PGMA's Speech during the 179th Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA)

PGMA's Speech during the 179th Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA)

PMMA Grandstrand, San Narciso, Zambales (28 June 2002)

MARAMING SALAMAT, GOVERNOR VIC MAGSAYSAY SA IYUNG NAPAKAGANDANG PAGPAKILALA SA AKING KAGANDAHAN. AT SALAMAT DIN SA IYONG SUPORTA AT TULONG SA AKIN HINDI LAMANG SA LALAWIGAN NG ZAMBALES KUNG HINDI SA IBA'T-IBANG BAHAGI NG AKING TRABAHO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR MAGSAYSAY.

BINABATI KO RIN ANG MGA OFFICIALS NG PMMA, REAR ADMIRAL ARIS; BINABATI KO RIN SI COMMANDANT NG COAST GUARD, VICE ADMIRAL RUBEN LISTA, OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS NG PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY; SI REAR ADMIRAL PARTOR RAMOS; AT 'YUNG AKING KASAMA SA HELICOPTER NA DUMATING NGAYON. HININGI KO NA SUMAMA SA AKIN, SI SECRETARY PAT STO. TOMAS NA MAGING BISITA RIN DITO; SI CHAIRMAN NG CHED, ESTER GARCIA; AT SAKA SI P.A. NG NORTH LUZON RENE DIAZ.

BINABATI KO YUNG MGA TIGA-RITO, SI MAYOR LIM, MAYOR NG... SAAN SI MAYOR? NANDIYAN BA SIYA? AH 'YON, NAGSALUBONG SA AKIN KANINA, THANK YOU MAYOR; AT SAKA SI TONG PAYUMO, YUNG ISANG PINANGGAGALINGAN NG MARAMING TRABAHO DITO SA ZAMBALES, SBMA CHAIR.

SALAMAT RIN FATHER BRUCELAS SA INYONG DASAL KANINA; OTHER MUNICIPAL AND TOWN MAYORS PRESENT HERE TODAY; MEMBERS OF THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2002; PMMA BOARD OF TRUSTEES; PMMA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS; THE DEANS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF THE ACADEMY; THE OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SHIPPING ANG MINING AGENCIES; THE PRESIDENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF REGION III; THE PARENTS; THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, AND MEMBERS OF THE GRADUATING CLASS; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE IN YOUR PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMY. SABI NGA NILA, FIRST TIME NA ANG PANGULO AY NAGPUNTA DITO SA PMMA IN YOUR ALMOST 200 YEARS OF EXISTENCE BECAUSE I WANT TO CONVEY TO YOU THE EXPECTATION OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT FROM YOUR ACADEMY COMES THE BEST MERCHANT MARINES OF THE WORLD.

NAKA-TIKAS PAHINGA BA KAYO? OKAY, WALA KASI TAYONG TROOP... YES, TROOP COMMANDER, PLEASE GIVE THE ORDER 'TIKAS PAHINGA.'

TO OUR GRADUATES, I SHARE THE JOY OF YOUR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS. WE ANTICIPATE HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE ENDEAVORS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS.

SA MGA GRADUATING STUDENTS DITO, LAHAT KAYO MAY TRABAHO NA. THIRD YEAR PA LANG KAYO MAY TRABAHO NA KAYO KAYA CONGRATULATIONS SA INYONG LAHAT.

FOR THOSE WHO WILL LISTEN TO ME ON NATIONAL T.V., THE PMMA IS NOT A NEW INSTITUTION. IT WAS THE ESCUELA NAUTICA DE MANILA SET UP IN 1820. IT IS THE OLDEST MERCHANT MARINE SCHOOL IN THE PHILIPPINES. LATER IT WAS THE PHILIPPINE NAUTICAL SCHOOL AS RENAMED BY THE AMERICANS, AND FINALLY THE PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY DURING THE TIME OF MY FATHER, THE LATE PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL. SINCE THEN YOUR SCHOOL HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN OUR COUNTRY'S PREMIER MARITIME ACADEMY -- KAYO ANG PMA NG MERCHANT MARINES. YOU ARE THE MAIN SOURCE OF QUALIFIED OFFICERS FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL MARINE FLEETS, PERO SA INYONG MGA GRADUATING STUDENTS DITO, DOON DIN NANGGAGALING ANG ILANG NAVAL OFFICERS AT LABINGDALAWA NGA SA INYO ANG MAGIGING COAST GUARD OFFICERS NI RUBEN LISTA.

I CONGRATULATE REAR ADMIRAL ARIS AND THE REST OF YOUR ACADEMIC FAMILY. THEY HAVE SUSTAINED THE ACADEMY'S MANDATE TO PRODUCE EFFICIENT AND WELL-TRAINED MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS. THE OFFICERS HAVE CARRIED ON THE NOBLE MISSION OF "EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN PEACE AND SERVING AS NAVAL AND MILITARY AUXILIARIES IN TIMES OF WAR AND NATIONAL EMERGENCY."

ALAM N'YO -- WELL, ALAM N'YONG LAHAT PERO HINDI ALAM NG LAHAT -- NA 'PAG KAYO AY NAG-GRADUATE SA PMMA, AUTOMATICALLY, KUNG HINDI MAN KAYO PUMASOK SA COAST GUARD, KAYO AY AUTOMATICALLY RESERVED FORCES NG ATING PHILIPPINE NAVY.

AND IN KEEPING WITH OUR REQUIREMENTS TO PROMOTE HONEST, ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN JULY OF THIS YEAR WHERE THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED HERE BY NORTHERN LUZON COMMANDER RODOLFO GARCIA, GENERAL GARCIA I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT YET GOING ABROAD OR ON THEIR SHIPS FROM THIS BATCH AND FROM PREVIOUS BATCHES, TO PLEASE ENLIST AND MOBILIZE THE SERVICES OF THE RESERVED OFFICERS OF PMMA FOR YOUR MISSION FOR JULY 15 AND THE EVENTS PRECEEDING THAT.

THE PMMA HAS ADHERED TO HIGHLY EXACTING GLOBAL STANDARDS IN TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCHKEEPING. AND THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATION OR ISO 9001, YOUR GRADUATES ARE AMONG THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER IN THEIR FIELDS.

YOU HAVE A 95 PERCENT AVERAGE PASSING IN THE NATIONAL BOARD EXAMS, AND ALL OF THE PASSERS ARE IMMEDIATELY GIVEN JOBS BY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANIES. LAHAT NG MGA BANDERA DOON AY 'YUNG MGA SHIPPING LINES AY NAKAHELERA NA PARA MAKA-HIRE NA SA MGA GRADUATING STUDENTS NG PMMA. THE PMMA IS THE SOURCE OF 10 PERCENT OF THE 50,000 FILIPINO DECK AND ENGINE OFFICERS WORKING IN VARIOUS SHIPPING COMPANIES. IT IS DIFFICULT TO EQUAL THIS RECORD.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GUARANTEE THE CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF FILIPINO SEA-BASED WORKERS WHEN ASIDE FROM OUR EXCELLENT PRODUCTS SUCH AS THE GRADUATING STUDENTS TODAY, OUR COUNTRY TOOK LAST NOVEMBER AGAIN ANOTHER SLOT, THE SIXTH SLOT, IN THE 32-MEMBER COUNCIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION. THIS IS OUR THIRD CONSECUTIVE ELECTION TO A TWO-YEAR TERM. OUR MEMBERSHIP IN THE I.M.O COUNCIL AFFIRMS OUR RESOLVE TO UPHOLD ALL CONVENTIONS, PROTOCOLS AND RESOLUTIONS OF THIS INTERNATIONAL BODY AND ALSO IT ENABLES US TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THE FILIPINO SEA-BASED WORKERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL POLICY-MAKING BODY.

THE POWER OF SEA-BASED FILIPINO WORKERS LIES NOT ONLY IN YOUR INDUSTRY AND COMPETENCE, BUT ALSO IN YOUR VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ECONOMY. SEA-BASED WORKERS GIVE US TWO BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN ANNUAL REMITTANCES, THIS IS A CRUCIAL BUOY FOR MILLIONS OF DEPENDENTS AMONG OUR PEOPLE. EVERY YEAR, SIX BILLION DOLLARS ARE SENT TO US BY OVERSEAS FILIPINOS. AND OF THE SIX BILLION DOLLARS, TWO BILLION OR ONE-THIRD COMES FROM OUR SEA-BASED WORKERS. AND IF WE TALK ABOUT THE PMMA ALUMNI, THEY GIVE US ANNUALLY 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN REMITTANCES. SO, I THANK YOU ESPECIALLY FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, OUR GDP GROWTH RATE THIS YEAR IS 3.8 PERCENT, GNP 4.9 PERCENT. BY BOTH COUNTS, THE HIGHEST IN ASEAN AND THE THIRD HIGHEST IN ASIA. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 3.8 AND 4.9, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GDP AND GNP IS THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINOS AND AGAIN ONE-THIRD OF THAT COMES FROM OUR SEAFARERS. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOOK UPON THE PMMA AS ONE OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL PERPETUATE THE GREATNESS OF THE GREAT FILIPINO SEAFARER. THE WELFARE OF OUR OVERSEAS HUMAN CAPITAL CONTINUES TO STAND AS A PRIORITY OF MY ADMINISTRATION.

YOU DEAL WITH MANY AGENCIES. BUT LET ME CLARIFY WHICH ONE IS THE MAIN COUNTERPART OF THE SEAFARES IN MY GOVERNMENT. IT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT AND ITS ATTACHED AGENCIES. THAT'S WHY PAT STO. TOMAS IS HERE UPON MY PERSONAL INVITATION. WHAT HAS PAT DONE FOR OUR SEAFARERS? SHE HAS REDUCED PROCESSING TIME FOR VITAL DOCUMENTS NEEDED BY OUR OVERSEAS WORKERS THROUGH A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM THAT HAS CUT OFW DOCUMENTATION TIME BY HALF. SEA-BASED WORKERS CAN NOW PROCESS YOUR PAPERS WITHIN SIX HOURS WHEN IN THE PAST YOU HAD TO DO IT IN 12 OR MORE HOURS.

THE DOLE HAS ALSO SET UP THE FLEXIFUND TO ENCOURAGE OFW SAVINGS FOR PERSONAL AND FUTURE INVESTMENT NEEDS. NOT THAT YOU NEED SO MANY SAVINGS, BECAUSE OUR YOUNG MEN AND ONE WOMAN GRADUATING TODAY HAVE JOBS WAITING FOR THEM WITH A STARTING SALARY OF 2,500 DOLLARS A MONTH. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. AND IF YOU WANT TO USE PART OF THAT SAVINGS TO BUY HOUSES FOR YOUR FAMILIES BACK HOME, THE HUDCC (HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL) HAS SPECIAL HOUSING PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE THE OWNERSHIP OF OFWs OF THEIR HOMES. AND I ASK PAT STO. TOMAS TO WORK OUT A SPECIAL MEANS BY WHICH PART OF THE 80 PERCENT THAT THEY MUST REMIT TO THE PHILIPPINES CAN BE ALLOCATED TO HOUSING FOR THEIR RELATIVES.

TO SECURE THE JOBS FURTHER OF OUR SEAMEN, I BROUGHT UP THE ISSUES OF JOB SECURITY AND PROMOTIONS BEFORE JAPANESE SHIPOWNERS WHEN I VISITED JAPAN LAST MAY. THE SHIPOWNERS ASSURED ME THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HIRE HIGHLY-SKILLED FILIPINO SEAFARERS AND WILL ALLOW QUALIFIED FILIPINOS TO TAKE THE EXAMS FOR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN JAPANESE VESSELS. SO I CONGRATULATE OUR PMMA, YOU ARE NOT JUST TRAINING OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN FOR BEING MERCHANT MARINES. YOU ARE TRAINING THEM FOR BEING MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS ALL OVER THE WORLD ESPECIALLY JAPAN.

THE WELFARE OF OUR OVERSEAS WORKERS IS BEST PROTECTED THROUGH A SOUND DOMESTIC ECONOMY. WE MUST ENSURE THAT WHAT YOU LABOR FOR ABROAD IS NOT FRITTERED AWAY BY RUNAWAY INFLATION IN THE PHILIPPINES. THAT'S WHY WE ARE PURSUING ECONOMIC AND FISCAL POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN HOLDING DOWN INFLATION AND KEEPING THE BUDGET DEFICIT FROM BALLOONING WHILE INCREASING DOMESTIC CAPITAL FORMATION.

AT THE LEVEL BEST UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE MANAGED TO KEEP THE PRICE OF RICE STEADY SINCE 2001 WHILE THE PRICE OF COMMONLY USED MEDICINES HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF. WELL, NASA ZAMBALES TAYO, SIGURO I'LL GIVE A SCOOP. SA LUNES YATA MAG-AANUNSYO ANG AUSTRALIA TUNGKOL SA KANILANG TRADE POLICIES, AT SA PAGKAINTINDI KO BAHAGI NG ANUNSYO NILA AY 'YUNG PAGBUKAS NG KANILANG PALENGKE SA MANGGA NG PILIPINAS. SANA KASAMA ANG MANGGA NG ZAMBALES DOON.

THOUGH ELECTRICITY MAKES UP NOT MORE THAN 5 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET OF THE FILIPINO -- WHILE FOOD MAKES UP 50 PERCENT, AND WE HAVE KEPT THE PRICE OF FOOD DOWN -- I INHERITED THE PROBLEM OF HIGH ELECTRIC POWER COSTS, BUT I HAVE ALREADY INSTRUCTED NAPOCOR TO BRING DOWN THE PPCA WHICH IS A COMPONENT OF THE PPA. I HAVE TOLD NAPOCOR TO BRING DOWN ITS PPA TO 40 CENTAVOS AND OUR PEOPLE WILL SEE POSITIVE RESULTS IN YOUR JULY BILL. AFTER THIS COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES, I WILL FLY BACK TO MALACA„ANG TO PRESIDE OVER THE LAUNCHING OF THE WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY SPOT MARKET WHICH IS ONE OF OUR 10-POINT PROGRAM FOR SEEKING TO BRING DOWN THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY.

I WILL USE THIS AFTERNOON'S EVENTS TO BEGIN TO UNVEIL THE 10-POINT PROGRAM THAT ENERGY SECRETARY VINCE PEREZ AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TO SQUEEZE BLOOD FROM STONE, WHICH IS... MEANING EXHAUSTING ALL WAYS TO ROLLBACK THE COST OF ELECTRICITY SOME MORE. I DID NOT INVENT THE PURCHASED POWER ADJUSTMENT PROBLEM, I INHERITED IT. BUT RATHER THAN SPEND MY ENERGY FINGERPOINTING, I WOULD RATHER SPEND MY ENERGY LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS. AND I ASK YOU, YOUNG GRADUATES, YOUR FAMILIES, THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBALES AND THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES TO SUPPORT ME IN THIS EFFORT.

TWO DAYS AGO, THE OIL COMPANIES ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE CUT BACK THE PRICE AGAIN OF OIL. THIS CUT IS BEYOND DOUBT THE RESULT OF THE FREE ENTERPRISE POLICIES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PROMOTING. AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN TO THANK OUR TRANSPORT COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT RAISE THEIR FARES EVEN WHEN THE PRICE OF OIL WAS GOING UP. NOW THAT THE PRICE OF OIL IS GOING DOWN AGAIN, LET'S GIVE THEM A CHANGE TO RECOUP THEIR SACRIFICES, SO THAT WHEN THE PRICE OF OIL GOES UP AGAIN, BECAUSE IN FREE ENTERPRISE IT GOES UP AND DOWN, THEY WILL AGAIN NOT RAISE THEIR TRANSPORT FARES.

THE GOODWILL OUR OFWs ABROAD AND OUR OVERSEAS SEAMEN IS SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED BY SECURITY CONCERNS IN OUR COUNTRY. RESOLVING OUR PEACE AND ORDER PROBLEM IS AS IMPORTANT TO ME AS GETTING OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE GROWTH TRACK BECAUSE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT ALWAYS COME TOGETHER.

WHAT DOES THE WORLD SAY ABOUT OUR EFFORTS AT PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT. LAST JUNE 24th, U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN A SPEECH HE MADE REGARDING HOMELAND SECURITY, AND I QUOTE: "THIS WEEKEND I CALLED GLORIA ARROYO," SAID BUSH. "I CALLED GLORIA ARROYO, THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES, TO CONGRATULATE HER ON HER COUNTRY'S STEADFAST DESIRE TO ROUT OUT THE ABU SABAYA KILLER ORGANIZATION. THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION WHICH CAPTURED THE BURNHAMS. THEY'RE NOTHING BUT COLD-BLOODED KILLERS. THEY MAY ESPOUSE SOME KIND OF DOCTRINE; THEY HAVE NO REGARD FOR INNOCENT LIFE. I TOLD GLORIA EARLY ON IN THE FIGHT THAT WE'D HELP HER. IF SHE WANTED US TO TAKE ON THE ENEMY WITH HER, WE'LL BE GLAD TO DO THAT, TOO. AND SHE SAID, 'NO, WE'D LIKE YOUR HELP TO TRAIN SO WE CAN GO GET THEM.' AND SHE DID." END OF QUOTE.

AN HOUR LATER BUSH TOLD THE AMERICAN CONGRESSMEN, AND AGAIN I QUOTE: "THIS WEEKEND," HE SAID, "I HAD THE HONOR OF CALLING GLORIA ARROYO, THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. THEY HAVE THIS AL QAEDA-TYPE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT CAPTURED TWO AMERICANS AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE. THE WIFE LIVES FREE TODAY IN AMERICA; THE HUSBAND UNFORTUNATELY DIED. THEY'RE CALLED ABU SAYYAF. EARLY ON IN THE WAR I SAID, (BUSH SAID) THEY'RE THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY. WE'D LIKE TO HELP YOU. HOWEVER, YOU WANT THE UNITED STATES TO HELP, WE WANT TO HELP. ANYTIME THESE TERRORISTS LIGHT, WE'RE AFTER THEM. AND I CALLED HER, (BUSH SAYING) AND CONGRATULATED HER ON WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE DEMISE OF THE HEAD OF THE ORGANIZATION, TOTALLY DISRUPTING IT. EITHER YOU'RE WITH US OR YOU'RE AGAINST US, AND SHE PROVED SHE WAS WITH US. AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER LEADERSHIP." THIS QUOTE OF PRESIDENT BUSH WAS MET BY THE CONGRESSMEN WITH THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE.

THIS IS HOW THE MOST POWERFUL LEADERS OF THE WORLD LOOK AT US. THIS IS HOW THE WORLD LOOKS AT US. AND I PRAY THAT THE FILIPINOS COULD HAVE THE SAME FAITH IN MY ADMINISTRATION.

TWO DAYS AGO, BUSH AGAIN MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT REGARDING THE WAR ON TERROR, AND I QUOTE: "WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESSES. ONE OF THE MOST RECENT SUCCESSES, OF COURSE, IS GLORIA ARROYO IN THE PHILIPPINES." GOING ON TO WHAT BUSH SAID, HE SAID, "SHE'S A PART OF OUR VAST COALITION. SHE SAID, EARLY ON WE NEED TO GET AFTER THE ABU SABAYA GROUP AND SHE DID IT. AND TO HER CREDIT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LEADER HAS MET HIS DEMISE. THE PHILIPPINES IS BETTER OFF FOR THAT AND SO IS THE WORLD." END OF QUOTE.

NOW, EVEN IF WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED THE RANKS OF THE ABU SAYYAF, I HAVE ORDERED THE AFP TO SCOUR THE JUNGLES OF SULU FOR THE FOUR REMAINING ABU SAYYAF LEADERS. I TOLD THEM, "PHASE OUT THE SEARCH FOR ABU SABAYA." SABI KO, IMBES NA HINAHANAP N'YO ANG PATAY, HANAPIN NINYO ANG BUHAY. HANAPIN NINYO 'YUNG APAT NA BUHAY NA ABU SAYYAF LEADERS. AND THEY STARTED DOING THAT. ITONG GUSTONG-GUSTO KO SA MILITARY, THEY REALLY FOLLOW ORDERS. SINABI KO ITO TWO DAYS AGO, AND YESTERDAY, THE DAY AFTER I GAVE MY INSTRUCTION, AT DAWN THEY STARTED A DAWN OFFENSIVE ON THE MAIN LAIR OF THE ABU SAYYAF IN SULU. THIS IS THE LAIR OF JAPILON AND I UNDERSTAND KHADAFI JANJALANI IS THERE WITH HIM. THE FIGHTING IS STILL ONGOING, AND IT WILL PROBABLY GO ON FOR TWO DAYS MORE. WE LOST ONE FINE LIEUTENANT IN YESTERDAY'S ENCOUNTER, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER MARINES. YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN HEROIC NOT ONLY IN SIBUCO BAY WHERE IT WAS OUR SAILORS, NAVY AND MARINES WHO WERE ABLE TO GET ABU SABAYA, THEY ARE ALSO THERE GIVING UP THEIR LIVES AGAIN IN SULU, TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMED FORCES. OUR FORCES WILL RELENTLESSLY HUNT DOWN THESE CRIMINALS UNTIL THEY ARE ALL ACCOUNTED FOR.

HERE IN LUZON THERE HAVE BEEN TERRORIST CELLS AS WELL, NOT TO MENTION CRIMINAL ELEMENTS LIKE KIDNAPPING SYNDICATES, AND I CONGRATULATE THE POLICE FOR THE STRONG MEASURES THEY HAVE DONE TO NEUTRALIZE THE TERRORIST CELLS HERE IN NORTH LUZON. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO MORE WITH REGARD TO KIDNAPPING.

AS YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN HOGGING THE HEADLINES ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL LUZON IS A MAJOR REVAMP GOING ON IN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE AS A RESULT OF A VERY STRICT INTERPRETATION OF THE RULE OF COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY ON THE ISSUE OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING. I WOULD LIKE TO LET THE PEOPLE OF CENTRAL LUZON AND THE PHILIPPINES KNOW THAT THESE ARE REHEARSAL FOR A BIGGER CHALLENGE OF APPLYING THE RULE OF COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY ON KIDNAPPING AND ILLEGAL DRUGS.

THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES AND REALITIES OF THE WORLD AS YOU OUR YOUNG MEN AND ONE WOMAN ARE ENTERING THE WORLD OF THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKFORCE. YOU AND PAST PMMA GRADUATES HAVE BEEN DOUBLY FORTUNATE. YOU HAVE CHOSEN A SECTOR WHERE THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKERS HAS A GREAT REPUTATION, AND YOUR BEING GRADUATES OF PMMA ASSURED YOU EVEN LAST YEAR OF IMMEDIATE JOBS.

WHEN YOU SAIL OUT OF OUR SHORES, KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU REPRESENT A NATION RENOWNED FOR WORKERS OF SKILL, INDUSTRY, COMPETENT AND INTEGRITY ON THE JOB. STRIVE TO ADD TO THE GOOD NAME OF OUR FLAG.

WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR HOMES TEMPORARILY FOR A SOJOURN AT SEA, I HOPE YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THE PEOPLE BACK HOME WORK JUST AS HARD AS YOU DO TO ENABLE THE SHIP OF STATE TO MOVE FORWARD TO PEACE AND PROGRESS.

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!

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