PGMA's Speech during the Awarding Ceremonies of the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence

PGMA's Speech during the Awarding Ceremonies of the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence

Le Pavillion, Roxas Boulevard, Manila (19 June 2002)

MARAMING SALAMAT PO.

MARAMING SALAMAT KAY TESSIE ANG-SEE, ANG SIMBOLO NG LABAN KONTRA SA KRIMEN.
MARAMING SALAMAT TESSIE SA LAHAT NG GINAGAWA MO.

DANTE ANG, ANG CHAIRMAN NG DR. JOSE RIZAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE; ASSOCIATE
JUSTICE BERNARDO PARDO; SI MAYOR NG QUEZON CITY, SONNY BELMONTE, SON-IN-LAW
NG FILIPINO-CHINESE COMMUNITY; SI DANTE LIBAN, ANG ATING INCOMING
DIRECTOR-GENERAL NG TESDA; SI RONY DIAZ, ANG PUBLISHER NG MANILA TIMES; SI
MS. ROSA ROSAL, ANG ATING NAGMAMAHAL SA MAHIHIRAP; NANDITO YATA SI MAYOR NG
NAGA CITY, SI JESSIE ROBREDO; YUNG MGA TATANGGAP NG DR. JOSE
RIZAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE, PATI NA RIN YUNG TOP TEN OUTSTANDING
FILIPINO-CHINESE AWARDEES; NARITO RIN YATA SI FORMER PRIME MINISTER CESAR
VIRATA; AT NAKITA KO SI FORMER CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR GABBY
SINGSON.

IF I MAY GREET THE HONOREES WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, JOHN NG, PRESIDENT OF THE
FEDERATION; LYONEL TY, PRESIDENT OF KAISA; SI LUCIO
TAN, CHAIRMAN NG ALLIED BANK; SI HENRY SY OF SM; MR.
JOHN GOKONGWEI OF JG; MR. GEORGE TY OF METROBANK; MR.
PAO SHIH TIEN OF CHIANG KAI SHEK; SI JAMES DY OF THE
PHILIPPINE-CHINESE CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION, 'DI KO SIYA NAKITA;
DAVID CHUA, THE SON OF BEN CHUA; JOCELYN ONG, THE SISTER OF
LAWRENCE ONG, VOLUNTEER WORKER; I THINK IT'S ELTON WHO'S HERE,
AND MRS. TAN YU; RICKY LEE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, 'DI KO SIYA
NAKITA; JOHN LU KWA, BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP;
JOSE TAN, COMMUNITY SERVICE; KIN ALI CHUA, EDUCATION;
JULIE YAP DAZA, JOURNALISM; JOSIAH GO, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE;
DIBON YOK, MEDICINE; AND PERRY ONG, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY.

DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE FILIPINO-CHINESE COMMUNITY; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ONCE AGAIN WITH THE LEADERS AND
MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE-FILIPINO COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN WITH THIS COMMUNITY
THREE TIMES THIS MONTH BEFORE TONIGHT, BUT HERE I AM AGAIN,
BECAUSE THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMY, AND
DANTE ANG, WHO URGED ME TO ATTEND THIS AFFAIR, DOES SO MUCH WORK FOR ME
THAT MY PRESENCE IS ALL I CAN DO TO REPAY HIS DEDICATION.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MANILA TIMES AND ITS SISTER PUBLICATION, KABAYAN,
FOR HAVING THOUGHT OF THIS SEARCH FOR EXCELLENCE. I ALSO CONGRATULATE THE
CO-SPONSORS OF THIS UNDERTAKING, THE FEDERATION OF FILIPINO-CHINESE
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, KAISA, PHILIPPINE-CHINESE CHARITABLE
ASSOCIATION, AND THE CHINESE-FILIPINO BUSINESS CLUB.

BUT MOST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DISTINGUISHED COMPANY OF
CHINESE-FILIPINOS BEING HONORED TONIGHT FOR HELPING ADVANCE THE INTERESTS
OF THE TSINOY CONSTITUENCY AND FOR HELPING BUILD THE NATION THROUGH THEIR
PERSONAL VOCATIONS.

TONIGHT'S AWARDS BREAK THE NATIONAL STEREOTYPE THAT THE TYPICAL TSINOY
MAKES HIS MARK IN SOCIETY ONLY THROUGH BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

THE MODERN, ENTERPRISING TSINOY HAS BROKEN OUT OF THAT MOLD. TONIGHT, TEN
OUTSTANDING CHINESE-FILIPINOS WILL BE CITED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AS MENTIONED BY EDDIE MERCADO, IN THE FIELDS OF ART AND
CULTURE, BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, COMMUNITY SERVICE, EDUCATION,
JOURNALISM, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE, MEDICINE, PUBLIC SERVICE, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, AND SPORTS.

AND NO AWARDS NIGHT FOR CHINESE-FILIPINOS, OF COURSE, WILL BE COMPLETE
WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GIANT TAIPANS OF THE
PHILIPPINES. WHAT A SIGNIFICANT NIGHT IT IS WHEN WE HAVE HERE
LUCIO TAN, HENRY SY, JOHN GOKONGWEI, GEORGE TY, ANGELO KING,
REPRESENTATIVES OF ALFONSO YUCHENGCO, AND PAO SHIH TIEN WHO HAS EDUCATED SO
MANY OF THE OTHERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.

I SHARE THE VISION OF THE SPONSORS IN AWARDING THE RIZAL POSTHUMOUS AWARDS
TO MRS. BETTY GO-BELMONTE -- AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT ONLY SONNY WHO IS HERE BUT MY DAUGHTER'S DEAR
FRIEND, JOY BELMONTE -- AND OF COURSE OUR BELOVED BEN CHUA, AS
WELL AS LAWRENCE ONG AND TAN YU.

OUR NATIONAL HERO, JOSE RIZAL, IS THE CLASSIC CHINESE-FILIPINO WHOSE LIFE
AND WORK HELPED FOUND A NATION AND BROUGHT FILIPINOS CLOSER TOGETHER.

RIZAL WAS DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE ASCENDANCY OF A UNITED FILIPINO NATION.
AN EMINENT FILIPINO HISTORIAN DESCRIBED HIM AS ONE WHO "FORMULATED THE
REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT OF THE FILIPINO NATION AS INCLUDING CHRISTIANS AND
MUSLIMS AND ALL OTHER PEOPLES OF THE ARCHIPELAGO, IN ONE ALL-EMBRACING
FRATERNAL UNION." RIZAL WANTED HIS COUNTRYMEN TO CREATE A NEW NATION
COMMITTED TO A SHARED DESTINY.

SI DR. JOSE RIZAL AY BAYANI NOON AT NANANATILING BAYANI DAHIL NAMAMALAGI
SIYA SA MGA PUSO AT ISIPAN NG MGA BINIBIGYAN NATING PARANGAL NGAYONG GABI.
SINASABUHAY ANG KANYANG MGA TINURO AT HINABILIN AT PAWANG INSPIRASYON SA
MGA CHINESE-FILIPINOS ANG BUHAY NI JOSE RIZAL AT SIMULAIN.

SI DR. JOSE RIZAL AY BAYANI NOON AT NANANATILING BAYANI DAHIL BINABAHAGI
ANG TALINO AT LAKAS NG ATING MGA FILIPINO-CHINESE AWARDEES PARA SA IBA,
NAGLALAAN SILA NG ORAS PARA MATULUNGAN ANG MAS NANGANGAILANGAN, AT HANDA
SILANG KUMILOS SA ABOT NG KANILANG MAKAKAYA PARA MAAHON ANG ATING MGA
KABABAYAN SA KAHIRAPAN.

SI DR. JOSE RIZAL AY BAYANI NOON AT NANANATILING BAYANI DAHIL NANATILING
BUKAS ANG ISIP AT PUSO NG ATING MGA AWARDEES NA FILIPINO-CHINESE KAGAYA
NIYA SA PAGBABAGONG DULOT NG PAGLIPAS NG PANAHON, AT HANDA SILANG TANGGAPIN
ANG HAMON NG PAG-UNLAD AT MATALINO NILA TONG HINAHARAP.

THE DR. JOSE P. RIZAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE, NAMED AFTER THE PRIDE OF THE
MALAY RACE, HONOR OUTSTANDING CHINESE-FILIPINO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENCE IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE
GROWTH OF THE NATION.

I AM PROUD TO HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE LEADERS OF THE CHINESE-FILIPINO
COMMUNITY AND TO HAVE BEEN WITH YOU IN THE NUMEROUS CAUSES AND PROGRAMS OF
THE TSINOY CONSTITUENCY. INDEED, UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, THE GOVERNMENT
AND THE TSINOYS HAVE BUILT NEW BRIDGES OF FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING.

I RECALL THAT ONE OF MY ACTS AS NEW PRESIDENT LAST YEAR WAS TO VISIT
CHINATOWN IN BINONDO AND HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE LEADERS OF THE TSINOY
CONSTITUENCY.

IN MY MEETINGS, I ASKED THE CHINESE-FILIPINOS TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT, THE
NEW GOVERNMENT, CARRY OUT AND COMPLETE ITS PROGRAM OF CHANGE AND REFORM.

NOW I AM AGAIN ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES FOR OUR
COUNTRY; AND THEY ARE DIFFICULT TIMES FOR ME AS A LEADER.

I AM VERY SAD THAT PUBLIC SATISFACTION WITH MY ADMINISTRATION IS MUCH LOWER
TODAY THAN TWO MONTHS AGO, APPARENTLY DUE TO PUBLIC DISMAY OVER ELECTRICITY
RATES.

THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE MID-1995 RICE CRISIS DURING THE RAMOS
ADMINISTRATION. AT THAT TIME, PRESIDENT RAMOS' NET RATINGS DECLINED EVEN
MORE SHARPLY THAN MINE HAVE DECLINED, NOTWITHSTANDING THE SMALL EFFECT OF
ONE COMMODITY, RICE, ON THE OVERALL INFLATION RATE IN 1995.

IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY IS ALSO VERY SOCIALLY SENSITIVE.

LEARNING FROM PRESIDENT RAMOS' EXPERIENCE, I HAVE KEPT THE PRICE OF RICE
DOWN. IT HAS NOT RISEN SINCE I BECAME PRESIDENT. BUT THEN, THERE'S
ANOTHER COMMODITY THAT HAS REPLACED RICE AS THE POLITICAL COMMODITY.

MY CONSOLATION IS THAT WHEN PRESIDENT RAMOS WAS ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
FROM -- HIS VERY LOW SATISFACTION RATING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RICE CRISIS,
TO THE SHORT PERIOD UP TO THE APEC SUMMIT -- HE RECOVERED QUITE COMFORTABLY.

ALTHOUGH HALF OF THE PUBLIC BELIEVE THAT I HAVE NO POWER TO RESTRAIN THE
PRICE OF ELECTRICITY, A SIGNIFICANT ONE-THIRD SEE ME AS HAVING PARTIAL
POWER, AND ONE-SIXTH SEE ME WITH FULL POWER OVER THIS PRICE.

THOUGH THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY IS NOT A PROBLEM OF MY MAKING, I AM DOING
MY BEST WITHIN MY POWER TO ALLEVIATE THE SITUATION. LAST MAY, I
INSTRUCTED, LAST MONTH, I INSTRUCTED THE NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION TO
REDUCE ITS PURCHASED POWER COST ADJUSTMENT TO 40 CENTAVOS. BECAUSE OF
THIS, FROM BEING THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE COST OF ELECTRICITY IN THE REGION, WE WILL GO DOWN TO NUMBER SIX AFTER YOUR PPCA REDUCTION
TAKES EFFECT IN YOUR JULY BILLING. UNTIL THEN, AND EVEN
AFTERWARDS, I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.

IN TURN, I ASSURE THE TSINOYS ONCE AGAIN THAT MY ADMINISTRATION WILL HELP
YOU REALIZE YOUR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, AS I HAVE BEEN DOING DURING THE
PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF OF MY ADMINISTRATION.

FOR INSTANCE, AT YOUR REQUEST, I PUSHED INTO LAW A NATURALIZATION MEASURE
DESIGNED TO SPEED UP THE LEGALIZATION OF STAY OF QUALIFIED FOREIGNERS,
INCLUDING UNDOCUMENTED CHINESE. NOW PLEASE HELP ME GET THE CHINESE
COMMUNITY TO AVAIL OF THIS LAW BECAUSE IF THE CHINESE WE EXPECTED TO AVAIL
WILL AVAIL IT WILL GREATLY ACHIEVE OUR BUDGET DEFICIT CEILING TARGET, WHICH
IS SO IMPORTANT FOR MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, WHICH IN TURN IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR THE LOW INTEREST RATES, THE LOW INFLATION RATE, AND THE STABLE EXCHANGE
RATE THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS ENJOYING TODAY.

PART OF WHAT I PROMISED YOU WAS THE OBSERVANCE OF A NATIONAL
FILIPINO-CHINESE FRIENDSHIP DAY. AND I HAVE DELIVERED ON THAT PROMISE
THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN WITH YOU THREE TIMES THIS PAST MONTH BECAUSE ON JUNE
7, WE CELEBRATED THE FIRST FILIPINO-CHINESE FRIENDSHIP DAY.

MY GREATEST WISH IS TO SEE THE TSINOY COMMUNITY LIVING IN PEACE.

I BELIEVE, AS YOU DO, THAT PROGRESS IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT PEACE, JUST AS
PEACE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT PROGRESS.

I REALIZE THAT OUR EFFORT TO CREATE JOBS IN ORDER TO FIGHT POVERTY WILL NOT
SUCCEED AS LONG AS TERRORISM AND CRIMINALITY THREATEN THE WELL-BEING OF OUR
CITIZENS. I NEED YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN BRINGING TO AN END THE
TERRORISTIC AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN SUFFERING.

NEXT MONTH AS YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE A NEW CHIEF OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
POLICE. ACTUALLY HE WAS YOUR CHOICE FROM THE BEGINNING OF MY
ADMINISTRATION. AND I TOLD HIM, I TOLD JUN EBDANE, THAT SINCE HE HAS THE
SUPPORT OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, HIS MAIN CHALLENGE IS TO ELIMINATE
KIDNAPPING IN ONE YEAR. HE FEELS HE CAN DO IT BECAUSE HE IS
COUNTING ON YOUR SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. I KNOW THAT THE TSINOY
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON THIS, AND I'M
QUITE SURE THAT IT WILL WORK EVEN MORE CLOSELY WHEN GENERAL EBDANE BECOMES
THE CHIEF PNP. BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN JUN EBDANE A CHALLENGE, AND I KNOW YOU
WILL SUPPORT HIM, I WILL GIVE HIM THE FULL AUTHORITY, AND ALSO THE FULL
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ELIMINATING KIDNAPPING. THUS WHEN HE BECOMES THE CHIEF
PNP, I WILL ABOLISH THE NATIONAL ANTI-CRIME COMMISSION SO YOU TALK ONLY TO
ONE PERSON IN FIGHTING KIDNAPPING. WITH YOUR HELP, THIS ADMINISTRATION
WILL MEET THE PROBLEM OF KIDNAPPING WITH MORE FOCUS AND COUNTERFORCE.

ON A MORE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, WE WILL IMPROVE THE ON-THE-GROUND CAPABILITY
OF THE PNP, AND WE WILL HAVE A MORE DISCIPLINED PROCESSING OF INTELLIGENCE.
UPON THE SUGGESTION OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR, THE SCOTLAND YARD
OF GREAT BRITAIN IS HELPING THE PNP BUILD UP ITS SKILLS AND CAPACITY TO
FIGHT KIDNAPPING AND OTHER ORGANIZED CRIMES. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF AN
AGREEMENT I HAD WITH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR IN MY VISIT TO LONDON LAST
JANUARY. WE ARE NOW WORKING ON A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT WITH THE HONG KONG
POLICE.

DESPITE THE KIDNAPPING INCIDENTS AND DESPITE THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY, OUR
ECONOMY PULLED THROUGH IN THE LAST ONE YEAR-AND-A-HALF; AND WE DID THIS
WHILE THE ECONOMIES OF MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND TRADING PARTNERS SUFFERED
DECLINES. IN FACT, DURING THIS PAST ONE YEAR-AND-A-HALF, THE PHILIPPINES
WHAT THE THIRD BEST PERFORMING COUNTRY IN THIS REGION, NEXT ONLY TO CHINA
AND TO VIETNAM.

THE CHINESE CONSTITUENCY IS ONE OF THE PRIME MOVERS OF THE ECONOMY. AND AS
WE ARE WITNESSING TONIGHT, AND AS WE CAN WITNESS EVERYDAY, CHINATOWN IS A
SPAWNING GROUND OF TALENT, GENIUS, ACHIEVEMENT, AND EXCELLENCE.

TO ENABLE THAT RESOURCE TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH, MY ADMINISTRATION IS
COMMITTED TO WORK DOUBLY HARD TO ENSURE THAT ORDER, DISCIPLINE AND CIVILITY
SHALL EXIST IN BINONDO AND OTHER BINONDOS IN THE COUNTRY.

I ENCOURAGE YOUNG TSINOYS TO JOIN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND
CONSIDER MAKING POLICE WORK A LIFETIME CAREER.

I ASK OUR YOUNG TSINOYS TO JOIN US IN OUR TRAINING SESSIONS SO THAT THEY
WOULD GAIN THE EXPERTISE NEEDED TO DETECT AND STOP KIDNAPPINGS.

IN MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS LAST YEAR, I SAID THAT I WANT THE BULK OF
THE KIDNAPPING SYNDICATES BEHIND BARS. WELL WITH YOUR CHOICE AT THE HELM
OF THE PNP, LET US WORK TO ERADICATE THE KIDNAP GANGS, AND ARREST,
PROSECUTE AND JAIL THE KIDNAP BOSSES.

I ASK YOU TO BE WITH ME IN THIS ENDEAVOR BECAUSE IF WE ARE TOGETHER THERE
IS MUCH THAT WE CAN DO. KAILANGAN KO KAYO.

MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG LAHAT.

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