PGMA's Speech during the 104th Anniversary of the Philippine Navy

PGMA's Speech during the 104th Anniversary of the Philippine Navy

Philippine Navy Headquarters, Roxas Blvd., Manila (29 May 2002)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH SECRETARY ANGELO REYES.

VICE ADMIRAL HINGCO AND THE MEN, WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINE NAVY; GENERAL ROY CIMATU AND THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES; MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PRESENT HERE TODAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONGRESSMAN GORDON OF ZAMBALES, CONGRESSMAN YLAGAN OF ROMBLON AND CONGRESSMAN ZIALCITA OF METRO MANILA; THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GENERALS; THE... ADMIRAL LISTA OF THE COAST GUARD; THE MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, AND I THANK THE AMBASSADORS WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY; THIS YEAR'S AWARDEES; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

ISANG NAPAKALIGAYANG ARAW SA LAHAT NG MGA OPISYAL, MGA ENLISTED PERSONNEL, MGA MARINO, MGA SEABEES, MGA KAWANING SIBILYAN NG HUKBONG KATIHAN NG PILIPINAS, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ALL OF YOU.

'YUNG ANIBERSARYO NINYO MAY 23rd KANYA LAMANG AKO AY NASA HAPON NUNG PANAHONG 'YON KAYA GINAGANAP NATIN ANG PAGDIRIWANG NGAYON KASI AYAW NI ADMIRAL HINGCO NA MAGSE-CELEBRATE KAYO NA HINDI AKO DADALO SA INYONG PARADA, SA INYONG AWARDS AT SAKA PARA MAKITA KO RAW 'YUNG MGA NA-CAPTURED NINYO NA BAPOR, NA MGA BARKO GALING SA ABU SAYYAF. AND ON THIS OCCASION, OF COURSE, WE GIVE OUR AWARDS TO HONOR THE OUTSTANDING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NAVY.

ON THIS OCCASION WE PAY OUR HIGHEST TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CORPORAL ERNESTO LAYAGUIN OF THE 61st MARINE COMPANY. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GREET THE OFFICERS OF THE MARINE CORPS HEADED BY GENERAL LADIA BECAUSE OUR AWARDEE REPRESENTS THEIR BRAVENESS. AS MENTIONED EARLIER BY THE ANNOTATION WHEN WE WERE GIVING HIS AWARD, IN A 10-HOUR ENCOUNTER WITH THE MILF IN KAUSWAGAN, LANAO DEL NORTE IN APRIL 2000, HE FOUGHT VALIANTLY TO SAVE HIS WOUNDED COMRADE IN ARMS BUT PAID THE HIGHEST SACRIFICE. HE SHOWED THE FILIPINO PEOPLE ONCE AGAIN THAT THE MARINES LIVED UP TO THE RIGHTFUL IMAGE AS THE "CUTTING EDGE OF THE ARMED FORCES."

LET ME SAY TO MR. LINO LAYAGUIN AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY -- THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOUR SON, HIS MEMORY REPRESENTS THE BEST AND THE BRAVEST OF OUR NAVY.

THE SACRIFICE OF CORPORAL LAYAGUIN AND THE REST OF THE FILIPINO SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN MINDANAO SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN. FOR EVEN AS WE SEEK PEACE WITH THE FORMER ENEMY, THIS SHALL BE PEACE WITH HONOR -- HONOR FOR OUR SOLDIERS, HONOR FOR OUR FLAG. IT SHALL BE A PEACE IN WHICH ALL FILIPINOS ARE UNITED UNDER ONE NATION, ONE CONSTITUTION, ONE VISION OF EQUALITY AND PROSPERITY.

LET ME THUS TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REITERATE ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, MY INSTRUCTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONFLICT AREAS IN MINDANAO. I AM REPEATING AND EXPANDING OR EXPLAINING FURTHER THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT I GAVE DURING THE TURNOVER OF THE AFP COMMAND TO GENERAL CIMATU BECAUSE NOTWITHSTANDING WHAT I FEEL WERE VERY CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS THEN THERE CONTINUES TO BE DELIBERATE OR OTHERWISE, HARMFUL CONJECTURES ABOUT HOW WE SEE OUR OBLIGATIONS IN THE RELIEF AND REHABILITATION IN THE CONFLICT AREAS. HERE THEN ARE MY INSTRUCTIONS ONCE AGAIN:

NUMBER ONE INSTRUCTION, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THAT THERE SHALL BE NO RETURN OF CAMP ABUBAKAR OR ANY OTHER CAMP TO THE MILF. LAST NIGHT, I WAS WATCHING TELEVISION, AND I SAW ONE OF THE OFFICIALS OF MINDANAO DECLARE THAT HE HAS FROM A1 MILITARY REPORTS THAT THE MILF, ARMED MILF ELEMENTS ARE RETURNING TO THEIR CAMPS IN THE CARMEN AREA. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED UP GENERAL CIMATU, WHO WAS IN ZAMBOANGA, TO VERIFY THESE REPORTS OF MILF SIGHTINGS IN THE SO-CALLED FORMER CAMPS. AND AFTER DOING HIS REPORT AND HIS CHECKING, HE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO ME THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING. THESE REPORTS ARE FALSE. THERE ARE NO MILF RETURNING TO THEIR CAMPS. EVEN MILF OFFICIALS THEMSELVES IN THEIR RADIO INTERVIEW YESTERDAY MORNING SAID: "THEY DO NOT HARBOR HOPES OF RETURNING TO THEIR FORMER CAMPS." THIS SHOULD PUT SPECULATIONS TO REST EXCEPT THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BELIEVE IN THE SINCERITY OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR A JUST AND LASTING PEACE UNDER THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PHILIPPINES IN MINDANAO.

MY INSTRUCTIONS FURTHER ARE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE REHABILIATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS. IN SUCH AREAS WITHIN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO CONSISTENT WITH ITS MANDATE UNDER THE LAW, THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE ARMM SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SHALL ACCELERATE REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND ACTIVITIES. IN SUCH AREAS IN MINDANAO OUTSIDE THE ARMM, THE SPDA SHALL BE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR REHABILITATION EFFORTS WHILE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE THE JOB OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS. THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THEIR PROVINCIAL AND REGIONAL OFFICES, BUREAUS AND INSTRUMENTALITIES, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT-OWNED- AND-CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS SHALL ASSIST THE ARMM REGIONAL GOVERNMENT, THE SPDA AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES. RESTITUTION SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE CIVILIANS -- NOTE: THE CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE DURING THE WAR. AND WHAT IS THIS RESTITUTION. I HAVE DEFINED THE RESTITUTION, IT IS IN THE FORM OF CORE SHELTER UNITS BUILT BY THE DPWH, THE DND THROUGH THE AFP ENGINEERING BRIGADES INCLUDING THE NAVY SEABEES, THE DSWD AND THE NHA WHO SHALL ASSIST THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OR THE SPDA, AS THE CASE MAY BE, TO REPLACE THE CIVILIANS HOUSES -- NOTE: CIVILIANS HOUSES THAT WERE BURNED DURING THE CONFLICT.

THE DSWD AND THE DND SHALL ASSIST THE ARMM REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE SPDA IN PROVIDING RELIEF AND REHABILITATION TO EVACUEES.

THE ARMM REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IS AUTHORIZED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL LAWS PERTAINING TO THE POSSESSION AND USE OF FIREARMS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE MEAN BY THE LAWS PERTAINING TO THE POSSESSION AND USE OF FIREARMS, AND IN THIS REGARD, IN THE ARMM AREA, THEY'RE TO BE ASSISTED BY THE PNP AND THE ARMED FORCES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REITERATE THAT IN AREAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ARMM, THE DND AND THE DILG HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO FORM JOINT TASK FORCES COMPOSED OF THE PNP, THE AFP AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE THE PERTINENT LAWS, CONSOLIDATE INTELLIGENCE AGAINST TERRORISTS AND LAWLESS ELEMENTS. THE JOINT TASK FORCE FOR SOUTHWESTERN MINDANAO -- I WILL REPEAT -- IS HEADED BY THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE. THIS COVERS ARMM, REGION 9 AND REGION 12. THE JOINT TASK FORCE FOR NORTHEASTERN MINDANAO IS HEADED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, COVERING REGIONS 10, 11 AND CARAGA. THESE TASK FORCES WILL OVERSEE THE PNP AND THE AFP WORKING TOGETHER AND WILL ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

NOW, WITH REGARD TO THE USE OF FUNDS, LIKE ANY OTHER FILIPINO CITIZEN, THE MILF BEING MADE UP OF FILIPINOS -- IF THEY ACCEPT THEMSELVES AS FILIPINOS -- THEY HAVE THE RIGHT, THE LEGAL RIGHT TO FORM NGOs, TO INITIATE AND DETERMINE AND SUBMIT PROJECT PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING. AND IF THESE PROJECT PROPOSALS ARE APPROVED, LIKE OTHER FILIPINOS -- IF THEY ACCEPT THAT THEY ARE FILIPINOS -- THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO MANAGE THESE PROPOSED PROJECTS ONCE APPROVED. BUT LET ME CLARIFY THAT GOVERNMENT AND ODA FUNDS FOR THESE PROJECTS SHALL BE CONDUITED EITHER THROUGH THE ARMM OR THROUGH THE SPDA.

EVEN BEFORE THE SIGNING OF THE LATEST INTERIM AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MILF, THE EVACUEES HAD ALREADY RETURNED TO THEIR PLACES OF ORIGIN OR SETTLED IN THEIR CHOSEN NEW HOMES.

THUS, WHAT WAS SIGNED WAS A FAIT ACCOMPLI. THUS, WE SHOULD NOT ANTICIPATE ANY ADDITIONAL WHOLESALE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE INTO BARIRA, BULDON, MATANOG OR CARMEN BECAUSE AS I SAID, THIS HAS BEEN A FAIT ACCOMPLI FOR SOMETIME NOW, AND IT WAS ONLY PUT IN WRITING WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN ACTUAL PRACTICE. THE CONTINUING NEED NOW IS TO EXTEND RELIEF AND REHABILITATION IN THE FORM OF APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND MATERIAL NEEDS. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING IN WHAT USED TO BE CALLED ABUBAKAR AND OTHER CAMPS. I DON'T CALL THEM ABUBAKAR, I CALLED THEM BY THEIR TOWNS -- BARIRA, BULDON, MATANOG. I DO NOT CALL THAT CAMP IN KAUSWAGAN, IN MUNAY BAIS CAMP, I CALLED IT MUNAY .

WHEN GENERAL CIMATU WAS STILL THE 4th DIVISION COMMANDER, AFTER ABUBAKAR, HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT, "YES, WE OVERRAN ABUBAKAR, BUT THERE'S A NEED... BUT WORST THE DEVELOPMENT." ACTUALLY, HE GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FOR GIVING THAT STATEMENT. BUT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT DEVELOPMENT NOW.

I'VE BEEN CHATTING WITH SOME OF THE MIDDLE-LEVEL MILITARY OFFICERS, WHO WERE THE HEROES OF THE WAR, AND THEY SAY THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE ALL-OUT WAR IN MINDANAO SHOULD BE FINISHED SWIFTLY -- AND IT WAS, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE THEN CHIEF OF STAFF ANGELO REYES -- THAT IT SHOULD BE FINISHED SWIFTLY SO THAT THE BATTALIONS WHO WERE LENT TO MINDANAO COULD THEN GO BACK TO THEIR ORGANIC ASSIGNMENTS TO FIGHT WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE MORE FUNDAMENTAL ENEMY, WHICH IS INSURGENCY. BUT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED. THE WAR ON SECESSION HAS BEEN WON BUT THE SOLDIERS HAVE NOT YET RETURNED TO THEIR HOME BASES. AND SO I SAY, "LET US CEMENT THE PEACE IN MINDANAO SO THAT WE CAN CEMENT DEMOCRACY IN THE OTHER HINTERLANDS ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL LUZON, IN SOUTHERN TAGALOG, IN THE BICOL REGION."

THE WAR ON SECESSION LIKE THE WAR ON TERRORISM, THE WAR ON INSURGENCY, ALL THESE CAN ONLY BE WON DECISIVELY IF THEY ARE INTERLINKED WITH THE WAR ON POVERTY.

AND IT IS IN THIS SPIRIT THAT I ALSO CONGRATULATE THE OTHER AWARDEES TODAY WHO ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR COURAGE, OUTSTANDING SKILLS, COMMENDABLE CIVIC WORK AND DEVOTION TO DUTY WHETHER IN MINDANAO, IN PALAWAN OR ELSEWHERE IN OUR ISLANDS AND WATERS.

I AM PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE NAVY AND MARINES IN SOUTHWESTERN MINDANAO WHICH IS THEIR ANCESTRAL DOMAIN.

AND NOW, I AM PROUD OF OUR SEABEES PARTICIPATING IN BALIKATAN IN BASILAN AND CAVITE. TOGETHER WITH THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS, THE 12 OFFICERS AND 135 ENLISTED MEN OF THE PROVISIONAL BATTALION OF THE PHILIPPINE SEABEES COMPLETED SEVERAL LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN BASILAN. THEY HAVE REPAIRED AND WIDENED ROADS... THEY HAVE REPAIRED AND WIDENED ROADS IN TWO BARANGAYS, REHABILITATED THE ISABELA AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTED AN ARTESIAN WELL. THEY HAVE CONSTRUCTED A 3-ROOM SCHOOLBUILDING IN SAPANG, CAVITE AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING IN BALIKATAN 02-2.

AND THE PEOPLE IN BASILAN LOVED THEM AND TREAT THEM AS HEROES AND FRIENDS. WELL, ON MY PART, I HAVE KNOWN THE WORK OF THE SEABEES FOR A LONG TIME NOW. BEING A SENATOR FROM PAMPANGA, I HAVE SEEN THE GOOD WORK OF THE SEABEES IN THE REHABILITATION OR PROVIDING THE CORE SHELTER UNITS FOR THE VICTIMS OF PINATUBO. AND WHEN I HAD TO RUSH THE DREDGING WORKS IN THE RIVER OF THE MOUTH IN PAMPANGA SO THAT THE FLOODING IN PAMPANGA CAN BE MITIGATED LAST YEAR. AGAIN, I SPECIFIED FOR THE SEABEES TO DO THE JOB.

I ALSO CONGRATULATE THE RANGERS OF OUR NAVY, BECAUSE AS I WENT DIVING IN TUBBATAHA, I SAW FROM MY FIRSTHAND OBSERVATION THE GOOD WORK THEY DO THERE ESPECIALLY OUR NAVY BOYS WHO, TOGETHER WITH OUR COAST GUARD AND CIVILIAN ORGANIZATIONS, ARE DILIGENTLY PROTECTING THE NATIONAL MARINE PARK. I CONGRATULATE THEM BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO BE BRIBED BY THOSE WHO WANT TO POACH THE TUBBATAHA PRESERVATION, BY THOSE WHO WANT TO INVADE THE PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT. AND ASIDE FROM REFUSING TO BE BRIBED, IN FACT, OUR SAILORS EVEN CAUSED THE ARREST OF THE POACHERS. WE MUST PROTECT THAT NATIONAL PARK OF TUBBATAHA, AND I CONGRATULATE THEM FOR CONTINUING TO PROMOTE AND ENFORCE THE LAW IN THAT AREA. YES, THERE HAVE BEEN ARRESTS AND THERE WILL BE MORE ARRESTS, THERE WILL BE HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS OF ALLEGED POACHERS UNTIL THIS SITUATION IS SOLVED AND UNTIL EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE TUBBATAHA REEF AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND I CONGRATULATE THE NAVY FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS ENFORCEMENT.

THESE QUIET ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR NAVY -- QUIET BECAUSE UNLESS YOU ARE A DIVER, YOU DON'T GET TO SEE IT. YOU DON'T GET TO APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LAND IN THE FRONTPAGE OR IN THE HEADLINES THE WAY THE ABU SAYYAF EXPLOITS -- WHETHER SUCCESFUL OR UNSUCCESSFUL -- LAND IN THE HEADLINES. BUT I POINT THEM OUT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THEIR WORK MYSELF AND I THINK THAT THEIR QUIET WORK SHOULD BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR ALL OF US.

AND THAT IS WHY I INSTRUCTED SECRETARY REYES THAT THOSE BRAVE MEN OF THE NAVY WHO RESISTED THE BRIBE AND INSTEAD TURNED IN THE WOULD-BE BRIBERS SHOULD BE GIVEN THEIR PROMOTIONS, AND VICE ADMIRAL HINGCO SAID THAT THE PROMOTIONS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

TO HELP YOU ALL FURTHER IN YOUR WORK, WE HAVE ALREADY ALLOCATED 350 MILLION PESOS FOR THE UPGRADE OF TWO LANDING SHIP TANKS, THE LST 516 AND 86; THE SIX AUXILLIARY ENGINES FOR THE JACINTO CLASS PATROL VESSELS (JCPV) AND THE PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS LIGHT ARMOR SYSTEM.

THE MEMO OF AGREEMENT COVERING THE WEAPON SYSTEMS UPGRADE PHASE OF THE PEACOCK CLASS VESSELS -- BOUGHT FROM GREAT BRITAIN THAT PRINCE ANDREW INSPECTED LAST YEAR -- WILL BE SIGNED SOON. AND THE FOLLOW UP AGREEMENT -- THE MACHINERY AND PROPULSION UPGRADE -- WILL BE SIGNED HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST THIS YEAR.

I AM ALSO GLAD TO NOTE THAT THE FORCE RESTRUCTURING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NAVY PERSONNEL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR MODERNIZATION PROGRAM, IS 80 PERCENT COMPLETE. AND I COMMEND VICE ADMIRAL HINGCO FOR THE ALMOST COMPLETED MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR VARIOUS NAVAL OPERATING BASES IN MACTAN, CEBU, ULUGAN AND BATO-BATO, AS WELL AS THE IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING BASES IN SAN VICENTE, BALABAC -- VERY IMPORTANT BALABAC BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF SMUGGLING HAPPENING IN BALABAC -- SAN MANUEL, TERNATE, PAG-ASA AND NAVAL BASE CAVITE. AS FOR NAVAL BASE CAVITE, SECRETARY REYES, IN FACT HAS AN EVEN LONGER TERM VISION TO REDO THAT WHOLE NAVAL BASE, THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDO AIR FORCE CITY AND CLARK AND SUBIC AND THE FACILITIES THERE. AND THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A SIX BILLION-PESO PROJECT BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE JUST SETTING OUT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR B-O-T PROPONENTS TO COME FORWARD AND GIVE THEIR OWN PROPOSALS BECAUSE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS A MORE EFFICIENT PRODUCER OF DEVELOPMENT THAN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I SEE MR. F.F. CRUZ NODDING ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I HOPE HE WILL BE ONE OF THE BIDDERS FOR THIS PROJECT.

SOME 457 OFFICERS AND 1,025 ENLISTED MEN IN THE NAVY HAVE ALREADY AVAILED OF OFF-BASE HOUSING UNDER THE AFP HOUSING PROGRAM. ABOUT 450 PAG-IBIG HOUSING LOAN CERTIFICATES HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO NAVY PERSONNEL. THESE ARE PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO TO MODERNIZE THE BENEFITS GOING TO OUR NAVY.

FOR THE CHILDREN OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED IN BATTLE, GOVERNMENT IS SETTING UP AN EDUCATIONAL PLAN THAT WILL ASSURE THEM OF FREE EDUCATION UP TO THE COLLEGE LEVEL. GOVERNMENT IS DOING THIS TOGETHER WITH THE NGO SECTOR. IN THIS REGARD, I HAVE JUST DONATED 8 MILLION PESOS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S SOCIAL FUND TO THE HERO OR EDUCATE AND REAR ORPHANS FOUNDATION, A PRIVATELY RUN FOUNDATION DEDICATED SOLELY TO SENDING MILITARY ORPHANS TO SCHOOL. I AM ENCOURAGING THE HERO FOUNDATION -- WHOSE GUIDING LIGHT IS SECRETARY RENE DE VILLA -- TO EXPLORE OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES FOR FUNDING THIS NOBLE EFFORT.

AND SECRETARY REYES AND I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THE LAW THAT WILL RAISE THE SALARIES OF OUR SOLDIERS AND OUR SAILORS TO THE LEVEL ENJOYED BY OUR TEACHERS. LET US THANK OUR THREE CONGRESSMEN PRESENT HERE TODAY, AND THROUGH THEM THE REST OF CONGRESS BECAUSE LAST NIGHT, I GOT A CALL VERY LATE AT NIGHT FROM THE HOUSE DEFENSE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CONGRESSMAN BUTCH PICHAY, WHO TOLD ME THAT THE BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE LAST NIGHT APROVED THE BILL SO THAT I COULD ANNOUNCE IT TODAY IN THE NAVY ANNIVERSARY.

EVERY FILIPINO, EVERY COMMUNITY MUST HAVE PEACE AND PROGRESS IF WE ARE TO MOVE FORWARD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

WHEN I SPOKE BEFORE YOU LAST YEAR, ON OUR ANNIVERSARY -- THAT WAS VERY CLOSE AFTER MAY 1 -- THE SHIP OF STATE WAS SAILING OVER ROUGH POLITICAL WATERS STIRRED BY THAT RIOT OF THAT MAY 1st. BUT TODAY, THE WATERS ARE CALM. THE SHIP OF STATE SAILS SMOOTHLY AND ITS CAPTAIN CONFIDENT IN OUR SOLDIERS, OUR SAILORS, OUR MARINES HAS NEVER BEEN AS CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL SOON DROP ANCHOR AT THE PORT OF STABILITY, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT.

THE NAVY HAS BEEN A FAITHFUL AND IMPORTANT PART OF THIS NATIONAL JOURNEY, AND I THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ALL THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT HAVE MADE YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF TRULY PROUD OF YOU.

THANK YOU, VICE ADMIRAL HINGCO FOR LEADING OUR SAILORS, MARINES, SEABEES AND OTHER NAVY PERSONNEL TOWARDS A COURSE OF HONOR AND DUTY, INTEGRITY AND LOYALTY.

AND TO YOU, TO ALL OUR SAILORS AND MARINES, ON YOUR 104th FOUNDATION DAY, THE FILIPINO PEOPLE SALUTE YOU; THE FILIPINO PEOPLE SALUTE THE PHILIPPINE NAVY, AND MY COMMAND FOR YOU IS SAIL ON PROUDLY AND CARRY ON.

MABUHAY ANG ATING NAVY! THANK YOU.

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