PGMA's Speech during the Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for Mindanao Peace and Security Development Fund

Ceremonial Hall, Malacanang (18 Mar 2003)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SECRETARY ROMULO.

SPEAKER DE VENECIA; THE OTHER LEADERS OF CONGRESS; CABINET MEMBERS; OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THE POLICE; OUR VERY GENEROUS AND PATRIOTIC CONGRESSMEN AND WOMEN; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

MINDANAO CRIES OUT FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND SECURITY FROM TERRORISM. TODAY, WE ARE TAKING A BIG STEP FORWARD IN ANSWER TO THAT CRY.

FIVE HUNDRED MILLION PESOS GO INTO THIS COVENANT. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. BEHIND THIS COVENANT IS THE DETERMINATION TO SEE THE END OF FILIPINOS FIGHTING FILIPINOS.

CONGRESS ANSWERING OR INITIATING IN FACT HALF OF THIS FUND, AND THE EXECUTIVE RESPONDING BY ANSWERING FOR THE OTHER HALF MEANS SHARING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RESTORING PEACE AND CONFIDENCE, AND REAWAKENING OUR CONFLICT-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO A NEW ERA OF HOPE.

THE AFP AND THE PNP, WHOSE LEADERS ARE HERE TODAY, ARE HEREBY INSTRUCTED TO RECOMMEND TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THEIR PLAN OF ACTION AND THE KIND OF ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO COMBAT LAWLESSNESS AND TERRORISM IN MINDANAO.

ACTIVE DEFENSE, POLICE VIGILANCE, A HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ALERTNESS AND PREEMPTIVE DIPLOMACY -- THESE ARE THE COMPONENTS OF OUR PEACE OPERATIONS. I THANK CONGRESS FOR THE VERY STRONG POLITICAL CONSENSUS FROM THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS SUPPORTING THESE MEASURES.

THE AFP IS IN A POSTURE OF ACTIVE DEFENSE WHILE A LINE FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS REMAINS OPEN. THE MILITARY AND POLICE CONTINUE TO SECURE THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, TO KEEP THE HIGHWAYS OF TRADE OPEN, AND TO CHECK MOVEMENTS OF ARMED GROUPS POSING A DIRECT THREAT TO LAW AND ORDER. WITH OUR FIVE HUNDRED MILLION HELPING THEM THEY WILL BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE.

ACTIVE DEFENSE WILL HOPEFULLY OPEN A WINDOW OF SAFETY THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE TO GO HOME TO THEIR PLACES OF ORIGIN, WHERE THEY CAN HAVE FREE REIN OF THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND DAILY CHORES.

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS SHALL BE PURSUED WITH THE FACILITATION AND ASSISTANCE OF THIRD PARTY FACILITATORS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A COMPREHENSIVE AND DURABLE SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT IN LINE WITH THE CONSTITUTION.

I THANK THE OIC FOR THEIR OFFER TO PARTICIPATE IN A CEASEFIRE MECHANISM BACKED UP BY LOCAL PEACE INITIATIVES -- WHICH I HAVE ENCOURAGED ON THE PART OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVES -- TO BRING THE SCATTERED DISSIDENT MILITIAS BACK TO THE FOLD OF THE COMMUNITY. WE SHALL WELCOME THOSE WHO RENOUNCE ARMED STRUGGLE, DISARM, AND ARE WILLING TO JOIN THE MAINSTREAM OF PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT.

WE WANT A CONFLUENCE OF PEACE DRIVEN BY THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE. PEACE FOR THE FARMERS AND THE WORKERS SO THAT THEY CAN PRODUCE THEIR SUSTENANCE AND EARN THEIR KEEP. PEACE FOR THE TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN THE HINTERLANDS. PEACE FOR THE FISHERFOLK AND SEAFARERS WHO PLY THEIR TRADE ACROSS OUR WATERS.

BUT IT MUST BE PEACE THAT RESPECTS OUR NATION'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORY, AND A PEACE THAT RESPECTS THE RIGHT OF CIVILIANS TO FEELING SECURE. THE ARMED FORCES ARE FORSWORN TO KEEP THE REPUBLIC WHOLE AND SECURE.

THE FACE OF PEACE MUST BE LIT BY A DEEP SENSE OF ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR SOCIETY IS A MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETY. IT SHOULD BE FOUNDED ON SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR ALL AND INSTITUTIONALIZED ACCOMMODATION OF CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM, CEBUANO, ILOKANO, TAGALOG, TISOY, CHINESE – THESE ARE BUT SOME OF THE NAMES THAT THE FILIPINO RESPONDS TO AS A WONDROUS TESTIMONY TO THE RICH AND VARIED HERITAGE OF THE FILIPINO NATION.

WE MUST COME TO TERMS WITH MINDANAO AS A PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, OTHERWISE, WE WILL NEVER ATTAIN OUR FULL PROMISE AS A NATION. WE WILL NEVER ATTAIN THE STRONG REPUBLIC THAT WE DESIRE TO BE.

BUT IN OUR SEARCH FOR PEACE, TERRORISM AND INHUMAN BRUTALITY HAVE NO PLACE. SUCH ACTS MUST BE UNIVERSALLY CONDEMNED AND ADDRESSED WITH SUPREME WILL AND DETERMINATION. AND THIS FUND WILL GIVE OUR LAW ENFORCERS THAT WILL AND DETERMINATION.

WE WELCOME THE CALL OF THE OIC TO PUSH THROUGH WITH THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. WE ARE PREPARED FOR PEACE AT ALL TIMES JUST AS WE ARE PREPARED TO ENFORCE LAW AND ORDER AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM HARM. WE SHALL OPEN THE FIELD FOR PEACEMAKERS, BUT WE SHALL NOT YIELD EVEN AN INCH OF GROUND TO TERRORISTS.

AND WHILE THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD ARE SORTING OUT THE IRAQ SITUATION, WE MUST JOIN HANDS IN WORKING FOR THE STABILITY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION. WE ARE PREPARED. TODAY, THE CABINET MEETS TO ASSESS ALL CONTINGENCY PLANS CUTTING ACROSS SECURITY, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONCERNS. TOMORROW, SOME OF YOU WILL BE THERE IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING TO CONSOLIDATE THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT AND OUR PEOPLE BEHIND OUR PREPAREDNESS PLANS. WE SHALL UNDERTAKE ALL OPTIONS PRACTICABLE TO ALLEVIATE THE TRANSIENT DIFFICULTIES AND ANXIETIES OF OUR PEOPLE. FILIPINOS HERE AND ABROAD ARE SAFE. WE MUST BE CALM BUT VIGILANT. LET EVERY CITIZEN BE EACH OTHER'S KEEPER. AND LET'S HAVE UNITY IN CRISIS. LET THERE BE A MORATORIUM ON PARTISAN POLITICS AS WE ALL FOCUS OUR HEARTS AND ENERGIES TO THE TASKS AT HAND.

THIS IS SOMETHING OUR MINDANAO CONGRESSMEN HAVE DONE FOR THIS FUND. AND I HOPE ALL OUR POLITICAL LEADERS WILL DO THIS FOR THE COUNTRY IN THIS TIME OF WORLD CRISIS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, I THANK AND COMMEND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM MINDANAO WHO IN YOUR WORDS AND IN YOUR DEEDS – SUCH AS WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY – HAVE EXPRESSED YOUR UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT TO FIGHT TERRORISM AND LAWLESSNESS IN THAT BEAUTIFUL AND PROMISING PART OF OUR COUNTRY. TOGETHER, WE SHALL PREVAIL.

THANK YOU.

MABUHAY ANG MINDANAO!

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