DAMO GID NGA
SALAMAT GOVERNOR SALLY PEREZ.
PLEASE SIT DOWN. SI SALLY ANAK NI
JUSTICE PEREZ NA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY NG AKING TATAY, THE
LATE DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL.
I'M ALSO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH CONGRESSMAN EX JAVIER, CLASSMATE
NAMAN SIYA AKONG BANA, AND SI MAYOR FERNANDO CORVERA NA DATI PA
COORDINATOR KO NA RITO; AND FROM OUR CABINET NA NANDITO, SI SECRETARY RAUL
ROCO; 'YUNG NAG-AAYOS NUNG PONDO PARA MAPONDOHAN ANG AIRPORT
NINYO, SI SECRETARY EMY BONCODIN; SI PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT
RENE VILLA; SPECIAL GREETINGS SA ATONG MEMBERS SANG VETERANS
FEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, ANTIQUE CHAPTER; KAG SA MGA
MEMBERS SANG KAIBIGAN NI GLORIA KAY GMA; TANAN ATONG MGA
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS; MGA PINALANGGA KONG MGA ANTIQUEÑO:
MAAYONG AGA SA INYO NGA TANAN.
MAY I ALSO GREET VIVIAN JAVIER AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE JAVIER FAMILY
BECAUSE TODAY WE COMMEMORATE TODAY THE 16th DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF
ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S HEROES, ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S MOST COURAGEOUS AND
INSPIRING POLITICAL LEADERS, THE LATE GOVERNOR EVELIO JAVIER.
TODAY'S COMMEMORATION IS PART OF OUR 40-DAY CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE POWER 1
AND PEOPLE POWER 2. PEOPLE POWER 2 STARTED ON JANUARY 16, WHILE PEOPLE
POWER I CULMINATED IN FEBRUARY 25th. BETWEEN JANUARY 16 AND FEBRUARY 25 IS
A PERIOD OF 40 DAYS, A PERIOD RECOGNIZED IN OUR CULTURE AND RELIGION AS A
TRADITIONAL PERIOD FOR PRAYER, MUCH LIKE A 9-DAY NOVENA. THROUGH THIS
PROVIDENTIAL RECKONING OF TIME, I BELIEVE THE LORD, THE DIVINE LEADER OF
BOTH PEOPLE POWER 1 AND PEOPLE POWER 2, IS SENDING US A MESSAGE THAT THE
TWO EVENTS OF PEOPLE POWER ARE PART OF ONE AND THE SAME CONTINUUM, AND
SHOULD BE COMMEMORATED TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING
THIS PERIOD THAT LED TO THE CLIMAX OF PEOPLE POWER. WHETHER PEOPLE POWER 1
OR PEOPLE POWER 2. ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS WAS THE ASSASSINATION OF EVELIO
JAVIER.
THUS, IN OUR CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE POWER, IT IS FITTING THAT WE COMMEMORATE
JANUARY 16, 2001, THE DAY OF THE SPONTANEOUS OUTPOURING OF OUTRAGE AGAINST
PLUNDER AND ITS COVER-UP; JANUARY 19, THE DAY THAT SIGNALLED THE COLLAPSE
OF THE DISCREDITED GOVERNMENT; JANUARY 20, THE BEGINNING OF A NEW PEOPLE
POWER GOVERNMENT; FEBRUARY 22, 1986, THE DAY CARDINAL SIN CALLED ON THE
PEOPLE TO PROTECT FIDEL RAMOS AND THE OTHER DEFECTORS AGAINST DICTATORSHIP;
AND FEBRUARY 25th, THE DAY CORY AQUINO BEGAN TO LEAD A RESTORED DEMOCRACY,
TOGETHER WITH ALL THESE IMPORTANT DATES OF PEOPLE POWER 1 AND PEOPLE 2
THERE IS FEBRUARY 11, 1986, THE DAY EVELIO JAVIER GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR THE
SANCTITY OF THE BALLOT.
TODAY WE COMMEMORATE HOW AN ASSASSIN'S BULLETS FELLED EVELIO JAVIER ON THE
MORNING OF FEBRUARY 11, 1986 RIGHT HERE WALKING DISTANCE FROM WHERE WE ARE
NEAR THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL WHERE THE PROVINCIAL BOARD OF CANVASSERS WAS
COMPLETING THE TALLY OF ANTIQUE'S 18 MUNICIPALITIES. IT WAS A MOMENT OF
CRISIS AS AN AIR OF INDIGNATION WAS SWEEPING THE LAND.
AT THAT TIME I WAS A FOOT SOLDIER IN THE ANTI-FASCIST UNITED FRONT. I WAS
WRITING FOR THE UNDERGROUND PRESS, SPEAKING IN VARIOUS SYMPOSIA, HELPING
ORGANIZE MASS ACTIONS. PEOPLE POWER WAS GAINING MOMENTUM, TO REACH ITS
PEAK ON THE FOUR DAYS STARTING FEBRUARY 22nd.
THE TREACHEROUS KILLING OF EVELIO JAVIER, TOGETHER WITH THE WALKOUT OF THE
CANVASSERS IN THE NATIONAL CANVASS IN PICC, WHERE MAJOR ELEMENTS IN THE
BUILD-UP OF OUTRAGE THAT LED TO THE GATHERING OF TWO MILLION PEOPLE IN
LUNETA A FEW DAYS LATER FOR THE TAGUMPAY NG BAYAN AND TO THE UNITY BETWEEN
THE CIVILIAN AND THE MILITARY THAT BEGAN ON THE 22nd OF FEBRUARY. THUS,
THE KILLING OF EVELIO JAVIER STRENGTHENED THE RESOLVE TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
AND FURTHER INFLAMED THE SPIRIT OF EDSA 1 THAT ULTIMATELY RETURNED
DEMOCRACY TO THE PHILIPPINES.
WE ARE OF COURSE SAD, HOWEVER, THAT FINAL JUSTICE STILL EVADES EVELIO JAVIER, BECAUSE THE
PERPETRATORS CONTINUE TO ELUDE THE FINAL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR TERRIBLE
ACT. THE EXTRADITION OF THE MASTERMIND, I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT, WAS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WENT TO CANADA ABOUT. IT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ITEMS IN
MY AGENDA DURING MY OFFICIAL VISIT TO CANADA. I ASKED THE PRIME MINISTER
OF CANADA TO FIND OUT WHY THE MASTERMIND IS NOT BEING EXTRADITED UP TO NOW
TO THE PHILIPPINES. AND THE INFORMATION SHARED BY THE PREMIER
IS THAT THE MASTERMIND IS HIDING BEHIND THE CLOAK OF POLITICAL ASYLUM, AND
THEREFORE CANADA BEING LIKE THE PHILIPPINES -- A COUNTRY OF DUE PROCESS --
THE CLAIM OF THE MASTERMIND FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM IS STILL IN THE CANADIAN
COURTS UNDERGOING HEARING. AND SO AS A RESULT OF THE INFORMATION THAT I
FOUND OUT FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT BACK HERE IN
THE PHILIPPINES I AM DIRECTING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO MOBILIZE FULLY ITS
EXPERTS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW TO PUT AN END TO THIS NOTORIOUS CASE WHEREVER
THE LEGAL BATTLEGROUND MAY BE.
GOVERNOR JAVIER'S SUCCESSOR, GOVERNOR ENRIQUE ZALDIVAR, SALLY'S BROTHER,
DESCRIBED THE POLITICAL LIFE OF EVELIO JAVIER IN THE FOLLOWING BEAUTIFUL
WORDS, AND I QUOTE:
"EVELIO JAVIER'S LIFE WAS BUILT UPON A DREAM -- LET FREEDOM RING -- A DREAM
FONDLY SHARED BY ANTIQUEÑOS. WITH DARING FAITH AND VIGOR, HE PURSUED THAT
DREAM IN THE SLEEPY HINTERLANDS OF ANTIQUE, IN EVERY MOUNTAINSIDE AND EVERY
HAMLET. HE WAS NOT DAUNTED BY THE POVERTY OF THE PLACE WHERE WE WAS SPRUNG
NOR BY THE ANTIQUENOS' RESIGNATION TO THEIR TYRANNIZED LOT. WHERE THERE
WAS SLOTH, HE GAVE LABOR; WHERE THERE WAS SILENCE, HE GAVE SPEECH; WHERE
THERE WAS TIMIDITY, HE GAVE COURAGE. AND FINALLY, WHERE THERE WAS DEATH,
HE GAVE HIS LIFE."
ELOQUENT WORDS ABOUT EVELIO JAVIER, FROM IKE ZALDIVAR. AND TODAY, AS I
COME TO ANTIQUE, A PROVINCE WHOSE EVERY TOWN I HAVE VISITED BUT WHERE I AM
RETURNING THIS TIME FOR THE FIRST TIME AS PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES, I
SEE EVELIO'S BROTHER ONCE AGAIN IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS. I THANK HIM FOR
HIS SUPPORT SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF ANTIQUE ESPECIALLY FOR OUR
BALIKATAN, AND I SEE IKE ZALDIVAR'S SISTER IN THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL.
I CONGRATULATE THEM AND I CONGRATULATE YOU, ALL OF YOU HERE FOR KEEPING
EVELIO'S DREAMS ALIVE.
CONGRATULATIONS THAT YOUR CAPITAL TOWN, SAN JOSE, IS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING
GALING POOK AWARDEES ON PROGRAMS AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.
YOUR WORK HERE IN SAN JOSE HAS BROUGHT PROGRESS WHICH HAS BROUGHT MORE
BANKS, AND IMPROVED COMMUNICATION FACILITIES MUCH MORE THAN WHEN I WAS A
SENATOR OF THE PHILIPPINES, IMPROVED THE COLLEGES AND TRADE SCHOOLS, AND
SEA PORTS. THESE ARE GROWTH INDICATORS THAT DEMONSTRATE A WILL TO MOVE UP
IN THE LADDER OF ENTERPRISE AND STABILITY.
AND I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR BALANCING ALL THESE BY AGGRESSIVE AND FAR
REACHING SOCIAL AMELIORATION PROGRAMS. I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR IMPROVING
THE LOT OF THE GREAT ANTIQUEÑO WORKER -- FOR HIS IS KNOWN FOR HIS GREATNESS
COMBINED WITH HIS HUMILITY AS FAR AS THE SUGARLANDS OF NEGROS DURING
PLANTING AND HARVESTING SEASON AND NOW TO THE URBAN SERVICES HERE IN SAN
JOSE MEANT TO IMPROVE THE DAILY LIVES OF THE AVERAGE CITIZEN.
I SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS. THAT IS WHY TODAY I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW AS A
MATTER OF, NUMBER ONE, INFORMATION THAT FROM THE TYPHOON NANANG WE HAVE
RELEASED, EMY BONCODIN HAS RELEASED, ONE MILLION PESOS TO HELP IN THE
RELIEF AND REHABILITATION FOR THE PEOPLE OF ANTIQUE. BUT I
BELIEVE MORE IMPORTANT, MORE FAR REACHING AND MORE STRATEGIC, I JUST
RELEASED A CHECK OF 40 MILLION PESOS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION IN ORDER TO IMMEDIATELY
BEGIN THE UPGRADING OF THE ANTIQUE AIRPORT, WHICH, ON THIS DAY,
I AM HEREBY RENAMING THE EVELIO JAVIER AIRPORT.
GOVERNOR SALDIVAR INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF
AGREEMENT WITH THE PROVINCE OF AKLAN WHICH, AS WE KNOW, IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR
BORACAY, TO HAVE AN ECO-TOURISM PARTNERSHIP. AND IN OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICY THE
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND THE CABINET HAVE
ADAPTED FOR THE YEAR 2002 AS THE MAJOR THRUST FOR OUR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
ECO-TOURISM AND BEACH TOURISM. AND CERTAINLY THE AIRPORT WILL GO A LONG
WAY.
GENERAL ADELBERTO YAP, WHO IS HERE TO RECEIVE THE CHECK IN BEHALF OF DOTC
IN ORDER TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY THE UPGRADING OF THE AIRPORT NOW THAT THE
MONEY IS AVAILABLE, ALSO WISHES ME TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT AIR
TRANSPORTATION OFFICE IS OPENING THE AIRPORT FOR COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
AND ASIAN SPIRIT AND SEA AIR ARE READY TO COME TO SAN JOSE WITH
OUR TOURISTS.
EVELIO JAVIER MAY NO LONGER BE AROUND TO HELP US, BUT HIS IDEALISM UNTO
DEATH MUST CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US IN OUR WORK, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUPPORT
OF GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE WAS WHAT HE DIED FOR. GOOD
GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALLY MEANS SACRIFICE -- THE SACRIFICE OF TIME, ENERGY,
HONOR AND EVEN LIFE -- SO THAT OTHERS MAY FIND A LIFE OF DIGNITY, FREEDOM,
PEACE AND PROSPERITY. GOOD GOVERNANCE IS NOT THE GUNG-HO TYPE OF PUBLIC
DRAMA AND PROPAGANDA BECAUSE CERTAINLY THERE WAS ENOUGH, TOO MUCH OF DRAMA
IN THE KILLING OF EVELIO JAVIER. WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT HE BE ALIVE
TODAY RATHER THAN GO THROUGH THAT DRAMA OF HIS ASSASSINATION. BUT
NONETHELESS, THAT WAS THE WAY DESTINY AND HISTORY MEANT FOR EVELIO JAVIER
TO CONTRIBUTE TO DEMOCRACY IN THE PHILIPPINES. OUTSIDE OF GREAT HEROIC
ACTS LIKE HIS THOUGH, GOOD GOVERNANCE IS THE QUITE, DAY-TO-DAY FOCUS ON A
CLEAR CUT PLAN TO BUILD COMMUNITIES AND EMPOWER PEOPLE.
GOVERNOR JAVIER SAID IN ONE OF HIS VALEDICTORIES, AND I QUOTE:
"FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE SEEN THE FULFILLMENT OF MY DREAMS, I HAVE
SEEN THAT THERE ARE MORE DREAMS TO WORK FOR, AND EVEN TO FIGHT FOR. SO IF
YOU ASK ME, WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW WHEN YOU ARE NOT LONGER GOVERNOR? ANSWER:
I WILL CONTINUE TO TILT AGAINST WINDMILLS, I WILL CONTINUE TO REACH THE
IMPOSSIBLE DREAM EVEN AGAINST UNBEATABLE FOES."
GREAT WORDS FROM EVELIO JAVIER. AND WE WERE CONTEMPLATING HIS BEAUTIFUL
STATUE EARLIER TODAY THE BAND WAS PLAYING THE "IMPOSSIBLE DREAM" AND
THROUGH THAT BAND EVELIO JAVIER WAS TELLING US ONCE AGAIN THESE WORDS IN
HIS VALEDICTORY SPEECH.
LET US CONTINUE EVELIO JAVIER'S DREAMS. LET US CONTINUE TO TILT AGAINST
WINDMILLS ESPECIALLY THE WINDMILLS OF POVERTY AS WE TILTED WINDMILLS IN
POWER 1 AND 2. LET US CONTINUE TO REACH OUT EVEN FOR DREAMS THAT SEEM
IMPOSSIBLE. THEY SAY THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE WON
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN HERE FOR CENTURIES, LET US BE BOLD IN OUR AMBITION AND
SEEK TO WIN THAT FIGHT WITHIN THE DECADE.
AND LET US CONTINUE TO WORK FOR JUSTICE NOT ONLY AGAINST THE ASSASSINS OF
GOVERNOR JAVIER, BUT AGAINST ALL ENEMIES OF FREEDOM AND DECENCY. AND THAT
IS WHY I THANK EX JAVIER FOR EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF
ANTIQUE FOR OUR LOOKING FOR EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO FIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO
WANT TO KILL OUR FREEDOM AND OUR WAY OF LIFE IN THE JUNGLES OF BASILAN.
LET US NOT RELENT UNTIL OUR SOCIETY IS SECURE, UNTIL BASILAN IS SECURE,
UNTIL PANAY ISLAND IS SECURE, UNTIL GOOD GOVERNMENT IS SECURE -- IN THE
HANDS OF BRAVE, UPRIGHT, AND DECENT LEADERS. LET US FIGHT FOR PEACE, LAW
AND ORDER AND JUSTICE WHEREVER THE CHALLENGE TAKES US.
ON THIS DAY, WE BOW OUR HEADS IN MEMORY OF A GREAT MAN., A HERO OF THE
PHILIPPINE PEACEFUL PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER LIFE AND DEATH, HIS
SOVEREIGNTY OVER OUR LIVES.
LET US PRAY FOR THE SAME COURAGE AND CONVICTION TO HELP US IN CARRYING ON
EVELIO JAVIER'S WORK. AS WE REFLECT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT EVELIO
JAVIER MADE TO COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY, LET US INSPIRE THEM TO DO OUR PART IN
SEEING HIS NOBLE IDEALS BECOME REALITY.
WE CANNOT SAY MABUHAY si EVELIO JAVIER DAHIL WALA NA SIYA SA ATIN. NGUNIT
MABUHAY ANG PAALAALA NA INIWAN NI EVELIO JAVIER SA ATIN -- ANG DIWA NG
PAGKABAYANI, ANG DIWA NG MABUTING PAMAMALAKAD NG ISANG PROBINSYA,
PAMAMALAKAD NG ISANG BANSA.
MARAMING SALAMAT. AND PEACEFUL COMMEMORATION TO ALL OF US. |