PGMA's Speech during the 105th Anniversary of the Philippine Postal Service and Celebration of Postal Consciousness Week

PGMA's Speech during the 105th Anniversary of the Philippine Postal Service and Celebration of Postal Consciousness Week

Philpost Central Office Bldg. Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila (03 Nov 2003)

Thank you. Thank you.

Salamat. Salamat. Thank you.

Maraming salamat, Kalihim Mendoza.

Maraming salamat din General Villanueva, ibat-ibang opisyales ng DOTC at saka Philpost. Maraming salamat, mayor lito atienza sa magandang ginawa ninyo sa kapaligiran dito lalo na dahil maganda ang harap ng Philpost, ngumingiti na ang gusali ng Philpost Corporation.

Binabati ko rin si Secretary Mai Jimenez at iba't ibang mga officials, lalo na mga postal workers, ladies and gentlemen:

Congratulations for more than a century, you have been working so hard. You have been messengers of all Filipinos. I commend you for your good work.

In your continuing drive to keep up with the times, you have opened your express mail service, congratulations sa ating mga driver ng express mail service. Meron itong mga dedicated hubs for door-to-door delivery. You have also tapped I.T. to improve your money order system, congratulations din. Salamat. Salamat. Thank you.

At 'yung anti-drug campaign, sumama kayo mga youth, sumama ang mga youth at Postal Corporation. Lahat kayo bibili ng selyo ng anti-drug pag gagawa tayo ng sulat.

I congratulate General Villanueva who not only did these innovations that I just mentioned to improve efficiency and reliability but was also able to raise funds for your salary differentials and your rice allowance.

Hindi ako nagugulat, hindi ako nagugulat na nagawa ito ni Diomeng, because General Villanueva has always been good not only in the conduct of warfare but also in the management of resources. Alam n'yo bago ko siya nilagay sa philpost, noong siya ay Chief of Staff ng Armed Forces, siya rin ang chairman of RSBS, and under him for the first time in a long time, the AFP pension fund RSBS was able to make profit for the first time in a very long time. (batiin ko rin si Rene Diaz, nandito pala.) Kaya kung ano ang ginawa niya sa pension fund ng mga sundalo, nilalakad rin niya 'yung inyong provident fund para maging successful.

Sa kaniyang report sa akin, sa pagkaintindihan ko, in 1993 -- sino nandito noong 1993 pa? Dami na -- you established a provident fund. But I understand, the DBM did not recommend post-facto approval kasi pinag-aaralan pa raw 'yung rationalization ng iba't-ibang provident fund sa iba't-ibang ahensiya at korporasyon ng pamahalaan.

But I can understand the urgency of addressing the personal needs of our employees because we are now in the midst of among the most difficult times in the history not only of our country but of the world economy.

Mula pa noong 1997, nagka-Asian crisis tayo. Nung year 2000, nagka-impeachment crisis. Nung 2001, iyung I.T. bubble ng Amerika ay pumutok and the world's exports went down -- kasi Amerika is the number one buyer of the world -- kasama na ang Pilipinas. Tapos nangyari 'yung 9-11 at nagkaroon ng terorismo sa buong mundo. Early this year, SARS happened in our region. And though the Philippines handled it very well, tourism in Asia and the pacific went down. All of these contribute to trying times and our hardworking government employees must have ready access to credit. I recognize that since 1994 your provident fund has provided you with an accessible source of low-rate loans for your emergency needs.

I congratulate your fund for growing to a self-sustaining and viable source of steady credit for Philpost employees despite the fact that since 1996 Philpost Corporation has ceased providing for the employer contribution to the fund. Kaya sabi ko, as long as you do not require the employer contribution, I cannot see why we cannot institutionalize your provident fund.

Therefore, with the condition that you said you agree to that we will not require employer contribution until a total policy is made for all agencies, I am hereby giving post-facto approval to the Philippine Postal Corporation provident fund.

Ito ay senyas ng aking pagpasalamat sa inyong sinsero at makabuluhang trabaho 'di lamang para sa philpost kung hindi sa ating bansa at taumbayan.

Jobs, investments, reform -- these are our priorities at sa inyong suporta, we shall pursue them as we ward off those who wish to foment division in our society. We shall pursue our reforms through the unswerving pursuit of justice and reconciliation.

I have prayed hard about the current impeachment controversy, and I have consulted with the leaders from the great institutions. There is a growing consensus among the great institutions that we have crossed a political threshold to the point wherein it is now proper for the president to step in and forge a principled solution to the impasse.

A few days ago, I proposed a covenant among the three great branches of government. Today, I would like to add that such a covenant may be premised on several fundamental principles such as the following:

First, we must respect the supreme welfare of the people as defined by our constitution and political traditions;

Second, there must be an affirmation of co-equality, independence, but indispensible cooperation and harmony among the three great branches of government;

Third, we must reinforce the principle of checks and balances as an instrument of national unity and stability and not of partisanship;

Fourth, the executive, legislative and judicial authorities must come together as trustees of the public interest and come to a resolution of the controversy within the rule of law; and fifth, democratic governance must be based on mutual trust, respect, civility, responsibility, and transparency among its leaders.

I believe these principles are even now leading us along the road to a principled solution, and therefore, along the road to stability and political progress.

Among the great institutions, there is now a growing consensus that we must have a common stand that will reflect our collective statesmanship. I cannot do it alone. Everyone concerned will have to bend backwards a bit without sacrificing principles. I am sure that right now a win win solution is in sight.

Of course, there is no doubt that there are continuous efforts to show divisiveness in our nation. But with you, the bureaucracy supporting unity and reconciliation, the plans to divide our society are futile and will fail.

They will fail because people are tired of infighting. People want unity and reconciliation. We have the support of the people in seeking unity and reconciliation.

Kaya, mga nagta-trabaho sa gobyerno, if you and I are united in this goal, there is no turning back from the tide of positive change -- change in the powerful institutions of our country, change in the bureaucracy like the reforms being done in Philpost, and change in the entire nation.

We want to promulgate justice with reconciliation. We want reforms to uplift the poor and make life more comfortable for the ordinary Filipino. And that's the contribution of Philpost -- making life easier for the ordinary Filipino. You and I, because we are the government, the government will lead these reforms, will lead this reconciliation.

Kaya mga kawani ng Philpost, salamat sa inyong tulong sa ating mga reporma para sa katarungan, para sa pagkakaisa, para sa kaginhawaan ng ordinaryong taong bayan.

Ako ay binabati ko itong mga manila youth na nakikita ako. Binabati ko rin 'yung mga kawani ng philpost na nandoon sa harap ng fountain na maganda. Hindi ninyo ako masyadong makita kasi maliit lang ako, pero mamaya bababa ako para batiin kayo.

Sa inyong lahat, aking taos-pusong pagpasalamat sa inyong suporta sa administrasyon. Magkasama tayong magtatagumpay sa mga kailangang reporma at kailangang pagkakaisa ng ating bansa.

Happy anniversary sa inyong lahat!

[HOME]