth. Yung kanyang liderato, innovative, generous and bold, doon sa G-7, yung pitong pinakamamayamang bansa sa buong mundo, o yung G-20, yung dalawampung pinakamalalaking ekonomiya sa buong mundo o yung ASEAN Plus Three kung saan kasama ang Pilipinas o yung East Asia Summit, labing-anim na mga bansa kasama ang Pilipinas at yung maaga niyang pangako na magcocontribute siya ng $100 billion sa IMF para magpahiram sa mga bansa na nagkakaroon ng cash flow problems. Ito ay hindi lamang nagbigay ng napakaimportante at may kinakailangang tulong at suporta sa napakamaselan na panahon, it also encouraged other economies to step up to the plate and make similar pledges. Kahit na naghihirap ang ekonomiya ng Hapon, nauuna pa sila sa tumulong sa buong mundo. And Japan has done much to support the region and it will continue to play the role of a valued partner for economic development and regional stability. Kaya kayo ay nakatira sa isang napaka-importanteng ekonomiya ng buong mundo. Lumalaki nga ang Filipino community dito sa Hapon. Noon, hindi naman 200,000 ang numerong sinasabi at lalaki pa pag napupuno na natin at nabubuo na natin yung mga pakinabang na manggagaling sa JPEPA. At gusto kong gawin itong pagkakataon na gamitin itong pagkakataon na magpasalamat sa inyo, ang ating mga masisipag na Pilipino na nagpapadala ng mga remittance sa inyong pamilya. Kasi itong mga remittance na ito ay tumutulong upang magkaroon tayo ng magandang tinatawag na domestic consumption. Kasi tignan niyo yung mga naghihirap na ekonomiya sa buong mundo ngayon, ito yung mga maraming ini-export. Halimbawa, yung Amerika noong nahirapan ang ekonomiya, nong bumagsak ang ekonomiya, yung mga pinagbibilhan niyang mga ekonomiya ay bumabagsak din. Pero sa ating bansa, noong araw, noong hindi pa ako Pangulo, 49% ng ating produksyon ay pumupunta sa ibang bansa, export. Pero ngayon dahil marami tayong domestic consumption sa loob ng ating bansa mismo ay 28.5% na lang ang ating inaasahan na mag-export kaya ang domestic consumption ay napakalaking gabay para sa pagsulong ng ating ekonomiya. At yun ang isang napakalaking tulong ng ating mga Overseas Filipinos, yung mga inuuwi niyo o mga pinapadala niyo na mga remittance ay nakakatulong, yung pamilya ninyo ay namimili, pumupunta sa mall, at kung anu-anong ibang bagay na pinaggagastusan, yun ang malaking domestic demand. Or also, however, over the last eight years, we have been building greater internal strength to our economy. At bagamat maraming nawawalaan ng trabaho sa buong mundo pati na rin sa ating export oriented industries, meron naman tayong mga bagong mga trabaho na nalilikha ng ating ekonomiya, di ba Secretary Roque? So, we continue to create employment opportunities for our people at home. At yung ating development na ito ay tumutulong na magkaroon tayo ng cushion sa mga kahirapan na nanggagaling sa volatility of the global economy. Pinag-iibayo ng pamahalaan ang ating programa hindi lamang upang mabawasan ang epekto ng pandaigdigang krisis sa ekonomiya natin, kundi na rin kasi gusto natin na pag dumating ang araw na tayo ay maunlad. At itong kaunlaran na ito, we are working for the day when, because there are good jobs in the Philippines, we hope that someday, going abroad will just be a career option and not the only choice for a hardworking Filipino. Yan ang ating hinahangad. Halimbawa, itinayo natin yung Business Processing Sector kagaya ng mga call center. Halos wala yan nong araw. Nong ako ay naging pangulo, ang naabutan ko, 4,000 workers sa BPO sector. Ngayon 400,000 workers ang nandoon sa BPO center sector. Ito ay mga trabahong maganda ang suweldo at marami din sa mga young Filipinos and Filipinas ay sinasabi sa akin na salamat po sa trabaho sa call center, mananatili na lang sila sa Pilipinas at hindi na kailangang mag-abroad. Yun sana ang gusto nating mangyari sa ating ekonomiya. And well, in terms of our economy, we recorded modest growth in the first quarter of the year. But the fact is, against considerable odds that are challenging all countries, the fact that we have managed a positive growth shows that our economy is relatively strong and resilient. And we have been able to avoid the worse effects of a crisis in the Philippines dahil we took the bitter pill of economic reform years ago. Puwedeng ikuwento sa inyo ni Secretary Ralph Recto yung mga kinahirapan niya nong siya ay senador dahil siya ang nag-author ng ating mga tax reforms. And those efforts are now creating, ang tinatawag ng ekonomista -- firewall, siguro alam natin yun. Pagka dalawang bahay ang nagkadikit, pag nasunog yung isa, sunog din yung isa. Pero kung mayroong pader sa pamamagitan nila, yun ang firewall, pag nasunog yung isa, hindi masyadong masusunog yung kabila o konti lang. And these reforms that we have are creating a firewall kaya bagamat naapektuhan tayo, hindi lubha ang epekto sa atin ng global economic downturn. But we do face considerable pressures and we’re working hard to keep the global economic wave from washing over the Philippines. Bahagi don sa prosesong yun sinisikap natin, masipag tayong nagsisikap na tiyakin ang ating pangangailangan sa pagkain, sa gasolina, at sa bigas. Tayo ay namumuhunan sa energy, and rice self-sufficiency. Tayo ay tinatayo natin ang ating mga eskuwelahan, and we are jumpstarting the economy with much-needed infrastructure projects. Itong mga proyektong ito ay human infrastructure gaya ng training at physical infrastructure gaya ng kalsada, tulay at iba pa. Yung training, education and health care, malaki ang ating nilaki ng gastos doon. Halimbawa, doon sa training. Noong bago nong administrasyon natin, sabi ni Nonoy Andaya, ang ginagastos ng pamahalaan sa skills training ay P200 milyon. Itong taon, ang ginagastos natin sa skills training ay P3 billion. At yung mga kalsada, ewan ko kung gaano katagal na kayong… since the last time you went see the Philippines pero siguro yung mga lately umuwi, siguro nakita ninyo kung gaano na kabilis umuwi ng Nueva Ecija kung kayo ay taga-Nueva Ecija (applause) dahil sa Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway o kaya puwede kayong pumunta mula sa Maynila hanggang sa Visayas o Mindanao na naka-bus lamang o nakapunta sa Boracay, nakabus lamang dahil yung bus ang sasakay sa Roll-on-Roll-off ferry. (applause) So itong mga imprastructurang ginawa natin ay titiyakin na we would be well-positioned for higher growth once the global economy rebounds. Pero kanina, sinabi ko, ang tinamaan talaga sa ating bansa ay yung export sector. Salamat na lamang na 28.95% na lamang ang ating inaasahan sa export. Ito talagang isang natamaan sa ating ekonomiya ngunit gaya ng sinasabi dito sa Hapon, nakikita na natin ang konting recovery ng mga exports bagamat hindi pa pareho doon sa nakaraang taon. But this is already a very good improvement kung ihahambing natin sa ibang mga bansa sa rehiyon. Yung export market, yung 28.5 % malaki pa rin yun. It’s a major driver for our economy, at may ganon din sa buong mundo. Kayat ginagawa natin ang lahat para suportahan ang ating mga exporters. Halimbawa, meron tayong P1 billion Fund para suportahan ang export pero para suportahan naman ang ating mga OFW, na baka nawawalaan ng trabaho, meron din tayong P1 billion Filipinos Overseas Livelihood Support Fund. kaya yun ang sinasabi ni Noel sana mapalawak ang reintegration, ito na nga pinopondohan natin ng P1 billion. (applause) Ito ay pautang sa mga OFW, mga Seamen na nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa krisis, magagamit itong pautang para sa pamumuhunan kung gusto ninyong magsarili ng negosyo o kaya panggastos sa retraining para makahanap kayo ng ibang trabaho at ito ay bahagi ng ating programa para sa OFW bilang panukli sa inyong malasakit sa ating bayan. Bahagi rin ng programa ang tulong para maghanap ng bagong trabaho, merong mga kiosk ang DOLE para malaman ninyo kung saan yung mga available jobs at gumagawa sila ng aggressive marketing sa mga bagong mga merkado para sa overseas Filipinos. At gaya ng binanggit ko na P3 billion ang ginagastos natin ngayon sa training. At marami don ay para sa mga Overseas Filipinos na umuuwi para sa ganon ay ready na kayo muli sa ibang klaseng trabaho. Really now is the time to work together to strengthen the competitiveness of our great Filipino worker. Now also is the time to work together to strengthen trade at yun ang ginagawa ng JPEPA. Ito ang sinisikap gawin ng JPEPA on a bilateral level between the Philippines and Japan. Itong JPEPA ay importanteng support system para sa mga Filipino exporter, para sa mga Japanese exporters, ito ay magbibigay ng importanteng oportunidad para sa mga negosyo itong panahon ng paghihirap sa buong mundo. At masasabi ko sa inyo, ako ay nagpapasalamat sa pagkakaon na magkasama tayo ngayon. And I am pleased that we had been able to institute improvements on a wide range of fronts. Kung titignan natin ang Pilipinas ngayon at titignan natin ang Pilipinas maybe ten years ago, ibang-iba na. Meron tayong bansa na ligtas at mas secure. Meron tayong ekonomiya na mas malakas at kayang to withstand the shocks like what the global financial crisis is throwing at us. At tayo ay namuhuhan sa bago at modernong imprastructure at itong mga imprastructura ay magbibigay ng benepisyo hindi lang ngayon kundi sa mga darating na henerasyon at maging mas competitive ang ating ekonomiya. Milyun-milyon ang bagong trabaho na nalikha, milyon ang mga umabot sa health care at edukasyon na nong araw hindi sila makaabot dito. At ginagawa natin lahat nito habang we stay the course to beat our fiscal obligations, ginagawa natin ito pero binabayaran pa natin ang ating mga utang para sa ganon ay mabalanse ang ating budget in the long term. Kaya talaga ngayon ay panahon na magtrabaho tayo at magsama-sama tayo. Kanina, nong papasok ako dito, meron isang tumakbo at sinabi sa akin, we want to help. Siya ay isang nakapag-asawa sa hapon at siya ay nagtratrabaho bilang caregiver at sabi nga we want to help. Nasisiyahan ako na ang Filipino community sa Hapon ay active sa civic work. Tignan mo yung organization ni Noel Cristobal, Philippine Assistance Group kaya talagang tumutulong, yun ang layunin at dahil sa kayo ay matulungin, nagagawa rin niyong maimpluwensiya yung ibang mga kaibigan niyong Hapon na tumulong din, our old Japan Seamen’s Union has been very supportive, our three hospitals have been very helpful, talagang panahon ng pagtutulungan. Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa inyo dahil kayo ay matulungin sa isa’t-isa Manalangin tayo sa ikabubuti ng ating bansa, para sa mas mabilis na pagbangon muli ng ekonomiya ng mundo. At maraming salamat sa inyong malasakit, maraming salamat mabuhay ang Pilipinong manggagawa dito sa Hapon. |
