PGMA's Speech during the Command Conference on Anti-Terrorism

PGMA's Speech during the Command Conference on Anti-Terrorism

Arctic II Function Room, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Lahug District, Cebu City (27 Mar 2003)

I CALLED THIS COMMAND CONFERENCE BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE PROBLEM OF STREET CRIMES BUT OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS RENEWED ALERT ALL OVER THE WORLD AGAINST TERRORISM. AND SO WE WILL HAVE ALL TO ACT TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS THREAT DOES NOT BECOME A REALITY IN OUR COUNTRY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO END OUR SESSION BY REITERATING THE 16 POINTS ON COUNTER-TERRORISM THAT I ENUNCIATED WAY BACK AFTER SEPTEMBER 11. AND I THINK IT IS TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT THEM NOW TO UPDATE THEM AND TO REVIEW WHETHER WE ARE COMPLYING WITH THE CHECKLIST.

SO, HERE ARE OUR 16 POINTS IN OUR COUNTER-TERRORISM PROGRAM:

FIRST, WE MUST ORGANIZE THE WHOLE COUNTER-TERRORISM ENTERPRISE AND DELINEATE CLEAR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

THE OVERALL SUPERVISOR OF THE ANTI-TERRORISM CAMPAIGN IS THE CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY. THEREFORE, ALL SPECIAL COMMITTEE, TASK FORCES AND WORK GROUPS THAT BEAR RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES ARE WITHIN THE AMBIT OF THIS CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SO THAT THIS CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS AUTHORIZED TO CALL UPON ANY DEPARTMENT, ANY AGENCY, ANY OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT ITS FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

SECOND, WE NEED TO ANTICIPATE EVENTS VERY EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. THAT MEANS INTELLIGENCE AND INTELLIGENCE FUSION. THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, AND ADMINISTRATIVELY SUPERVISED BY HIM THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COORDINATING AGENCY, CONSOLIDATE ALL OVERT AND COVERT DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION RELEVANT TO OUR RESPONSE IN THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM.

THIS CONSOLIDATED INTELLIGENCE WILL BE SHARED AS CALLED FOR BY THE SITUATION. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ESPECIALLY THE ATTENTION OF OUR VARIOUS INTELLIGENCE UNITS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE INTELLIGENCE FUSION.

THE AFP AND THE PNP WITHIN A REGION MUST SHARE INTELLIGENCE WITH EACH OTHER. I HAVE SEEN SITUATIONS WHERE THE GHQ JACK, J2 DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A BRIGADE KNOWS, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE. I HAVE SEEN SITUATIONS WHERE THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE OF A SPECIFIC AREA COMMAND DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION AS THE PNP REGIONAL DIRECTOR -- AH, NO, NO, THE OTHER WAY AROUND -- THE PNP REGIONAL OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT IS KNOWN BY THE AREA COMMAND INTELLIGENCE SERVICE.

ONE TIME IN THE PAST, THERE WAS AN ABU SAYYAF LEADER WHO WAS ARRESTED -- WELL, THAT'S FINE! BECAUSE HE WAS WORTH ONE MILLION -- BUT THE POLICE WHO ARRESTED HIM MISTOOK HIM FOR SOMEBODY WORTH FIVE MILLION. AND IT WAS THE SOUTH COMMAND WHO CALLED THE ATTENTION OF MALACAÑANG THAT THIS IS NOT A FIVE-MILLION PESO GUY, BUT HE'S WORTH ONE MILLION BUT HE'S NOT THE FIVE-MILLION PESO PERSON. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THERE HAD BEEN MORE FUSION BETWEEN THE AREA COMMAND OF THE AFP AND THE PNP REGIONAL COMMAND. AND SO BECAUSE WE NEED THIS, WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS THE OTHER NIGHT -- I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A NICA IN THE REGION -- BUT THERE MUST BE SOME WAY BY WHICH AT THE REGION IF YOU HAVE -- OKAY. ALTHOUGH ACCORDING TO GENERAL SANTIAGO, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THE NICA WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN. WHOEVER IS THE SENIOR, WHOEVER IS THE SENIOR PERSON AMONG THE PNP INTELLIGENCE, THE AFP INTELLIGENCE, THE NICA INTELLIGENCE, THE NBI INTELLIGENCE, YOU SHOULD FORM A TEAM, AND WHOEVER IS THE SENIOR INDIVIDUAL AMONG YOU CAN BECOME THE HEAD OF THE TEAM. AND ALL OF THESE MUST BE FED INTO THE DATABANK OF THE NICA WHO REPORTS TO MALACAÑANG.

SO THAT'S THE SECOND ONE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO USE OUR INTELLIGENCE TO ANTICIPATE EVENTS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

THIRD, WE MUST STRENGTHEN OUR INTERNAL FOCUS AGAINST TERRORISM. SO I HAVE ASKED JOEY LINA TO RE-ISSUE AND UPDATE THE CIRCULAR THAT HE HAD SENT BEFORE PRESCRIBING IN DETAIL THE ROLE AND PARTICIPATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND INSTITUTIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR DOWN TO THE BARANGAY LEVEL -- GOVERNOR, CITY MAYOR, MUNICIPAL MAYORS -- DOWN TO THE BARANGAY LEVEL IN THE PREVENTION, INTERDICTION AND CONTAINMENT OF TERRORIST ACTS. AND THIS TIME, THIS HAS TO INCLUDE TRAINING OF HEALTH PERSONNEL IN DEALING WITH CHEMICAL OR BIO-CHEMICAL ATTACKS.

THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE IN THIS, EVEN THE BIOLOGICAL OR CHEMICAL ATTACKS, BECAUSE DOH IS DEVOLVED.

FOURTH, WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE GOVERNMENT OF TERRORIST AND CRIMINAL CUDDLERS. I'M HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE ALL LOCAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONARIES ABETTING OR DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN TERRORISM AND RELATED CRIMINAL ACTS. AGAIN, JOEY LINA SHALL MONITOR THESE FUNCTIONARIES INCLUDING THOSE IN THE MILITARY AND THE POLICE. AND THOSE FOUND CULPABLE WILL FACE THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW.

FIFTH, THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE ALL PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS ABETTING OR AIDING TERRORISM. THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION SHALL CONDUCT AN IMMEDIATE INVENTORY OF DUBIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE WORKING AS FRONTS FOR TERRORISTS AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, EXPOSE THEM AND NEUTRALIZE THEIR OPERATIONS BY LEGAL SANCTIONS.

NUMBER SIX, WE MUST SYNCHRONIZED OUR INTERNAL EFFORTS WITH THE GLOBAL OUTLOOK. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS IN-CHANGE OF THIS. BUT ON THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL, YOU ALSO HAVE THE INTERPOL AND THE ASEANOPOL. AND SO THEREFORE, YOU DO HAVE TO WORK WITH YOUR COUNTERPARTS IN THE OTHER COUNTRIES. OKAY, SO ACCORDING TO GENERAL EBDANE, THERE WILL BE A MEETING -- WITH INTERPOL OR ASEANOPOL? -- THIS MAY. INTERPOL IS AN OPERATING ORGANIZATION, ASEANOPOL IS A MEETING, MEETING TYPE OF ORGANIZATION. SO, SINCE THERE IS A BIG TERRORIST THREAT IN ASEAN, I WOULD ASK GENERAL EBDANE TO CONVEY TO THE ASEANOPOL THAT YOU MUST HAVE OPERATING AGREEMENTS THAT WILL GO BEYOND JUST HAVING REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

NUMBER SEVEN, WE MUST COMBINE A POLICY OF TACTICAL COUNTERFORCE WITH A SET OF STRATEGIC LEGAL MEASURES. HERE, I AM COUNTING ON THE DOJ TO ANTICIPATE ALL THE LEGAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO ARISE FROM THE SITUATION.

THE DOJ SHOULD SET UP A SPECIAL TEAM TO SERVE THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE WAR ON TERRORISM INCLUDING THE SPEEDY PROSECUTION, DEPORTATION AND EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTS.

NUMBER EIGHT, OUR PEACE PROCESS MUST BE STRENGTHENED IN ORDER TO ISOLATE TERRORIST GROUPS FROM THE MODERATES. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE REPORT FROM REGION 6 THAT THE PEACE PROCESS IS WORKING VERY WELL WITH THE RPA. AND TOMMY AND TEDDY AND GOVERNOR, I AM AUTHORIZING AND IN FACT ENCOURAGING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVES TO PURSUE LOCAL PEACE TALKS.

NUMBER NINE, WE MUST PURSUE BROADER INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE TO PROMOTE CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM SOLIDARITY. TERRORISTS WANT TO INSTIGATE A RELIGIOUS WAR. WE MUST MAKE THIS INSTEAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORGE RELIGIOUS UNDERSTANDING, ECUMENISM AND SOLIDARITY. TOMMY, WHEN YOU WERE NOT HERE, THE HEAD OF REGION 7 WAS SAYING, GENERAL GARCIA WAS SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN TOGETHER A MEMORANDUM WITH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE OUR LGUS, AND IF NECESSARY, OUR CIVIL RELATIONS OFFICES OF THE PNP IN THE LOCAL COMMAND UNITS TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH GENERAL ERMITA WHO IS OVERALL IN-CHARGE OF THE INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE. SO THAT WE BECOME PRO-ACTIVE IN HAVING OUR PEOPLES UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER IN OUR MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETY.

NUMBER TEN, NOTHING JUSTIFIES TERRORISM BUT WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC UNDERPINNINGS OF TERRORISM. SO, I AM URGING THE INITIATION OF SPECIAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN AREAS WHOSE EXTREME POVERTY MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO THE COURTSHIP OF TERRORIST GROUPS. SO, EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT KALAHI TYPE OF PROJECTS AND I ENCOURAGE THAT THIS BE SET UP EVEN WHERE THERE IS NO KALAHI COMING FROM THE NATIONAL ANTI-POVERTY COMMISSION.

IN AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE THE CLEAR, CONSOLIDATE AND HOLD AND DEVELOP THEN YOU NEED TO PUT A KALAHI PROJECT OR KALAHI TYPE PROJECT IMMEDIATELY.

FOR INSTANCE, GENERAL LIGOT IN SAN JOSE, LIBUAN, WE HAVE HAD -- THAT WAS NO MAN'S LAND FOR A VERY LONG TIME BUT IT'S BEEN CLEARED RECENTLY -- SO THE KALAHI OR THE CRS OR THE SOT MUST ENTER IMMEDIATELY, THAT'S ONE. AND THEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE CHOCOLATE HILLS AREA IN CENTRAL BOHOL, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AREA I THINK WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. AND THEN I THINK HERE IN CEBU, GOVERNOR, I THINK IT WOULD BE ON THE WESTERN, NORTHWESTERN SEA BOARD WHERE YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE KALAHI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

HOW ARE YOUR MOUNTAIN BARANGAYS, TOMMY? THEY'RE OKAY NAMAN, ANO?

NUMBER ELEVEN, ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WHICH INCLUDES LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, MUST EXERCISE THE STRICTEST VIGILANCE AGAINST MOVEMENTS OF SUSPECTED PERSONS, FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES, RAW MATERIALS OF EXPLOSIVE, TOXIC MATERIALS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS. OUR QUARANTINE WATCH MUST BE STRENGTHENED.

IN THE NAIA, THE QUARANTINE WATCH IS VERY STRONG. SO I HOPE THAT THE QUARANTINE WATCH WOULD ALSO BE VERY STRONG IN THE CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

GENERAL LIGOT, IN COTABATO AIRPORT WHICH IS SO ALREADY SO EXPERIENCED BECAUSE OF SO MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH TERRORIST, THERE, THEY WORK TOGETHER IN A COMPOSITE GROUP -- THE AIR FORCE, THE POLICE, THE AVSECOM, THE AIRPORT'S AVSECOM, THE LOCAL PNP COMMAND AND THEN THE ATO. SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME KIND OF COMPOSITE GROUP ALSO HERE IN THE AIRPORT IN CEBU.

THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. I AM EXPECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TO PUT VERY QUICKLY TOGETHER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NEW ANTI MONEY LAUNDERING LAW SO THAT WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY CONSOLIDATE THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM TO CHECK QUESTIONABLE AND DIRTY MONEY TRANSFERS.

NUMBER TWELVE, WE MUST NOW CLOSELY COORDINATE PREPARATIONS AND ACTIONS IN THE EVENT OF CATASTROPHIC TERRORIST ATTACKS EVEN IF THEY SHOULD BE REMOTE.

SO THE NDCC IS ON TOP OF THIS EFFORT. THIS IS THE... WHAT YOU WILL CALL IN YOUR TECHNICAL LANGUAGE, THE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT. AND SO, SINCE THE NDCC IS ON TOP OF THIS EFFORT, THAT MEANS THAT HERE IN THE LOCALITIES, THE RDCC THAT WOULD BE ON TOP OF THIS EFFORT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS CHAIRED BY THE REGIONAL. IN THE CASE OF THE THREE OF YOU, IT IS CHAIRED BY THE REGIONAL COMMANDER OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR CONTINGENCY PLANS -- WELL, YOU HAVE PRESENTED SOME OF THEM -- BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH MY OWN EYES, WHEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, THESE CONTINGENCY PLANS IN PLACE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME. THIS IS WHY IN METRO MANILA, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE DRILLS TO SEE HOW IT WORKS WHEN YOU HAVE TO MANAGE AN INCIDENT.

NUMBER THIRTEEN, THERE MUST BE A COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY PLAN FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING POWER PLANTS, POWER TRANSMISSIONS AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES, OIL AND GAS DEPOTS, KEY PUBLIC WORKS INFRASTRUCTURES, VITAL COMMUNICATIONS INSTALLATIONS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS PRIVATE BUILDINGS, AND FACILITIES IN THE NERVE CENTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. RAUL, THAT'S YOUR DISTRICT, 'NO? THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY SECTOR? SO PERHAPS, RAUL, YOU COULD SUGGEST WHAT SPECIFIC AREAS WOULD NEED TO BE ESPECIALLY SECURED.

THE CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL WANT THESE PLANS FROM THE DIFFERENT CRISIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES THAT YOU HAVE SAID IS ALREADY ONE AND THE SAME AS THE REGIONAL PEACE AND ORDER COUNCIL, 'DI BA? AH, THE RDC, NOT JUST THE REGIONAL PEACE AND ORDER COUNCIL. AND THIS MUST BE IN COORDINATION WITH THE PERTINENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

NUMBER FOURTEEN, THE INTEREST OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS ARE PARAMOUNT. THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING OUT OF ITS WAY TO SUPPORT THEIR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OUT OF HARM'S WAY IN THE EVENT OF TACTICAL CONTINGENCIES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. BUT NOW, OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND IN THIS VIEW AND THEREFORE, THERE SHOULD BE FEW ENOUGH FOR THE DOLE TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUT RE-DEPLOYMENT SCHEMES SO THAT THE OFWS CAN BE RE-DEPLOYED ELSEWHERE OR FOR THEM TO BE RE INTEGRATED WITH LIVELIHOOD OR SMALL ENTERPRISE PROGRAMS. AND SO, THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN COORDINATION WITH THE UNDERSECRETARY OF RE INTEGRATION OF DOLE, LUCY LAZO.

NUMBER FIFTEEN, BECAUSE WE'RE MODERNIZED IN THE ARMED FORCES AND THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE, WE MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE THREATS OF TERRORISM. SO YOUR PROCUREMENT IS ALREADY BEEN DONE THAT WAY, ISN'T IT? I HAVE ASKED GENERAL ABAYA TO RE-EXAMINE AND TO REVISE THE AFP SHOPPING LIST TO CONFORM TO THE NEW REALITY OF TERRORISM, AND SO THE SAME CASE WITH THE PNP. SO EVEN AT YOUR LEVEL -- REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, CITY STATION -- YOUR REQUISITIONS SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW THREAT OF THE 21ST CENTURY, WHICH IS THE TERRORIST THREAT.

SO, THAT MEANS THAT BOTH THE DND, THE AFP, THE DILG AND THE PNP MUST RE-EXAMINE HOW YOU ARE ALLOCATING YOUR BUDGET. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL BUDGET, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLOCATING YOUR EXISTING BUDGET AWAY FROM THE LESS IMPORTANT PROCUREMENT AND MOOE TO THE MORE RELEVANT PROCUREMENT MOOE NOW THAT THE 21ST CENTURY IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE TERRORIST THREAT.

NUMBER SIXTEEN, THAT'S THE MASS MEDIA. MASS MEDIA ASSUMES A PARAMOUNT ROLE IN THE OVERALL STRATEGY TO SAFEGUARD OUR PEOPLE FROM TERRORISM.

I AM ASKING FOR MEDIA SUPPORT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, IN ENLIGHTENING THE PUBLIC OF THE RATIONALE BEHIND OUR ACTIONS, IN PROMOTING CONSENSUS AND EVEN CRITICISM IF IT IS CONSTRUCTIVE. BUT I'M ASKING THE MEDIA TO DEPRIVE THE TERRORISTS OF THE BENEFIT OF GLORIFIED COVERAGE AND PUBLICITY. AND I ASK THE MEDIA TO HELP IN MAINTAINING CALM, SOBRIETY, PRUDENCE AND SOLIDARITY IN OUR SOCIETY. THE PIA AND THE OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY IN THE REGIONS ARE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN CLOSE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONTACT WITH THE MEDIA IN THE PURSUIT OF OUR COMMON OBJECTIVES AND TO ARRANGE PERIODIC BRIEFINGS TO BRING THE MEDIA INTO THE LOOP OF COLLECTIVE ACTION AND INFORMATION.

THE TIMES CALL FOR CRISIS MANAGERS, INFORMATION CHAMPIONS, ECONOMIC STABILITY AND ANTI-CRIME CZARS ROLLED IN ONE AND THOSE ARE REALLY THE MAYORS. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND ALL OF THE PNP OFFICERS THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVES UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE ARE DEPUTIES OF THE NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION, AND THEREFORE, THEY HAVE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OVER THE POLICE IN THEIR LOCALITIES. SO DO NOT FORGET TO ACCEPT THE SUPERVISION OF YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVES.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THESE GENERAL 16 POINTS THAT OUR PEOPLE MUST BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PERCEPTIVE TREND SHOWING THAT ARMED GROUPS RANGED AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS THEIR ALLIES IN THE STREETS ARE ENGAGED IN A MORE STRIDENT AND MILITANT CAMPAIGN TO CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENT AND TO SOW RUMORS AND DISINFORMATION.

WE, IN THE PNP, MUST BE THOROUGHLY BE PREPARED TO MEET THESE THREATS. OUR ARMED FORCES AND OUR POLICE MUST BE IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES. ON OUR PART AS ECONOMIC MANAGERS, WE HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR ECONOMIC PERIMETERS TO GUARD AGAINST ANY ILL EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS. THANKS TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVES, THEY'VE BEEN WATCHING THE PRICES, THEY'VE BEEN WATCHING POSSIBLE PANIC BUYING AND HOARDING, AND THEREFORE THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN BEHAVING.

THE DOLLAR, THE PESO HAS BECOME VERY STRONG. THE PRICE OF OIL IS GOING DOWN, AND SO THEREFORE, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR SOCIOECONOMIC PERIMETERS ARE IN PLACE.

LET'S MAKE SURE, THEREFORE, THAT OUR PROTECTION, PHYSICAL PROTECTION IS IN PLACE. LET US COMMUNICATE THAT OUR EFFORTS AT STRICT VIGILANT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT ARE PAYING OFF. AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE CRISIS MANAGERS IN EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT, THE CRISIS MANAGER IS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE GOVERNOR GARCIA, MAYOR OSMEÑA, MAYOR OUANO AND ALL THE CRISIS MANAGERS. I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN MANAGING THIS CRISIS SPECTACULARLY AND MAGNIFICENTLY. AND BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF VERY ENLIGHTENED CONGRESSMEN, LIKE CONGRESSMAN RAUL DEL MAR, WHO COMES FROM THE BUSINESS SECTION OF CEBU, AND THEREFORE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE SOBER RATHER THAN POPULIST COMMENTARIES AMONG POLITICIANS, OUR SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS HAD BEEN STABLE AND SECURE.

EVEN IN THE FACE OF AN EXTENDED WAR SCENARIO, OUR CONTINGENCY PLANS CAN BE STRETCHED OUT EFFECTIVELY.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF THE TRUTH TO RESIST ANY AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO SHOW PANIC OR IRRATIONAL FEAR.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US -- POLICE AND CIVILIANS, NATIONAL OFFICIALS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE, GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENRY -- IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CLOSE RANKS IN MEETING THE CRISIS.

EACH AND EVERY FILIPINO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AWARE AND ENLIGHTENED, TO BE VIGILANT AND TO ACT WITH DISCIPLINE AND WITH A GENUINE CONCERN FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

SO TO ALL OF YOU, LET US CONTINUE TO BE UNITED AND PULL IN ONE DIRECTION.

THANK YOU.

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