PGMA's Speech during the 55th Anniversary Celebration of the Philippine Air Force

Villamor Air Base, Pasay City (08 July 2002)
TROOP COMMANDER, GENERAL CASTILLANO, GIVE THE TROOPS TIKAS PAHINGA.

THANK YOU SECRETARY REYES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.

LT. GEN. DEFENSOR; GEN. ROY CIMATU; LT. GEN. CAMILING; LT. GEN. ABAYA; LT. GEN. SANTIAGO; VICE ADM. HINGCO; SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA; (CONGRESSMAN) GILBERT TEODORO; EXCELLENCIES OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS; OFFICERS, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE; FORMER COMMANDING GENERALS OF THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE, GEN. ABADIA, PICCIO, RODRIGUEZ, ACOT; LADIES OF THE LATE COMMANDING GENERALS OF THE AIR FORCE; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

THANK YOU GENERAL DEFENSOR FOR MOVING YOUR CELEBRATION TO THIS DAY SO I CAN PERSONALLY JOIN YOU. FROM YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WHO IS ALSO THE NATION'S PILOT-IN-COMMAND, MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN SA INYONG LAHAT. BINABATI KO LAHAT NG MGA MAGIGITING NA KASAPI NG HUKBONG HIMPAPAWID NG PILIPINAS!

IN ALL OUR FIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN STRUGGLES, THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE.

BECAUSE OF YOU, GRACIA BURNHAM IS ALIVE TODAY. BECAUSE OF YOU, WE ARE BEATING TERRORISM AND INSURGENCY. BECAUSE OF YOU, LIFELINES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO TYPHOON AND DISASTER VICTIMS.

YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE IN FULFILLING THE DREAMS OF 140 MUSLIMS TO GO ON PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA, BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR TIMELY SUPPORT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THERE ON TIME. YOU SAFEGUARD THE MALAMPAYA GAS-TO-POWER PROJECT. YOU SEED THE CLOUDS FOR RAIN TO ALLEVIATE THE EL NI„O; AND NOW I SEE YOU PRAY ALONG WITH THE CARMELITE NUNS WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE RAIN TO COME.

I SALUTE YOU FOR 55 YEARS OF STERLING SERVICE TO THE FLAG.

BUT TODAY OUR CELEBRATION MUST BE VERY BRIEF. YOU NOTICED MAY CEREMONIES WERE DONE AWAY WITH BECAUSE THERE IS A DISASTER GOING ON OUT THERE, THERE ARE FLOOD VICTIMS YOU WILL HAVE TO RESCUE. I HAVE CALLED OFF CLASSES AND WORK AT GOVERNMENT OFFICES, EXCEPT OF COURSE FOR THOSE RENDERING VITAL SERVICES THAT CANNOT BE INTERRUPTED, AND THIS INCLUDES THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE AIR FORCE WHO WILL BRAVE BAD WEATHER TODAY AND THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AND FLY TO EXTRICATE STRANDED FLOOD VICTIMS FROM ROOFTOPS AND OTHER PLACES UNREACHABLE BY LAND.

I ALSO REMEMBER NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, WHEN THE AMERICANS ARRIVED IN BASILAN IN THEIR RECONNAISSANCE OR NEEDS ASSESSMENT MISSION. THEY WERE THERE HEADED BY ADMIRAL BLAIR, NO LESS, TO OBSERVE THE NEWLY-AMERICAN-TRAINED LIGHT REACTION COMPANY IN ACTION, AND IN THE PROCESS TO SEE WHAT THE VISITING FORCES ACTIVITIES SHOULD NEXT BE. THAT WAS THE FIRST CHANCE OF ADMIRAL BLAIR AND HIS MEN TO SEE OUR WAR AGAINST THE ABU SAYYAF UP CLOSE; AND WHEN THEY VISITED ME, THEY WERE IN AWE-STRUCK ESPECIALLY AT OUR PILOTS WHOM THEY SAW LAND AND TAKE-OFF ALMOST VERTICALLY IN HEAVILY FORESTED AND HEAVILY SLOPING TERRAIN. THEY WERE AWE-STRUCK AT OUR AIR FORCE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS ON THE GROUND WHO COULD PUT TOGETHER ALL KINDS OF SPARE PARTS TO MAKE A HELICOPTER FLY AGAIN. AND THEY TOLD ME, "MADAME PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE THE BEST PILOTS IN THE WORLD." I AGREE.

I ALSO REMEMBER MY VISIT TO GRACIA BURNHAM AFTER HER RESCUE, AND I REMEMBER HER STORY OF HER LAST DAY IN SIRAWAI. SHE RECOUNTED TO ME HOW SHE WAS EXTRICATED BY OUR AIR FORCE HELICOPTER WITHIN ONE HOUR FROM THE START OF THE FIREFIGHT, AGAIN IN HEAVILY FORESTED AND HEAVILY SLOPING TERRAIN. SHE ALSO RECOUNTED HOW OUR AIR FORCE MEN MINISTERED TO HER AS SHE WAS THERE IN THE HELICOPTER BLOODED AND WOUNDED. SHE SAID SHE WAS SO TOUCHED WHEN ONE OF THEM KEPT TAPPING HER CHEEK LIGHTLY TO REVIVE HER, AND PLEADING, "DON'T DIE. DON'T DIE." AND SHE DIDN'T DIE. AND SHE TOLD ME AFTER TELLING THE STORY OF THE MEN IN THE HELICOPTER MINISTERING TO HER, SHE TOLD ME, "MADAME PRESIDENT, YOU MUST BE VERY PROUD OF YOUR MEN." I AM.

FROM THAT MOMENTOUS EVENT, TWO OF OUR HELICOPTER PILOTS ARE RECIPIENTS OF THE GOLD CROSS -- LT. GAUDENCIO LAURON AND LT. JUN SAMILIN. BOTH BRAVED HOSTILE FIRE, TREACHEROUS TERRAIN AND HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO BRING GRACIA BURNHAM TO SAFETY.

TODAY WE ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE LATE MAJ. GEN. SANTIAGO MADRID, WHO DIED SHORTLY AFTER ELECTIONS IN HELICOPTER CRASH THAT ALSO TOOK THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER OF THE GOVERNOR OF PALAWAN, GOVERNOR JOEL REYES. TODAY WE GIVE HIM A POSTHUMOUS AWARD THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE STAR TODAY, FOR HIS MERITORIOUS SERVICE AS COMMANDER OF THE WESTERN COMMAND.

TODAY WE ALSO SALUTE LT. MA. RITA FABIAN, ONE OF THE FIRST TO SEE ACTION IN BULDON, MAGUINDANAO ON HER OV-10 BRONCO. SHE PERSONIFIES THE POWER AND CAPABILITY OF OUR FEMALE COMBAT PILOTS, AND ALL OTHER FEMALE COMBATANTS OF THE ARMED FORCES. OUR FEMALE PILOTS HAVE BEEN TRULY OUTSTANDING. SHE IS NOT THE FIRST FEMALE PILOT TO BE AWARDED IN CEREMONIES HERE IN THE AIR FORCE. OUR FEMALE PILOT ARE SO OUTSTANDING THEY MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR MALE SOLDIERS TO DEAL WITH THE FEMALE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

WE ALSO COMMEND THE VIGILANCE OF THE TACTICAL OPERATIONS COMMAND UNDER MAJ. GEN. MARS ILAGAN, FOR PREEMPTING A REBEL ATTACK LAST NOVEMBER IN CABATANGAN; THE INNOVATIVE SPIRIT OF THE AIR FORCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UNDER COL. SAPLAN; THE HEROIC RESCUE EFFORTS OF LT. COL. EDGAR FALLORINA IN THE SIRAWAI OPERATIONS; AND THE EFFECTIVE NON-COMBAT SUPPORT PROVIDED BY TECH. SGT. VIRGILIO DRIS TO AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE ENEMY IN MINDANAO.

I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE PROVIDED BY MY WING, THE 250th PRESIDENTIAL AIRLIFT WING, MY OWN AIR WING OF OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONALS UNDER COL. RAMON RAGASA WHO WAS MY PERSONAL CHOICE TO SUCCEED GENERAL BOY CASTILLANO WHO IS OUR TROOP COMMANDER TODAY. TO BOY CASTILLANO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING TAKEN CARE OF MY SAFETY; AND TO COL. TIGS RAGASA ... I WAS ASKING GEN. DEFENSOR, "WHY DO YOU CALL HIM TIGS?" AND HE SAID, "BECAUSE HE IS 'TIGAS.'" THANK YOU FOR CONVERTING TWO OF MY ESCORT AIRCRAFT INTO GUN SHIPS TO KEEP ME SAFE IN MY TRAVELS.

I SALUTE THE 730th CIVIL SECURITY GROUP THAT HELPED QUELL THE MAY 1st RIOT. THIS UNIT UNDER LT. COL. JUNGCO HAS PERFORMED SO WELL THAT IT WAS PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO TASK FORCE LIBRA TO BEEF UP THE SECURITY OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. BUT SINCE THE THREAT OF DESTABILIZATION HAS DIED DOWN, AND TASK FORCE LIBRA IS MAINLY TO PROTECT THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT AGAINST DESTABILIZATION, I THINK THAT THE GROUP SHOULD NOW BE ATTACHED TO AKTAF, THE ANTI-KIDNAPPING TASK FORCE OF THE ARMED FORCES THAT WAS FORMED SHORTLY AFTER THE SCHILLING RESCUE LAST YEAR TO HELP THE POLICE FIGHT URBAN KIDNAPPING. WHEN THE DOS PALMAS KIDNAPPING OCCURRED, THE AKTAF DEVOTED MUCH OF ITS EFFORT IN THE YEAR-LONG SIEGE AGAINST THE ABU SAYYAF TERRORIST KIDNAPERS. WITH THE ABU SAYYAF NOW LARGELY DEGRADED, THE AKTAF SHOULD NOW GO BACK TO FIGHTING URBAN KIDNAPPING. SO I AM INSTRUCTING THE HEAD OF AKTAF AND THE HEAD OF AIR FORCE CIVIL SECURITY GROUP TO JOIN THE ANTI-KIDNAPPING SUMMIT TOMORROW.

LAST YEAR, I SAID I WOULD WORK FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ONE MORE C-130. THAT C-130 IS NOW SERVING DUTY. THAT'S THE C-130 POSING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BILLBOARD WITH ME HERE.

I ALSO COMMITTED TO HASTEN THE DELIVERY OF FIVE MORE UH-1H HELICOPTERS FOR COMBAT AND RESCUE OPERATIONS. THESE FIVE ARE NOW FLYING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WHEN I SAY I WILL DO SOMETHING I DO IT. AND IN THE PIPELINE ARE TEN MORE HUEYS.

WE NEED RELIABLE AIR SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT. BALIKATAN SHOWED US HOW INDISPENSABLE THESE ARE. OUR PILOTS NEED ELECTRONIC EYESIGHT WHEN NAVIGATING IN BAD WEATHER OR AT NIGHT. RECENTLY PRESIDENT BUSH APPROVED A DRAWDOWN OF 10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE PHILIPPINES. I AM INSTRUCTING GENERAL ROY CIMATU TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DRAWDOWN INCLUDES ELECTRONIC EYESIGHT EQUIPMENT AND OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT WILL LET OUR PILOTS FLY AT NIGHT AND IN BAD WEATHER.

I COMMITTED TO HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL PLANE SOLD SO WE CAN AUGMENT THE PAF'S MODERNIZATION FUNDS. WE HAVE PUT THE PLANE ON THE BLOCK, THOUGH SO FAR, THERE HAVE BEEN NO TAKERS.

ON THE HUMAN RESOURCE SIDE, I SAID WE MUST RAISE THE PAY OF OUR SOLDIERS TO THE LEVEL OF OUR TEACHERS'. I THANK SENATOR LEGARDA, CONGRESSMAN TEODORO AND THE OTHER SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN BECAUSE THANKS TO THEM THE LAW HAS BEEN PASSED AND WILL START A PHASED-IN IMPLEMENTATION WITH SAVINGS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

THE BALIKATAN EXERCISES OF 2001 AND 2002 BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS. FUTURE BALIKATAN AND OTHER PROGRAMS UNDER OUR VARIOUS BILATERAL AND MULTI-LATERAL AGREEMENTS WILL HAVE A HEAVY DOSE OF NIGHT FLYING AND OTHER CAPABILITIES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE EXPERTISE OF THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE.

IT WAS I WHO DECREED THAT THIS YEAR'S BALIKATAN SHOULD BE DONE IN ZAMBOANGA AND BASILAN. THE COMING BALIKATANS WILL HAVE A SULU COMPONENT, BUT ON THE WHOLE I THINK BALIKATAN SHOULD COME BACK TO LUZON, TO CLARK AIR FORCE CITY, TO FORT MAGSAYSAY, AND TO TANAY.

PART OF THE BALIKATAN 2, A LARGE PART, MUST BE FOR MAINTENANCE TRAINING AND FOR OTHER MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR PILOTS.

ASIDE FROM THOSE THAT WE HONOR TODAY, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS HAVE SNUFFED OUT THE LIVES OF GOOD PILOTS -- CAPT. DANIEL POLICARPIO, LT. MARY GRACE BALOYO AND LT. RIZZA SIMON. I GRIEVE WITH THE COMMAND AND EXTOL THE SERVICES OF THESE PILOTS AND THEIR SACRIFICE.

AND AS YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND PRESIDENT, WHEN WE SPEAK OF SACRIFICE I ALSO FEEL THE STEEP SACRIFICES BEING UNDERGONE BY THE MASSES OF OUR PEOPLE.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WHENEVER I AM AT A CROSSROADS, I TURN TO GOD FOR DISCERNMENT AND TO MY FATHER, THE LATE PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL, FOR INSPIRATION.

MY FATHER SAID IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS, AND I QUOTE:

"NO PRESIDENT CAN BUILD THE WHOLE EDIFICE OF A NATION. ALL THAT HE IS CALLED UPON TO DO IS TO ADD A FINE STONE TO THAT EDIFICE, SO THAT THOSE WHO SHALL COME AFTER HIM MAY ADD OTHER FINE STONES THAT WILL GO FOR A STRONG AND ENDURING STRUCTURE."

THE NATION'S EDIFICE IS THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN STATE. OUR VERY FIRST CONSTITUTION RATIFIED IN 1899, GAVE THAT STATE ITS NAME, THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC.

WITHOUT THAT STRUCTURE WE CALL THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC, THE NATION WITHERS AND EVENTUALLY DECAYS.

RIZAL, BONIFACIO, AGUINALDO, AND OUR MANY REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISTS SET DOWN THE FIRST STONES FOR THE EDIFICE IN THE 19th CENTURY. BUT THE REPUBLIC WAS SHORT-LIVED, ABORTED BY U.S. IMPERIALISM. IT WAS THE VERY FIRST REPUBLICAN STATE ESTABLISHED IN ASIA, YET IT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE WEAKEST IN THE REGION. IT WAS REESTABLISHED IN 1946, BUT WE HAVE FAILED TO STRENGTHEN AND BUILD IT THROUGH THE 20th CENTURY.

HAVING SURVIVED THE ELEMENTS OF DESTABILIZATION AFTER EDSA DOS, IT IS OUR MISSION NOW, THE DUTY OF THIS GENERATION, TO FINALLY BUILD THIS STRONG STRUCTURE FOR THE PHILIPPINE NATION IN THE 21st CENTURY.

A GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY FOR A FEW, BUT FOR ALL; A REPUBLIC STRONG SO THAT IT COULD HELP AND DEFEND THE POOREST, THE WEAKEST OF FILIPINOS.

A STRONG REPUBLIC, AT THE VERY LATEST BY THE END OF THIS DECADE, IS MY DREAM, AND IT SHOULD BE THE DREAM OF THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE.

JOBLESSNESS AND LAW AND ORDER ARE OUR FOREMOST CHALLENGES TO A STRONG REPUBLIC. DEPRIVATION AND INJUSTICE MUST BE MET SQUARELY. WE MUST GIVE OUR BEST TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST JOBLESSNESS AND CRIME. THEY ARE THE REASONS WHY THE AFP AND THE PAF MUST FORGE ON WITH THE HIGH MISSION.

OUR RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF TERRORISTS HAS WON US PRAISE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. BUT WE NEED NOT JUST PRAISE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FROM THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY WE NEED THEIR INVESTMENTS TO CREATE JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE. AND TO EARN NOT ONLY THEIR PRAISE BUT ALSO THEIR INVESTMENTS, WE MUST PURSUE NOT JUST THE TERRORIST KIDNAPPERS BUT ALSO THE COMMON CRIMINAL KIDNAP-FOR-RANSOM GANGS.

I COMMEND ALL OUR AIRMEN FOR THEIR YEAR-LONG ACHIEVEMENTS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALSO JOIN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST KIDNAPPING AND CRIME BECAUSE I CONSIDER THESE AS SERIOUS THREATS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. I KNOW YOU STRIVE TO LIVE BY YOUR THEME: "FIRST TO RESPOND, FIRST TO DELIVER, PROUD TO SERVE."

WHEN I ORDERED AFP DOCTRINES TO BE REDEFINED LAST YEAR, THE PAF READILY SUBMITTED ITS "FIRST FORCE" STRATEGY. I COMMEND GEN. BENJIE DEFENSOR FOR THIS.

YOUR "PROUD TO SERVE" PRINCIPLE SQUARELY FALLS IN LINE WITH MY CALL FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE, ETHICAL CONDUCT AND TEAMWORK. AND I CERTAINLY COMMEND THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE AIR FORCE WITH THE EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP GIVEN BY NO LESS THAN THE CHIEF OF THE AIR FORCE.

THERE ARE MANY STORIES I COULD TELL ABOUT THE PROFESSIONALISM OF BENJIE DEFENSOR BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER OCCASION.

IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT NOT MUCH TIME. I THANK THE AIR FORCE FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. CONTINUE TO BE PROFESSIONAL, CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE REPUBLIC. IN THAT WAY WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN THE AIR FORCE AND BRING IT BACK TO GLORY DAYS OF THE 1960s, THE DAYS OF MY FATHER, THE LATE PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL, THE DAYS OF THE BLUE DIAMOND, WE WILL BE A DIAMOND IN THE PHILIPPINE SKIES ONCE AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

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