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CANADA
PGMA's Speech before the Filipino Community in Ottawa
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ottawa, 29 January 2002
MARAMING SALAMAT SECRETARY ALVAREZ SA PAGPAKILALA.

AND MAY I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICIAL DELEGATION. WE HAVE HERE THE SENATE PRESIDENT PRO-TEMPORE SENATOR MANNY VILLAR, SENATOR RALPH RECTO. WE HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA VILLAR OF LAS PI„AS, CONGRESSMAN ALIPIO BADELLES OF LANAO DEL NORTE, CONGRESSMAN PLARIDEL ABAYA OF CAVITE, CONGRESSMAN EDMUNDO REYES OF MARINDUQUE. WE ALSO HAVE GOVERNOR PAROUK HUSSIN OF THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO, GOVERNOR WILLY ENVERGA OF QUEZON PROVINCE, GOVERNOR JOSIE DELA CRUZ OF BULACAN, MAYOR LITO GATLABAYAN OF ANTIPOLO CITY. AT MULA SA CABINET, SI SECRETARY DANTE CANLAS, UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS LARRY BAJA, AND UNDERSECRETARY OF TRADE GREGORY DOMINGO.

BINABATI KO SIYEMPRE ANG NAG-AALAGA SA INYO DITO, SI AMBASSADOR BENEDICTO AT SAKA SI MRS. BENEDICTO. MUKHANG MAHAL NA MAHAL NIYO SIYA KAYA HINDI KO SIYA PINALITAN. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GREET THE AMBASSADOR OF CANADA TO THE PHILIPPINES, AMBASSADOR COLLET; AND FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE PHILIPPINES, STILL A GOOD FRIEND OF THE PHILIPPINES, AMBASSADOR JOHN TRELEAVEN; AT SA INYONG LAHAT MGA KAIBIGAN:

MAGANDANG GABI PO SA INYONG LAHAT.

BALAMU ATIN KUNG CABALEN A KAPAMPANGAN KETI. KEN NO ADDA KAKAILYAK TI BANGIR NI MAMANG KO, NAIMBAG NGA RABII YO AMIN, APO. SAN SARAY KABALEYAN, MASANTOS YA LABI ED SIKAYON AMIN. SA MGA TAGA-MINDANAO, MURAG NI CONGRESSMAN ..., MAAYO GABI KANINYO TANAN. KAG SA MGA KASIMANWA SANG AKONG BANA, MAAYO GABI SA IYO NGA TANAN.

NATUTUWA PO AKO AT NAGKAROON TAYO NG PAGKAKATAONG MAGKASAMA-SAMA ITONG GABING ITO DITO SA MAGANDANG LUNGSOD NG OTTAWA. AT SALAMAT SA MGA NANGGALING SA IBA'T-IBANG MGA LUGAR ANG LAYU-LAYO NG MONTREAL DITO PERO NAKAABOT KAYO POR QUE NAGBISITA

AKO PO AY NARITO SA CANADA DAHIL SA IMBITASYON NI PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN.

NGUNIT ANG ISA PANG MAHALAGANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT KAMI AY NARIRITO AY PARA MAKIPAG-USAP SA 300,000 OVERSEAS FILIPINOS DITO SA CANADA SA PAMAMAGITAN NINYO. AT GUSTO KO RING PASALAMATAN ANG GOBYERNO NG CANADA SA HALAGANG BINIBIGAY NILA SA MGA PILIPINONG NAKATIRA DITO.

I HAVE MET FILIPINOS IN CANADA MANY TIMES IN THE PAST.

BUT THIS TIME, I AM DOUBLY HONORED BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME I COME AS YOUR PRESIDENT.

BILANG INYONG PANGULO, SA NGALAN NG LAHAT NG INYONG KABABAYAN SA PILIPINAS, PINUPURI KAYO NG INYONG MGA KAPATID SA PILIPINAS SAPAGKAT SA PAMAMAGITAN NG INYONG HUSAY SA PAGTATRABAHO, INAANGAT NINYO ANG PAGKATAO NG SAMBAYANANG PILIPINO. NAPAPAMALAS NINYO SA MUNDO NA ANG PILIPINO AY DAPAT IPAGMALAKI AT HANGAAN.

SA BUONG DAIGDIG, NARARAMDAMAN NG MGA BANSA, NG MGA MAY PUHUNAN, NG MGA MAGULANG ANG MALAKING TULONG NG MGA PILIPINO, ANG MALAKING TULONG NG DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO. KANYA NALALAGAY NILA SA ISIP NILA NA ANG PILIPINAS SIGURO NGA AY TAHANAN NG DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO.

TINATANAW NG PAMAHALAAN AT NG TAONG-BAYAN NG PILIPINAS ANG KONTRIBUSYON NG MGA OVERSEAS FILIPINOS SA EKONOMIYA AT SA KABUHAYANG BANSA, ETO NGA 'YUNG BINIGAY NIYO KANINA 'YUNG ISANG HALIMBAWA.

ANG INYONG MALAKING TULONG AY NAGPAPASIGLA SA EKONOMIYA AT NAGTUTULAK SA KAUNLARAN NG BANSA.

SA IBABAW NG MAGANDANG REPUTASYONG NA BINIBIGAY NINYO SA ATING BANSA BILANG TAHANAN NG DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO, MILYUN-MILYONG KABATAAN ANG NAKAKAPAG-ARAL O NAGTATAPOS NG EDUKASYON SA INYONG TULONG SA MGA PINAPADALA NINYO SA PILIPINAS.

LIBU-LIBONG BAGONG BAHAY AY NAPAPATAYO AT NAGKAKAROON 'YUNG MGA MAY BAHAY NG BAGONG BUHAY.

DAHIL SA INYONG TULONG NAKAPAGLUNSAD TAYO NG NAPAKARAMING NEGOSYO MAGING SMALL BUSINESS NG BUONG BANSA.

ANG MATAGUMPAY NA NEGOSYO NA NAPATAYO SA ATING BANSA DAHIL SA INYONG REMITTANCES AY ISANG MALAKING HALIGI NG ATING EKONOMIYA.

SUMIGLA ANG MARAMING BARANGAY, BAYAN, LUNGSOD, PROBINSIYA SA KONTRIBUSYON NG MGA OVERSEAS FILIPINOS.

ALAM NIYO ANG PINAKAMALAKING INVESTMENT SA PILIPINAS -- FOREIGN INVESTMENT -- AY FIVE BILLION DOLLARS, PUHUNAN NG SHELL SA MALAMPAYA GAS FIELDS SA PILIPINAS. NGUNIT ANG DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO AY TAUN-TAON NAGPAPADALA NG SIX BILLION DOLLARS SA PILIPINAS. KAYA HINAHANGAAN NATIN ANG SHELL NA NAGBIGAY NG FIVE BILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT.

ANO PA ANG MGA PILIPINO NA NAGBIBIGAY NG SIX BILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT EVERY YEAR? KAYA KAYO'Y MAJOR ECONOMIC INVESTORS DIN SA ATING BANSA.

KAYO ANG BAGONG ECONOMIC INVESTORS NG BANSA.

AT SA AKING PALAGAY, DAPAT BAGUHIN ANG BANSAG NA INYO SA BANSA. ANG KARANIWANG TAWAG SA PILIPINONG NASA IBANG BANSA AY OVERSEAS WORKERS, PERO PALAGAY KO DAPAT KILALANIN ANG INYONG KONTRIBUSYON, 'YUNG SIX BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, DAPAT TAWAGIN KAYO BILANG OVERSEAS FILIPINO INVESTORS.

KAYONG MGA OVERSEAS INVESTORS NA ARAW-ARAW NAMUMUHUNAN SA KAUNLARAN NG ATING BANSA. PINUPUHUNAN NINYO ANG INYONG "PRODUCTIVE YEARS" ALANG-ALANG SA ATING BAYAN. NAGSASAKRIPISYO KAYO, ILAN SA INYO MALAYO SA INYONG MGA MAHAL -- MABUTI NA LAMANG DITO SA CANADA AY NADADALA NINYO ANG INYONG PAMILYA, PERO MARAMI TALAGA SINASAKRIPISYONG MALAYO SA PAMILYA -- PARA MAKAMIT ANG MGA PANGARAP PARA SA KANILA. KAYA SALUDO ANG INYONG MGA KABABAYANG PILIPINO SA INYO.

AT DAPAT LAMANG SUKLIAN NG BANSA ANG INYONG TULONG.

DOON SA AKING STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, SINABI KO NA ISANG MALAKING PRAYORIDAD NG GOBYERNO AY ANG PAGPASA NG ABSENTEE VOTING BILL PARA SA MGA OVERSEAS FILIPINOS AY MABIGYANG KAYO NG KAPANGYARIHANG MAKABOTO AT MAKAPILI NG MGA MAMUMUNO SA ATING PAMAHALAAN.

NANDITO 'YONG ATING MGA SENATORS AT SAKA CONGRESSMEN. KANINA NUNG NAGKAROON NG PRESS CONFERENCE PAGKATAPOS NG AMING BILATERAL NG PRIME MINISTER NG CANADA TINANONG NGA SA AKIN KUMUSTA NA BA 'YUNG KALAGAYAN NG ATING OVERSEAS FILIPINO VOTING RIGHTS BILL NA 1965 PA RAW UNANG PINASOK SA KONGRESO. AT ANG ATING MGA SENADOR AT CONGRESSMEN, SILA ANG SUMAGOT AT SABI NGA NILA ITO AY TINATALAKAY NA SA KONGRESO AT INAASAHAN NILA NA SA WAKAS ITONG TAON AY PAPASA.

SAMAHAN NIYO AKO MAGDASAL PARA PUMASA NA NGA ITO AT MAGING BATAS NA.

I ALSO SUPPORT THE BILL INITIATED BY CONGRESS AND THE SENATE ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP.

YOU ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMY AS I ILLUSTRATED EARLIER, AND THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY WILL, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, CONTINUE TO BE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON OVERSEAS-WORKER REMITTANCES. PITONG MILYONG PILIPINO ANG NAGTATRABAHO SA IBAYONG DAGAT, MAS MARAMI PA SA MGA NAGTATRABAHO SA MGA KORPORASYON AT KAGAWARAN NG PILIPINAS DAHIL 'YUNG MGA NAGTATRABAHO SA MGA KORPORASYON, MGA OPISINA HINDI UMAABOT NG PITONG MILYON DUN SA PILIPINAS.

ON THE BASIS OF THIS AND OF THE NATION'S HUMANITARIAN RESPONSIBILITIES TO ITS PEOPLE WHEREVER THEY ARE, OUR GOVERNMENT WILL WORK DOUBLY HARD TO STRENGTHEN OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS' PROTECTION.

FOR INSTANCE, THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS WORKING ON A "TULONG OFW" PROGRAM WHEREBY IT HAS FLOATED 100 MILLION DOLLARS-WORTH OF "BAGONG BAYANI BONDS" TO SUPPORT A NEW PACKAGE OF SOCIOECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR OFWs. THE "BAGONG BAYANI BONDS" WOULD RAISE FUNDS TO ENABLE THE OFWs TO HELP THEM HELP THEMSELVES, TO MOBILIZE THEIR SAVINGS TO BE INVESTED IN PROJECTS LIKE HOUSING PROGRAMS BACK HOME.

WE ALSO HAVE A HOUSING PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINOS UNDER THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPING COORDINATING COUNCIL. THIS IS PART OF OUR GOAL TO PROVIDE 100,000 HOUSING UNITS A YEAR FOR WORKERS, WHETHER WORKING IN THE PHILIPPINES OR OUTSIDE.

AND I SUPPOSE BY NOW YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE SCRAPPED THE REQUIREMENT FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS TO FILE AN INCOME TAX INFORMATION SHEET, AND WITH THAT WE HAVE LIFTED THE PENALTY FOR NON-FILING BEGINNING TAX YEAR 2001.

WE STRENGTHEN BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES HOSTING LARGE NUMBERS OF FILIPINOS. KASAMA NA RITO ANG CANADA.

MALAKI ANG INYONG PAPEL SA PAGPAPAUNLAD NG RELASYON SA PAMAMAGITAN NG ATING DALAWANG BAYAN. KAYONG MGA NAGTATRABAHO RITO, KAYONG MGA NAKATIRA RITO ANG KINATAWAN NG PILIPINAS SA CANADA AT INAASAHAN KAYO NA LALO PANG MAGPAPALAKAS SA ATING MAGANDANG SAMAHAN.

IN MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS LAST JULY 23rd, I CITED THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES FACING THE PHILIPPINES. THE ECONOMY I INHERITED WAS STARK AND DAUNTING. THERE WERE FOUR MILLION JOBLESS. THIS HAS CORRESPONDINGLY LED TO A RISE IN POVERTY INCIDENCE TO 40 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. THE BUDGET DEFICIT THREATENED TO BALLOON TO 225 BILLION PESOS.

AND THE NEW YORK INCIDENT CHANGED THE GLOBAL MOOD AND WORLD CONDITIONS BECAME EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN.

BUT DESPITE THE STARK ECONOMY WE INHERITED, AND DESPITE THE UNCERTAIN WORLD BUSINESS CONDITIONS, IN 2001, WE MADE PROGRESS. WHERE RICHER AND BIGGER ECONOMIES FAILED, OURS MOVED FORWARD. DANTE CANLAS, OUR SOCIOECONOMIC PLANNING MINISTER TOLD ME THAT WE JUST FINISHED ACCOUNTING THE FIGURES FOR GDP AND GNP FOR THE YEAR 2001. OUR GDP GROWTH RATE WAS 3.4 PERCENT, OUR GNP GROWTH RATE -- WHICH INCLUDES YOUR REMITTANCES -- WAS 3.7 PERCENT -- IN A SEA OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ZERO GROWTH RATE, NEGATIVE GROWTH RATE OR EVEN RECESSION. THANK YOU FOR CONTRIBUTING TO OUR GROWTH RATE.

AND WHERE BIGGER AND STRONGER CURRENCIES COLLAPSED, OURS HELD FIRM.

INDEED, WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY TO BRINGING OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE RADAR SCREENS OF THE WORLD. A NEW CABINET, PICKED AS MUCH FOR THEIR INTEGRITY AS FOR THEIR COMPETENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS, HAS BROUGHT PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC SERVICE TO NEW HEIGHTS. OUR PUBLIC DEFICIT HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER CONTROL.

INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION RATES HAVE DECLINED. INTEREST RATES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST IN THE LAST 15 YEARS. OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW DESPITE FALTERING ECONOMIES ALL AROUND US, AS I'VE SAID.

EVEN RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES HAVE SHOWN PERIODS OF DECLINE.

BUT THE DAYS AND MONTHS AHEAD WILL STILL BE FILLED WITH DAUNTING CHALLENGES, HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEAR AS LONG AS I HAVE YOUR SUPPORT. AND I THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING YOUR SUPPORT.


INDEED, NOW IS ONCE AGAIN THE TIME TO PROVE OUR METTLE AS A NATION AND AS A PEOPLE.

WE CAN SUSTAIN OUR ECONOMIC REBIRTH BY THINKING FILIPINO TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAME FROM HERE, BUYING FILIPINO, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU DO VERY WELL, INVESTING FILIPINO.

WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT LAST JANUARY, I TOLD THE PEOPLE ABOUT MY VISION OF WINNING THE WAR AGAINST POVERTY WITHIN THE DECADE. TRABAHO. EDUKASYON. SARILING TAHANAN. PAGKAIN SA BAWAT MESA. THIS, IN COMMON SENSE AND PLAIN TALK, IS THE CORE OF MY VISION.

I ALSO URGED EVERYONE LISTENING TO MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS LAST JULY 23rd TO SET ASIDE BICKERING AND POLITICKING FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR. SA HALIP NG ALITAN, HININGI KONG ISANG TAON TAYONG MAGTULUNGAN SA IKABUBUTI NG TAONG-BAYAN.

TO SUCCEED, OUR NATIONAL AGENDA MUST REVOLVE AROUND FOUR COMPONENTS -- APAT NA ELEMENTO NG PAKIKIBAKA SA KAHIRAPAN.

THE FIRST IS AN ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY OF FREE ENTERPRISE APPROPRIATE TO HE 21st CENTURY. PAGNENEGOSYO UPANG DUMAMI ANG TRABAHO.

THE SECOND COMPONENT IS A MODERNIZED AGRICULTURAL SECTOR FOUNDED ON SOCIAL EQUITY. PALALAGUIN ANG KITA AT ANI NG MARALITANG TAGABUKID.

THE THIRD COMPONENT IS A SOCIAL BIAS TOWARD THE DISADVANTAGED TO BALANCE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. PAGKALINGA SA MGA BAHAGI NG LIPUNAN NA NAIIWANAN NG KAUNLARAN.

AND THE FOURTH COMPONENT IS TO RAISE THE MORAL STANDARDS OF GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY. MORALIDAD SA GOBYERNO AT LIPUNAN BILANG SALIGAN NG TUNAY NA KAUNLARAN.

WE ARE PROMOTING FAST-GROWING INDUSTRIES WHERE HIGH-VALUE JOBS ARE MOST PLENTIFUL -- SERVICE INDUSTRIES THAT MOBILIZE THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER. ONE OF THEM IS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY OR ICT. TOMORROW I WILL SPEAK BEFORE THE OTTAWA BUSINESSMEN AND THE TORONTO BUSINESSMEN TO LET THEM KNOW THAT FILIPINO WORKERS ARE RANKED NO. 1 IN THE FIELD OF ICT, NO. 1 AMONG KNOWLEDGE WORKERS. ANALYSTS HAVE POINTED TO TWO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AS THE LIKELY WORLD CENTERS FOR ICT, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND DATA MANAGEMENT IN THIS DECADE: INDIA AND THE PHILIPPINES.

ASIDE FROM ICT, WE ALSO HAVE THE COMPETITIVE EDGE IN TOURISM.

AND IN AGRICULTURE, THERE CAN BE A MILLION NEW JOBS WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FOR. UPANG LUMIKHA NG ISANG MILYONG TRABAHO SA KANAYUNAN, TAUN-TAON GUMAGASTOS TAYO NG DALAWAMPUNG BILYONG PISO; IN FACT LAST YEAR WE SPENT 21 BILLION PESOS.

ANG HINIHINGI KO PO SA INYO, MGA KABABAYAN, AY ANG INYONG PATULOY NA PAG-UNAWA SA MGA NANGYAYARI SA BAYAN NATIN AT PAGTITIWALA NA GINAGAMPANAN NG INYONG PAMAHALAAN ANG AMING TUNGKULIN SA ABOT NG AMING KAKAYAHAN. ANG HILING KO AY MAGKAISA TAYO.

I AM TOUCHED BY YOUR SHOW OF AFFECTION AND SUPPORT. AND I ASK THAT YOUR UNIFIED SENTIMENTS AND ACTIONS BE ALSO REFLECTED IN YOUR CONTINUING FAITH IN YOUR PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. I AM COUNTING ON ALL OF YOU.

MULI, MGA KAIBIGAN, MARAMING SALAMAT AT MABUHAY ANG DAKILANG PILIPINO NA NAKATIRA DITO SA CANADA.

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PGMA's Speech before the Filipino Community in Toronto, Canada

Toronto, Canada January 31, 2002
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Natutuwa po ako na nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon magsama-sama ngayong gabi dito sa magandang lungsod ng Toronto. Nagpunta po ako sa Canada dahil mula pa noong APEC Summit hanggang noong pupunta ako sa Amerika imbita ng imbita si Prime Minister Jean Chretien sa akin doon sa Ottawa. Ngunit kung pupunta ako sa Ottawa, hindi naman puwedeng hindi ako pupunta dito sa Toronto, dahil napakahalagang makausap ko ang pinakamalaking Philippine community sa three hundred thousand na Filipinos na narito sa Canada. At gusto ko ngang ikuwento kaagad na natutuwa na una kong marinig sa gobyerno ng Canada kung papaano nila hinahalaga ang mga Pilipinong nakatira dito sa kanilang lugar.

Malaman na ilan sa inyo na kilala na ninyo ako dahil nakabisita na ako dito sa Toronto maraming beses. The last time was 1992, when i was a Senator. But this time i am doubly honored to return because for the first time, i come as your President.

At bilang inyong Pangulo, gusto kong dalhin ang tinig ng lahat ng inyong kababayan sa Pilipinas. Dinadala ko sa inyo ang pagpuri nila sa inyo sapagkat sa pamamagitan ng inyong husay na trabaho, inaangat ninyo ang pagkatao ng buong sambayanang pilipino.

Kayo at iyong ating ibang mga overseas Filipinos, ….. Kayo sa buong mundo, ipinakikita ninyo sa buong mundo na ang pilipino ay dapat ipagmalaki at hangaan dahil kung saan man kayo, kayo parati ang galing-galing at outstanding citizens and residents.

Talaga naman sa buong daigdig na nabibisita ko, --- ang mga bansa na may puhunan,  Ang malaking tulong ng mga Pilipino, isang dakilang manggagawang Pilipino. Kaya nalalagay sa isip nila at sinasabi namin, come to the Philippines, invest in the Philippines, the home of the fFilipino worker. Makombinse sila that the Philippines, the home of the great Filipino worker dahil nakikita nila kayo, nanggaling kayo sa Pilipinas, naniniwala sila na ang Pilipinas talaga ang tahanan ng dakilang manggagawang pilipino.

At tinatanaw ng pamahalaan at taong bayan ng Pilipinas ang kontribusyon ng overseas Filipinos sa ekonomiya at kabuhayan ng ating bansa, gaya nga ng sabi ni Susan Castrence sa kanyang diskurso.

Ang inyong malaking tulong ay nagpapasigla sa ekonomiya at nagtutulak sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa. Sa ibabaw ng magandang reputasyon na binibigay ninyo sa ating bansa bilang tahanan ng dakilang manggagawang pilipino, milyun-milyon na kabataan ang nakakapag-aral o nakakatapos ng edukasyon sa inyong tulong, sa inyong remittances. Libu-libong bagong buhay at bagong bahay ay napapatayo at nagkakaroon ng bagong buhay iyong mga may bagong tahanan. Dahil sa inyong tulong, nakapag-lunsad tayo ng napakaraming negosyo lalo na iyong mga small business, na pinadadala ninyo ang puhunan sa mga probinsiya. Ang mga tagumpay na negosyo na napatayo sa ating bansa dahil sa inyong remittances ay isang malaking haligi ng ating ekonomiya. Kung ang ating bansa ay naka-survive nitong nakaraang taon dahil matatag ang ating small enterprises. At marami doon, kayo ang nagpuhunan sa kanila.sumigla ang maraming barangay, bayan, lungsod, probinsiya sa kontribusyon ng overseas Filipinos.

Kanina binanggit ko na magkakaroon ng LRT mula sa Manila hanggang sa distrito ni Congressman Abaya sa Cavite. Iyang improvement na iyan mula sa Canada ay $1 billion. Iyon siguro ang isa sa pinakamalaking investment mula sa Canada, $1 billion, ang puhunan ng SMC, sa pagtayo nitong LRT. Marami ng mga nakuhang investment. Siguro kung iisipin natin ang pinakamalaking investment sa lahat maging Canada o ibang lugar, iyong $5 billion na puhunan ng Shell sa Malampaya gas field ng Pilipinas. Ngunit kayo, dakilang manggagawang Pilipino, taun-taon ang ipinapadala ninyo sa Pilipinas ay $6 billion. Kaya kung ipinagmamalaki natin ang P$5 billion ng Shell. Ano pa kaya’t di kayo na nga talaga ang major economic investors sa ating bansa. Kanina sabi ko nga, dapat baguhin ang bansag ng mga overseas Filipinos. Ang karaniwang tawag sa Pilipinos iyong nasa ibang bansa ay overseas workers, pero ngayon, sa nakikita nating itinutulong nyo, ipinapadala ninyo, mas bagay pa nga na itawag sa inyo ay overseas Filipino investors.

Kayong mga overseas investors na araw-araw namumuhunan sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa habang pinupuhuhan ninyo ang productive years alang-alang sa ating bayan. At mayroon akong mga alam na estorya, mga nagpunta dito sa Toronto at nagsakripisyo na malayo sa kanilang mahal sa buhay para makamit ang pangarap ng mga pamilya. Saludo ang sambayanang Pilipino sa mga ganoong nagsasakripisyo. At dapat lamang suklian ng bansa ang inyong tulong.

The Philippine economy will, for the foreseeable future, continue to be heavily dependent on overseas worker remittances. Iyong pitong milyong Pilipino na nagtatrabaho sa ibayong dagat, mas marami pa iyon dito sa nagtatrabaho sa mga korporasyon at kagawaran ng Pilipinas. And therefore because we have more overseas workers abroad than salaried workers in the Philippines, on the face of this and of the nation’s humanitarian responsibility to its people wherever you are, our government works hard to strengthen overseas Filipino workers’ welfare.

Halimbawa dito narinig ko na hangarin ninyo magkaroon ng Philippine Center. Si Ambassador Benedicto ay nag-contribute ng $5,000.00, so ako rin mula sa Malacanang, magbibigay rin ako ng $5,000.00. Also, i don’t know if Susan has told you, the Department of Foreign Affairs has worked on "Tulong OFW Program" . So far the DFA is putting $100 million worth of Bagong Bayani funds, to support a new package of high socio-economic benefit to OFWs. The Bagong Bayani funds would raise funds to enable the OFWs to help them help themselves, to mobilize their savings to be invested in projects like housing programs back home.

At sa ibabaw noon, mayroon din tayong housing program para sa Overseas Filipinos sa ilalim ng Housing and Urban Developing Coordinating Council at ang National Housing Authority.

It is part of our call to provide 100,000 housing units every year for workers. And the workers should be those working in the Philippines or those working in other countries.

We have also scrapped the requirement for Overseas Filipino Workers to file an income tax information sheet. And with that, we have lifted the penalty for non-filing beginning tax year of last year.

Noong gumawa ako ng aking State of the Nation Address, iyong unang State of the Nation Address ko noong july, sinabi ko, ito ang pinakamaling prioridad ng ating gobyerno ay pagpasa ng Absentee Voting Bill para sa mga Overseas Filipinos para mabigyan kayo ng kapangyarihan na makaboto at makapili ng mga namumuno sa ating pamahalaan.

Narito ngayon ang ating mga senators at congressmen, at isang ikinukuwento nila sa ating mga pilipino dito ay malamang na mapapasa nila itong panukalang batas na ito sa madaling-sandali. Kaya samahan ninyo akong magdasal para maging batas na nga ito na matagal na nating hinahangad.

I also initiated by our senators and congressmen on dual citizenship. Because of you, we strenghten bilateral relations with countries hosting large numbers of Filipinos. At kasama na rito ang Canada. Malaki ang inyong papel sa pagpapaunlad ng relasyong namamagitan sa dalawang bayan – Pilipinas at Canada. Kayong mga nagtatrabaho rito ang aming kinatawan sa Canada, na aming inaasahang lalo pang magpapalakas sa ating magandang samahan.

In my State of the Nation Address last January, I also cited the serious challenges facing the philippines. The economy i inherited was stark and daunting. There were 4 million jobless. The poverty incidence was 40 percent of the population. The budget i inherited was threatening to balloon to p245 billion. And the New York incident further changed the global mood. World business conditions became even more uncertain. But despite the stark economy we inherited and despite the uncertain world business conditions after September 11, I am proud to report to you that in 2001, the Philippines made progress.

Where richer and bigger economies failed, ours moved forward; our GNP grew at 3.7 percent. Other countries around us and our trading partners had negative growth rate. Where bigger and stronger currencies collapsed, our currency held firm even though, as the imf said, i am the first President they know of, who assumed office during a period of political and economic turmoil and did not ask for an IMF program.

Indeed, we have gone a long way to bringing our country back on the radar screens of the world. A new Cabinet, some of them are here today, picked as much for their integrity as for their competence and qualifications, have brought professionalism in public service to new heights.

At iyong ating debt deficit na magbabalik sana, it has been placed under control. Interest rates are at their lowest in the last 15 years. Inflation rates have also declined. Our economy continues to grow despite the faltering economies all around us. Even recent unemployments rate have shown decline. Noong ako ay naging pangulo, una-una, 11.6 percent ang ating unemployment rate. Pagkatapos ng siyam na buwan, bumaba ito sa 9.8 percent. With the days and months ..… With daunting challenges, however, i do not fear as long as I have your support, our Filipinos here in Canada.

The time to prove our mettle as a nation and as a people. We can sustain our economic reverse by thinking Filipino. And I owe it here, you are encouraging a think Filipino because you are so fortunate to be living in a country that values multi-ethnicity and multi-cultural diversity.

I hope you have a chance to buy Filipino. The Philippine market is so big abroad that I wish there will be more investors who will be selling food products and other items to our Filipinos abroad. And, of course, investing Filipino which you already do. That’s why we have to call you investors. I don’t want to call you foreign investors because you are not foreigners but you live in a foreign land. That’s why Overseas Filipino investors is the great name for you to describe your contribution to our economy.

When I became President January last year, a year ago, I told the people about my vision of winning the war against poverty within a decade. Trabaho, edukasyon, sariling tahanan, pagkain sa bawat mesa, that was my common sense and plain talk way of describing the core of my vision.

And today, I share that with you. And I also said that I am so happy to be with you because I know that even if you are here halfway around the world with the good face you show the Philippines, thereby helping making the Philippines, a good investment area for other investors. With the remittances that you yourselves send investing in the Philippines, this vision will be something of a reality in the years to come.

Muli mga kaibigan, salamat sa inyong lahat. At minamahal ko kayong lahat. Thank you.

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PGMA's Opening Statement During the Press Conference

Office of the Prime Minister, Centre Block, Parliament Hil, Ottawa, Canada (29 Jan 2002)
THANK YOU MR. PRIME MINISTER.

I AM VERY PLEASED AND HONORED TO BE HERE IN OTTAWA UPON THE INVITATION OF PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN.

THE PHILIPPINES AND CANADA SHARE A DEEP HISTORICAL FRIENDSHIP, BASED ON COMMON VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS. I AM GLAD THAT OUR BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS CABINET HAVE REAFFIRMED THAT SPIRIT AND REALITY.

THERE IS ALSO A GLOBAL SPAN IN THIS RELATIONSHIP. CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES COOPERATE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE U.N., WTO, APEC, AND AS SUCH, WE ARE BOTH COMMITTED TO INTERNATIONAL ENDEAVORS TO PROMOTE PEACE, PROSPERITY AND FREEDOM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

JUST NOW WE WITNESSED THE SIGNING OF THREE LETTERS OF INTENT INVOLVING PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED BY THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, OR CIDA:

ONE IS A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ACCELERATE RESOURCE LINKAGES PROJECT II OR PEARL II, WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES;

THE SECOND IS THE E-GOVERNMENT FOR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM (E TIMES 3) WHICH WILL FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SERVICES; AND,

AND THIRD THE JUDICIAL REFORM SUPPORT PROGRAMME, WHICH WILL ASSIST IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE JUDICIARY.

ALSO SIGNED TODAY IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPROCAL AWARDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION WHICH WILL PROMOTE STUDENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND CANADA. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID MANY SCHOOLS IN CANADA ARE JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER IN THE SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS GO AND I HOPE THIS EXCHANGE WILL ENABLE MORE OF OUR STUDENTS TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF CANADIAN EXCELLENT EDUCATION.

THE PHILIPPINES ... IN THE OTHER AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED, THE PHILIPPINES WILL ALSO HOST THE SEMINAR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME OF ACTION ON SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR AGREEMENT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BECAUSE WE HAVE AGREED TO FIND WAYS TO STOP SMUGGLING OF SMALL ARMS WITHIN OUR COMMON BORDERS AND COMMON SEAS.

THESE AGREEMENTS SPAN A BROAD SWATH OF POLITICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC CONCERNS. THEY REFLECT THE DEPTH AND DETAIL, AS WELL AS THE RELEVANCE AND SENSE OF PRACTICALITY, THAT HAVE INFUSED OUR RELATIONS.

THE PHILIPPINES STANDS SQUARELY WITH CANADA IN OUR COMMON DETERMINATION TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF TERRORISM AND POVERTY. AND I AM TRULY VERY HAPPY THAT THE CANADIAN CIDA HAS MADE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIVES OF MANY IN THE PHILIPPINES.

DURING THIS VISIT, AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID, I SHALL ALSO MEET THE CANADIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY. MORE THAN EVER, THE PHILIPPINES PROMOTES FOREIGN INVESTMENTS PARTICULARLY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE-INTENSIVE, SKILLS-INTENSIVE SERVICE SECTORS AND CANADIANS COULD DO WELL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MANY PROFITABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COUNTRY.

CANADA CAN BE OUR OUTSOURCING PARTNER FOR I.T. SERVICES. WE ALSO INVITE INVESTMENTS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AGRIBUSINESS, FRANCHISING, LOW-COST HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. AND CANADA IS STRONG IN ALL THESE AREAS.

ANOTHER COMMONALITY WE HAVE IS OUR CANADIAN-FILIPINOS. OVER 300,000 FILIPINOS ARE CITIZENS OR RESIDENTS OF CANADA. WE ARE PROUD THAT THESE FILIPINOS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE WELL-BEING, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ALSO LOOK BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES AS THE SANCTUARY OF THEIR INVESTMENTS IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES AND THEIR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.

INDEED OUR FILIPINOS HERE DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS THE HOME OF THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER, RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE FOR HIS TALENT AND DEDICATION AND HIS LOVE OF THE HOMELAND.

ALL IN ALL, WE HAD VERY PRODUCTIVE BILATERAL TALKS. FRANK AND CANDID BUT PRODUCTIVE. I BELIEVE THE GOALS WHICH HAVE BEEN SET ON MY VISIT HERE, ON MY MIND AT LEAST, HAVE BEEN MET AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE GOODWILL BETWEEN CANADIANS AND FILIPINOS WILL BE STEADFAST IN THE YEARS TO COME.

SO IN BEHALF OF MY DELEGATION AND THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, I THANK YOU, MR. PRIME MINISTER AND THE CANADIAN PEOPLE, FOR YOUR WARM HOSPITALITY, AND YOUR ABIDING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMON GOALS.

THANK YOU.

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PGMA's Speech during a Breakfast with Canadian-Filipino Business Leaders

Ballroom, Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Canada (30 Jan 2002)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH SECRETARY ALVAREZ.

BEFORE ANYTHING I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST GREET OUR MOST PROMINENT FILIPINO-CANADIAN, THE MINISTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS REY PAGTAKHAN. BEFORE THIS HE WAS CANADA'S SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR ASIA-PACIFIC. AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME ... OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE HIM BECAUSE THE PHILIPPINES WAS PART OF THE SCOPE OF HIS WORK. BUT NOW HE IS A FULL MINISTER FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS. HIS ... BE AROUND CANADA. WE WILL MISS HIM BUT WE ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE A MEMBER OF THE CABINET, A FILIPINO HERE IN CANADA. CONGRATULATIONS, REY.

I WOULD LIKE TO GREET ALSO AMBASSADOR BENEDICTO; AMBASSADOR COLLETE.

AND TO INTRODUCE TO YOU IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN INTRODUCED EARLIER, THE MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICIAL DELEGATION. WE HAVE THE SENATE PRESIDENT PRO-TEMPORE MR. MANUEL VILLAR, SENATOR RALPH RECTO; FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WE HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA VILLAR, CONGRESSMAN ALIPIO BADELLES WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE PANEL OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY THAT DID THE IMPLEMENTING RULES FOR THE ENERGY PRESENTATION THAT WE MADE TODAY. WE HAVE CONGRESSMAN PLARIDEL ABAYA; CONGRESSMAN EDMUNDO REYES; CONGRESSMAN ED ZIALCITA. FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WE HAVE FROM THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO, THE REGIONAL GOVERNOR PAROUK HUSSIN; FROM QUEZON WILFREDO ENVERGA, GOVERNOR; FROM BULACAN, GOVERNOR JOSEFINA DELA CRUZ; AND FROM THE CITY OF ANTIPOLO MAYOR ANGELITO GATLABAYAN; FOR OUR CABINET DANTE CANLAS, RIGOBERTO TIGLAO; WELL, YOU'VE MET SECRETARY ALVAREZ BUT I UNDERSTAND EARLIER UNDERSECRETARY DOMINGO ALREADY MADE A PRESENTATION BEFORE YOU; AND WE HAVE THE SENIOR DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS LAURO BAJA; MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE AND CANADIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AND I THANK AMBASSADOR BENEDICTO FOR HOSTING THIS FORUM.

THE PHILIPPINES AND CANADA SHARE A LONG HISTORY OF POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. AND WE ARE STRONG ALLIES TODAY MORE THAN EVER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM AND POVERTY. THE PHILIPPINES HAS A SPECIAL BOND WITH CANADA ARISING FROM 320,000 FILIPINOS HEADED BY OUR CABINET MINISTER HERE WHOM YOU HAVE WELCOMED AS IMMIGRANTS. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR FILIPINO-CANADIANS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING THEIR SHARE TO THE GROWTH OF THE CANADIAN ECONOMY.

CANADA ALSO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE THROUGH ITS GENEROUS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE UNDER THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, OR CIDA. ONE OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT WERE SIGNED THIS MORNING WAS ENABLED BY THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF CIDA FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES.

OUR ECONOMIC RELATIONS ARE DEEP, SOLID, AND AS MINISTER ... SAID, ROBUST.

LOOKING BACK TO THE DISTANT PAST, SUNLIFE ESTABLISHED AN OFFICE IN MANILA OVER A CENTURY AGO IN 1895. SUNLIFE AND MANULIFE HAVE BEEN IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS.

AND ON A CONTEMPORARY NOTE, PRIME MINISTER CHRETIEN ACCOMPANIED HIS TEAM CANADA BUSINESS DELEGATION TO THE PHILIPPINES IN JANUARY 1997, WHERE 31 MILLION DOLLARS IN COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS AND 469 MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED. AND TODAY WE HAD SIX MORE SIGNINGS. IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR, 1997, THE TEAM PHILIPPINES BUSINESS DELEGATION ALSO VISITED CANADA AND A TOTAL OF 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS-WORTH OF AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED. TODAY TEAM PHILIPPINES IS HERE AGAIN.

TRULY SINCE THOSE MISSION IN 1997 PHILIPPINE-CANADIAN BUSINESS RELATIONS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW EVEN MORE.

TOTAL TRADE BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES IS MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS AND IT HAS BEEN INCREASING FROM 1997 UP TO TODAY, IT IS LARGER BY 45 PERCENT. AND LAST MONTH, SNC LAVALIN, WHOSE PRESIDENT WE HAD BREAKFAST WITH THIS MORNING, ONE OF CANADA'S LEADERS IN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, SIGNED AN IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT WORTH ONE BILLION CANADIAN DOLLARS TO FINANCE, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT EXTENSION TO THE SUBURBS OF MANILA GOING TO THE PROVINCE OF CONGRESSMAN ABAYA. IN FACT YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT CONGRESSMAN? YES. THE DEAL REPRESENTS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AGREEMENTS SIGNED IN PHILIPPINE-CANADIAN HISTORY.

INDEED, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO EXPAND OUR TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS.

SINCE I ASSUMED THE PRESIDENCY A YEAR AGO, WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. WHERE RICHER AND BIGGER ECONOMIES FAILED, OURS HAS MOVED FORWARD.

I'M VERY GLAD THAT TODAY MY ECONOMIC PLANNING MINISTER SENT ME OUR STATISTICS FOR OUR GNP GROWTH RATE THAT HAS JUST COME OUT. FOR THE YEAR 2001 OUR GDP GREW AT 3.4 PERCENT, OUR GNP GREW AT 3.7 PERCENT IN A SEA OF ECONOMIES THAT WE ARE GROWING AT NEGATIVE OR ZERO PERCENT. AND THEREFORE OUR GROWTH RATE FOR 2001 WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT. WHERE BIGGER AND STRONGER CURRENCIES COLLAPSED, OURS HAS HELD FIRM.

IN FACT EARLIER, AT BREAKFAST ONE OF THE CANADIAN BIG BUSINESSMEN SAID THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE DEVALUATIONS LAST YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE DURING THE PERIOD OF THE LAST DAYS, THE LAST MONTH OF PRESIDENT ESTRADA, THEY WERE AFRAID OF WHERE OUR CURRENCY WOULD GO. WELL IT HAS GONE AND STAYED WHERE IT SHOULD BE SO IT HAS BEEN STABLE DURING THIS PAST YEAR AND IN FACT STABLE JUST BY OUR OWN EFFORTS NOT BY GETTING ANY SUPPORT FROM ANY EXTERNAL SOURCE TO FINANCE OUR EXCHANGE RATE.

WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON THE IMF TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE ONLY PRESIDENT WHO BECAME PRESIDENT UNDER UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHO DID NOT ASK FOR AN IMF PROGRAM AND YET OUR EXCHANGE RATE REMAINED STABLE.

INDEED, WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY TO BRINGING OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE RADAR SCREENS OF THE WORLD. A NEW CABINET, SOME OF WHOM YOU SEE HERE, PICKED AS MUCH FOR THEIR INTEGRITY AS FOR THEIR COMPETENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS, HAS BROUGHT PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC SERVICE TO NEW HEIGHTS. JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF PROFESSIONALISM, I HAVE SEVEN HARVARD GRADUATES -- ONE OF THEM IS MY SECRETARY OF ENVIRONMENT -- THREE WHARTON GRADUATES AND FOUR VETERANS OF WALL STREET. I STILL HAVE TO SEE ANOTHER GOVERNMENT WITH THAT KIND OF CABINET COMPOSITION.

MUCH OF WHAT THE WORLD'S INVESTMENT COMMUNITY HAS ASKED OF US, WE HAVE THUS FAR DELIVERED. THE POWER BILL -- AND I MUST THANK CONGRESSMAN BADELLES FOR HIS WORK THERE -- THE MONEY LAUNDERING ACT. THOSE TWO LAWS WERE LONG CONSIDERED LITMUS TESTS OF OUR POLITICAL WILL TO LEGISLATE REFORMS, THEY WERE PUT INTO LAW, FIRMLY OVERCOMING YEARS OF DELAY. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE CASE OF THE POWER BILL, IT GOT PASSED INTO LAW AFTER NINE YEARS OF LONG WAIT. OUR PUBLIC DEFICIT HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER CONTROL.

INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION RATES HAVE DECLINED. OUR INTEREST RATES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST IN THE LAST 15 YEARS. AS FOR OUR INFLATION RATE IT'S MORE THAN SIX PERCENT WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT, NOW IT IS DOWN TO 3.9 PERCENT.

EVEN RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES HAVE SHOWN DECLINE. WHEN I FIRST BECAME PRESIDENT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 11.6 PERCENT AND AFTER NINE MONTHS OF MY PRESIDENCY IT WENT DOWN TO 9.8 PERCENT, AND WE ARE WORKING TO BRING IT DOWN EVEN MORE.

SEVERAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE LINED UP TO STRENGTHEN OUR BANKING INDUSTRY.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT LEVELS HAVE ALSO EXCEEDED TARGETS DURING 2001. I WILL NOT TELL YOU THE NUMBERS BECAUSE UNDERSECRETARY DOMINGO HAS ALREADY GIVEN THEM IN HIS BRIEFING.

LEADING INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES AND MULTILATERAL BODIES SUCH AS NEXI, JBIC, THE WORLD BANK, AND THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK HAVE ALL RESPONDED BY ENDORSING OUR ENHANCED CREDIT WORTHINESS. J.P. MORGAN REPORTS THAT THE PREVAILING DECLINE IN RISK AVERSION HAS ALLOWED THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS IN THE PHILIPPINES TO FINALLY SHINE THROUGH.

EVEN LESS GENEROUS RATING AGENCIES LIKE SALOMON SMITH BARNEY IN ITS JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2002 CREDIT RESEARCH SAYS: "INCREASING RISK APPETITE IN 2002 SHOULD FAVOR THE PHILIPPINES AMONG ASIAN SOVEREIGNS."

"WE EXPECT THE PHILIPPINES' RATINGS TO STAY ON THE BALANCE IN 1HO2." IN OTHER WORDS, FIRST HALF OF 2002.

SALOMON SMITH BARNEY ALSO CHARACTERIZES THE PHILIPPINES AS "GAINING MOMENTUM."

IT RECOGNIZES THAT, "ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS BEEN RESILIENT THANKS LARGELY THANKS TO STRONG PERSONAL CONSUMPTION AND SOME WELL-PERFORMING AGRICULTURE AND SERVICE SECTORS ... THIS COULD BE BOLSTERED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S GROWING CREDIBILITY IN THE EYES OF FOREIGN INVESTORS ... GIVEN THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMENDABLE PERFORMANCE IN 2001, WE EXPECT IT SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO ITS MORE DIFFICULT TARGETS IN 2002."

I THINK THAT SALOMON WAS BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT SAID SOME WELL-PERFORMING SERVICE SECTORS BECAUSE OUR FIGURES JUST SHOWED FOR INSTANCE TELECOMMUNICATIONS GROWING AT 20 PERCENT, BUSINESS SERVICES INCLUDING I.T. SERVICES GREW AT WHAT DANTE, SEVEN PERCENT. AND WHEN THEY SAID IT WAS BOLSTERED BY STRONG CONSUMPTION THEY WERE PROBABLY LOOKING AT OUR FIRST HALF GROWTH BECAUSE OUR FULL YEAR GROWTH IS AN INVESTMENT-LED GROWTH. AND INVESTMENT-LED GROWTH IS CERTAINLY MORE SUSTAINABLE THAN CONSUMPTION-LED GROWTH.

IN APRIL 2000, A SURVEY OF THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RISK CONSULTANCY RANKED THE PHILIPPINES NUMBER ONE IN OFFERING THE BEST QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EXPATRIATES IN ASIA.

INDEED, THE PHILIPPINES OFFERS A PRODUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE. OVERALL, WE OFFER LOWER BUSINESS COSTS. IN THE PHILIPPINES, MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES CAN EXPECT AS MUCH AS 40 PERCENT COST SAVINGS FOR THEIR OPERATIONS VERSUS AVERAGE COST IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.

THE PHILIPPINES HAS SEVERAL MODERN INDUSTRIAL ESTATES, ECONOMIC ZONES, AS WELL AS DEDICATED I.T. PARKS AND CYBERPARKS WITH RELIABLE PHYSICAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHEN I FIRST BECAME PRESIDENT AND I TALKED ABOUT PROMOTING I.T. I SAID ONE OF THE AREAS OF CONCERNS WE SHOULD WORK ON IS THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE WE NEED TO PROMOTE INTER CONNECTIVITY AT LOW COST.

WHEN I WENT TO NEW YORK LAST NOVEMBER THERE WERE SO MANY CALL CENTERS, MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT SIGNED AND THE INVESTORS TOLD ME THE REASON WHY THEY ARE GOING TO THE PHILIPPINES IS BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE GOOD BROADBAND FACILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES SO THEREFORE WHAT WE AIM TO DO WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT IN JANUARY APPARENTLY WE HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED ENOUGH BY NOVEMBER TO BRING THE INVESTORS THERE FOR I.T.

THE PHILIPPINES ALSO OFFERS ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENTS TO INVESTORS AND MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO WORK WITH CONGRESS ONCE AGAIN -- AND THE CONGRESSMEN ARE HERE -- TO FURTHER ENHANCE THESE INVESTMENT INCENTIVES.

WE REALIZE OF COURSE THAT WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE:

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ROOT OUT TERRORISM, INCLUDING THE TERRORISM IN AN ISOLATED ISLAND IN SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO RETURN THE REPUTATION OF MANILA AND THE PHILIPPINES AS A WELCOMING AND SAFE PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE AND DO BUSINESS.

WE ARE INCREASING THE BENEFITS FROM OUR NEW GLOBAL RELEVANCE AND ENGAGEMENT AFTER YEARS OF BEING ISOLATED AND ADRIFT.

TO PROMOTE URBAN PEACE AND ORDER, THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE LAST MONTH INCREASED ITS VISIBILITY BY HIRING 1,700 NEW POLICEMEN FOR METRO MANILA ALONE, ALL COLLEGE GRADUATES, ALL HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL.

WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MY CABINET MEMBERS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE IMPLEMENTING MEASURES TO CUT IN HALF THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES SUCH AS LICENSES, PERMITS, REGISTRATION AND FRANCHISES.

OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS -- AND WE HAVE TWO GOVERNORS AND ONE CITY MAYOR HERE -- HAVE LIKEWISE AGREED TO STREAMLINE AND SLASH RED TAPE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SEAMLESS EFFORTS BETWEEN NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE INVESTOR-FRIENDLY.

TODAY EARLIER YOU HAD BRIEFINGS ON I.T. AND ENERGY. LET US FOCUS ON SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDING THOSE OF TRADE AND INVESTMENT SECTORS THAT OFFER THE BRIGHTEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN BUSINESSMEN.

WELL OUR 20 PERCENT INCREASE IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND OUR SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN BUSINESS SERVICES INCLUDING I.T. SHOW A RESULT OF A POLICY TO PROMOTE FAST-GROWING INDUSTRIES WHERE HIGH-VALUE JOBS ARE MOST PLENTIFUL AND WHICH CAN USE OUR MOST COMPETITIVE RESOURCE -- THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER. WE ARE THE THIRD LARGEST ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS I.T.-LITERATE AND MULTI-SKILLED. WE HAVE A LARGE LABOR POOL WITH AN EDUCATIONAL SECTOR CHURNING OUT 400,000 COLLEGE GRADUATES A YEAR, 40,000 OF THESE BEING KNOWLEDGE WORKERS LIKE ENGINEERS AND I.T. PROFESSIONALS.

FILIPINO PROFESSIONALS ARE KNOWN FOR HAVING THE FASTEST LEARNING CURVE OF ONLY EIGHT WEEKS TO LEARN TECHNICAL SKILLS.

WITH ITS HIGHLY SKILLED AND HIGHLY TRAINABLE LABOR FORCE, THE PHILIPPINES IS AN IDEAL OUTSOURCING PARTNER FOR I.T. SERVICES. WE HAVE ALREADY ENACTED AN E-COMMERCE LAW, A FIRST IN ASIA. THE LAW REGULATES THE USE OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND PENALIZES CYBERCRIMES SUCH AS HACKING, EVEN AS MORE BILLS ARE IN THE PIPELINE TO ADDRESS THE OTHER SECURITY ISSUES AND ALSO TO PROMOTE CONVERGENCE. AND I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE HOSTING -- I THINK I HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED EARLIER BUT I WANT TO STRESS THIS -- A MAJOR I.T. SERVICES FAIR NEXT MONTH IN MANILA. AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR CANADIAN FRIENDS TO VISIT THIS FAIR.

THE OTHER AREA -- THE 20 PERCENT GROWING SECTOR -- TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WE ARE PROMOTING INVESTMENTS IN PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY AT LOW COST, AS I SAID. WE ARE ALSO ESTABLISHING MUNICIPAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTERS AND WORKING WITH MOBILE PHONE PRODUCERS TO DISPERSE CELL SITES TO MAKE THEIR SERVICES AVAILABLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE PHILIPPINES HAS 7,100 ISLANDS, THIS CERTAINLY OFFERS SOLID OPPORTUNITIES FOR WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.

I WAS SO GLAD TO SEE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT ON TOUR PACKAGES FOR THE PHILIPPINES BECAUSE TOURISM IS ALSO A GROWING SECTOR IN THE PHILIPPINES. WE ARE DEVELOPING ECO-TOURISM AND BEACH TOURISM SITES AND PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR.

AND RELATED TO AGRIBUSINESS, MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO BRING ABOUT COUNTRYSIDE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH A MODERNIZED AND SOCIALLY EQUITABLE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. HERE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN ANIMAL BREEDING STOCKS, FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, ORGANIC PRODUCTS AND IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY ARE AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENT AREAS.

OPPORTUNITIES ALSO LIE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR AS YOU HAVE HEARD EARLIER IN THE BRIEFING. AS YOU KNOW BY NOW, I HOPE, WE HAVE AN OMNIBUS POWER LAW ENACTED LAST YEAR AFTER NINE LONG YEARS OF WAIT TO PRIVATIZE THE STATE-OWNED NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION, BREAK THE MONOPOLY OF POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION AND TO DEVELOP ELECTRICITY IN RURAL AREAS. THIS OFFERS SOLID INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN FIRMS THAT HAVE EXCELLED BOTH IN GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION IN THE POWER SECTOR.

WE WILL BE HAVING THE BIDDING FOR A TRANSMISSION COMPANY IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. AND THAT INVESTMENT IS WORTH TWO BILLION DOLLARS.

IN THE AREA OF INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE LOOKING AT PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS. THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE CANADIAN EXPERTISE IN ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE CERTAINLY IS WELCOME. WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING AND MODERNIZING OUR AIRPORTS AND SEAPORTS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN INVESTMENTS IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND EQUIPMENT.

HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, EARLIER WE HAD A SIGNING, FOR, WHAT, 3,000 HOUSES IN PAMPANGA, MY PROVINCE. HOUSING ALSO PRESENTS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES: AS LOW-COST HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR KEY PRIORITIES, WE WANT TO BUILD 100,000 LOW COST HOUSING FOR THE WORKING CLASS EVERY YEAR. THIS OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN HOUSING TECHNOLOGY IF IT IS INEXPENSIVE, INNOVATIVE AND ADAPTABLE TO A TROPICAL CLIMATE.

INDEED, THIS IS THE TIME TO CAPITALIZE ON THE DEEPENING CONVERGENCE OF PHILIPPINE AND CANADIAN INTERESTS BY STRENGTHENING OUR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. I'M SURE THAT AS WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS COMMERCIALLY, CULTURALLY FOR SO LONG NOW, OVER A CENTURY, THIS TIME IN THE 21st CENTURY, TOGETHER, WE CAN WEATHER THE STORM OF GLOBAL RECESSION AND ACHIEVE MUTUALLY PROFITABLE ALLIANCES.

THANK YOU.

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PGMA's Speech during a Meeting with the Canadian Business Leaders at the I.T. Networking Session

Tudor Room Mezzanine, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada (30 Jan 2002)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH GREGORY.

MR. SYKES; MR. GARCIA; MR. LIM; OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON IN THIS I.T. FORUM APPROPRIATELY HELD IN THE GLOBAL CITY OF TORONTO. WITH YOUR VIBRANT ECONOMY AND YOUR 3,000 ICT FIRMS, YOUR CITY IS INDEED TANGIBLE PROOF THAT TECHNOLOGY IS A MAJOR KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

IN THE PHILIPPINES TODAY, AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED ICT -- INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY -- AS THE KEY TO FINDING OUR NICHE IN THE 21st CENTURY. THIS IS BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT OUR GROWTH SECTORS ARE IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE-INTENSIVE, SKILLS-INTENSIVE SERVICE SECTORS, LIKE, AS I SAID, ICT, TOURISM, HEALTH CARE AND OTHER SIMILARLY SKILL-INTENSIVE SECTORS. THANKS TO OUR MILLIONS OF EDUCATED, ENGLISH-SPEAKING AND I.T.-LITERATE WORKFORCE, THE PHILIPPINES IS FAST BECOMING A HUB FOR INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.

OUR STRATEGY FOR HUMAN CAPACITY BUILDING IS TO TRANSFORM OUR LABOR FORCE INTO THE NEW ECONOMY WORKFORCE. AND TO THIS END TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE SUPPLY OF KNOWLEDGE WORKERS TO THE NEXT GENERATION, TO THE NEXT BATCH, WE ARE PLACING MORE EMPHASIS ON IMPROVING BASIC EDUCATION IN MATH AND SCIENCE. AND IN THE TERTIARY LEVEL, IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES TO CREATE A POOL OF ICT PROFESSIONALS TO OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR PROGRAMMERS.

MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE COUNTRY'S PHYSICAL ICT INFRASTRUCTURE. EVEN NOW WE ALREADY OFFER FOREIGN INVESTORS DEDICATED I.T. ZONES AND CYBERPARKS WITH RELIABLE TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE AND HIGH BANDWIDTH. WE ARE CONTINUALLY WORKING ON INITIATIVES TO FURTHER IMPROVE HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY AT LOW COST.

MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO CONCENTRATING ON IMPROVING THE POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ICT. ALREADY WE HAVE AN E-COMMERCE LAW, ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES IN ASIA TO DO SO WAS THE PHILIPPINES. OUR E-COMMERCE LAW REGULATES THE USE OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND PENALIZES CYBERCRIMES SUCH AS HACKING. AND WE ARE GOING TO PASS EVEN MORE LAWS RELATED TO SECURITY ISSUES AND ALSO TO CONVERGENCE.

IN LINE WITH MY ADMINISTRATION'S FOCUS ON I.T. AS A PRIORITY SECTOR, I HOPE THAT THE CANADIAN COMMUNITY WILL BE ATTENDING THE E-SERVICES PHILIPPINES, THE COUNTRY'S MAJOR I.T. SERVICES FAIR ON FEBRUARY 7 TO 9th, IN MANILA. I HOPE YOU WILL VISIT THIS FAIR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE I.T. SECTOR AND TO NETWORK WITH PHILIPPINE I.T. COMPANIES. WE KNOW THAT MANY FOREIGN COMPANIES WILL BE VISITING THE PHILIPPINES FOR THIS EVENT.

WITH CANADA BEING A WORLD LEADER IN E-COMMERCE AND ICT AND WE THE PHILIPPINES POSSESSING THE HIGHLY SKILLED AND TRAINABLE I.T LABOR FORCE TO MAKE IT ASIA'S HUB FOR BACK OFFICE OPERATIONS AND IT SERVICES, PROMISING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ARE OPEN TO BOTH SIDES FOR BUSINESS ALLIANCES IN THIS SECTOR. AND CONSIDERING THE GLOBAL REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR WORLD OUTSOURCING OF I.T. SERVICES IS SHOWING SIGNIFICANCE SHIFT TOWARDS THE ASIAN REGION WHERE AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY CONTRACTING OUT THEIR SERVICES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOWER COST, IT WILL BE INDEED A WISE MOVE FOR CANADIAN COMPANIES TO BE A STEP AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITION BY CHOOSING THE NEW ECONOMY -- PHILIPPINES -- YOUR WINNING E-SERVICES PARTNER.

THANK YOU.

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PGMA's Speech during a Luncheon hosted by the Empire Club and the Canadian Club of Toronto

Ballroom, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada (30 Jan 2002)
THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ... FOR YOUR KIND INTRODUCTION.

SECRETARY OF STATE ...; GORDON MCKYVER, PRESIDENT OF THE CANADA CLUB OF TORONTO; MR. WO, VICE CHAIRMAN OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT OF ...; HONORABLE BRENDA ELLIOT; MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PHILIPPINE DELEGATION WHO ARE HERE IN THE HEAD TABLES: SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MANNY VILLAR, SENATOR RALPH RECTO, CONGRESSMAN ALIPIO BADELLES, CONGRESSMAN PLARIDEL ABAYA, CONGRESSMAN EDMUNDO REYES, CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA VILLAR; AMBASSADOR BENEDICTO, AMBASSADOR COLETTE, CONSUL GENERAL CASTRENSE. AND MAY I ALSO INTRODUCE OUR OFFICIALS WHO ARE NOT IN THE HEAD TABLE, WE HAVE THE GOVERNOR OF THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO PAROUK HUSSIN; THE GOVERNOR OF BULACAN PROVINCE, JOSIE DELA CRUZ; THE GOVERNOR OF QUEZON PROVINCE, WILLY ENVERGA; THE CITY MAYOR OF ANTIPOLO, LITO GATLABAYAN; MY CABINET MEMBERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS; OTHER GUESTS IN THE THREE HEAD TABLES; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

YESTERDAY, I HAD A PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGFUL DAY IN OTTAWA. PRIME MINISTER CHRETIEN AND I AGREED THAT THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO EXPAND OUR TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS.

AND TODAY, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THIS PRESTIGIOUS FORUM WITH SUCH A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED HISTORY MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. MANY WORLD LEADERS OF THE LIKES OF WINSTON CHURCHILL HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ADDRESSING THE MEMBERS OF BOTH THE EMPIRE CLUB AND THE CANADIAN CLUB OF TORONTO OVER THE YEARS. AND CONSIDERING THE STRONG AND FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES, I AM NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM BILL LAIDLO THAT AMONG THE WORLD LEADERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE THIS FORUM ARE MY TWO PREDECESSORS, PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO AND PRESIDENT FIDEL RAMOS. PRESIDENT AQUINO SPOKE HERE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO AND SO DID PRESIDENT RAMOS, BUT I AM ALSO VERY GLAD TO HEAR FROM GORDON MCKYVER THAT FOR A LONG TIME NOW THIS CROWD HAS BEEN THE MOST SELL-OUT CROWD THAT THEY HAVE HAD IN THIS CLUB. AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

OUR INTERACTION IS INDEED MEANINGFUL ESPECIALLY TODAY. TODAY WE ARE STRONG ALLIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY. THE PHILIPPINES HAS A SPECIAL BOND WITH CANADA ARISING FROM OUR OVER 300,000 FILIPINOS WHOM CANADA HAS WELCOMED AS IMMIGRANTS. AND OF THE 300,000, 150,000 ARE HERE IN TORONTO.

OUR ECONOMIC RELATIONS ARE DEEP, SOLID, AND ROBUST.

PRIME MINISTER CHRETIEN ACCOMPANIED HIS TEAM CANADA BUSINESS DELEGATION IN JANUARY OF 1997, WHERE AT THAT TIME 31 MILLION DOLLARS IN COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS AND 469 MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED. IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR, THE TEAM PHILIPPINES BUSINESS DELEGATION VISITED CANADA AND A TOTAL OF 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS-WORTH OF AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED.

SINCE THEN, PHILIPPINE-CANADIAN BUSINESS RELATIONS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW EVEN MORE.

TOTAL TRADE BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES REACHED 1.2 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE YEAR 2000, AN INCREASE OF 45 PERCENT OVER 1997. AND LAST MONTH, SNC LAVALIN, ONE OF CANADA'S LEADERS IN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, SIGNED AN IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT WORTH ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO FINANCE, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT EXTENSION TO THE SUBURBS OF MANILA, TO THE DISTRICT OF CONGRESSMAN PLARIDEL ABAYA. THE DEAL REPRESENTS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AGREEMENTS SIGNED IN PHILIPPINE-CANADIAN HISTORY.

AND THERE IS MORE IN STORE FOR OUR ECONOMIC RELATIONS.

SINCE I ASSUMED THE PRESIDENCY A YEAR AGO, WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. WHERE BIGGER AND RICHER ECONOMIES FAILED, OURS HAS MOVED FORWARD. OUR GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT GREW 3.4 PERCENT IN 2001 AND OUR GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT INCREASED 3.7 PERCENT, ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATES IN THIS WORLD TODAY WHERE MANY COUNTRIES ARE SUFFERING FROM RECESSION.

AND WHERE BIGGER AND STRONGER CURRENCIES COLLAPSED, OURS HAS HELD FIRM, EVEN THOUGH, AS THE IMF ACKNOWLEDGES, I AM THE ONLY PRESIDENT WHO ASSUMED OFFICE FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TURMOIL WHO DID NOT ASK FOR AN IMF PROGRAM.


INDEED, WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY TO BRINGING OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE RADAR SCREENS OF THE WORLD. A NEW CABINET, PICKED AS MUCH FOR THEIR INTEGRITY AS FOR THEIR COMPETENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS, HAS BROUGHT PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC SERVICE TO NEW HEIGHTS. THIS PROFESSIONALISM IN MY CABINET IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT IN MY CABINET THERE ARE SEVEN HARVARD GRADUATES, THREE WHARTON ALUMNI, AND FOUR VETERANS OF WALL STREET. SOMETHING THAT I THINK VERY FEW GOVERNMENTS CAN EQUAL.

AND MUCH OF WHAT THE WORLD'S INVESTMENT COMMUNITY HAS ASKED OF US, WE HAVE THUS FAR DELIVERED. THE POWER BILL AND THE MONEY LAUNDERING ACT, LONG CONSIDERED LITMUS TESTS OF OUR POLITICAL WILL TO LEGISLATE REFORMS, WERE PUT INTO LAW DURING MY PRESIDENCY, FIRMLY OVERCOMING YEARS OF DELAY. IN FACT JUST BEFORE WE CAME TO CANADA THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE POWER SECTOR UNDER THE POWER REFORM LAW WERE PASSED SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN THE ROAD SHOWS TO PRIVATIZE OUR POWER SECTOR. AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE WHO WORKED ON THOSE IMPLEMENTING RULES IS WITH US HERE TODAY, CONGRESSMAN ALIPIO BADELLES. OUR PUBLIC DEFICIT HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER CONTROL. INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION RATES HAVE DECLINED. INTEREST RATES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST IN THE LAST 15 YEARS.

EVEN RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES HAVE SHOWN DECLINE. FROM 11.6 PERCENT WHEN I ASSUMED THE PRESIDENCY A YEAR AGO, IN NINE MONTHS WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT DOWN TO 9.8 PERCENT. AND WE INTEND TO BRING IT DOWN EVEN MORE THIS YEAR.

LEADING INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES AND MULTILATERAL BODIES SUCH AS NEXI, JBIC OF JAPAN, THE WORLD BANK, AND THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK HAVE ALL RESPONDED TO OUR ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE BY ENDORSING OUR ENHANCED CREDIT WORTHINESS. J.P. MORGAN REPORTS THAT THE PREVAILING DECLINE IN RISK AVERSION HAS ALLOWED THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS IN THE PHILIPPINES TO FINALLY SHINE THROUGH.

EVEN THE LESS COMPLIMENTARY SALOMON SMITH BARNEY IN ITS JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 2002 CREDIT RESEARCH SAYS: "INCREASING RISK APPETITE IN 2002 SHOULD FAVOR THE PHILIPPINES AMONG ASIAN SOVEREIGNS."

"WE EXPECT THE PHILIPPINES,' THEY SAY, "THE PHILIPPINES RATINGS TO STAY ON THE BALANCE IN 1HO2."

SALOMON SMITH BARNEY CHARACTERIZES THE PHILIPPINES AS "GAINING MOMENTUM."

IT RECOGNIZES THAT "ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS BEEN RESILIENT LARGELY THANKS TO STRONG PERSONAL CONSUMPTION AND SOME WELL-PERFORMING AGRICULTURE AND SERVICES SECTORS ... THIS COULD BE BOLSTERED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S GROWING CREDIBILITY IN THE EYES OF FOREIGN INVESTORS ... GIVEN THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMENDABLE PERFORMANCE IN 2001, WE EXPECT IT SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO ITS MORE DIFFICULT TARGETS IN 2002."

THEY PROBABLY BASED THEIR EVALUATION ON OUR FIRST SEMESTER GROWTH WHICH WAS CONSUMPTION-LED. AND I THINK THAT THE ANALYSIS WOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN MORE UPBEAT NOW THAT IT IS CLEAR THAT OUR FULL-YEAR GROWTH WAS INVESTMENT-LED RATHER THAN CONSUMPTION-LED BECAUSE INVESTMENT-LED GROWTH IS MORE SUSTAINABLE. INVESTMENT-LED INDEED WAS OUR GROWTH WITH OUR DOMESTIC CAPITAL FORMATION RISING 4.3 PERCENT AMIDST A WORLD WHERE THERE IS DISINVESTMENT IN MANY ECONOMIES.

AND AS FOR SALOMON'S STATEMENT REGARDING WELL-PERFORMING AGRICULTURE AND SERVICE SECTORS, I AGREE WITH THE ADJECTIVE WITH REGARDS TO OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, WHICH GREW 3.9 PERCENT IN 2001. BUT I THINK THE WORD "WELL-PERFORMING" IS MILD WITH REGARD TO OUR SERVICE SECTORS, WHERE THERE WAS A 20.5 PERCENT GROWTH IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND 7.9 GROWTH IN BUSINESS SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES I.T. SERVICES.

THE HIGH GROWTH OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCE-INTENSIVE, SKILLS-INTENSIVE SERVICE SECTORS LIKE I.T. DEMONSTRATES THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS THE HOME OF THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER. WE ARE THE THIRD LARGEST ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AND THIS GREAT FILIPINO WORKER YOU KNOW THEM BECAUSE 300,000 OF THEM ARE IN CANADA. WE HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS I.T.-LITERATE AND MULTI-SKILLED. WE HAVE A LARGE LABOR POOL WITH AN EDUCATIONAL SECTOR CHURNING OUT 400,000 COLLEGE GRADUATES PER YEAR, 40,000 OF THESE BEING KNOWLEDGE WORKERS LIKE ENGINEERS AND I.T. PROFESSIONALS. FILIPINO PROFESSIONALS ARE KNOWN FOR HAVING THE FASTEST LEARNING CURVE OF ONLY ABOUT SIX WEEKS TO LEARN TECHNICAL SKILLS.

WITH ITS HIGHLY SKILLED AND HIGHLY TRAINABLE LABOR FORCE, THE PHILIPPINES IS AN IDEAL OUTSOURCING PARTNER FOR I.T. SERVICES. WE HAVE ALREADY ENACTED AN E-COMMERCE LAW, A FIRST IN ASIA. THIS LAW REGULATES THE USE OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND PENALIZES CYBERCRIMES SUCH AS HACKING, AND THERE ARE MORE BILLS TO PROMOTE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE PIPELINE TO ADDRESS OTHER SECURITY ISSUES AND ALSO THE ISSUE OF CONVERGENCE. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE HOSTING E-SERVICES PHILIPPINES, A MAJOR I.T. SERVICES FAIR, NEXT MONTH IN MANILA. AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR CANADIAN FRIENDS TO VISIT THIS FAIR.

WE WANT TO MAKE THE PHILIPPINES A WELCOME AND SAFE PLACE FOR OUR INVESTORS. TO PROMOTE URBAN PEACE AND ORDER, THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE LAST MONTH INCREASED ITS VISIBILITY BY HIRING 1,700 NEW POLICEMEN, ALL COLLEGE GRADUATES, ALL HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL.

WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MY CABINET MEMBERS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE IMPLEMENTING MEASURES TO CUT IN HALF THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES SUCH AS LICENSES, PERMITS, REGISTRATION AND FRANCHISES.

AND OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS -- FOUR OF THE LEADERS ARE HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS -- HAVE LIKEWISE AGREED TO STREAMLINE AND SLASH RED TAPE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SEAMLESS EFFORTS BETWEEN NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE INVESTOR-FRIENDLY.

LET US FOCUS ON SOME EXAMPLES OF TRADE AND INVESTMENT SECTORS THAT OFFER THE BRIGHTEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN BUSINESSMEN.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE PROMOTING FAST-GROWING INDUSTRIES WHERE HIGH-VALUE JOBS ARE MOST PLENTIFUL AND WHICH CAN USE OUR MOST COMPETITIVE RESOURCE -- THE GREAT FILIPINO WORKER -- AND THAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BEING A PRIMARY EXAMPLE. IN THE AREA OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS WHERE I MENTIONED WE ARE GROWING AT THE RATE OF 20 PERCENT, WE ARE PROMOTING INVESTMENTS IN PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY AT LOW COST. WE ARE ALSO ESTABLISHING MUNICIPAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTERS, AND WORKING WITH MOBILE PHONE PRODUCERS TO DISPERSE CELL SITES TO MAKE THEIR SERVICES AVAILABLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE PHILIPPINES HAS 7,100 ISLANDS, AND THIS CERTAINLY OFFERS SOLID OPPORTUNITIES FOR WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.

TOURISM IS ALSO A GROWING SECTOR IN THE PHILIPPINES BECAUSE IT IS ALSO HUMAN RESOURCE INTENSIVE, SKILLS-INTENSIVE. AND WE ARE DEVELOPING ECO-TOURISM AND BEACH TOURISM SITES AND PROJECTS.

RELATED NOW TO AGRIBUSINESS, WHERE IN AGRICULTURE WE GREW 3.9 PERCENT -- A HEALTHY AGRICULTURE GROWTH RATE COMPARED TO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD TODAY -- IN AGRIBUSINESS MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO BRING ABOUT COUNTRYSIDE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH A MODERNIZED AND SOCIALLY EQUITABLE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. HERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN ANIMAL BREEDING STOCKS, FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, ORGANIC PRODUCTS AND IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY.

OPPORTUNITIES ALSO LIE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE AN OMNIBUS POWER LAW ENACTED LAST YEAR TO PRIVATIZE THE STATE-OWNED NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION, BREAK THE MONOPOLY OF POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION AND DEVELOP ELECTRICITY IN RURAL AREAS. THIS OFFERS SOLID INVESTMENT FOR CANADIAN FIRMS THAT HAVE EXCELLED IN THE POWER SECTOR WHETHER IT BE IN GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION.

IN THE AREA OF INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE LOOKING AT PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS VERY MUCH LIKE THE BILLION DOLLAR OPPORTUNITY THAT LAVALIN FOUND IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS INDEED WHERE CANADIAN EXPERTISE IN ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE WELCOME. WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING AND MODERNIZING OUR AIRPORTS AND SEAPORTS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AGAIN FOR CANADIAN INVESTMENTS IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND EQUIPMENT.

HOUSING CONSTRUCTION ALSO PRESENTS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, AS LOW-COST HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR KEY PRIORITIES. THIS OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANADIAN HOUSING TECHNOLOGY THAT IS INEXPENSIVE, INNOVATIVE AND ADAPTABLE TO A TROPICAL CLIMATE. WE WANT TO BUILD A 100,000 LOW-COST HOUSING A YEAR FOR OUR WORKERS AND WE INVITE CANADIAN HOUSING TECHNOLOGY TO TRY IT OUT IN THE PHILIPPINES.

INDEED, THIS IS THE TIME TO CAPITALIZE ON DEEPENING CONVERGENCE OF PHILIPPINE AND CANADIAN INTERESTS BY STRENGTHENING OUR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. FOR IN A WORLD WHERE THERE IS GREAT UNCERTAINTY IT IS TIME FOR FRIENDS TO WORK TOGETHER. TO CREATE JOBS TOGETHER. TO IMPROVE TRADE TOGETHER. TO INVEST IN ONE ANOTHER'S ECONOMIES. AND IF THE OLD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES -- OUR RELATIONSHIP THAT STARTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN 1895 WHEN SUNLIFE OF CANADA FIRST PUT ITS INVESTMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES -- IF THIS OLD RELATIONSHIP CAN BE MADE TO GROW AND FLOURISH EVEN MORE IN THIS CENTURY -- THIS CENTURY OF UNCERTAINTY BUT ALSO THIS CENTURY OF GREAT COALITIONS AND GREAT OPPORTUNITIES -- TOGETHER WE CAN WEATHER THE STORM OF GLOBAL RECESSION AND ACHIEVE MUTUALLY PROFITABLE ALLIANCES.

COME TO THE PHILIPPINES, CANADA, AS WE THE FILIPINOS HAVE ALSO COME TO CANADA.

THANK YOU.

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