PGMA's Speech during the Launching of the Arsenio H. Lacson Foundation for Public Service, Inc. |
Centennial Hall, Manila Hotel (14 Aug 2002) |
| MARAMING SALAMAT MAYOR LITO
ATIENZA, NA KAGABI LANG AY KASAMA KO DITO RIN SA MANILA DAHIL NANUMPA SA TUNGKULIN YUNG MGA BAGONG HALAL NA BARANGAY OFFICIALS. FR. JAMES REUTER, BOARD CHAIRMAN, ARSENIO LACSON FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE; MS. MILLIE LACSON LAPIRA AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LACSON FAMILY, INCLUDING BONG LAPIRA, INCLUDING SAL LACSON, MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S FIRST COUSIN -- WHICH REMINDS ME I BELONG TO THE LACSON FAMILY TOO BECAUSE MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S MOTHER WAS DOŅA JESUSA LACSON, THE FAISAL AND MY FATHER-IN-LAW ARE FIRST COUSINS; OTHER MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE ARSENIO LACSON FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE; OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF MANILA; FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS OF THE FOUNDATION; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; FR. NEBRES, PRESIDENT OF ATENEO, AND FR. CALUAG, VICE PRESIDENT OF ATENEO AND DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF TODAY WOULD NOT RECALL THE HEADY DAYS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1961, MANY OF YOU IN THIS TABLE, IN THAT TABLE WERE NOT EVEN BORN THEN. THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT MY FATHER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND AS MILLIE SAID, THAT CAMPAIGN WAS PREMISED ON INTEGRITY, AUSTERITY, RESPONSIBILITY AND GENUINE PUBLIC SERVICE. AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE MAN WHOM WE HONOR TODAY -- AS ALREADY INTIMATED BY MILLIE -- SERVED AS MY FATHER'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER, ARSENIO LACSON. THOUGH HE BELONGED TO A DIFFERENT PARTY HE WAS MY FATHER'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE PLATFORM OF INTEGRITY AND REFORM. MY FATHER AND MAYOR LACSON GO BACK A LONG WAY. YOU SAW THAT THEY WERE IN UST AT THE SAME TIME. THEY WERE ALSO NEWSPAPERMEN BEFORE THEY ENTERED POLITICS WHICH WAS A BASIS FOR THEIR BONDING WHEN THEY WERE BOTH IN CONGRESS. ARSENIO LACSON WAS A CHAMPION BOXER AND MY FATHER TOO, IN A MUCH, MUCH LESSER WAY, ALSO LIKED BOXING AS A SPORT. SO THEY HAD MANY THINGS GOING TOGETHER FOR THEM PERSONALITY WISE BUT ALSO PRINCIPLE WISE AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE TOGETHER IN 1961. IT IS A RARE PRIVILEGE THEREFORE FOR ME TO BE PART OF THIS TRIBUTE. NOT ONLY AM I HAPPY TO SEE MILLIE AND BONG WHO USED TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL LISTENING TO THE RADIO ONE OF MY FAVORITE DJs AND SAL OUR COUSIN -- HE IS OUR UNCLE BUT WE CALL HIM OUR COUSIN BECAUSE WERE THE SAME AGE -- AND ALSO THE LATE GIGI LACSON WHO WAS MY FRIEND AND PLAYMATE AT THE ASSUMPTION. AND THEN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE I DO REMEMBER ALONG WITH MY FAMILY'S MEMORY, THE MEMORIES OF ARSENIO LACSON -- NOT ONLY HIS COLORFUL PERSONALITY BUT ALSO HIS DEVOTION TO REFORM AND INTEGRITY. IT IS AN HONOR THEREFORE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ONE WHO SO FERVENTLY BELIEVED IN, AND HELPED FURTHER, THE PRINCIPLES OF MY FATHER SHARED WITH HIM -- THE PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRITY, REFORM AND LOVE FOR THE MASSES. MAYOR ARSENIO LACSON WAS A CHAMPION OF POPULAR DEMOCRACY. HE SHARED THE VISION OF A REPUBLIC FOR THE COMMON MAN. HE WILL ALWAYS STAND IN HISTORY AS A FIGURE LARGER THAN LIFE BECAUSE HE WAS BRAVE, HE WAS COLORFUL. BUT BEYOND HIS BEING COLORFUL, HE WAS HONEST, AND HE WAS ELOQUENT. AS WE LAUNCH A FOUNDATION IN HIS NAME AND MEMORY, I INVITE YOU, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN THIS HALL TODAY, AND OUR NATION TO PAUSE AND REFLECT ON THE SPIRIT AND LESSONS OF HIS LIFE WHICH COULD HELP US CHART OUR WAY THROUGH THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR COUNTRY TODAY. TODAY, WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO HIS RELENTLESS CRUSADE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND I THANK THE FAMILY, THE LACSON FAMILY, AND THE FOUNDATION FOR HELPING ME IN THIS QUEST FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE BY PRODUCING MORE OF THOSE WHO WILL CARRY OUT GOOD GOVERNANCE. TODAY, WE REMEMBER. WE REMEMBER THE MAN WHO SHOWED US WHAT GOOD GOVERNANCE WAS ABOUT. WE REMEMBER THE MAN WHO WAS ADORED BY HIS FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS, BUT RESPECTED BY HIS FOES FOR HIS INTEGRITY AND SUPREME WILL TO ACHIEVE WHAT HE SET OUT TO DO. THREE TERMS AS MAYOR, HE DEMONSTRATED THAT GOVERNANCE MUST BE LAID OUT IN THE CONCRETE: MAKING THINGS WORK, GETTING THINGS DONE, ATTAINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE TANGIBLY GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE. HE PROVED THAT POLITICS IS ABOUT PROVIDING GOVERNANCE CHARACTERIZED BY LEADERSHIP AND CONSTANT PERFORMANCE AND GUIDED BY A NOBLE VISION. LIKE HIM, TODAY WE MUST DEMAND PERFORMANCE FROM OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS. WE NEED PERFORMANCE THAT IS NOT MEASURED JUST BY GRAND PLANS, BUT BY THE SUCCESS OF GETTING THE LITTLE THINGS DONE AS WELL, THE BASIC SERVICES DELIVERED, AND THUS IMPROVING, IN SMALL BUT MEASURABLE VICTORIES, THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PROGRESS OF THE NATION. IF ALL OF US IN GOVERNMENT EMULATE HIM, AND TIRELESSLY WORK ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES ENTRUSTED TO US, WE WILL BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY. WE WILL PROTECT THE FUTURE OF OUR YOUTH AND ALL GENERATIONS OF FILIPINOS. BENEATH HIS OUTWARD RUGGEDNESS AND BLUNTNESS, LACSON CARED -- AS HIS DAUGHTER SAID, A TOUGH GUY WITH A HEART OF A MARSHMALLOW. HE CARED FOR THE YOUTH, HE CARED FOR THE PEOPLE, HE CARED FOR HIS COUNTRY. LACSON'S INTEGRITY LIVED IN THE FUSION OF ONE'S INNER AND EXTERNAL SELF, THE CONTINUITY BETWEEN WORD AND ACTION. THIS IS HOW I HAVE ALWAYS DEFINED INTEGRITY IN PUBLIC SERVICE: PERFORMANCE BASED ON PRINCIPLE, ACTION THAT MATCHES WORDS. IT IS EASY TO DO WHAT IS POPULAR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY. THE TEMPTATION TO DO THIS, EVEN IF ONE KNOWS THAT ANOTHER LESS POPULAR COURSE OF ACTION IS SO MUCH BETTER AND WISER, IS ALWAYS STRONG FOR ONE IN AN ELECTIVE POSITION. BUT LACSON TEACHES US TO OVERCOME THE TEMPTATION TO PLAY TO THE GALLERY. HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS BEST, NO MATTER WHAT HE BELIEVED OR FEARED MIGHT BE THE POLITICAL COST. AGAIN, PRINCIPLED PERFORMANCE. FOR WHO BUT A LACSON WHO BELONG TO THE RULING NATIONALISTA PARTY WOULD CROSS PARTY LINES TO BE THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER OF A PENNILESS OPPOSITION CANDIDATE. MANY OF US IN PUBLIC SERVICE ARE REQUIRED NOT JUST TO BE GOOD ADMINISTRATORS OR MANAGERS, BUT ALSO TO BE GOOD LEADERS. THE MYRIAD OF OUR CONCERNS IN OUR OFFICES CAN PULL US IN ALL DIRECTIONS, BUT IT IS THE ONE WITH A CLEAR AND FIRM VISION WHO RISES TO BECOME A GOOD LEADER. LACSON EXEMPLIFIED THIS, AND MORE. HIS MASTER PLAN FOR MANILA WAS ONCE THE ENVY OF WHAT ARE NOW THE LEADING CITIES IN ASIA. WE SAW IN THE STORY OF HIS LIFE HOW AMONG ALL ASIAN CITY MAYORS HE WAS THE ONE THERE AMONG HIS PEERS, AMONG THE WORLD MAYORS. THE LACSON UNDERPASS WAS CONSTRUCTED AT A TIME WHEN THIS WAS UNHEARD OF IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. AND I THANK MAYOR ATIENZA FOR GIVING US A REVIVAL, GIVING NEW LIFE TO THIS LACSON UNDERPASS. THE PAMANTASAN NG MAYNILA IS ANOTHER MONUMENTS TO HIS VISION. LACSON -- BEING A MODEL OF GOOD GOVERNANCE -- WE MUST THEREFORE REFLECT AND ABSTRACT FROM HIS COLORFUL STORY WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND AS I HAVE PUT THEM TOGETHER THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. ONE, IS A MORAL FOUNDATION TO GUIDE OUR LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS. AND THEREFORE IN THE LIKE OF STRENGTHENING THE MORAL FOUNDATION OF LEADERSHIP, I AM ANNOUNCING THAT I AM INSTRUCTING THE PAGCOR TO ABORT THE SLOT MACHINE ARCADE PROJECT. PAGCOR SAYS THAT THEY PASSED THE SLOT MACHINE PROJECT AS PART OF THEIR CORPORATE POWERS, BUT IT IS ALL WELL WITHIN THE LAW. PAGCOR ALSO WON IN THE SUPREME COURT THE RIGHT TO PUT UP A JAI-ALAI PROJECT. BUT AFTER PAGCOR WON IN THE SUPREME COURT THE JAI-ALAI PROJECT, THAT WAS WHEN I ABORTED THE PROJECT. THEREFORE IT IS NOT QUESTION OF WHAT IS LEGAL, IT IS A QUESTION OF WHAT IS MORALLY UPRIGHT AND MORALLY SOUND. AND I THINK THIS IS ALREADY TWO STRIKES OF PAGCOR THAT I HAVE OVERRULED THEIR DECISION. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEIR DECISION WAS ILLEGAL, I AM JUST SAYING THAT IN THOSE TWO TIMES -- ON THE JAI-ALAI AND THE SLOT MACHINES -- IT DOES NOT QUITE MEASURE UP TO THE MORAL STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SET FOR GOVERNANCE IN OUR ADMINISTRATION. ANOTHER ELEMENT OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IS TRANSPARENCY IN ALL GOVERNMENT ACTIONS. AND A THIRD ELEMENT OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IS AN ETHIC OF EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION IN THE BUREAUCRACY. THE GOOD PUBLIC SERVANT IS THE SERVANT-LEADER. A PERSON WHO EXHIBITS PRINCIPLED PERFORMANCE FROM DAY-TO-DAY, AND MAINTAINS A VISIONARY LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE. LACSON'S MEMORY WILL INSPIRE US TO BUILD A STRONG REPUBLIC, AND RESTORE OUR COUNTRY TO A POSITION OF PRESTIGE IN OUR REGION AND IN THE GLOBAL STAGE. SOME OF US REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN WE WERE SECOND ONLY TO JAPAN AS AN ECONOMIC FORCE IN ASIA. THIS WAS WHEN LACSON WAS MAYOR AND MY FATHER WAS PRESIDENT. TODAY IN RECOVERING FROM LAST YEAR'S GLOBAL SLOWDOWN, WE ARE PERFORMING BEST AMONG OUR SOUTHEAST ASIAN NEIGHBORS AND THIRD AMONG ASIAN COUNTRIES. THAT IS WHY WE MUST NOT LOSE HOPE BUT RATHER MAINTAIN THIS MOMENTUM. AND LET US NOT FORGET THAT WE REMAIN THE OLDEST DEMOCRACY IN ASIA. BUT WE MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT DEMOCRACY WORKS IN THE PHILIPPINES OF THE 21st CENTURY -- THAT A DEMOCRATIC STATE CAN BE A STRONG REPUBLIC AND NOT BE THE STEREOTYPE OF A SOFT STATE. THESE ARE NOT JUST SENTIMENTAL LONGINGS, BUT INSPIRING CHALLENGES FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND ACT TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON CAUSE. LIKE THE GREAT MEDIEVAL CATHEDRALS, WE MUST PATIENTLY PLACE ONE STONE FIRMLY OVER THE OTHER. BUT WE MUST ALSO BE AWARE THAT THE CHALLENGE IS MORE COMPLEX THAN EVER. ALL WE NEED TO PATIENTLY REBUILD TOGETHER, WE MUST ALSO DO SO SWIFTLY, CONSISTENTLY, PURPOSIVELY. LEADERSHIP MUST NOT DECEIVE OUR PEOPLE BY FALSE PROMISES OF AN IDEALIZED LIFE. BETTER LIVES WE CAN PROMISE AND WORK FOR, BUT IT MUST BE DONE WITH INTEGRITY AND TRUTH. WE MUST ACCEPT THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE TASK, AND MAKE CLEAR THE ROLE EACH ONE OF US HAS TO PLAY. EVERYONE MUST SACRIFICE TO BUILD A STRONG REPUBLIC. SURELY, PART OF A LEADER'S BURDENS ARE THE DISAGREEMENTS AND CRITICISMS ONE WILL INEVITABLY FACE. I DO NOT EXPECT ALL TO AGREE WITH ME AS PRESIDENT BUT I CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT WE CAN UNITE BEHIND WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON. SO ONCE AGAIN I INVITE FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS AND EVEN FOES -- AS MY FATHER INVITED A POLITICAL FOE BUT A PERSONAL FRIEND, ARSENIO LACSON -- TO UNITE BY FOCUSING ON OUR MOST VITAL ENDS: TO FIGHT POVERTY AND TERRORISM, TO UPHOLD GOOD GOVERNANCE, TO BUILD A STRONG PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC. THROUGH THE YEARS, OUR REPUBLIC HAS UNFORTUNATELY BECOME A HOUSE DIVIDED. THROUGH THE YEARS, OUR REPUBLIC UNFORTUNATELY HAS NOT DELIVERED ENOUGH BASIC SERVICES TO HELP ITS POOREST. THROUGH THE YEARS, OUR REPUBLIC UNFORTUNATELY HAS NOT GIVEN THE PROMISE OF A BRIGHT FUTURE TO ITS YOUTH. THROUGH THE YEARS, OUR REPUBLIC HAS LACKED THE WILL TO ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR. THROUGH THE YEARS, OUR REPUBLIC HAS ALLOWED THE MORAL AND CIVIC VALUES OF ITS CITIZENRY TO WITHER. THUS, OUR REPUBLIC HAS FALLEN PREY TO THOSE WHOSE SELFISH AMBITION, VESTED INTEREST, OR INIMICAL IDEOLOGY, WOULD TEAR THE REPUBLIC ASUNDER, OR FAILING IN THAT, WOULD DESTABILIZE AND WEAKEN IT. THIS IS A COLLECTIVE GUILT THAT WE MUST SHARE, FOR WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, WE ARE ALL A PART OF THIS SYSTEM. THERE ARE THOSE AMONG US WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM. OFTEN, HOWEVER, THEIR WAYS HAVE BEEN PATRONIZING AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS, STRIDENT AND SELF-CENTERED AS LACSON SAID IN ONE OF HIS SPEECHES, "BELLICOSE." ON THE CONTRARY, THE TRUE JOURNEY TO STRENGTHEN THE REPUBLIC MUST BE A NATIONAL ONE WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL GIVES WAY TO THE WHOLE. OUR GOAL IS A STRONG PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC, WITH TWO ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES: FIRST, THE REPUBLIC MUST BE AUTONOMOUS OF DOMINANT CLASSES AND SECTORS, SO THAT IT REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE'S INTERESTS AND NOT ONLY A POWERFUL MINORITY GROUP OR SOME OF THEM. SECOND, THE REPUBLIC MUST HAVE THE CAPACITY, REPRESENTED THROUGH STRONG INSTITUTIONS AND A STRONG DEMOCRACY, TO IMPLEMENT ITS POLICIES AND DELIVER ITS SERVICES. STRONG INSTITUTIONS AND A STRONG DEMOCRACY BUILD A STRONG PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC; THEY PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT, BOTH AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS AS SHOWN BY ARSENIO LACSON OF HIS MANILA CHARACTERIZED BY A PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATED CIVIL SERVICE. AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT IS ONE THAT DELIVERS BASIC SERVICES TO EVERYONE, WHETHER RICH OR POOR, IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF PEACE, AND UNDER THE RULE OF LAW. STRONG INSTITUTIONS ALSO INCLUDE A VIGOROUS FREE-ENTERPISE ECONOMY, WHERE THE FILIPINO'S FULL TALENTS ARE UNLEASHED. WHILE GOVERNMENTS MUST REMOVE THE FORCES AND FACTORS THAT OBSTRUCT FREE MARKETS, IT MUST BE RECOGNIZED THOUGH THAT AT THE STARTING GATE OF A COMPETITIVE FIELD, NOT ALL THE PLAYERS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES. AMONG THESE WOULD BE FARMERS WITH NO LAND OF THEIR OWN, OR THE YOUTH WITH NO ACCESS TO EDUCATION. THUS, IT IS GOVERNMENT'S TASK TO PROVIDE THESE TOOLS THAT TRULY HELP LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD -- AND THAT IS HOW WE CAN MAKE FREE ENTERPRISE A STRONG INSTITUTION. INDEED, IN THE STRONG PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC, THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT RELY SOLELY ON THE INVISIBLE HAND OF THE MARKET. AT THE MACRO LEVEL, GOVERNMENT MUST AT TIMES INTERVENE TO STABILIZE THE ECONOMY OR TO STEER IT TOWARDS LONG-TERM GROWTH. IT MUST ALSO PROTECT ITS ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES FROM BLIND MARKET FORCES. THE STRONG REPUBLIC CAN BE AUTONOMOUS OF DOMINANT CLASSES AND SECTORS THROUGH TRUE DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION BUILT ON NEW POLITICS. THIS REQUIRES AS ANOTHER STRONG INSTITUTION, RATIONAL ELECTORAL PROCESSES WHERE CITIZENS ARE GIVEN THE TOOLS FOR INFORMED CHOICES, AND THEIR VOTES ARE COUNTERED PROPERLY. STILL ANOTHER STRONG INSTITUTION NEEDED IN A STRONG PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC IS A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCIETY. WE MUST FIND A WAY TO FINALLY DISMANTLE A SUBCULTURE OF DIVISIVENESS AND INDIVIDUALISM, AND TRANSFORM OUR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS INTO CONSTRUCTIVE ENGINES FOR NATIONAL PROSPERITY. THIS IS WHERE THE ARSENIO LACSON FOUNDATION COMES IN. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE ARSENIO LACSON FOUNDATION PUT UP IN MEMORY OF A STRONG LEADER WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE. I CONGRATULATE THE ARSENIO LACSON FOUNDATION FOR HONORING A MAN WHO LIVED HIS LIFE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT AND ROLE MODEL OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. HIS STORY, HIS LIFE AND SPIRIT WILL SURELY SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US. MAY IT SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION TO THE FOUNDATION NAMED AFTER HIM TO ADD VIBRANCY TO CIVIL SOCIETY AND STRENGTH TO THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. |