PGMA's Opening Statement During the Press Conference

PGMA's Opening Statement During the Press Conference

Office of the Prime Minister, Centre Block, Parliament Hil, Ottawa, Canada (29 Jan 2002)

THANK YOU MR. PRIME MINISTER.

I AM VERY PLEASED AND HONORED TO BE HERE IN OTTAWA UPON THE INVITATION OF PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN.

THE PHILIPPINES AND CANADA SHARE A DEEP HISTORICAL FRIENDSHIP, BASED ON COMMON VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS. I AM GLAD THAT OUR BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS CABINET HAVE REAFFIRMED THAT SPIRIT AND REALITY.

THERE IS ALSO A GLOBAL SPAN IN THIS RELATIONSHIP. CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES COOPERATE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE U.N., WTO, APEC, AND AS SUCH, WE ARE BOTH COMMITTED TO INTERNATIONAL ENDEAVORS TO PROMOTE PEACE, PROSPERITY AND FREEDOM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

JUST NOW WE WITNESSED THE SIGNING OF THREE LETTERS OF INTENT INVOLVING PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED BY THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, OR CIDA:

ONE IS A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ACCELERATE RESOURCE LINKAGES PROJECT II OR PEARL II, WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES;

THE SECOND IS THE E-GOVERNMENT FOR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM (E TIMES 3) WHICH WILL FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SERVICES; AND,

AND THIRD THE JUDICIAL REFORM SUPPORT PROGRAMME, WHICH WILL ASSIST IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE JUDICIARY.

ALSO SIGNED TODAY IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPROCAL AWARDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION WHICH WILL PROMOTE STUDENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND CANADA. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID MANY SCHOOLS IN CANADA ARE JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER IN THE SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS GO AND I HOPE THIS EXCHANGE WILL ENABLE MORE OF OUR STUDENTS TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF CANADIAN EXCELLENT EDUCATION.

THE PHILIPPINES ... IN THE OTHER AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED, THE PHILIPPINES WILL ALSO HOST THE SEMINAR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME OF ACTION ON SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR AGREEMENT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BECAUSE WE HAVE AGREED TO FIND WAYS TO STOP SMUGGLING OF SMALL ARMS WITHIN OUR COMMON BORDERS AND COMMON SEAS.

THESE AGREEMENTS SPAN A BROAD SWATH OF POLITICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC CONCERNS. THEY REFLECT THE DEPTH AND DETAIL, AS WELL AS THE RELEVANCE AND SENSE OF PRACTICALITY, THAT HAVE INFUSED OUR RELATIONS.

THE PHILIPPINES STANDS SQUARELY WITH CANADA IN OUR COMMON DETERMINATION TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF TERRORISM AND POVERTY. AND I AM TRULY VERY HAPPY THAT THE CANADIAN CIDA HAS MADE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIVES OF MANY IN THE PHILIPPINES.

DURING THIS VISIT, AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID, I SHALL ALSO MEET THE CANADIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY. MORE THAN EVER, THE PHILIPPINES PROMOTES FOREIGN INVESTMENTS PARTICULARLY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE-INTENSIVE, SKILLS-INTENSIVE SERVICE SECTORS AND CANADIANS COULD DO WELL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MANY PROFITABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COUNTRY.

CANADA CAN BE OUR OUTSOURCING PARTNER FOR I.T. SERVICES. WE ALSO INVITE INVESTMENTS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AGRIBUSINESS, FRANCHISING, LOW-COST HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. AND CANADA IS STRONG IN ALL THESE AREAS.

ANOTHER COMMONALITY WE HAVE IS OUR CANADIAN-FILIPINOS. OVER 300,000 FILIPINOS ARE CITIZENS OR RESIDENTS OF CANADA. WE ARE PROUD THAT THESE FILIPINOS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE WELL-BEING, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ALSO LOOK BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES AS THE SANCTUARY OF THEIR INVESTMENTS IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES AND THEIR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.

INDEED OUR FILIPINOS HERE DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS THE HOME OF THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER, RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE FOR HIS TALENT AND DEDICATION AND HIS LOVE OF THE HOMELAND.

ALL IN ALL, WE HAD VERY PRODUCTIVE BILATERAL TALKS. FRANK AND CANDID BUT PRODUCTIVE. I BELIEVE THE GOALS WHICH HAVE BEEN SET ON MY VISIT HERE, ON MY MIND AT LEAST, HAVE BEEN MET AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE GOODWILL BETWEEN CANADIANS AND FILIPINOS WILL BE STEADFAST IN THE YEARS TO COME.

SO IN BEHALF OF MY DELEGATION AND THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, I THANK YOU, MR. PRIME MINISTER AND THE CANADIAN PEOPLE, FOR YOUR WARM HOSPITALITY, AND YOUR ABIDING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMON GOALS.

THANK YOU.

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