PGMA's Speech during the Vin D' Honneur

Ceremonial Hall, Malacañang (12 June 2004)

ONE HUNDRED SIX YEARS AGO TODAY, THE VOICE OF PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM WAS HEARD THROUGHOUT ASIA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.

TODAY, WE WITNESS A PHILIPPINES MATURING IN ITS DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONS AND FULLY ENGAGED IN THE GLOBAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

TODAY, WE ARE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL AT THE UNITED NATIONS. IN THAT ROLE, THE PHILIPPINES HAS THE HONOR OF PRESIDING OVER THE RESOLUTION OF VITAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THE LOOMING HANDOVER OF SOVEREIGNTY IN IRAQ.

WE STAND BESIDE THE WORLD FOR DEMOCRACY AND WE SHALL WORK ALONGSIDE ALL FREEDOM-LOVING PEOPLES TO ENSURE THAT DEMOCRACY DOES NOT FAIL.

AND SPEAKING OF DEMOCRACY, I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE RECENTLY HELD ELECTIONS IN OUR COUNTRY, IN WHICH MORE THAN A HUNDRED INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS WERE INVOLVED TO SEE DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.

IN THOSE ELECTIONS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, THOUSANDS OF OVERSEAS FILIPINOS CAST THEIR VOTES IN THEIR COUNTRIES OF RESIDENCE. THE EXERCISE OF SUFFRAGE EVEN FROM DISTANT SHORES IS AN AFFIRMATION OF THEIR LOVE FOR DEMOCRACY AND THE POLITICAL WILL TO MOVE OUR NATION FORWARD.

OUR ECONOMY IS PUSHING ALONG A STEADY PACE, TAKING IN MORE SUBSTANCE AND (STABILITY FROM A HEALTHY SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE AMONG FILIPINOS HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD.

GROWTH IS HIGH, INFLATION IS LOW, REVENUES ARE ON THE RISE, AGRICULTURE IS ON A ROLL. WE ACHIEVED ALL THESE WITH FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE -- DESPITE AN ATMOSPHERE OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY.

DEMOCRACY ALSO MEANS THE COURAGE AND THE DARING TO TRANSCEND BARRIERS OF RACE AND CREED, TO CLASP HANDS IN SOLIDARITY, AND TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.

TERRORISM CONTINUES TO BE A THREAT TO FREEDOM, A THREAT TO THE HUMAN INDIVIDUAL AND THE HUMAN FAMILY AS IT IS A DANGER TO THE SECURITY AND PROGRESS OF NATIONS.

WE RESIST TERROR BY REFUSING TO BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, AND BY OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD.

TODAY, EIGHT MILLION FILIPINOS IN A HUNDRED NATIONS SHINE IN THEIR EXCELLENCE AS WORKERS, ENTREPRENEURS, LEADERS ûOF INDUSTRY AND GOVERNANCE.

I EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL NATIONS HOSTING THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER, WHOSE BRAND OF EXCELLENCE IS UNSULLIED IN MANY FIELDS.

I SHALL CONTINUE TO DEPLOY THE RESOURCES WE CAN MUSTER TO KEEP FILIPINOS OUT OF HARM'S WAY, TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS, AND TO ENSURE JUSTICE.

LAST MONTH, I ORDERED THE IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION OF OUR FILIPINO WORKERS FROM CAMP ANACONDA IN IRAQ. BY THE END OF MAY THIS YEAR, 215 OFWs HAD SAFELY RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES AND LOVED ONES IN THE PHILIPPINES.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE DEMOCRATIC RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ AND WE SHALL BACK UP THIS COMMITMENT BY SHEPHERDING A POWERFUL CONSENSUS IN THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL WHERE, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE THE HONOR OF PRESIDING.

THROUGHOUT THIS CENTURY, OUR COMMON IDEALS SHALL LIVE ON.

THREE YEARS AGO, I DEFINED THE EIGHT PILLARS OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY. THESE PILLARS STILL STAND IN THE CROSSOVER TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

FIRST -- CHINA, JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS, WILL BE AN OVERRIDI šNG INFLUENCE IN THE SECURITY AND ECONOMY OF EAST ASIA.

SECOND -- MORE AND MORE PHILIPPINE FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE COLLECTIVE SECURITY AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF ASEAN.

THIRD -- THE INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE PHILIPPINES.

FOURTH -- WE RECOGNIZE THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF MULTILATERAL AND INTER-REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS BOUND BY COMMON INTERESTS, SUCH AS THE EUROPEAN UNION, APEC AND FEALAC.

FIFTH -- WE SHALL SUSTAIN THE DEFENSE OF OUR SOVEREIGNTY AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ALONG THE STRONG ASSERTION OF OUR MARITIME TERRITORIAL RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL STATUTES.

SIXTH -- OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT.

SEVENTH -- WE SHALL STEP UP, FROM DAY TO DAY, THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INTERNATIONAL TOURISM.

AND EIGHTH -- OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS WILL KEEP THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR CO ïUNTRY'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STABILITY.

I HAVE BROUGHT FOREIGN POLICY TO BEAR ON PROMOTING THE WELFARE OF THE ORDINARY FILIPINO. THE STRENGTH OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY GIVES CREDENCE TO NATIONS TO INVEST IN OUR NATION, SO THAT DURING MY ADMINISTRATION WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE MORE THAN A MILLION JOBS A YEAR.

I HAVE BROUGHT FOREIGN POLICY TO BEAR ON IMPROVING THE IMAGE, RESPECT AND CLOUT OF THE PHILIPPINES ABROAD IN ORDER TO AID OUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE AT HOME; TO SECURE THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF OUR OVERSEAS WORKERS IN ORDER TO AID THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES HERE AT HOME; TO FIGHT FOR PEACE IN MINDANAO WITH OUR ALLIES ABROAD IN ORDER TO BRING STABILITY, UNITY AND PROSPERITY TO OUR MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN PEOPLES HERE AT HOME.

THE STRENGTH OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY HAS STRENGTHENED OUR ALLIANCES NOT ONLY ON TERRORISM BUT ALSO ON THE WAR AGAINST CRIME, LOCAL AND TRANSNATIONAL: DRUGS AND PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING, MONEY LAUNDERING, AND THE EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

I AM BRINGING FOREIGN POLICY TO BEAR ON THE FIGHT FOR UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE THAT MAKES US MORE SECURE, STRENGTHENS OUR FAMILIES, AND STAMPS OUT CORRUPTION.

IN ALL MY PERSONAL DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS, I HAVE CONSCIOUSLY AND EARNESTLY STRENGTHENED BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH A VIEW TO OPENING UP WORLD MARKET FOR PHILIPPINE PRODUCTS, PROMOTING INVESTMENTS AND TOURISM AND TAPPING RESOURCES OF PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.

I AM BRINGING FOREIGN POLICY TO BEAR ON LIFTING UP THE POOR AT HOME AS A RESULT OF PURSUING ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND OUR RIGHTFUL ROLE ABROAD.

OUR PRESIDENCY AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL IS MARKED AND GUIDED BY OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS AS WELL AS THE COMMON DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND STABILITY, PREVENT CONFLICT AND PROMOTE THE RULE OF LAW.

MUCH IS STILL TO BE DONE. AND YOU HAVE BEEN STEADFAST ALLIES AND PARTNERS, FOR WHICH WE ARE GRATEFUL.

MAY I PROPOSE A TOAST TO ALL THE NATIONS AND ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD REPRESENTED HERE, THAT WE MAY ALL CONTINUE TO REAP THE PEACE, PROSPERITY AND HARMONY WE ALL DESIRE.

MABUHAY!

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