| PGMA's Speech during the 24th Biennial Convention of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. |
Exhibit Hall, Federation Center, Muelle de Binondo, Manila (20 Mar 2003) |
| THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. LUCIO TAN FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION. AND MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU AND THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR BEING THE PATRON OF THE CALL CENTERS OF THE OFFICE OF OVERSEAS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION. SO THAT OUR FILIPINOS CAN BE IN TOUCH WITH THEIR LOVED ONES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. OFFICERS FOR THE YEARS 2001 AND 2003 HEADED BY JOHN NG AND ROBIN SY, ROBERT SIYCHIN, JOHN TAN, VICENTE SITOSTA, TAN TIEN SIONG AND FRANCIS CHUA; OUR HONORARY PRESIDENTS: DOMINGO LEE, YAO ENG HUE, JIMMY TAN AND VICENTE YU; DELEGATES TO THE 24TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION OF THE FEDERATION OF THE FILIPINO- CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: WHAT AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR US TO BE TOGETHER. WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT IS A GOOD TIME FOR ME TO THANK YOU. I'VE ALREADY THANKED MR. LUCIO TAN AND THE PNB. I WANT TO THANK YOU, I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE FEDERATION AS WELL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR ECONOMIC STABILITY IN THESE CRITICAL TIMES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN ENSURING THE STABILITY AND SUPPLY OF PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. YOU HAVE SHOWN A HIGH LEVEL OF SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED IN TIMES OF CRISIS. THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO CLOSE RANKS, TO BE PRUDENT AND TO COOPERATE TO ADDRESS ALL CHALLENGES. THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO THINK ABOUT OUR TOGETHERNESS AS A NATION AND OUR SENSE OF BELONGING TO THE REPUBLIC. THIS IS A TIME WHEN I WANT YOU TO ESPECIALLY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT CARES FOR ITS CITIZENS, THAT CARES FOR YOU. OUR COUNTRY, AS YOU KNOW IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE COALITION OF THE WILLING. THIS PARTICIPATION DOES NOT MEAN A BATTLE BETWEEN IRAQIS AND FILIPINOS. IT IS A BATTLE BETWEEN TYRANNY AND FREEDOM. WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM JUST AS WE STAND BESIDE THE COALITION FORCES IN THE FIGHT TO REDEEM THAT FREEDOM. WE SHARE WITH ALL MUSLIMS THE PRAYERS FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE. WE PRAY THAT THE ALMIGHTY WILL KEEP THEM SAFE AND SOUND THROUGH THIS CRISIS. WE STAND BESIDE THEM IN AWAITING A BRIGHTER DAY OF FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY. OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COALITION OF THE WILLING IS ALSO A BATTLE BETWEEN SECURITY AND TERRORISM. THE TERRORISTS AS YOU KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN ATTACKING OUR COMMUNITIES BY KIDNAPPING AND BOMBING EVEN BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11 AND EVEN BEFORE I BECAME PRESIDENT. THESE TERRORIST WHO HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPING AND BOMBING COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS ARE LINKED WITH TERRORIST, TERRORIST CELLS OVERSEAS. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GAIN ACCESS TO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION FROM THEIR FOREIGN BENEFACTORS. OUR BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM IS A BATTLE BETWEEN CRIMINALITY AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE COMMUNITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS YOU ALSO KNOW VERY WELL. THE COOPERATION AND VIGILANCE OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE AND SECURE. I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU. I'M GRATEFUL TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I'M GRATEFUL TO THE CIVIL SOCIETY WHICH INCLUDES FEDERATIONS LIKE YOURS FOR YOUR SOLIDARITY BEHIND THE EFFORTS TO MEET THIS CURRENT CRISIS. AND I'M COUNTING ON YOU TO CONTINUE TO CLOSE RANKS TO MINIMIZE THE MATERIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THE WAR UPON OUR PEOPLE, HERE AND ABROAD. EVEN IF THE CURRENT WAR IN IRAQ MAY RESULT IN SOME TEMPORARY AND MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR ECONOMY, I'M CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL NOT BRING LINGERING OR PERMANENT DAMAGE. OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION DOESN'T INDICATE THE NEED AT THIS MOMENT FOR EXERCISING EXTRAORDINARY POWERS. THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED ONLY AS A LAST RESORT. BECAUSE OUR ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS ARE SOUND. TOURISM -- AND THANKS TO MANY OF YOU -- EXPORTS ARE UP. PORT OPERATORS TELL ME THAT SHIPMENTS IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY ARE DOING BRISK BUSINESS. CRUDE PRICES OF OIL ARE GOING DOWN. THUS, YOUR CONVENTION'S THEME, "REFORM FOR PROSPERITY" IS QUITE APPROPRIATE. WITH SOUND ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS, WE SHOULD LOOK BEYOND THE IRAQ WAR AND NOT BE DISTRACTED FROM OUR NATIONAL AMBITION TO BECOME A PROSPEROUS AND STRONG REPUBLIC WITHIN THE DECADE. I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ASSISTANCE TO REFORM. JOHN NG AND ROBIN SY TALKED ABOUT THEM ALREADY. I DON'T NEED TO REPEAT THEM BUT I CAN SEE FROM THEIR ENUMERATION OF THE WAY YOU HAVE HELPED ME AND WILL CONTINUE TO HELP ME THAT YOU ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO REFORM TO ACHIEVE PROSPERITY. AS I HAVE OFTEN SAID, "REFORM OR PERISH." AND I THANK THE FEDERATION FOR SUPPORTING THE DIFFICULT REFORMS I HAVE HAD TO MAKE IN MY ADMINISTRATION, REFORMS THAT OUR ECONOMY NEEDS FOR LONG-TERM PROSPERITY. I THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING DIFFICULT FINANCIAL REFORMS INSPITE OF YOUR INITIAL NERVOUSNESS ABOUT IT. YOU EVEN SUPPORTED THE ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAW. BUT I AM THANKFUL AND HOPEFUL THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN DIALOGUING THE FINAL LAW THAT HAS COME OUT WILL HELP US FIGHT CRIMINALITY AT THE SAME TIME IT PROTECTS YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR EDUCATIONAL REFORMS. AND WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION, AS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE ONE-BILLION COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION FOR BUILDING SCHOOL BUILDINGS, I HOPE THAT IN THE NEXT 15 MONTHS TOGETHER WE WILL FINALLY CLOSE THE GAP IN CLASSROOMS IN OUR ENTIRE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR AGRICULTURAL REFORM, THE HYBRID RICE, IN WHICH YOUR FEDERATION HAS BEEN SO ACTIVE HAS RESULTED IN THE DOUBLING OF THE INCOME OF THE FARMERS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THAT PROGRAM. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FEDERATION'S CONTINUING SUPPORT. PROSPERITY BECKONS IF WE SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT JUST FEND OFF THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY. AMONG THESE OPPORTUNITIES IS THE GREAT NEW MARKET THAT YOUR ANCESTRAL HOME, CHINA, PROVIDES WITH ITS NEW ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORLD ECONOMY. THE FEDERATION HAS A UNIQUE ROLE TO PLAY IN MOBILIZING THESE OPPORTUNITIES REPRESENTED BY CHINA'S ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORLD ECONOMY FOR OUR COUNTRY'S PROSPERITY. THIS IS WHAT I HAD IN MIND WHEN I APPOINTED JOHN NG AS PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS WITH RANK OF AMBASSADOR. HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT IS TO BE MY PERSONAL ENVOY AND REPRESENTATIVE NEXT WEEK AT THE PHILIPPINE EXHIBIT IN SHANGHAI. PLEASE JOIN HIM. I LOOK FORWARD TO JOHN'S SERVICE IN MY ADMINISTRATION. AND I HOPE THAT THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP IN THAT JOB WE WILL MAXIMIZE THE TRADE AND TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE NEW CHINA MAKES AVAILABLE FOR THE PHILIPPINES. I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUPPORT OF THE INCOMING OFFICERS OF THE FEDERATION, JUST AS YOUR PAST PRESIDENTS SUPPORTED MY FATHER DURING HIS TERM AS PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND JUST AS IN THE FIRST PART OF MY PRESIDENT, YOUR PAST PRESIDENTS ALSO SUPPORTED ME. IN MEMORY OF THE SUPPORT OF THE FEDERATION FOR MY FATHER IN HIS TIME, AND THE SUPPORT YOU GAVE ME AS I BEGAN MY OWN PRESIDENCY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME, I THEREFORE DECIDED TO CONFER POSTHUMOUSLY PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS ON THREE OF YOUR GREAT PAST PRESIDENTS -- MR. RALPH NUBLA, WHO IN HIS TIME BECAME ALMOST SYNONYMOUS WITH THE FEDERATION ITSELF; MR. ANTONIO ROXAS CHUA, MY FATHER'S VERY DEAR FRIEND; AND MR. BENJAMIN CHUA, MY DEAR FRIEND. THESE NOBLE EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL CONSCIENCE, SOLIDARITY AND GOODWILL SYMBOLIZE THE HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FILIPINO-CHINESE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT FOR A STRONG AND VIBRANT PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC. AND SO ONCE MORE, LET ME SAY, HOW I CHERISH YOUR SUPPORT AND I SHALL CONTINUE TO COUNT ON THAT SUPPORT. THANK YOU. |