| Thank you very much Secretary
Mar Roxas. I'd like to share
with the others, Mar, if I may, that when Secretary Roxas passed the reception line at the
White House state dinner, President Bush told him, "you are a great heir of a great
political tradition."
Jun Ortiz-Luis who organized this gathering in three days notice, thank you very much,
Jun; other Presidents and Chairmen of the various business organizations; and I'd like to
acknowledge Donald Dee, our emcee, of ECOP; Mike Varela who spoke earlier, thank you for
your kind words, representing Philippines Inc., And I hope to see your participation in
the next trip in Korea; Dick Romulo of Makati Business Club; Pat Dizon of Philexport;
Robin Sy of the federation; Ed Fereira of management association; Cesar Virata of the
bankers association; Openg Lam of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club; Edgardo Limon of
Finex; and Ding Viera of Seipi.
I' like to also acknowledge my other Cabinet members who are here. I was earlier with Mike
Defensor and Lito Camacho, so they are the ones I see with me now; distinguished members
of the diplomatic corps; officers and members of Foreign Chambers in the Philippines;
co-convenors of this joint meeting of business organizations; honored guests; ladies and
gentlemen.
As Mar and the other speakers intimated, the Philippines today is emerging from the
stagnation, cynicism, cronyism and disengagement from the world that characterized the end
of the last century. And in line with this, a new modern alliance between the Philippines
and the united states is essential for the well-being of our nation on a range of issues:
security, regional stability, trade and investment, economic reform, and good governance
measures, to name a few.
That's why I went into that important my meeting with President Bush at the White House
last week. That meeting underscores the strength of the relationship between the
Philippines and the United States. As you know and has been mentioned by Mike, I was the
first Asian head of state to be given a state visit in the Bush Presidency. And President
Bush and I, in accordance with what I think we need as a country for the 21st century,
developed a modern framework to guide our relations. Relations that had drifted are now
back on track and stronger and more mature than ever.
I followed with great interest the published commentary on the implications of the
outcomes from my recently concluded state visit. I join many of our people in noting with
pleasure that most commentators welcomed the generosity and kindness of America in that
visit. There seemed to be an overwhelming acceptance that what happened during my state
visit constituted genuine good news for our country in an otherwise dismal season --
mentioned earlier by our Speaker -- dismal season in the global scene -- ah, not in the
speech; in the prayer -- marked by war, disease outbreak, economic slowdown in the world.
Three threads of contrary opinion were, however, articulated by respected voices. These
dissenting voices say: (1) that my state visit marked a return to a patron-client
relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines. one that is marked once more by
mendicancy and dependence, after this was ended by the 1991 closure of U.S. bases in our
country; (2) that the announced gains from the visit are mere propaganda not reality; (3)
that the gains from the visit mainly serve my personal political purposes for the 2004
elections.
I thought that our people would benefit from my addressing these opinions. It's important
that our country understand better the intended meanings and underlying purposes of key
changes in our current relationship with America, not just for the benefit of my
administration but for the guidance even of future generations of this century.
I will not offer an extended enumeration of the various gains from the visit. Those of you
who came here expecting a laundry list, I'm sorry to disappoint you. After all, published
reports have already provided much of this information. And if you are really interested,
go through all of them and do your clippings and do your own additions. These published
reports have already reported on different forthcoming investments and job contracts, but
if you put them together, they are worth over a billion dollars; they've already reported
on various world bank and IFC programs and projects announced during my trip, but if you
add them all up again, they amount to more than a billion dollars, too; they've already
reported on credit lines from OPIC and Eximbank worth 500 million dollars; they have
already reported on defense and security assistance exceeding 350 million dollars; they've
already reported on expected OFW remittance savings of 300 million dollars once we fix the
system of remittance; they've already reported on various bilateral poverty alleviation
programs, which again if you put them together will amount to over 200 million dollars.
In any case, I’m confident that the people from the sectors, institutions and regions
that will directly benefit from agreements made during my visit will be the best
spokespersons about the reality of these gains. For instance, looking at the reports that
other visit also to the U.S. made by their own people -- so that I could make my report
consistent with their format -- I saw that what they get in GSP is part of what they
consider as gains in the visit. On that score, I am confident that the seaweed farmers
will be the best spokesmen for the GSP benefits when Carageenan begins to enter the U.S.
tariff-free. On the part of OPIC, I'm confident that people like Loida Nicolas- Lewis,
Fil-American, will be a good spokesperson about this credit line because she is one of the
U.S. investors who will avail of it, in her case to put up a meat processing plant in
Cagayan De Oro. I'm confident that the children who will benefit from the health and
nutrition services of the 96 million-dollar development assistance and child survival
project will be the best spokesmen for that project. That the children who will be fed
with milk as part of the 42 million-dollar food for peace program will be the best
spokesmen for that program. I'm confident that the ex-MNLF who will continue to benefit
from the 33 million-dollar renewal of their reintegration assistance will be the best
spokesmen for the support of the U.S. to the continuing peace process. And I am confident
that the electric cooperatives who will receive long-term debt funding will be the best
spokesmen also, all of them together for the bilateral poverty alleviation program.
On the part of commercial and corporate transactions, I'm confident that the governor of
Batangas will be the best spokesman for the projected 500 million-dollar Calabarzon joint
use airport and mixed use township development. I am confident that the prominent citizens
of Cavite led by former Prime Minister Virata will be the best spokesmen for the 117
million-dollar extension of the Manila-Cavite expressway to be financed by LFC. The PNOC
will be the best spokesman for the 240 million-dollar geothermal plant at Bacon-Manito and
the Visayas power transmission lines. But I feel confident that the consumers themselves
will be the best spokesmen for the 50 million-dollar ocean thermal energy conversion plant
of sun solar power. And that the people of Cagayan will be the best spokesmen of the 5
million-dollar IFC grant for the Cagayan Solar Power Plant. As I am sure that Planters
Bank will be the best spokesman for IFC’s 25 million-dollar investment in our small
and medium enterprise financing facilities.
I also look forward to the day when the aircraft mechanics will be the spokesmen for a 300
million-dollar investment of Dyncorp in a regional aviation repair and maintenance center
and an Aviation Technical Training Center. And when additional automotive workers will be
the spokesmen for the next 150 million-dollar investment of Ford Motor Corporation.
I'm confident that the nurses will be the best spokespersons for the 26 million dollars in
U.S. healthcare job commitments. And I'm confident that starting June 8,000 young people
will begin to become the best spokesmen for the 10 million-dollar call center of
convergys. And that in September, 300 young people of Cebu will be the best spokesmen for
the Western Wats Call Center.
I feel confident that the workers and professionals who will work in Iraq will be the best
spokesmen for the first 100 million dollars worth of jobs being discussed. And I'm
confident that the farmers will be the best spokesmen for the 50 million dollars World
Bank agrarian reform community development project whose signing was announced during my
state visit. And so with the various beneficiaries of the other World Bank projects
already being programmed all the way up to 2005.
Suffice it to say here that the magnitude, range and structure of the benefits we obtained
merited out country's appreciation. We obtained quantitatively more valuable benefits
across a wider range of concerns at a more accelerated schedule and with better targeted
purposes, than we had thought attainable at these times.
Nonetheless, I did not go to America with a begging bowl. I did not place our sovereignty
on the negotiating table. I never applied to be America's girl scout in our region.
America is not in search of dependents, puppets or errand girls. It is in need of
authentic allies whose own security interests coincide with their global war against
terrorism. The Philippines is one such ally. I believe that the world was indeed
fundamentally altered by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. While fighting
terrorism cannot be the end-all and be-all of all human endeavor, I believe that it has
become a transcendental issue that colors our other concerns, whether we like it or not.
Terrorists and those who fight them will make sure that it does color our world, even if
we would have preferred it otherwise.
I went to America in behalf of a country whose citizens and economy have suffered and a
country which is under continuing threat from terrorism. I had dinner at the White House
that is now the vigorous fighting heart of all peoples under threat of terrorist attacks.
America was generous with its support for our own struggle against terrorism. Yet the
Philippines was entirely worthy of such support as Filipino blood and fortunes have been
invested in prosecuting our own fight against those who inflict violence in behalf of
political or allegedly religious goals. America's support for Philippine efforts is not
pay back for compliance, rather it is an act of solidarity of two sovereign countries
engaged in common struggle where both are at risk. While the outward appearances of my
state visit to the U.S.A. may look similar to those of other state visits -- including
that of my father, and I accompanied him on that state visit, too so I have a chance to
compare -- I believe that the underlying reality that our relationship with America has
changed significantly towards greater mutuality, equality and maturity, that is completely
new. Our official friendship with America is not new, but the mutuality of national
interests that underlie such relationship is a new and more powerful motivation for an old
friendship.
I wish to appeal to those who would seek to misappropriate the gains of my state visit in
favor of whatever they may imagine to be my political plans in 2004. This includes not
only my detractors but also my well-meaning supporters. Please refrain from tainting this
national enterprise with political colors.
The whole country, the entire Filipino people, and most of all the people from Mindanao,
are the main intended and eventual beneficiaries of whatever was accomplished during my
state visit. Everyone else, including myself or members of my Cabinet and other leaders
who participated, were merely instruments in the service of the national interest.
America's generosity was extended primarily to 80 million Filipinos who after all are the
citizens who bear the burden of securing the peace and advancing the economy.
I shall not diminish the nobility and honor associated with the two nations of the
Philippines and America affirming their deep and abiding friendship with each other
through my state visit. I have no wish to exact from the gains of the Filipino people any
reflected glory for my supposed political plans. Our people expect their President to be a
much greater leader than that. And I have a much greater respect for our people to be any
less.
The financial support provided by the United States is welcome, but not central to our
long-term relationship. The purpose of my trip was not about aid, though it came, but
about a new and broadened relationship that takes in every facet of life and commerce
between the two nations. Commerce, that's why I ask you businessmen to be here. My state
visit was to forge a new, modern framework to guide our two nations; a relationship built
on mutual respect and shared values. I was honored by the state visit. And as mentioned by
our speakers earlier, I thank you, my fellow citizens, because you said, you are proud,
too.
We have laid a strategic basis for Philippine-U.S. relations based on more trade, not aid;
reciprocity, not mendicacy; mutuality, not exclusivity. Through this bolstered alliance,
we have gained solid momentum for a more decisive engagement with the world. But that
engagement is not only for us and the government to do, it is for you in the business
sector to do even more.
We in government take care of the diplomacy and sometimes the initial contacts, but I
expect you to follow through with characteristic zeal and ability. We must get on early
and make a go for it. We're already three years into this new century. Let's bring in
investments and step up higher into the world stage. Let's give jobs to our people. Let's
fight poverty. Let's build a Strong Republic for the 21st century.
Thank you. |