PGMA's
Speech during a meeting with the Filipino Community in Libya |
| Maraming salamat. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. Ang ganda ng inyong pagtanggap sa inyong lingkod at sa ating delegasyon. Maraming salamat rin kay Secretary Art Brion sa iyong pagpakilala sa akin at ito na rin ang pagkakakilala sa iyo bilang ating bagong kalihim ng mga manggagawa ng Pilipinas. Batiin ko ang ibat-ibang mga kasapi ng ating delegasyon, pero mamaya na. Batiin ko muna kayong lahat, mga minamahal kong kababayan, magandang gabi sa inyong lahat; balamu ating cung Cabalen a Capampangan, maayap a bengi kekongan; no adda kakailyak ti bangir ni mamang ko, naimbag nga rabii yo amin; sa aton mga kaigsuonan gikan sa Mindanao ug Bisayas, maayong gabii kaninyong tanan at wassalamu alaikum sa ating mga brother Muslims; sa mga kasimanwa sang akong bana nga ilonggo, maayong gab-i sa inyo nga tanan; at sa maasin sa mga Bikolano, marhay nga banggi sa indo gabos. Ang saya-saya kong makapiling kayo ngayong gabi. At napakagandang pagkakataon na magkasama tayo lahat dahil gaya nang sabi ng inyong pangulo ng Philippine community, thirty years ang ating pinagdidiriwang, tatlong dekada, 30th anniversary ng pagkakaibigan ng Pilipinas at Libya sa napakaraming bagay. Tatlumpung taon nang may mga OFWs sa Libya. Tatlumpung taon na rin ang pakinabang ng ating bansa sa suporta ng Libya sa proseso ng kapayapaan sa Mindanao. Tatlumpung taong nakaraan nang namagitan ang lider ng Libya, the great leader, sa pagbuo ng 1976 Tripoli Agreement. Siguro alam ng karamihan ninyo na itong 1976 Tripoli Agreement ang nagsimula ng pangkapayapaang pag-uusap natin sa MNLF. Ngayon, hindi na rebelde ang mga MNLF, sa halip ng rebelde sila ay mahahalagang bahagi ng pamamahala sa Pilipinas. Ang exhibit A' noon nang sinabi ko isa sa mga dating commander ng MNLF siya ngayon ang deputy speaker ng ating kKongreso, si Deputy Speaker Gerry Salapuddin. Wala yata siya rito pero banggitin ko na rin. Isa pang MNLF commander, ang city mayor ngayon ng Marawi, si Omar ali na kasama ko sa delegasyon bagamat wala siya sa kanyang upuan. Nandiyan ba siya? Ay naku! Just in time, ayun! Entering the hall marunong, former MNLF commander, now mayor of the Islamic City of Marawi. Halika! Omar dito ka sa iyong upuan. Yon namang -- wala rin siya dito pero baka papasok pag banggitin ko ang pangalan niya -- yung isa naman ang kapatid niya ang MNLF commander, ngayon siya ang gobernador ng lalawigan ng Sulu, si Ben Loong. Ayun! Nandoon pala. Okay. Ayan, narito rin yung ating congresswoman na Muslim, si Faysah Dumarpa at ang Muslim na gobernador ng probinsiyang kristiyano, si Governor Datu Pax Mangudadatu ng Sultan Kudarat. Kaya salamat sa nagsimula sa 1976 Tripoli agreement sila ngayon ay hindi na rebelde, sila ay mahalagang bahagi ng ating pamamahala. Sa ibabaw ng pagpasalamat sa tatlumpung taong nakaraan, nagpahayag din ako ng lubos na pagpapasalamat sa lider ng Libya, dalawang beses kagabi nagkita kami sa kanyang state dinner, kanina nagkita kami muli sa kanyang tent para magpaalam ako sa kanya at nagpasalamat ako, dalawang beses, sa kanyang suporta sa ating laban naman kontra sa terorismo mula noong Mayo ng 2001, bago pa nangyari yung pag atake sa World Trade Center nung 9/11. Sa kabila ng pasasalamat sa Libya, nakikiisa rin ang Pilipinas sa pangmundong komunidad sa paghahanap ng mapayapang katapusan sa giyera ng Israel at Lebanon, habang inaanyayahan natin ang buong bansa, kasama ang ating Filipino community dito sa Libya, na magdasal para sa kaligtasan ng libu-libong manggagawang Pilipino hindi lamang sa mga danger zone ng Lebanon kundi na rin sa ibang mga apektadong lugar. Ang di-matatag na sitwasyon sa gitnang silangan ay hindi bagong bagay para sa atin at inaasahan natin ang kagalingan at karanasan ng ating mga opisyal sa paghawak ng krisis. Our Lebanon team is now in place and we assure the families of the OFWs in the affected areas that we will employ all available means to keep their workers, their breadwinners out of harm's way. Kailangan din nating bigyan diin muli ang panawagan sa mga pilipinong naghahanap ng trabaho na iwasan ang mga lugar na baka magkaroon ng siklab sa rehiyon at bigyang pansin ang mga payo ng pamahalaan at ang mga babala para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan. Siguro masasabi ko sa kanila kung lalabas din naman sila sa Pilipinas, siguro dito na lamang sa Libya kasama ng napakagaling na Philippine community. Ikinagagalak kong malaman na kamakailan lang, Ambassador Mangibin, ay may pinasang batas dito sa Libya kung saan ang mga manggagawa ng sektor pangkalusugan ay binigyan ng tatlong porsiyentong pagtaas sa mga natatanggap na benepisyo kumpara noong 2002. Ha? Ay, tignan natin siguro meron pang mga process of implementation. Maunlad at mapayapa ang libya lalo na ngayon at nag-reconcile na ang Libya at Amerika at iba pang mga bansa. Kaya ngayon kinikilala natin lalo na ang malaking potensyal ukol sa ekonomiya na umiiral dito sa Libya bunsod ng mga magandang pagbabagong nagaganap sa pagitan ng Libya at ibang bansa. Sa biyahe kong ito, gaya nang nakita ninyo, kasama ko ang kalihim ng manggagawa, si Secretary Art Brion; kasama rin natin siyempre, parating kasama sa official or state trips ang ating Secretary of Foreign Affairs, si Bert Romulo; kasama rin natin, pero meron yata siyang assignment na ginagawa para sa akin, si Press Secretary Toting Bunye. Ayun! Okay. Nandoon ang pangalan mo kasi Toting eh sa kabila; at saka ang kalihim ng enerhiya, si Popo Lotilla; ang aking tagapayo ukol sa kapayapaan, si Secretary Jess Dureza. Mabalik kay Secretary Brion. About 30 minutes ago, siya ay nagpirmahan sa Minister of Labor ng Libya ng kasunduan tungkol sa pag-aangkat ng mga manggagawang pangkalusugan at konstruksyon, pati na rin ang pag-training ng mga taga-Libya. Malalaman natin sa Agosto kung ilan ang kanilang kailangan pero itong araw pa lang alam na natin mula lamang sa Bank of Libya sa pag-uusap sa ating Philippine Chambers of Commerce and Industry -- nandiyan ang pangulo, si President Donald Dee, Ambassador Donald Dee -- ang kanilang financing construction ay 40 billion pesos worth, at first choice nila manggagawang Pilipino. Palibhasa inip na inip na nga silang pabilisin ang pagpasok ng mga manggagawang Pilipino dito sa libya kaya magtatayo ang kagawaran ng mga manggagawa ng Libya desk doon sa maynila na mag-aasikaso ng recruitment sa Libya saan yung government-to-government. Ang Libya naman ay magpapadala ng labor attache sa Manila sa loob ng buwan na ito. Inaasahan rin natin at magkakaron -- ayon doon sa kasunduan na pinirmahan ni Art Brion at ng Minister of Labor ng Libya -- magkakaron rin sila ng joint efforts, Philippine-Libya to protect overseas Filipino workers. Hindi ako nagugulat na naipasok ni Art Brion ito sa kanyang kasunduan. Alam ho ba niyo na si Art Drilon ay number one bar topnotcher sa Pilipinas nung...? Inaasahan rin nating ma-recycle ng Libya ang kaniyang petrodollars at malaking kita sa kalakal ng langis sa pamamagitan ng pamumuhunan sa Pilipinas. Magandang panahon upang mamuhunan sa Pilipinas ngayon. Tatlong buwan nang sunod-sunod ang ating budget surplus kaya kayang mabalansiyado natin ang budget sa 2008, gaya ng gusto ng ating mga economic managers. Pinuri pa ng IMF ang ating mga reporma sa buwis at ang ating pagbawas ng pag-uutang. Nalampasan ng BIR ang kaniyang target sa nakaraang buwan. Malumanay ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin kahit na mataas ang presyo ng langis sa buong mundo. Ang Alemanya ay kakatabi lamang ng kalahating bilyong piso para sa reforestation program natin. At ang matatag na pag-angat ng mga remittances ng mga OFW kasama na yung mga taga Libya ay umabot na sa higit na one billion dollars sa isang buwan lamang ng mayo kaya pinaangat ang ating mga dollar reserves. Alam niyo nung araw sabi natin we always need 16 billion dollars reserves para masigurado natin matatag ang ating piso. Ngayon dahil sa inyo mga manggagawang Pilipinas, 21 billion dollars ang ating reserves. Kaya maraming salamat mga OFW. Maraming salamat sa inyong pagkakaisa, yung mga nagkaisang mga ibat-ibang mga tribo ng mga Muslim. Salamat sa inyong pahayag ng suporta sa akin kanina. Salamat sa foster parents ng mga mag-aaral doon sa Pilipinas. Ang pagkalinga ng OFW ay importanteng bahagi ng ating foreign policy dahil sa pagkikilala ng mga Pilipino sa ibayong dagat ay tuloy na gumaganap ng napaka- importanteng papel sa katatagan ng ekonomiya at lipunan ng ating bansa. Bilang pagkilala sa halaga ng ating mga OFW, sa aking mga paglalakbay sa ibat-ibang bansa at pakikipag-usap sa mga pinuno ng mga bansang ito, laging nasa itaas ng aking mga preyoridad ang inyong kapakanan. Matagal nang binibigyan ng libya ang Pilipino ng magandang trabaho dito, tatlong dekada, yan ang ating pinagdidiriwang. At gaya nang sinabi niyo kanina ay maganda naman at mahusay ang trabahong binigay niyo sa kanila. Malaki ang inyong kontribusyon din sa kanilang pag-angat sa kanilang ekonomiya. Kaya salamat din sa magandang mukha ng Pilipinas na ipinapakita ninyo sa Libya. Kata tuloy minamahal ng Libya ang Pilipinas dahil minamahal niya ang manggagawang Pilipino. At kung sinabi niyo na kayo ay nasisiyahan na sa wakas sa tagal ng mangagawang pilipino na narito sa libya nakita niyo ang pangulo ng Pilipinas, ako rin masasabi ko yon. Para sa akin, malaking-malaking karangalan na magkasama tayo ngayong gabi. Sabi nga ni Ambassador Mangibin, dito sa Tripoli, tatlong libo ang manggagawang Pilipino at pitong daan na ang narito. napakalaking porsiyento ang nakapunta itong araw na ito sa madaling notice. Kaya salamat sa pagkakataon at mabuhay ang dakilang manggagawang Pilipino! Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. |
PGMA's Speech during the meeting with the World
Islamic Call Society (WICS) |
| Thank you
very much, Secretary Romulo for your introduction. Dr. Sheriff, thank you very much also for inviting me to be here with you today and all the scholars who are associated and who are friends of your society; the students, Filipino students who are here especially and the recent graduates; ladies and gentlemen. It's my pleasure to be with all of you today, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak with the leaders, members and friends of the World Islamic Call Society that has done so much for our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines. You're a wellspring of hope and optimism and I'd like to thank you for participating in the 2003 national conference of dialogues of culture among major faiths that was held in the Philippines. I would also like to thank the Islamic Call Society for establishing a Philippine office in 2003. And I am proud that that Philippine office is but one of many examples to show that we and Libya, Libya and the Philippines, have been friends long before the recent and welcome reconciliation of Libya with the United States and other members of the international community. In fact, Dr. Sheriff has talked about the 1976 Tripoli agreement many times in his welcome remarks. And my trip to Libya at this time is in fact the 30th anniversary celebration of the 1976 Tripoli agreement. It is the 30th anniversary celebration of the support that Libya has given the Philippines since the Tripoli Agreement of 1976. As Dr. Sherif said the Tripoli Agreement of 1976 was facilitated by the leader and it started the peace process with the Moro National Liberation Front in Mindanao in Southern Philippines, culminating in the final peace agreement of 1996. I also came to Libya to thank the leader not only for his support for the peace process but also for his support for my administration's war against terrorism since I became president in 2001. He has supported us even before the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Because in May of 2001, when the Abu Sayaff terrorist group hostaged a group of tourists in Dos Palmas in Southern Philippines, I was able to talk on the phone to ask the help of Colonel Gaddafi. Because I wanted to fight the Abu Sayaff rather than pay ransom and the leader helped me. He denounced the Abu Sayaff and with his help and the help of other friends in the international community, the Philippine Army was able to defeat the Abu Sayaff. Today, even as we thank Libya for helping us win the peace, we look at the world around us and we see that peace is not yet with us in the whole world. Today, therefore, the Philippines joins the international community in seeking for the peaceful resolution of the Israel-Lebanon conflict. The volatile situation in that part of the middle east all the more makes us appreciate the friendship and support of Libya for the last 30 years since the Tripoli Agreement. The leader has also been helping me with my peace efforts with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. And hopefully just as the 1976 Tripoli Agreement resulted in the final peace agreement of 1996, hopefully, the Tripoli Agreement that was signed in 2001 with the MILF will also finally bring about lasting peace in Mindanao. I am very gratified that after an initial agreement with the MILF that was signed in Tripoli in 2001, we have reached an advanced state in our peace talks with the MILF and we are grateful that since the MILF called for a ceasefire in 2001, which the Philippine government reciprocated, Libya and two other Muslim countries have actively participated in the international monitoring team that has successfully held the peace in Mindanao for the past three years. Libya is also to this day an active member of the ministerial committee of the eight of the Organization of the Islamic Conference or OIC which monitors the implementation of the 1996 peace agreement. We are committed to the full implementation of the Tripoli agreement of 1976 and the final MNLF peace agreement of 1996, which ended the MNLF rebellion and brought the MNLF to the mainstream of Philippine governance. Just to personify the mainstreaming of the MNLF in Philippine governance, today we have with us in the Philippine delegation a former MNLF commander who is now the elected deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker Gerry Salapuddin. And it is not only Deputy Speaker Gerry Salapuddin who is here with us from the MNLF, another former MNLF commander is now the mayor of the Islamic City of Marawi. He is with us in this delegation, Mayor Omar Ali and among the other Muslims in the mainstream of Philippine political leadership who are with us today, we have the brother of another MNLF commander who is now the governor of the Muslim province of Sulu, Governor Ben Loong. Well, she is not MNLF but she is the congresswoman of Lanao Del Sur. We also have with us Congresswoman Faysah Dumarpa, another Muslim in the mainstream of Philippine leadership. And we have a Muslim governor in a Christian province, the governor of Sultan Kudarat, Datu Pax Mangudadatu. I'm very happy that they are all here with us in this delegation to join us in thanking Libya for all of your support for our peace process. Parallel to our political peace efforts, the Philippine government is also implementing significant socioeconomic programs for Muslim Filipinos. This is a major effort to stamp out poverty, disease, illiteracy and injustice. And on this note, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the work that the World Islamic Call Society has done in the Philippines, particularly your willingness to participate and contribute to our local interfaith initiatives. Interfaith initiatives are very important to the Philippines. Like many members of the OIC, the Philippines is a pluralistic nation with various religious and cultural communities, the biggest of which are the Roman Catholics and the Muslims. And this is why we are grateful also to Libya, for in addition to all the other support that I have already mentioned earlier, Libya is also the most ardent advocate for observer status for the Philippine government in the OIC. Interfaith dialogue is an integral part of our six-year medium-term Philippine development plan as an official framework for the conduct of healing and reconciliation programs. The role of interfaith dialogue in restoring peace in Southern Philippines is an experience that we like to share with the world. In Mindanao, we have a network of non-governmental organizations that strive for interfaith understanding, pioneered by the Bishops-Ulama Conference which is composed of Roman Catholic bishops in Mindanao, protestant bishops and Muslim religious leaders as well as those from the indigenous peoples sector. The Bishops-Ulama Conference has yielded improved and mutual understanding and reconciliation between Christians and Muslims. By communicating with each other, we are encouraged to keep our minds and hearts open through meaningful dialogue and we are able to engage each other to establish trust and harmony. We must always strive to find the common thread through which differences may be bridged, and the shared values such as that of love for peace, justice and respect for human dignity that they can be perpetuated through interfaith dialogue. Philippine initiatives on interfaith dialogue are well-entrenched in the United Nations. The interfaith dialogue in the United Nations stems from a Philippine initiative, a Philippine resolution that was unanimously approved by the U.N. General Assembly on interfaith dialogue in November 2004. It continued with the holding of the Tripartite Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, chaired by the Philippines by Secretary Romulo at the U.N. in New York on June 22nd of 2005. Also in 2005, the Philippines steered the security council to pass Resolution 1624 which institutionalized interfaith dialogue as a mechanism for international cooperation. Resolution 1624 called upon all states "to continue international efforts to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding among civilizations, in an effort to prevent the indiscriminate targeting of different religions and cultures." And also in 2005 during the 60th anniversary summit of the United Nations in September, I chaired the informal meeting of leaders on interfaith dialogue and cooperation for peace. And early this year, we had the Asia-Pacific Interfaith Dialogue in Manila. The Philippines also successfully hosted the Cebu dialogue on regional interfaith cooperation for peace, development and human dignity with the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand as co-chairs. In all of these things that we are doing, interfaith dialogue within the Philippines especially in Mindanao, interfaith dialogue all over the world, I reiterate my gratitude to the World Islamic Call Society because you have been supporting the interfaith initiative of the Philippines. And so on this note, I wish you all the best, Dr. Sheriff. May you continue the good work that you are doing here in Libya among the many countries represented in this forum today and of course in the Philippines. Thank you and good day. |
PGMA's Speech during the meeting of the Philippine
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Libyan Union of Chambers of Commerce,
Industry and Agriculture (LUCCIA) |
| I have
come to Libya at this time together with our business delegation to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of the Tripoli Agreement of 1976 where the leader facilitated and started the
peace process of the Philippine government with the Moro National Liberation front or MNLF
in Mindanao in Southern Philippines. Thirty years, that is how long Libya has been a
friend of the Philippines under the visionary leadership of the great leader President
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. The Tripoli Agreement of 1976 eventually led to the final peace agreement of 1996 which ended the MNLF rebellion and brought the MNLF into the mainstream of Philippine governance. In fact, one of the MNLF commanders has been elected deputy speaker of the Philippine Congress -- and I think he will be joining us later -- he is part of my official delegation on this state visit. Another leader of the MNLF, the brother of a former commander -- he was just outside -- is now the governor of the province of Sulu in Southern Philippines. And another MNLF commander is now the Mayor of the Islamic City of Marawi in Southern Philippines. So they have really... The process that was started in the Tripoli Agreement of 1976 thirty years ago has indeed been working very well bringing the MNLF into the mainstream of governance. The help of Libya and the leader did not stop there. When I became president in 2001, I asked Libya to help us again with another peace process. This time with the Moro Islamic Liberation front or the MILF which did not accept the earlier agreement. And the government of Libya obliged and hosted a second Tripoli Agreement. This time the Tripoli Agreement of 2001 and we are confident that just as the Tripoli Agreement of 1976 led to the final peace agreement with the MNLF in 1996, we hope that the second Tripoli Agreement with the MILF in 2001 will also lead very soon to a final peace agreement very very soon in a very short time. With the support of Libya also in 2003, we agreed on a ceasefire with the MILF, and that was why I am confident that the original agreement in 2001 will also ripen into a final peace agreement. The ceasefire agreement that we have with the MILF which started in 2003, three years ago, is being monitored by our friends: Malaysia, Brunei and, of course, Libya. Another way in which the leader has helped me very much also happened in 2001. In fact, when my peace panel was here in Tripoli negotiating the 2001 Tripoli Agreement with the MILF, in the Philippines, terrorists belonging to the Abu Sayaff group hostaged a group of tourists in a resort called Dos Palmas in Southern Philippines. And I had the chance to speak with Colonel Gaddafi on the phone who asked me how he could help. I asked for his help. I said I would rather fight the Abu Sayaff than pay ransom, and I asked him for his help. He helped me and he denounced the Abu sSayaff and with his support and the support of other friends in the international community, the Philippine military eventually defeated the Abu Sayaff. And because of the leader's quick response that time when I asked him to help me against the Abu Sayaff, with his quick response in denouncing the Abu Sayaff, I was not surprised that when 9/11 happened, the leader was one of the first -- in fact, he gave the firmest denunciation of the Al-Qaeda bombers after 9/11-- by any Muslim leader. And I rejoiced with the recent news of the successful reconciliation of Libya with the u.s. and the other members of the international community which occasions and opening up of the Libyan economy. I congratulate Libya for this diplomatic triumph, even as I am proud that Libya has been our friend long before this reconciliation with the U.S. and the international community. In fact, I'm here to reiterate my deep gratitude to the leader not only his support for our peace process since thirty years ago but also his support to my administration in our fight against terrorism since 2001. And it is in this context for the thirty years of friendship that i hope to discuss the prospects of opening the doors to broader and deeper bilateral trade between our two countries. Apart from obtaining support for peace and development in Mindanao, I am trying to secure a steady supply of oil for the Philippines in the face of projected continuing high prices of oil. And last night at the state dinner, I asked the leader if the investment management fund of Libya could recycle some of the profits of Libya from the high oil prices in the form of investments in the Philippines, like refineries, gasoline stations, agriculture in Mindanao, and hospitals all over the Philippines. Our ambassador, Mr. Mangibin, is tasked to follow through on this request by submitting specific proposals to the investment management fund of Libya and also to the private Libyan health care industry. Libya helps many African countries, and I hope that a similar kind of assistance can go to a Southeast Asian country that has recognized Libya as a friend for a very long time, namely the Philippines. Besides, the Philippines is a good stable economy to invest in. In June last month, we posted the third monthly budget surplus, keeping my economic managers' balanced budget projection by 2008 attainable. The IMF has commended our tax reforms and debt reduction program. The Bureau of Internal Revenue beat its tax revenue goal for the month of June. We have tamed the inflation rate so far notwithstanding the high oil prices in the world market. And Germany has just earmarked half a billion pesos for two Philippine forest programs. Our overseas Filipinos, their remittances including those from Libya are increasing steadily to now more than one billion dollars for the month of may alone that boost our dollar reserves. Speaking of overseas Filipinos, the Philippines is grateful for the good treatment of our nurses and other workers here in Libya. In fact, during this trip of mine, the labor ministers of our two countries are discussing a memorandum of understanding to develop a program of further partnership and cooperation between Libya and the Philippines in infrastructure construction, in infrastructure operation and maintenance, in hospitals and health care. I understand that the twin interest of Libya in this program of partnership are first, the hosting of workers from the Philippines and second, the training of Libyans by Filipinos. On the first, Libya will hire nurses in the public sector and private clinics and hospitals, also other paramedical professions. Libya will also hire construction workers in roads, buildings and allied trades. The minister of labor of Libya will determine the number of workers needed by mid-August. So I hope that the Libyan business community will submit to him the information that he needs about your human resource requirements as soon as possible. And I would also like to invite, as I said earlier, Libya and the Libyan health industry to invest in hospitals in the Philippines because the way for us to produce more nurses to fulfill your requirements is to educate more nurses in the Philippines and so they need more hospitals to qualify for training for their profession. This is a profession of which enjoys a very very large demand not only in Libya but all over the world. Libya I understand needs trainors for nursing and paramedical professions. So it will be our honor to accommodate this need as I reiterate therefore we need more hospitals to conduct the training of nurses in. And I hope that the Libyan health care sector community will consider investing in hospitals in the Philippines to provide a venue for training nursing students. Indeed, as you have said, Excellency, Libya is opening up right now very rapidly. This accelerating economic and development activity in Libya requires accelerating also the human resource recruitment from Manila. So the Philippine Department of Labor will set up a special desk to attend to Libyan recruitment on a government-to-government basis. And I understand Libya will also assign a labor attache to Manila within this month. Aside from labor and human resources, because of your rapid opening up that is going on, we view Libya as a challenging and potentially rewarding market not only for Philippine labor but increasingly for Philippine exports as your own national development efforts continue to accelerate with your renewed engagement with the international community coming on the heels of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States. So, we look forward to an improved market access such as fresh and processed foods like canned tuna, fresh bananas. Speaking of fresh bananas, last night, we had a wonderful dinner hosted by the leader and I was told that all the fruits that were served last night are grown in Libya except the bananas which are imported from Ecuador. I'd like to inform you that the Philippines is one of the top exporters of bananas in the world. Almost all the bananas in Japan come from the Philippines, and we are the number one supplier of bananas to the huge market of China. So, I think that if you can buy from Ecuador, you will also like the bananas coming from the Philippines. We also would like to have the chance to sell to you Halal poultry products coming from the Philippines and also consumer manufactures such as furniture and furnishings. Our furniture are world-class, very fashionable, very sophisticated. Automobiles and auto parts. Construction services, which I am sure you are already beginning to purchase very much not only from the labor side but construction companies in the Philippines, we hope we'll able to have construction contracts here and also information and communication technology or I.C.T. With regard to I.C.T we together with India are the top providers of I.C.T. services to the world. And we suggest that a particular area of interest to Philippine businessmen is I.C.T. service for banks, offices, hospitals and hotel resorts in Libya. Back in the Philippines, I've been talking about investing in Mindanao. But in Luzon, where the capital of the Philippines is located, we are positioning the Clark-Subic economic zone just north of Manila -- an hour's drive from Manila -- to be the most competitive logistics and transport hub in the region, with capabilities to respond to the maintenance of the world's airlines. In this regard, we're inviting Libya to patronize the Philippines C-130 depot maintenance in Clark. Ran here by a member of our delegation, Mr. Peter Rodriguez. I understand that the Philippines is one of only two ASEAN countries that have been authorized by the u.s. government to maintain and upgrade C-130 planes which are plentiful here in Libya. Last night, when I told the leader about offering to do the maintenance and upgrading of C-130 aircraft in Libya. He said, "but does the Philippines have that capability?' and yes, it has the capability because Lockheed Martin is the technical partner of this maintenance center. So, ladies and gentlemen of the Libyan business community, the great leader of Libya has supported the Philippines since thirty years ago in our peace process. And he has supported my administration in the war against terrorism since 2001. Now, let us move to a new stage of our relationship. Now I ask the Libyan business community as you open up to be our companions in a journey towards greater peace and prosperity for both our countries. Thank you. |
