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PGMA's Speech during a State Luncheon in Honor of H.E. President Pascal Couchepin and Madame Couchepin of the Swiss Federation |
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Aguinaldo State Dining Room, Malacañang |
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11 August 2008 |
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His Excellency President Couchepin and Madame,
distinguished officials of the delegation, officials of the Philippine
government, members of the business community, members of the diplomatic
corps, ladies and gentlemen. We welcome President and Madame Couchepin on this first visit of a Swiss president to our country. Although it is a first visit of a Swiss president, it is not His Excellency’s first visit to the Philippines. He visited the Philippines as a young man. From his description of where he went, he went to Laguna because he was able to see the residence of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and the beautiful falls that we know as Pagsanjan Falls. The Philippines and Switzerland shared a strong commitment to peace, freedom and democracy. Our national hero whose birthplace His Excellency visited as a young man and whose monument he visited earlier this morning was so inspired by the legenday story of William Tell and his values of freedom and civil rights that he translated the story from German to our native language. And as fate would have it, the monument of Rizal in Luneta was designed by the same Swiss sculptor as the monument of William Tell in Switzerland. We thank the Swiss government not only for the values of freedom and civil rights that are enshrined in its culture but also for its willingness to share its experience in Federalism through the Institute of Federalism located in Fribourg in Switzerland which has been helping us do our studies on this form of government. We advocate Federalism as a way to ensure long lasting peace in Mindanao. As for our economic ties, we acknowledge the important role that the sixties Swiss firm operating in the Philippines have made to our national development. Some of the CEOs of those firms are here today. We also appreciate that hospitality of Switzerland to our 10,000 Filipinos working there either as U.N. professionals or as health care professionals in institutions and homes for the aged. And we are grateful because His Excellency has said that we should expand our ties even more. We are grateful for the recognition that will be given to our country in 2009 when we will be the featured guest country in Muba, the biggest consumer trade fair in Switzerland. May that gesture and this visit of Your Excellencies to the Philippines transform our cordial relations into close relations. In this spirit, I invite all our guests to join me in a toast for the continued success and good health of President and Madame Couchepin. Mabuhay! |