PGMA's Speech during the Inauguration of the Korea-Philippines I.T. Training Center |
Polytechnic University of the Phils. (PUP) compound Brgy. San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City (December 16, 2005) |
| His Excellency President Roh
Moo-Hyun and Madame Roh; other officials of the government of Republic of Korea; our host,
Mayor Belmonte of Quezon City; the congressmen and congresswomen who are here with us
today; the recipient of this wonderful gift from the people and the government of the
Republic of Korea, secretary general and chairman of TESDA, Augusto Syjuco; other
officials of the Philippine government; guests; ladies and gentlemen. This Korea-Philippines information technology training center is a fruit of the deep friendship between our two countries -- Korea and the Philippines. The Republic of Korea has gifted the Philippines with this and other training centers as a gesture of their appreciation for our friendship especially in appreciation for our administration's continuously providing a regular transit point for north Koreans defecting to South Korea. On this occasion, I renew the commitment of our administration and my personal commitment to continue to do this for our brothers in North Korea who wish to go and live in the Republic of Korea. Because it is a continuation of the policy started 55 years ago by the government of the Philippines and especially because it was my father, at that time Congressman Diosdado Macapagal, who sponsored the resolution to send Filipino soldiers to help the Republic of Korea repel a communist invasion from North Korea. And now, just as we helped the Republic of Korea 55 years ago in the battle against communist North Korea, today, the government and the people of the Republic of Korea are helping us in our war against poverty. In our war against poverty, our growth sectors are our human resource skills-intensive sectors like tourism and information technology and Korea helps us in both of these main growth sectors. Korea is the most important source of tourism today in the Philippines. And as for information technology, Korea is the acknowledged leader in wide broadband in the whole world and acknowledged as having the highest internet penetration rate in the whole region. During the APEC Summit last November that President Roh so impressively hosted, all the leaders of the 21 economies of APEC were so impressed with the state-of-the-art of I.T. technology that was shown by Korea in its exhibit. We saw the biggest television screen in the world, and we saw the smallest television screen because that smallest television screen doubles up as a cell phone. That is why we have high hopes that this Korea-Philippines information technology center will boost Filipino competence in information technology, because our growth sectors are our human resource skills-intensive service sector like tourism and ICT, our fight against poverty relies on tapping the talent of our greatest assets -- our workers. I believe the people of Korea recognize the talent of our workers because there are many Filipino workers in the Republic of Korea. At the same time, the Philippines is the host of the biggest overseas Korean population in the region. There are as many Filipinos working in Korea as there are Koreans living in the Philippines. Many of the Koreans living in the Philippines are expatriates and professionals, but many of them also are students studying in our Philippine schools. In fact, I invited some of those Korean students -- they are here -- Korean students studying in the Philippine Women's University. I think our students will attest that Koreans are welcome to study in the Philippines. Koreans are welcome to visit the Philippines as the half a million tourist will attest from Korea, and Koreans are welcome to invest in the Philippines. And to make it easier for their investments, we hope that this I.T. center will also produce the human resources that will be able to develop the software needed to have a real "one-stop shop" for investments. This center, as I said earlier, is a gesture of support and friendship and appreciation for what the Philippines has done for the last 55 years and continuing in this administration for the continuation of democracy that the people of North Korea would like to enjoy when they move to South Korea. And the fruit of this center will be to help the Philippines acquire some of the I.T. skills that have made Korea a leader of the 21st century economy. So this center is a bridge between the friendship of the last 50 years and the friendship that will guide us in the 21st century. Long live the friendship between the Korean and Filipino people! Kamsahamnida. Mabuhay! |