PGMA's Speech during the Departure Ceremonies for a Working Visit to Japan

VIP Lounge, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I (20 May 2002)
MR. VICE PRESIDENT; MR. SPEAKER. OH MR. SENATE PRESIDENT, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEE YOU EARLIER.

TODAY I AM LEAVING FOR JAPAN TO REVISIT JAPAN IN THE THIRD STAGE OF A CONTINUING DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE.

THE FIRST STAGE WAS MY TRIP TO CHINA, TO BRUNEI FOR THE 7th ASEAN SUMMIT, THEN TO THE UNITED STATES LAST YEAR. IT WAS TO CONSOLIDATE OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL ANTI-TERRORISM CAMPAIGN, AS WE BEGAN SHAPING A REGIONAL RESPONSE STARTING FROM OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE SECOND STAGE WAS MY TRIP TO LONDON AND CANADA, EARLY THIS YEAR, THEN ON TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN NEW YORK. THIS WAS FOCUSED ON PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT, THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY, THE DRIVE FOR INVESTMENT, AMID THE FIRST STIRRINGS OF A GLOBAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

THIS THIRD STAGE STARTS WITH MY TRIP TODAY, TO LINK ASEAN TO THE NORTH, TO PROPOSE A STRONGER AND MORE COHESIVE EAST ASIA AS THE VANGUARD OF TRADE AND PROGRESS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

IN MY FIRST PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO JAPAN LAST SEPTEMBER, I ALREADY LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES IN THE NEW ASIA-PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT.

AT THAT TIME, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO HAVE AN AUDIENCE WITH THEIR MAJESTIES, THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF JAPAN. I ALSO MET WITH PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI, WHO HIMSELF LATER VISITED MANILA IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

THESE EXCHANGES OF VISITS ARE VITAL IN ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES AND IN STRENGTHENING THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES.

IN MY FOREIGN POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS, I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES THAT THE PHILIPPINES FACES SEVERAL REALITIES IN OUR REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT TO WHICH WE HAVE TO RESPOND IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. ONE OF THESE REALITIES IS THAT CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE UNITED STATES, AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS WILL HAVE A DETERMINING INFLUENCE ON THE SECURITY SITUATION AND THE ECONOMIC EVOLUTION OF EAST ASIA.

I ALSO HAVE SAID THAT WITH JAPAN, THE PHILIPPINES WOULD MOVE TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RELATIONS.

JAPAN IS AN IMPORTANT PILLAR FOR THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC GROWTH OF EAST ASIA, GIVEN ITS HUGE CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES.

JAPAN IS OUR CLOSEST NEIGHBOR OUTSIDE OF ASEAN, OUR BIGGEST SOURCE OF DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, OUR SECOND LARGEST TRADING AND INVESTMENT PARTNER AND SOURCE OF TOURISTS, AND HOST TO A LARGE NUMBER OF OVERSEAS FILIPINOS.

DURING THIS VISIT, I WILL ADDRESS THE 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF ASIA ORGANIZED BY NIKKEI IN TOKYO, AND THE SYMPOSIUM ON ASIA AND JAPAN IN THE 21st CENTURY -- PROPOSALS BY FEMALE LEADERS ORGANIZED BY MAINICHI SHIMBUN IN OSAKA.

THESE EVENTS WILL ALLOW ME TO OUTLINE MY VISION OF THE PHILIPPINES-JAPAN PARTNERSHIP, IN LINE WITH PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI'S VIEW OF WORKING AND ADVANCING TOGETHER FOR EAST ASIA.

I WILL ALSO DISCUSS WITH PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI HIS INITIATIVE FOR CLOSER ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PHILIPPINES AND THE REST OF ASEAN. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS PROPOSAL IS AN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OR EPA WHICH HE TALKED DURING HIS JANUARY VISIT TO MANILA.

THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THIS INITIATIVE LIES IN THAT THE EPA PROMOTES STRONGER BILATERAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION NOT ONLY IN TRADE BUT ALSO IN THE FIELD OF LABOR MOBILITY, INVESTMENTS, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER AREAS.

MY MEETINGS WITH BUSINESS GROUPS, ESPECIALLY THE KEIDANREN, THE LARGEST FEDERATION OF JAPANESE FIRMS, WILL ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MY ADMINISTRATION IN THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FIELDS, INCLUDING OUR PROSPECTS FOR HIGHER ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE FUTURE.

I WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOUND ON SUCH CONCEPTS AS HUMAN SECURITY, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RULE OF LAW IN THE GLOBAL REALM, AS WELL AS THE EMERGING POLITICO-SECURITY ENVIRONMENT IN THE REGION. THESE OCCASIONS WILL HELP SOLIDIFY THE UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND JAPAN IN VARIOUS AREAS OF COOPERATION.

I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THE LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE KANSAI REGION.

DURING THE PAST TWO WEEKS SINCE I CAME BACK FROM MALAYSIA AND THAILAND, I HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. IMMERSED WITH OUR BEAUTIFUL HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES, I AM ALL THE MORE DETERMINED THAT WE SHOULD DEFEAT POVERTY WITHIN THE DECADE. I SHALL BRING THIS VISION TO JAPAN AND FLESH IT OUT IN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT THAT WILL FORM THE CORE OF OUR BENEFICIAL AND REWARDING RELATIONSHIPS.

AS ALWAYS, I SEEK YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PRAYERS. AND I HOPE THAT THIS TRIP ONCE AGAIN WILL YIELD RESULTS THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

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