PGMA's Speech during the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) President's  Night

Fiesta Pavilion, Manila Hotel (18 April 2002)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TONY LOPEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE MOPC.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GREET DONG PUNO, THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE OTHER OFFICIALS ON THE TABLE: ERIC CANOY -- IS EXEQUIEL GARCIA HERE? OKAY -- EXEQUIEL GARCIA, CIP ROXAS, MR. YABUT, CHITO VILLANUEVA, THE GOVERNORS OF THE MANILA OVERSEAS PRESS CLUB; I SEE HERE THAT KIKO PANGILINAN IS HERE TONIGHT. OH, THERE YOU ARE. HI! KIKO; THE FEW CABINET MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT HEADED BY ACTING PRESS SECRETARY YONGYONG AFABLE -- SORRY TO THE OTHERS WHO AREN'T HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL IN -- ONE SET IS IN A CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL SECURITY MEETING AND ANOTHER SET IS IN A NATIONAL ANTI-CRIME COMMISSION MEETING. SO MAYBE IF THEY ARE DONE THEY'LL CATCH UP. BUT IF THEY ARE NOT DONE I'LL JUST GIVE THEM A COPY OF MY SPEECH IN THE NEXT CABINET MEETING; OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO ARE HERE; MEMBERS OF THE MOPC; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

I'M VERY GLAD TO HERE AGAIN WITH YOU TONIGHT. AS TONY SAID, IT'S AN ANNUAL RITUAL SO IT IS MY OBLIGATION AS PRESIDENT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT. I DID THIS CHORE FOR THE FIRST TIME AS PRESIDENT LAST YEAR. THOUGH AS VICE PRESIDENT I HAD THE CHANCE TO DO IT TWICE.

BETWEEN LAST YEAR'S RITUAL AND TONIGHT'S A CATACLYSMIC EVENT OCCURRED AND THAT WAS SEPTEMBER 11. AND SINCE THEN A NEW ERA WAS BORN, BORN OUT OF THAT SINGLE DAY -- AN ERA THAT IS FRAUGHT WITH PERIL YET FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITY. TIME AND AGAIN, HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT CRISIS BRINGS ITS SHARE OF OPPORTUNITY. TODAY, THE WORLD CONFRONTS TWO GREAT FOES -- TERRORISM AND POVERTY.

AND THE MESSAGE I HAVE GIVEN THE LEADERS OF THE WORLD, FROM THE FIRST TIME I SPOKE ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER IN HONG KONG AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN NEW YORK I HAVE SAID THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY AND THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM ARE CLOSELY INTERLINKED WITH EACH OTHER. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT POVERTY IS THE CAUSE OF TERRORISM. OSAMA BIN LADEN IS NOT A POOR MAN. IT IS EVIL, NOT POVERTY THAT CAUSES TERRORISM. BUT POVERTY AND THE SENSE OF POWERLESSNESS THAT POVERTY BRINGS ARE THE FODDER THAT PROVIDE THE SPAWNING GROUNDS WHERE TERRORISM CAN MORE EASILY SPREAD ITS EVIL IDEOLOGY. SO IF WE MUST DEFEAT TERRORISM, WE MUST DEFEAT POVERTY WITH EQUAL RESOLVE AND FERVOR. BUT WHETHER TERRORISM IS THERE OR NOT WE MUST DEFEAT POVERTY THAT IS OUR MORE FUNDAMENTAL WAR.

THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, THOUGH IT STARTED WITH THE ATTACK ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THE PENTAGON IS NOT AN AMERICAN WAR. IT IS A WAR THAT MUST BE WAGED BY ALL CIVILIZED AND FREE SOCIETIES. BECAUSE OF THIS WAR WE HAVE SEEN RELATIONS BETWEEN FORMER ADVERSARIES COMPLETE THEIR EVOLUTION INTO FRIENDSHIPS -- JAPAN, RUSSIA, GERMANY HAVE BECOME ALLIES OF THE UNITED STATES. PAKISTAN HAS LIKEWISE BECOME A VITAL PARTNER OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM. THE EVENTS OF 9-11 PROVIDED THE IMPETUS ALSO FOR THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES TO REINVIGORATE A HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP. TODAY THE UNITED STATES STANDS WITH THE PHILIPPINES AS A FRIEND AND ALLY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND POVERTY. THE UNITED STATES BOLSTERED ITS SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMON CAUSE DURING MY VISIT TO WASHINGTON LAST NOVEMBER BY COMMITTING TO THE PHILIPPINES MILITARY AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE, AND MARKET ACCESS AMOUNTING TO 2 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS.

THIS RENEWED LEVEL OF COOPERATION, FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN BOTH OUR NATIONS CONFORMS TO WHAT I SAID IN MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS LAST JULY, TWO MONTHS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11. I DECLARED EVEN THEN THAT WE WILL ENHANCE OUR RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES.

THE ADVENT OF THIS YEAR'S BALIKATAN MILITARY EXERCISES CONTRIVED A LOUD DEBATE. CONCERNS HAD BEEN RAISED ABOUT NATIONALISM AND SOVEREIGNTY, ABOUT WIDER AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN WHAT IS SEEN AS A PHILIPPINE WAR. YES, THIS IS OUR WAR AND OUR SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT. YET, THEY MUST FIGHT WITH SUPERIOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT, ONE THAT WE COULD NOT GIVE THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER PROVIDED THE FUNDS FOR MODERNIZATION. BUT ONE THAT WAS OFFERED BY AN OLD FRIEND AND ALLY -- THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE PHILIPPINES DID NOT NEED TO JOIN THE WAR ON TERRORISM, IT WAS ALREADY IN THAT WAR IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE ISLANDS. THE PHILIPPINES COULD NOT HAVE DONE OTHERWISE THAN RENEW ITS COMMITMENT TO FIGHT TERRORISM IN A WIDER FIELD IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11.

THIS IS A FIGHT BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND BIGOTRY, BETWEEN REASON AND FANATICISM, BETWEEN LAW AND ANARCHY, BETWEEN JUSTICE AND MURDER PRETENDING TO BE JUST. IN THAT FIGHT, THERE IS NO OTHER SIDE TO CHOOSE BUT ONE WHERE THE CIVILIZED NATIONS OF THE WORLD -- LONG-TIME ALLIES AND FORMER ENEMIES -- HAD CHOSEN TO STAND UNITED.

WHAT WE WERE FIGHTING IN ISOLATION IN SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES IS NOW A COMMON FIGHT. IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT IT TOOK A TRAGEDY TO BRING THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS TOGETHER, BUT IT DID. NOW WITH U.S. ANTI-TERRORISM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE PHILIPPINES, I BELIEVE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF TERRORISTS IN SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DAY IN OUR QUEST FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR OUR CITIZENS.

OUR POLICY VISION FOR THE NEW AND REINVIGORATED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES RESPONDS TO REALITIES THAT CHARACTERIZE OUR INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT.

THE FIRST REALITY OF THIS ENVIRONMENT IS THAT CHINA -- AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THE AMBASSADOR FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, WHO IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT -- CHINA, JAPAN AND THE U.S. AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE THE DETERMINING INFLUENCE IN THE SECURITY SITUATION AND ECONOMIC EVOLUTION OF EAST ASIA. AND LET ME SAY, IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM THEY ARE ALL STRONG ALLIES OF ONE ANOTHER.

ANOTHER REALITY IS THAT OVERSEAS FILIPINOS, ONE-THIRD OF WHOM ARE IN THE UNITED STATES, WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STABILITY.

LET ME TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES BUT BASICALLY THE ROLE OF THE U.S. ITSELF IN THE SECURITY SITUATION OF OUR REGION AND THE WORLD. BY VIRTUE OF ITS DOMINANT MILITARY AND ECONOMIC POWER, THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE AFFAIRS OF OUR REGION AND OUR NATION. THE PHILIPPINES HAS HAD ENDURING HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES. THE LAST CENTURY SAW IN PARTICULAR THE CLOSE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES, ONE WHICH WAS REDEFINED WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE MILITARY BASES IN 1992, BUT ONE WHICH IS BEING REDEFINED ONCE AGAIN AFTER SEPTEMBER 11.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BLOSSOMING OF PHILIPPINE-U.S. RELATIONS THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEW REALITIES OF THE 21st CENTURY WHICH IS A WORLD OF GLOBALIZATION, A WORLD OF RAPID TECHNOLOGY CHANGE, AND A WORLD OF GREAT CONJUNCTION BETWEEN SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT.

AND I AM PLEASED THAT THE PHILIPPINES AND THE U.S. HAVE AGREED TO EMBARK ON BROAD SECURITY COOPERATION TO ADDRESS ISSUES NOT ONLY OF GLOBAL TERRORISM, BUT ALSO OF THE ILLEGAL NARCOTICS TRADE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES. AND DESPITE THE DOMESTIC PROBLEMS THAT IT SOMETIMES CAUSES, THE MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES IS A STRATEGIC ASSET FOR THE PHILIPPINES.

HOW DO WE GIVE STRUCTURAL AND OPERATIONAL MEANING TO THIS NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES? IN THE WAR AGAINST TERROR, OUR TWO COUNTRIES AND NATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD SUPPORT THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AGAINST TERRORISM. WE SUPPORT, IN FACT, WE HAVE SIGNED THE U.N. CONVENTIONS ON TERRORIST FINANCING AND TERRORIST BOMBING. WE PARTICIPATE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS LEADING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON TERRORISM, AND WE ARE CUTTING THE SUPPLY OF ARMS TO TERRORISTS THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS PROCESS.

THE PHILIPPINES CONTINUES TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORIST COALITION. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE U.S., INDONESIA, AND SOON, JORDAN ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY MATTERS CONCERNING TERRORISM. WE MADE AVAILABLE OUR AIRSPACE AND AIR FACILITIES WHEN REQUIRED AS TRANSITS OR STAGING POINTS DURING THE WAR THAT LED TO THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN GOVERNMENT. WE CONTRIBUTE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR COMMITMENTS MADE AT THE JAPAN-LED U.N. CONFERENCE ON THE REHABILITATION OF AFGHANISTAN. AND, IT IS PART OF OUR ROLE IN THIS INTERNATIONAL COALITION THAT WE HAVE STEPPED UP OUR OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE TERRORIST ABU SAYYAF GROUP. AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES -- DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, IN PARTICULAR -- TO PREVENT THE FLOW OF FUNDS TO TERRORIST GROUPS.

OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TRANSLATED IN TODAY'S TERMS FIND EXPRESSION IN BALIKATAN 02-01. WE CAN DESCRIBE THE CURRENT PHILIPPINE-U.S. ALLIANCE AS A MORAL PARTNERSHIP. BEYOND FORMAL TREATIES, THERE IS IN ALL OF US A DEEP MORAL PURPOSE THAT IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY LEGAL INSTRUMENT. IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT EVIL MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO RULE EVEN ONE INCH OF THIS EARTH.

THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE STOOD SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER IN THE PAST. WE HAVE BEEN ALLIES AGAINST FORCES THAT THREATENED HUMANITY. AND WE ARE ALLIES IN THE PRESENT GLOBAL EFFORT TO ENSURE HUMAN SECURITY.

THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM, HOWEVER, SHOULD NOT BE THE SINGLE DEFINING FACTOR OF OUR RELATIONSHIP. THE OTHER FACET OF OUR RELATIONSHIP, ITS SOCIOECONOMIC ASPECT, MUST BE ADDRESSED WITH AS MUCH VIGOR.

THE FACT THAT THE ABU SAYYAF, WHO ONCE FREELY ROAMED THE ENTIRE SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES, HAVE ENDED UP WITH THEIR LAST STAND IN BASILAN -- THE PROVINCE WITH THE LOWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX IN OUR COUNTRY -- REMINDS US OF HOW CLOSELY NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ARE INTERTWINED.

IN THIS CONTEXT, I WELCOME THE CALL MADE BY PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH LAST MARCH 22nd DURING THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO FOR A NEW COMPACT FOR DEVELOPMENT DEFINED BY GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RICH AND POOR NATIONS ALIKE. THIS CALL ECHOES AN INITIATIVE I PROPOSED BEFORE THE DELEGATES OF THE 16th EAST ASIAN ECONOMIC SUMMIT IN HONGKONG WAY BACK LAST OCTOBER. THERE I SAID, THAT JUST AS A COALITION HAS BEEN FORMED TO ERADICATE TERRORISM, A COALITION MUST ALSO BE FORMED TO LIFT THE GLOBAL ECONOMY OUT OF ITS LETHARGY.

IN THE INTERNATIONAL CENTERS OF HONGKONG, WASHINGTON, LONDON AND NEW YORK, I HAVE CALLED ON DEVELOPED NATIONS SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES TO RECOGNIZE THEIR DUTY TO OPEN MARKETS, TRANSFER RESOURCES AND REFORM INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

THE ACCELERATED ACCESS FOR OUR MANGOES AND THE ENCOURAGING RESPONSE TO OUR CAMPAIGN, WHICH INCLUDES A LETTER FROM ME TO PRESIDENT BUSH, FOR OUR CANNED TUNA ARE ALL PART OF THE COMPLIANCE TO THE COMMITMENTS MADE BY PRESIDENT BUSH IN OUR JOINT COMMUNIQUE DURING MY VISIT TO WASHINGTON LAST NOVEMBER.

THE PHILIPPINES MUST HARNESS ITS RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES TO REALIZE OUR GOALS. IN THE AREA OF BILATERAL TRADE, WE MUST SEEK FAIR TRADE, ONE THAT OPENS THE U.S. MARKETS TO OUR PRODUCTS AND ONE THAT WILL ENHANCE OUR DEVELOPMENT. AND AFTER MONTEREY, IT IS ONCE AGAIN POLITICALLY CORRECT TO ASSERT THAT TRADE MUST BE COUPLED WITH AID.

THE NEW ERA OF PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN RELATIONS MUST ALSO SEE AN INCREASING ROLE FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANS. THE PHILIPPINES MUST STRENGTHEN ITS LINKS WITH THEM EVEN AS THESE FILIPINO- AMERICANS ASSERT THEIR PRESENCE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY. ONE-THIRD OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINOS LIVE IN THE U.S., BUT THEY SEND TWO-THIRDS OF THE OVERSEAS REMITTANCES TO THE PHILIPPINES. AND I WELCOME THE INITIATIVE OF VICE-PRESIDENT GUINGONA TO ESTABLISH OFW BONDS TO SERVE AS A MECHANISM TO FACILITATE THE INVESTMENTS OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINOS TOTALLING 6 BILLION DOLLARS EVEN WITH LAST YEAR'S DIFFICULTIES INVESTMENT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR MOTHER COUNTRY. THIS WAY WE CAN ALSO ENTICE THEM TO RETURN UPON THEIR RETIREMENT TO A MORE PROSPEROUS NATION.

WE MUST ALSO LOOK FOR WAYS TO STRENGTHEN AND UNIFY FILIPINO ASSOCIATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. JUST AS THE AMERICAN-JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED INTO A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT INFLUENCE POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, JUST AS THE KOREAN-AMERICANS WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE PUBLIC OPINION WHEN KOREAN BUSINESSMEN WERE ASSAULTED IN LOS ANGELES AND BROOKLYN SOMETIME AGO, THE FILIPINO-AMERICANS CAN SIMILARLY TAKE THE LEAD, AND MORE SO BECAUSE OF OUR SHARED HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE.

AND WE MUST NOT FORGET OUR VETERANS -- THE LIVING LEGACIES OF THE FREEDOMS WE NOW ENJOY. WE WILL ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION AND BENEFITS THAT THEY DESERVE. THUS, I WELCOME THE LONG-AWAITED WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL ON PHILIPPINE VETERANS' RIGHTS THAT VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY PRINCIPI CONVEYED WHEN HE VISITED THE PHILIPPINES A FEW DAYS AGO.

LASTLY, WE ARE ADDRESSING THE STARK REMINDERS OF OUR COLD WAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES -- THE HAZARDOUS WASTES IN THE FORMER U.S. FACILITIES AND THE PLIGHT OF THE AMERASIANS. THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL RESPONDED POSITIVELY ON THE ISSUE OF HAZARDOUS WASTE, AND IT IS NOW UP TO OUR DENR OFFICIALS TO PURSUE THE AGREEMENT. THE PLIGHT OF THE AMERASIANS IS BEING ATTENDED TO BY OUR PRO-FILIPINO U.S. CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS.

THESE ARE WHAT CHARACTERIZE THE NEW ERA OF PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN RELATIONS. THIS NEW ERA WAS BORN OUT OF CRISIS BUT HOLDS ITS SHARE OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND JUDGING FROM THE SURVEYS THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WELCOME THE PRESENCE AND THE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT OUR NEW RELATIONSHIP MUST BE DEFINED BY MATURITY AS OPPOSED TO SENTIMENTALITY. AND TOGETHER, THE PHILIPPINES, THE U.S. MUST BRING THE BENEFITS OF DEVELOPMENT TO ALL.

THEREFORE, LET US ALL MOVE INTO A NEW ERA OF STRONGER BUT MORE EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES -- A RELATIONSHIP THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE PROMISES TO BRING A MEASURE OF SECURITY AND STABILITY TO OUR WORLD.

I THANK THE MOPC FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS TONIGHT. I WAS TELLING TONY LOPEZ THAT I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE BECAUSE UP TO THE VERY MOMENT THAT I STOOD UP TO CHANGE MY CLOTHES I WAS STILL WORKING ON THE SPEECH. IT STARTED AS A DISCUSSION OF BALIKATAN, AND THEN IT EXPANDED INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE PHILIPPINES. SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I AM SPEAKING ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE ASPECTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S., AND I HOPE I HAVE DEFINED THEM. WE HAVE THE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP. WE HAVE THE SECURITY RELATIONSHIP. WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP. AND WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS ENGENDERED BY THE PRESENCE OF MILLIONS OF FILIPINO-AMERICANS IN THE U.S. WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP BORN ABOUT BY THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE SEIZING TO BRING ABOUT A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY.

I HOPE THAT THE MOPC, I HOPE THAT THE MEDIA, DOMESTIC AND MORE SO FOREIGN, WILL COVER OUR FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY WITH THE SAME INTEREST THAT IT COVERS THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM.

TRULY, SOMETIMES WHEN I LOOK AT THE NEWSPAPERS AND I SEE PICTURES OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS BRUSHING THEIR TEETH, SLEEPING IN A HAMMOCK, PLAYING BASKETBALL, I FIGURE OUT, I WISH THIS PICTURE WHERE A PICTURE OF SOMETHING WE DID FOR INSTANCE TODAY IN MANGGAHAN, SA FLOODWAY IN LUPANG ARENDA, WHERE AFTER 14 YEARS SINCE 1988, WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT PREVENTED THE FLOOD DIKE FROM BEING BUILT. A DIKE THAT COULD HAVE STOPPED THE FLOODING ALL AROUND THE RIZAL AND PASIG AND TAGUIG PART OF LAKE LAGUNA WHERE IT NOT FOR THE FACT THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST IT. I TOOK THE TROUBLE OF FINDING OUT WHY THEY ARE AGAINST IT. AND WE TOOK THE TROUBLE FOR 3 MONTHS TO TALK PATIENTLY WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE OPPOSING IT TO LOOK FOR A SOLUTION, A WIN-WIN SOLUTION AND TODAY THE SIGNED AGREEMENT PRESENTING THE WIN-WIN SOLUTION WAS PRESENTED TO ME.

THESE ARE I THINK AS IMPORTANT FACETS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY AS WHAT WE SEE IN BASILAN. AND I WISH THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING AS DRAMATIC AS A BATTLE, AS A RUNNING BATTLE WITH REGARD TO THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY. BUT HAVING BECOME PRESIDENT, KNOWING THE POLITICAL PROCESS AS WASHINGTON SYCIP SAYS, I JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HEADLINES ARE MADE BY EXCITING THINGS AND CONTROVERSIAL THINGS, WHEREAS THE THINGS THAT MATTER, THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO PLOD ON IN ORDER TO FIGHT POVERTY ARE THINGS THAT YOU MUST PERSEVERE IN.

INDEED, THERE IS A BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM, BUT THERE IS A GREATER BATTLE AGAINST POVERTY THOUGH THEY ARE TWINS OF ONE ANOTHER. BUT I KNOW THAT THOUGH YOU FIND THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM MORE EXCITING WITH RESPECT TO THE PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALSO RESPECT THAT THERE IS IN THIS RELATIONSHIP SOMETHING EVEN DEEPER, SOMETHING EVEN LONGER LASTING AND THAT IS THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY.

THEREFORE, I ASK YOU, THE FOREIGN MEDIA TO HAVE THE SAME INTEREST IF YOU WILL. AND I ASK YOU AT THE VERY LEAST TO HAVE THE SAME SYMPATHY FOR THE BATTLE AGAINST POVERTY BECAUSE IN THE END THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE THE REST OF THE 21st CENTURY A FREE WORLD, A WORLD WHERE THE FOREIGN MEDIA AND THE LOCAL MEDIA CAN CONTINUE TO PLY THEIR TRADE IN FREEDOM, AND CAN CONTINUE TO BE LISTENED TO AND TO BE TALKED TO BY THE LEADERS OF ANY NATION.

SO, TONIGHT ONCE AGAIN I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE, TO BE WITH YOU -- NOT ALLOWING ME -- REQUIRING ME TO BE WITH YOU. AND UNTIL NEXT YEAR, I HOPE THAT WHEN WE SPEAK TOGETHER, WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER HERE NEXT YEAR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEFEAT THE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM. BUT MORE THAN THAT I HOPE THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE TANGIBLE RESULTS SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BE HAPPIER AND THE MEDIA WILL BE MORE INTERESTED IN THE WAR AGAINST POVERTY.

THANK YOU.

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