PGMA's Speech during the 105th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Navy

PN Headquarters Naval Air Group Hangar ll Sangley Point, Cavite City, May 27, 2003

Maraming Salamat.

Maraming salamat, Secretary Angelo Reyes.

AFP Chief of Staff General Narciso Abaya; officials of the Philippine Navy led by Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon and Rear Admiral Ariston Delos Reyes; mga local chief executives ng Cavity City led by Mayor Bernardo Paredes; our major service commanders; Lieutenant General Camiling and Lieutenant General Santillan; members of the Diplomatic corps; iyung ating Cabinet officer for Regional Development ng Cavite, si Secretary Marita Jimenez; sailors; marines; ladies and gentlemen:

Nagpupugay ako at ang buong bansa sa inyo, mga kasapi ng Hukbong Pandagat ng Pilipinas sa inyong pagdiriwang ng 105^th anniversary. Ang tunay na aniberaryo ninyo ay Mayo a-beinte sana, ngunit nandoon ako sa Amerika nga ipinaglalaban kayo gaya ng sabi ni Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Eh dahil sa gusto ninyong ibagay ang pagdiriwang sa aking libreng petsa ay ginawa nating sanang buaks. Kaya lang bukas pupunta ako sa Mindanao, kaya ginawa ngayon. Parang pinili ng Panginoon itong araw na ito – ika-beinte siente ng Mayo sa ating pagdiriwang, dahil palagay ko gusting maalala, gusto ng Panginoon na maalala natin itong araw na ito, two years ago, May 27, 2001, iyon ang araw na sinugod ng mga bandidong Abu Sayaff ang mga turista at empleyado sa Dos Palmas.

At bakit nga gusting maalala natin na itong mga Abu Sayaff ay nagbihag nang napakaraming turistaa at empleyado noong Mayo a-beinte siete. Kasi palagay ko gusto rin nyang maalala natin na pagkatapos ng isang taon nasugpo sa wakes si Abu Sabaya ng Naval Forces South at ang pinuno ng Naval Forces South, the man who brought down Abu Sabaya ay walang iba kung hindi iyung ating FOIC ngayon, si Vice Admiral Ernie de Leon. Kaya binigyan natin ng award iyung Naval Forces South. Actually, dapat si ernie ang tumanggap noon, pero na-promote na sya eh, kaya hindi na siya ang tumanggap noon. Pero yung ibang mga nakakuha ng mga awards naalala rin natin yung mga pinaghirap ninyo mga sailors at saka marines sa paglalaban sa Abu Sayaff. Iyung dalawa sa ating awardees, ay nangangatawan doon sa mga lumaban sa Abu Sayaff at saka sa Misuari breakaway group. Hinabol sa isang isla hanggang sa umaga, namatayan, naalala ko si Admiral Hingco noon, paiyak dahil namatayan tayo ng mga sailors at marines noong Nobyembreng ‘yon. At salamat na iyung mga unit na ‘yon ay nabigyan din ng parangal itong araw na ito sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga namuno.

During my state visit to Washington, President Bush and I reaffirmed our commitment to destroy the ASG once and for all. Toward that end, we agreed to hold Balikatan 03-1. The budget for Balikatan 03-1 for the first 45 days has already been approved by the U.S. government in the amount of 47 million U.S. dollars.

I also welcomed the additional counter-terrorism security assistance of 30 million dollars in the U.S. supplemental budget for Foreign Military Assistance or FMF. This 30 million dollars will be allocated for the training and equipping of more light reaction companies, light infantry battalions, and navy seals.

This supplemental budget is in addition to 20 million dollars of FMF which will be allocated to the sustenance of key AFP mobility assets: HUEYs, C-130s, M-35 trucks and 78-foot patrol vessels.

For year 2004, there is an initial 17 million dollars in the proposed budget, which can still be increased. Thus, our total FMF is 67 million dollars, compare this to 1.9 million dollars during the year 2000.

President Bush emphasized that the United States will continue to provide significant security assistance, training, equipment, and law enforcement assistance to support the Philippines in the war on terror. The war training amounts to 10 million U.S. dollars, consisting of 5 million dollars of anti-terrorist training and education with 4 million coming from the pacific command and 1 million from state department. Over 4 million dollars will be allocated for international military education and training, and an amount less than 1 million dollars for a special logistics education and training program.

The equipment being sent or already sent to the Philippines includes 500 armored vests already reaped under the MLSA with more significant benefits anticipated; and 15,000 M-16 rifles which arrived last April, in anticipation that I would go to America last March, but in addition – now that I’ve gone to America again, there’s another 15,000. Now that I’ve gone to America at last, I mean, there’s another 15,000 to come as soon as the first 15,000 to come are worth 10 million U.S. dollars.

There is also a law enforcement assistance amounting to 3 million dollars from the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Fund. Thus, the training, equipment and law enforcement assistance in the war on terrors is all of these amounts. That would be about….well, I leave you to add all of those amounts 67 plus 13, plus 10, and so on.

We also agreed on the need for alleviating poverty and other socio-economic grievances which can create breeding grounds for terrorism. To advance this agenda, President Bush informed me that the United States will train and equip a Philippine engineering unit capable of performing civic action and humanitarian projects in conflict zones. The training and equipping of this engineering company will amount to 25 million U.S. dollars. The Bush administration is also providing 20 million dollars for continuing assistance for the MNLF rebel returnees program, and 4 million dollars for civic action projects in Basilan, and 2 million dollars for Sulu rehabilitation. All these programs will help address the problem of the breeding grounds of terrorism and insurgency.

I appreciate also the economic assistance of 30 million dollars recently allocated by the U.S. Congress to support peace in Mindanao. The U.S. stands ready to provide diplomatic and financial support to a renewed peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, provided that the MILF renounces terror. There is also…. at least another 20 million dollars that will be allocated for this peace process in next year’s budget, for a total of at least 50 million dollars which can finance a mini-marshall plan for the areas devastated by the arm conflict.

President Bush and I agreed to launch a comprehensive review of Philippine security needs and how the U.S. can support my plans to modernize and reform the AFP. President Bush committed to help address the AFP’s most pressing needs, particularly in the area of mobility, by providing 30 helicopters, in addition to three that will be arriving on July 15, and also spare parts. The 33 helicopters are worth 31 million dollars while the spare parts are worth 10 million dollars and they were financed by President Bush using 15 percent of his entire Presidential drawdown fund for all countries. The sapre parts will be used for the cyclone-class patrol vessel which I obtained for the navy during my 2001 visit to Washington and scheduled to arrive this year. Indidentally, we may exchange this 30 million dollars cyclone for two or three smaller patrols boats that may be more needed for the war on terror. This assistance for modernization sums up also to a good amount.

President Bush also submitted to Congress what is for the first time an administration measure to extend new benefits to commonwealth army veterans and guerillas worth 76 million U.S. dollars. He also announced continuing efforts began during my 2001 visit to Washington to improve medical care for veterans in the Philippines by providing medical equipment to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City in the amount to 77 million dollars as discussed in my state visit.

Now, for those who had difficulty doing the adding up, in summary, the Philippines is receiving a minimum of 356 million dollars in defense and security assistance. Compare this to the U.S. bases period, when we has U.S. bases in the Philippines, we were getting 200 million dollars a year. We are getting this 356 million dollars without U.S. bases, simply because of the respect of the U.S. for our long and proud partnership, our fight against terror, and the greatness of the Filipino worker including the Filipino soldier, the Filipino pilot, the Filipino sailor, the Filipino marines. On top this, the review of the AFP modernization, which we agreed to do together, will result in a 5-year commitment for further assistance. Furthermore, President Bush’s intention to designate the Philippines as a major non-NATO ally will allow our countries to work together on military research and give the Philippines greater access to American defense equipment and supplies.

Kasama na rito sigurado ang ating magigiting na navy.

To our sailaors and our marines in the navy, I thank you, because you secured the shores of our country through your constant patrols of our outlying islands and shoals such as represented by your achievements in the kalayaan against poaching which we awarded today. Including also coastal installations like the Malampaya Gas Project and the waters we share with our neighbors.

The navy has been a cutting edge of vigilante and a cradle of humanitarianism. You have shown versatility in shifting from negation patrols to sealift and search and rescue missions.

Just two days ago, including yesterday and up to today, you had the occasion to demonstrate again your readiness, and once again you delivered. I congratulate the navy for braving the seas to speedily respond to the M/V San Nicolas tragedy of last Sunday.

Yet, while I salute the navy and all other ships that responded quicly to the call for assistance in Sunday’s tragedy, I deplore the occurrence of another sea accident that has claimed the lives of scores of Filipinos.

We will strictly enforce the law but we will also confront the long-term strategic issues. I’m certifying as urgent three bills filed by Senator Rodolfo Biazon, and ex-marine, seeking to create an Independent National Transportation and Safety Board to investigate all major and serious accidents on land, air and sea; another bill providing for the integration of government instrumentalities to provide coherent direction for marine development; and a third bill to uprgrade maritime laws into Maritime Code of the Philippines. The strategic development, viability and safety of matime transport is a key component of our national security and economic development.

I express, once more, my deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims. Also, I extend my condolences to the families of the victims in the sea accident in Miami, and we assure them that all possible assistance from the government is forthcoming. Filipino seamen constitute a great bulk in the global maritime fleets and are heroes in their own right. These tragedies reflect the steep risks that Filipino seamen take for the sake of their families and our country. Similar to the risks taken by our sailors and marines except that in the case of our sailors and marines, for the sake of our country, in addition to the regular risks of travelling at sea, our sailors and marines actually put yourselves in harm’s way in combat for the sake of our country.

Thus, on your 105^th anniversary, once again, I congratulate Vice Admiral Ernie De Leon, the officers, the sailors, the marines of the Philippine Fleet and the Philippine Marine Corps for the excellent service you have rendered in the past year.

Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang Hukbong Pandagat ng Pilipinas!

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