PGMA's Speech during the 20th Anniversary of the Makati Business Club

Hotel Inter-Continental Ballroom, Makati City (25 Jan 2002)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU SECRETARY CAMACHO.

PRESIDENT RAMOS; PRESIDENT DICK ROMULO; RAMON DEL ROSARIO; DON JAIME; CESAR BUENAVENTURA; JOEY CUISIA; BOBBY DE OCAMPO; CITO LORENZO; CORA DELA PAZ; OTHER LEADERS OF THE MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB; OH, FORMER PRIME MINISTER CESAR VIRATA; OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CABINET; EXCELLENCIES OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

LET ME GREET THE MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB ON A HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY AND ALSO ON THE OCCASION OF OUR 40-DAY CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE POWER 1 AND PEOPLE POWER 2. BECAUSE AS DICK SAID, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU WERE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THOSE TWO GREAT EVENTS. AND I ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT MY ADMINISTRATION THE LAST FIVE DAYS, ABOUT MY ONE YEAR-OLD ADMINISTRATION WHICH FOR INSTANCE CAME OUT IN SEVERAL FEATURE ARTICLES AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION OF MY FIRST ANNIVERSARY.

INDEED, LAST WEEKEND, OUR NATION MARKED THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF EDSA 2. ON THE EVE OF THIS OCCASION, THE INQUIRER WROTE AN EDITORIAL THAT SAID THE FOLLOWING: "THANKS TO THE PROCLIVITY OF FILIPINOS TO SHOOT THEMSELVES IN THE FEET, THEY ARE THE WORST ENEMIES OF THEIR COUNTRY'S RECOVERY FROM ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AND POLITICAL TURBULENCE." AND I AM GLAD THAT THE MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB SEEMS TO AGREE BECAUSE YOU HAVE ADAPTED THE 'FLYING GEESE' PRINCIPLE AS THE PRINCIPLE FOR MOVING OUR COUNTRY FORWARD.

INDEED, IT IS VERY SAD THAT WE HAVE A SPECTACLE SUCH THAT INDEED AT A TIME WHEN WE AS A NATION SHOULD BE PULLING TOGETHER, ASIDE FROM THE OCCASIONAL RECOGNITION OF MERIT SUCH AS WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING DURING THE LAST FIVE DAYS, WE ARE INSTEAD PUSHING EACH OTHER APART. WHAT A SHARP CONTRAST TO JUST 12 MONTHS AGO WHEN UNITY AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE BROUGHT US TOGETHER. I BELIEVE THIS IS MAINLY A RESULT OF A TENDENCY TO PLACE INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS AND AMBITIONS ABOVE THAT OF THE COUNTRY. DISUNITY, DISCORDANT VOICES, AND A SENSE OF EVERY-MAN-FOR-HIMSELF WHENEVER WE DON'T GET WHAT WE WANT -- THESE POSE OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR THE COUNTRY.

AS A RESULT OF DECADES OF RETARDED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND AS A RESULT OF THE TRAUMA THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS UNDERGONE THIS PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF OR SO, WE HAVE BECOME A NATION DEEPLY DIVIDED AND FRACTURED. THIS IS THE LESSON WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED FROM MAY 1.

BUT HAVE WE FORGOTTEN? JUST A YEAR AGO WE WERE DEEPLY MIRED IN A HOLE. INVESTOR CONFIDENCE HAD DROPPED. RAMPANT CORRUPTION HAD TAKEN OVER THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE VERY SEAT OF POWER. POLITICAL INSTABILITY IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND THE WORLD HAD WRITTEN US OFF.

TODAY, WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TO ARREST THE DETERIORATION AND CREATE A TURNAROUND.

AND I AS I DID YESTERDAY BEFORE THE CHINESE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, I MUST INSIST ON THE TRUTH: "WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS." WHERE BIGGER AND RICHER ECONOMIES FAILED, OURS MOVED FORWARD. WHERE BIGGER AND STRONGER CURRENCIES COLLAPSED, OURS HELD FIRM.

INDEED, WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY TO BRINGING OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE RADAR SCREENS OF THE WORLD. A NEW CABINET PICKED AS MUCH FOR THEIR INTEGRITY AS FOR THEIR COMPETENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS HAS BROUGHT PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC SERVICE TO NEW HEIGHTS. MUCH OF WHAT THE WORLD'S INVESTMENT COMMUNITY HAS ASKED OF US, WE HAVE THUS FAR DELIVERED. THE POWER BILL, THE MONEY LAUNDERING ACT LONG CONSIDERED LITMUS TESTS OF OUR POLITICAL WILL TO LEGISLATE REFORMS WERE PUT INTO LAW FIRMLY OVERCOMING YEARS OF DELAY. OUR PUBLIC DEFICIT HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER CONTROL. INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION RATES HAVE DECLINED. OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW DESPITE FALTERING ECONOMIES ALL AROUND US.

EVEN RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES HAVE SHOWN PERIODS OF DECLINE DESPITE WIDESPREAD PERCEPTION OF INCREASED LAY OFFS. THIS PARADOX OF MACROECONOMIC LEVEL STATISTICS THAT DON'T JIBE WITH GROUND LEVEL PERCEPTIONS SERVES TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF TARGET-DRIVEN EFFORTS BY GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE PERCEPTIBLE RESULTS AT THE GROUND LEVEL.

IN MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS LAST YEAR, I OUTLINED NUMEROUS PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF POVERTY REDUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT. I DELIBERATELY PLACED EMPHASIS ON TARGET-DRIVEN INITIATIVES AT THE GROUND LEVEL AS OPPOSED TO THE MACRO LEVEL. YOU NOTICED I TALKED ABOUT HOW MANY JOBS IN AGRICULTURE. HOW MANY HECTARES OF LAND TO REDISTRIBUTE. I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT INFLATION RATES. I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT GNP GROWTH RATES. I DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AS MY TARGET IN MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS. BECAUSE IT IS PROGRESS AT THE GROUND LEVEL THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS ON THE LIVES OF THE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR SOCIETY.

PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THIS EMPHASIS ON GROUND LEVEL RESULTS, I HAVE SOMETIMES BEEN CRITICIZED FOR LACKING FOCUS OR HAVING NO CLEAR ECONOMIC AGENDA. BUT I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED SOUND MACROECONOMICS TO BE AN EVER-PRESENT PRECONDITION TO ACHIEVING SUSTAINED GROUND RESULTS. IN MY YEAREND REPORT IN FACT SHOWED THAT WE DID ACHIEVE THOSE SOUND MACROECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS.

OUR SOCIETY IS COMPOSED OF DIFFERENT SECTORS, SOME MORE FORTUNATE IN LIFE THAN OTHERS. IN THIS CONTEXT, I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE EXAGGERATING IF I WERE TO CHARACTERIZE THIS GATHERING TODAY AS THE CREME D' LA CREME OF OUR BUSINESS SECTOR, AND THEREFORE THE ELITE OF OUR SOCIETY. AS SUCH, MORE THAN ANY OTHER SECTOR, ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT WITH YOUR COLLECTIVE ADVANTAGE OF EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND MATURE ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, IT IS YOU, THE COUNTRY'S BUSINESS ELITE, WHO WOULD REALIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CHALLENGES OUR COUNTRY FACES TODAY. IT IS YOU, MORE THAN ANY OTHER SECTOR, WHICH SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES TO OUR NATIONAL PROBLEMS.

AS EARLY AS THE DAY I BECAME PRESIDENT, I SAID, THAT IT WAS TIME TO BIND THE NATION'S WOUNDS, HEAL ITS DEEP DIVISIONS, AND BRING ALL THE PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A NEW SHARED HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE IN A MORAL SOCIETY. THIS MEANS THAT OUR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP WILL HAVE TO UNDERGO A TEDIOUS PERIOD OF BALANCING THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF MOST IF NOT ALL OF OUR MAJOR SECTORS. OTHERWISE, IF OUR APPROACH IS EXCLUSIONARY, THE RESULTING AGITATION OF THE MAJOR SECTORS LEFT BEHIND WILL TEND TO CREATE INSTABILITY, WHICH IN TURN HAMPERS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE RESULTING PROCESS OF REACHING OUT TO DIVERSE SECTORS IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD TO BE POLITICKING OR WORSE A BETRAYAL OF PRINCIPLES. WHEN I REACH OUT TO URBAN POOR COMMUNITIES WHO STILL ASSOCIATE THEIR ASPIRATIONS WITH THE FATE AND TREATMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT ESTRADA, I AM NOT DOING SO WITH A MOIST EYE TOWARDS THE 2004 ELECTIONS. RATHER, I AM LOOKING TO HELP STABILIZE SOCIAL CONDITIONS TODAY, SO THAT OUR COUNTRY CAN FORGE AHEAD. WHEN I REACH OUT TO OPPOSITION PERSONALITIES, IT IS NOT IN ORDER TO CREATE POLITICAL DEALS FOR THE 2004 ELECTIONS. RATHER, I AM SEEKING POLITICAL SPACE HERE AND NOW WITHIN WHICH THE OPPOSITION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO EFFORTS TO GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING. THERE ARE PURISTS WHO MAY NOT LIKE IT BUT THE FACT IS MY DUTY IS TO BE PRESIDENT TO ALL FILIPINOS, WHETHER LIKE YOU THEY WERE IN EDSA 2 OR WHETHER THEY WERE IN EDSA 3.

I AM NOT CAMPAIGNING FOR MYSELF THIS EARLY FOR THE 2004 ELECTION. IT IS MY CRITICS WHO ARE CAMPAIGNING THIS EARLY AGAINST ME. ARE THEY AFRAID IF I SUCCEED IN HELPING OUR COUNTRY? IS THIS THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN SUCCEED, BY HURTING OUR PEOPLE?

LET US STOP IT NOW. IT IS INDEED TOO EARLY. THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME BEFORE THE 2004 ELECTIONS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE FOR A PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC RECOVERY THIS YEAR.

WE CAN QUARREL OVER WHO SHOULD LEAD THIS COUNTRY AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION. BUT WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY WORTH QUARRELING ABOUT.

WE OWE THIS TO THE PEOPLE WE ALL SAY WE WISH TO SERVE, WHETHER IN GOVERNMENT OR IN BUSINESS.

WE CAN DISAGREE ON HOW TO RUN OUR COUNTRY; WE CAN EVEN DISAGREE ON WHICH PART OF OUR COUNTRY WE WANT TO CALL OUR OWN, AS LONG AS WE RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCES BY RESPECTING ALWAYS THE RULE OF LAW AND THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WE CANNOT DEBATE IN PEACE, AND NO ISSUE THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED CONSTITUTIONALLY -- YES, EVEN THE REDISTRIBUTION OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY IN OUR COUNTRY. AND IT IS TIME INDEED TO SET ASIDE REVENGE SO THAT THE WORK OF TRUE JUSTICE CAN BEGIN.

THUS, I AM CHALLENGING YOU TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND RENEW THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS AT THE GROUND LEVEL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS AREAS THAT YOU COULD BE INVOLVED IN IF YOU ARE NOT YET INVOLVED RIGHT NOW.

FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR LINGERING PROBLEMS IS THAT OF RURAL ELECTRIFICATION. OF THE 42,000 BARANGAYS NATIONWIDE, OVER 4,000 STILL DO NOT HAVE ELECTRIC POWER. ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY WILL DRAMATICALLY CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITHIN THOSE 4,000 BARANGAYS ENABLING THEM TO DO THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED LIKE EATING, READING, DOING HOUSEWORK COMFORTABLY AT NIGHT. IT WILL ENABLE THEM TO IRRIGATE, MAKE ICE, REFRIGERATE AGRICULTURAL AND MARINE PRODUCTS, PROCESS FOOD. INDEED, IT WILL ENABLE THEM TO ENTER THE 21st CENTURY. I HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU MAY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE EFFORT TO MAKE ELECTRICITY AVAILABLE TO ALL BARANGAYS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. FOR EXAMPLE, I UNDERSTAND THAT MIRANT PHILIPPINES, THROUGH ITS PROJECT BEACON HAS MADE A BILLION PESO COMMITMENT TO ELECTRIFY OVER A THOUSAND BARANGAYS IN THE COMING YEAR.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS TO MODERNIZE AND STRENGTHEN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE HAVE 4,000 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND OVER 10,000 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE. WITH SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN OVER 40, 000 BARANGAYS. BUT THERE ARE 1,600 BARANGAYS THAT DON'T HAVE A SCHOOL BUILDING. AND FOR THOSE THAT DO HAVE SCHOOL BUILDINGS MANY ARE IN NEED OF EQUIPMENT AND TEACHER TRAINING. MOST OF THE COMPANIES REPRESENTED HERE STILL DRAW THE MAJORITY OF YOUR WORKERS FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS STILL ACCOUNT FOR THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR STUDENTS, YOUR FUTURE WORKERS. AND THEREFORE IT ALSO SERVE YOU WELL TO MAKE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENTER THE 21st CENTURY.

LAST NOVEMBER, FORMER SENATOR TING PATERNO INVITED ME TO LAUNCH THE "CONNECTED.ph" PROJECT OF PBSP, LEAGUE OF CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS, MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB, AND A LARGE NETWORK OF COMPANIES. THE PROJECT HAS SUCCEEDED IN EQUIPPING, WIRING, AND TRAINING A HUNDRED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS WITH PERSONAL COMPUTER LABS HOOKED UP TO THE INTERNET. I URGE YOU TO CONTINUE THIS PROJECT, AND TO EXPAND IT BY HAVING MORE COMPANIES SUPPORT IT. FOR OUR PART, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEGUN THE ROLL OUT OF A PROGRAM WHICH SEEKS TO EQUIP 1,000 MORE HIGH SCHOOLS WITH PC LABS BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT IS ALSO TRYING TO WORK OUT DISTANCE LEARNING FOR THOSE FAR AWAY BARANGAYS WHERE TEACHERS DON'T WANT TO GO BUT NEED THE HARDWARE FOR THAT DISTANCE LEARNING AND EVEN THE SOFTWARE FOR DOING THE WEB CONTENT, THE CONTENT FOR THE CURRICULUM. WITH GOVERNMENT PROVIDING THE COMPUTERS THROUGH A JAPANESE GRANT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR PROVIDING CONNECTIVITY, TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL CONTENT, OUR PRESENT ROLL OUT IS AN IDEAL PROJECT TO DEMONSTRATE THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS THAT I AM ESPOUSING.

A THIRD AREA OF NEED IS HOUSING FOR THE POOR. IN THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS WHERE I SAID I CONCENTRATED ON GROUND LEVEL TARGETS RATHER THAN MACRO TARGETS. I SET A TARGET OF A 100,000 LOW-COST UNITS AND 50,000 SOCIALIZED UNITS BY THE END OF JULY. THESE ARE AMBITIOUS TARGETS AND SO FAR, COMPARED TO MANY OF THE OTHER TARGETS, I FIND THESE TARGETS THE MOST PROBLEMATIC. BUT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE TARGETS THROUGH SUCH PROGRAMS AS HOUSING FOR HUMANITY WHICH PROVIDES HOUSING FOR RELOCATED SQUATTERS. YOU COULD DONATE TO BUILD A HOUSE OR EVEN VOLUNTEER TO BUILD ONE. THE HABITAT HOUSE COST 85,000 PESOS. BUT WE HAVE DSWD MODELS THAT COST 25,000 PESOS. SO THEREFORE, YOUR MONEY WOULD GO A LONGER WAY IN FACT BY ADAPTING THE MORE MODEST MODEL.

A FOURTH CHALLENGE IS JOB CREATION. CITO LORENZO, ONE OF YOUR TRUSTEES, HAS SIGNED UP AS PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER FOR AGRICULTURAL JOB GENERATION, AND HE HAS HELPED DEVELOP A PLAN FOR GENERATING ONE MILLION JOBS IN AGRICULTURE. PANINDIGAN NIYO SIYA, YOU SHOULD HELP HIM OUT THERE. (LAUGHTER) FOR EXAMPLE, JOHNNY SANTOS -- I SAW JOHNNY EARLIER, THERE -- AND NESTLE ARE PROVIDING THE TECHNOLOGY AND READY MARKET FOR COFFEE GROWERS IN MINDANAO. OUR FARMERS ARE ALWAYS IN NEED OF TECHNOLOGY, CREDIT AND MARKETS. REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER BUSINESS YOU ARE ENGAGED IN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE, YOU CAN PROBABLY CONTRIBUTE TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

A FIFTH CHALLENGE IS ELECTORAL MODERNIZATION. OUR ARCHAIC SYSTEM OF VOTING AND MANUAL COUNTING OF BALLOTS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO PERSIST INTO THE ELECTIONS OF 2004. IT IS IN YOUR INTEREST TO GET INVOLVED THROUGH SUPPORT GROUPS SUCH AS NAMFREL THAT ARE WORKING TO MODERNIZE OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM. BECAUSE THE COMELEC IS A CONSTITUTIONAL BODY, BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND CONGRESS HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO INVOLVE OURSELVES IN COMELEC's DECISIONS AND EFFORTS REGARDING MODERNIZATION. BUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN DO SO. YOU CAN PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

CLEARLY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MANY OTHER SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE CONCERNED CITIZENS CAN ADD VALUE TO SOCIETY, TO BE AMONG THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN THE CONSTRUCTIVE, HELP GENERATE JOBS, AND CREATE NATIONAL WEALTH. CLEARLY, THIS WOULD BE BETTER THAN JUST SITTING IDLY UNINVOLVED -- THOUGH I DON'T REALLY SEE TOO MANY MAKATI BUSINESSMEN, MEMBERS OF THE MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB UNINVOLVED -- BUT WORSE, COMPLAINING AND COMPLAINING.

THERE IS A STORY ABOUT THE BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI -- PERHAPS LEGEND, PERHAPS TRUE. EARLY IN HIS CAREER, HE WAS ENGAGED IN A REAL STRUGGLE OF A FIGHT, AND A MAN AT THE RINGSIDE JUST KEPT HECKLING HIM ROUND AFTER ROUND. FINALLY, ALI TURNED TO THE HECKLER AND SAID, "HEY! YOU'RE DOWN THERE SHOUTING, I'M UP HERE FIGHTING!" AND THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL. (LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

LIKE ALI, I'M UP ON THE RING FIGHTING, AND LIKE HIM I'LL BE SLUGGING AWAY FOR THE FULL 15 ROUNDS. TO THOSE CHEERING ME ON -- AND MANY OF THEM ARE HERE -- I WISH TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. OUR FIGHT TO CREATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THEREBY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY IS AS TOUGH A STRUGGLE AS ANY. AND TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT CHEERING ME ON, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I AM CHALLENGED AND INSPIRED TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.

I THEREFORE REACH OUT ONCE AGAIN TO THE MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB, AND ASIDE FROM YOU, TO ALL OUR PEOPLE -- EVEN THOSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVIDE WHERE THE PAST TWO EDSAs LEFT US AND THEM. JOIN ME NOW IN THE THIRD AND GREATEST PEACEFUL REVOLUTION OF ALL -- PEOPLE POWER AGAINST POVERTY, PEOPLE POWER FOR PROGRESS.

LAST YEAR AT THE OPENING OF CONGRESS I ASKED THE POLITICIANS FOR A MORATORIUM ON POLITICKING, AND TO SOME EXTENT, THEY GAVE US THAT MORATORIUM. IN FACT, TO A LARGE EXTENT THEY GAVE US COOPERATION AS WELL IN ESSENTIAL REFORMS -- YES, EVEN THE OPPOSITION.

NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A MORATORIUM ON BLAME FROM SOME SECTORS OF THE PUBLIC ESPECIALLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AND A MEASURE OF PATIENCE AS I LEAD OUR COUNTRY IN OVERCOMING THE GREATEST GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS SINCE THE GREATEST DEPRESSION OF THE 1930s.

FROM OUR PEOPLE, FROM OUR MIDDLE FORCES ESPECIALLY, I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. YOU HAVE DONE YOUR PART IN PUTTING BACK MORALITY AND INTELLIGENCE IN GOVERNMENT. NOW, WHAT MUST BE DONE IS FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER TO PUT FAITH IN THE FUTURE BACK IN YOUR HEART, BACK IN MY HEART.

THANK YOU.

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