(English translation) Benigno S. Aquino III, Third State
State of the Nation Address of His
Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III President of the Philippines To the Congress of the Philippines
[English translation of the speech delivered at the
Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon
City, on July 23, 2012]
Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile; Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Vice President Jejomar Binay; former
Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; eminent Justices of
the Supreme Court; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; honorable
members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate; our leaders in local
government; members of our Cabinet; uniformed officers of the military and of
the police; my fellow public servants;
And to my Bosses, the
Filipino people: a pleasant afternoon to all.
This is my third SONA. It wasn’t too long ago when we began to
dream again; when, united, we chose the straight and righteous path; when we
began to cast aside the culture of wang-wang, not only in our
streets, but in every sector of society.
It has been two years since you said: We are tired of corruption
and of poverty; it is time to restore a government that is truly on the side
the people.
Like many of you, I
have been a victim of the abuse of power. I was only 12 years old when Martial
Law was declared. For seven years and seven months, my father was incarcerated;
we lived in forced exile for three years. I saw for myself how many others also
suffered.
These experiences
forged the principles I now live by: Where a citizen is oppressed, he will find
me as an ally; where there is an oppressor, I will be there to fight; where I
find something wrong in the system, I will consider it my duty to right it.
Martial Law ended long
ago and when it did, we were asked: “If not us, then who?” and “If not now,
then when?” Our united response: let it be us, and let it be now. The democracy
that was taken from us by force was reclaimed peacefully. And in so doing, we
brought light to a dark chapter in our history.
Let it not be
forgotten: Martial Law was borne because a dictator manipulated the
Constitution to remain in power. And to this day, the battle rages: between
those who seek a more equitable system, and those who seek to preserve their
privileges at the expense of others.
The specters of a lost
decade haunted us from our first day in office.
There was the North Rail contract—an expensive project that
became even more expensive after renegotiation. Ironically, the higher cost
came with fewer public benefits; a fleet of 19 trainsets was reduced to three,
and the number of stations, from five to two. To make matters worse, the debts
incurred from the project are now being called in.
We had GOCCs handing out unwarranted bonuses, despite the losses
already suffered by their agencies. We had the billions wasted by PAGCOR on—of
all things—coffee. We had the suspect management practices of the PNP, which
involved ignoring the need to arm the remaining 45 percent of our police force,
just to collect kickbacks on rundown helicopters purchased at brand-new prices.
We were left with
little fiscal space even as debts had bunched up and were maturing. We were
also left a long list of obligations to fulfill: A backlog of 66,800
classrooms, which would cost us about 53.44 billion pesos; a backlog of
2,573,212 classroom chairs, amounting to 2.31 billion pesos. In 2010, an
estimated 36 million Filipinos were still not members of PhilHealth. Forty-two
billion pesos was needed to enroll them. Add to all this the 103 billion pesos
needed for the modernization of our armed forces.
To fulfill all these
obligations and address all our needs, we were bequeathed, at the start of our
term, 6.5 percent of the entire budget for the remaining six months of 2010. We
were like boxers, sent into the ring blindfolded, with our hands and feet
bound, and the referee and the judges paid off.
In our first three
months in office, I would look forward to Sundays when I could ask God for His
help. We expected that it would take no less than two years before our reforms
took hold. Would our countrymen be willing to wait that long?
But what we know about
our people, and what we had proven time and again to the world was this: Nothing
is impossible to a united Filipino nation. It was change we dreamed of, and
change we achieved; the benefits of change are now par for the course.
Roads are straight and
level, and properly paved; this is now par for the course.
Relief goods are ready
even before a storm arrives. Rescue services are always on standby, and the
people are no longer left to fend for themselves. This is now par for the
course.
Sirens only blare from
the police cars, from ambulances, and from fire trucks—not from government officials.
This is now par for the course. The government that once abused its power
is finally using that power for their benefit.
Reforms were
established as we cut wasteful spending, held offenders accountable for their
actions, and showed the world that the Philippines is now open for business
under new management.
What was once the sick
man of Asia now brims with vitality. When we
secured our first positive credit rating action, some said it was pure luck.
Now that we have had eight, can it still just be luck? When the Philippine
Stock Exchange Index first broke 4,000, many wondered if that was sustainable.
But now, with so many record highs, we are having trouble keeping score: For
the record, we have had 44, and the index hovers near or above 5,000. In the
first quarter of 2012, our GDP grew by 6.4 percent, much higher than projected,
the highest growth in the Southeast Asian region, and the second only to China in the whole of Asia .
We are second only to China
Commentators the world over voice their admiration. According
to Bloomberg Business Week, “Keep an eye on the Philippines Asia ’s Next Tiger.” Ruchir
Sharma, head of Morgan Stanley’s Emerging Market Equities said, “The
Philippines is no longer a joke.” And it doesn’t look like he’s pulling our
leg, because their company has invested approximately a billion dollars in our
markets. I only wish that the optimism of foreign media would be shared by
their local counterparts more often.
And we are building an
environment where progress can be felt by the majority. When we began office, there
were 760,357 household-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program. Our target: 3.1 million within two years. By February of this year,
the three millionth household-beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya had been
registered. Next year, we will enroll 3.8 million households—five times what we
had at the beginning of our term.
This is a long-term
project, with far-reaching impact. The research is in its initial stages, but
already the figures show promise. Based on data from the DSWD: 1,672,977 mothers
now get regular checkups; 1,672,814 children have been vaccinated against
diarrhea, polio, measles, and various other diseases; 4.57 million students no
longer need to miss school because of poverty.
When we first took
office, only 62 percent of Filipinos were enrolled in PhilHealth. Enrollment
was not necessarily based on need but on being in the good graces of
politicians. Now, 85 percent of our citizens are members. This means that since
we received our mandate, 23.31 million more Filipinos have access to
PhilHealth’s array of benefits and services.
And here’s even better
news: the 5.2 million poorest households identified by our National Household
Targeting System will now fully benefit from PhilHealth’s programs, free of
charge. Because of the Department of Health’s No Balance Billing Policy,
treatment for dengue, pneumonia, asthma, cataracts—as well as treatments for
catastrophic diseases like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and acute
leukemia—can be availed of for free by our poorest countrymen.
The process for our
poorest PhilHealth members: Enter any government hospital. Show you PhilHealth
card. Get treatment. And they return to their homes without having to shell out
a single centavo.
One of the briefings I
attended noted that four out of ten Filipinos have never seen a health
professional in their entire lifetime. Other figures are more dire: Six out of
ten Filipinos die without being attended to by health professionals.
But whatever the
basis, the number of Filipinos with no access to government health services
remains a concern. And we are acting on this: In 2010, ten thousand nurses and
midwives were deployed under the RNHeals Program; to date, we have deployed
30,801. Add to this over 11,000 Community Health Teams tasked to strengthen the
links between doctors and nurses, and the communities they serve.
And today, because of
efficient targeting, they are deployed to where they are most needed: to areas
that have been for so long left in the margins of society. We have sent our
health professionals to 1,021 localities covered by the Pantawid Pamilya, and
to the 609 poorest cities and municipalities, as identified by the National
Anti-Poverty Commission.
This new system
addresses two issues: thousands of nurses and midwives now have jobs and an
opportunity to gain valuable work experience; at the same time, millions of our
countrymen now have increased access to quality health care.
But we are not
satisfied with this. What we want: True, universal, and holistic health care.
This begins not in our hospitals, but within each and every household:
Increased consciousness, routine inoculation, and regular checkups are
necessary to keep sickness at bay. Add to this our efforts to ensure that we
prevent the illnesses that are in our power to prevent.
For example: Last
year, I told you about our anti-dengue mosquito traps. It is too early to claim
total victory, our scientists are rigorous about testing, but the initial
results have been very encouraging.
We tested the efficacy
of those mosquito traps in areas with the highest reported incidence of dengue.
In 2011, traps were distributed in Bukidnon—which had recorded 1,216 cases of
dengue in 2010. After distribution, the number of cases decreased to 37—that is
a 97 percent reduction rate. In the towns of Ballesteros and Claveria in
Cagayan, there were 228 cases of dengue in 2010; in 2011, a mere eight cases
were recorded. In Catarman, Northern Samar :
434 cases of dengue were reported in 2010. There were a mere four cases in
2011.
This project is in its
initial stages. But even this early on, we must thank Secretaries Ike Ona of
DOH and Mario Montejo of DOST; may our gratitude and applause spur them into
even more intensive research and collaboration.
Challenges remain. The
high maternal mortality ratio in our country continues to alarm us. Which is
why we have undertaken measures to address the health-care needs of women. We,
too, want Universal Health Care; we want our medical institutions to have
enough equipment, facilities, and manpower.
We can easier fulfill
all these goals, if the Sin Tax Bill—which rationalizes taxes on alcohol and
tobacco products—can be passed. This bill makes vice more expensive while at
the same time raising more money for health.
And what of our
students—what welcomes them in the schools? Will they still first learn the
alphabet beneath the shade of a tree? Will they still be squatting on the
floor, tussling with classmates over a single textbook?
I have great faith in
Secretary Luistro: Before the next year ends, we will have built the 66,800
classrooms needed to fill up the shortage we inherited—of this, we expect
40,000 for this year. The 2,573,212 backlog in chairs that we were
bequeathed will be addressed before 2012 ends. This year, too, will see the
eradication of the backlog of 61.7 million textbooks—and we will finally
achieve the one-to-one ratio of books to students.
We are ending the backlogs in the education sector, but the
potential for shortages remains as our student population continues to
increase. Perhaps Responsible Parenthood can
help address this.
For our State Universities
Year after year, our budget for education has increased. The
budget we inherited for DepEd last 2010 was 177 billion pesos. Our proposal for
2013: 292.7 billion pesos. In 2010, our SUCs were allocated a budget of 21.03
billion pesos. Since then, we have annually raised this allocation; for next year, we have proposed to
set aside 37.13 billion pesos of our budget for SUCs. Despite this, some
militant groups are still cutting classes to protest what they claim is a cut
in SUC budgets. It’s this simple: 292.7 is higher than 177, and 37.13 is higher
than 21.03. Should anyone again claim that we cut the education budget, we’ll
urge your schools to hold remedial math classes. Please, attend these classes.
When we assumed office
and began establishing much-needed reform, there were those who belittled our
government’s performance. They claimed our achievements were mere luck, and
what impact they may have as short-lived. There are still those who refuse to
cease spreading negativity; they who keep their mouths pursed to good news, and
have created an industry out of criticism.
If you have a problem
with the fact that, before the year ends, every child will have their own
chairs and own set of books, then look them straight in the eye and tell them,
“I do not want you to go to school.”
If you take issue with
the fact that 5.2 million of the country’s poorest households can now avail of
quality healthcare services without worrying about the cost, then look them
straight in the eye and tell them, “I do not want you to get better.”
If it angers you that
three million Filipino families have been empowered to fulfill their dreams
because of Pantawid Pamilya, then look them straight in the eye and tell them,
“I will take away the hope you now have for your future.”
The era where policy
was based on the whims of the powerful has truly come to an end. For example,
the previous leadership of TESDA generously distributed scholarship
vouchers—but neglected to fund them. Naturally, the vouchers bounced. The
result: over a thousand schools are charging the government 2.4 billion pesos
for the vouchers. One person and one administration wanted to show off; the
Filipino people are paying for that now.
When Secretary Joel
Villanueva assumed the post, he was not daunted by the seemingly impossible
reforms that his agency needed to enact. Despite the staggering debt inherited
by TESDA, it still trained 434,676 individuals under the Training for Work
Scholarship Program. The TESDA Specialists Technopreneurship Program likewise
delivered concrete victories—imagine: each of the 5,240 certified Specialistas
are earning 562 pesos a day, or 11,240 pesos a month. This is higher than the
minimum wage.
From infancy, to
adolescence, to adulthood, the system is working for our citizens. And we are
ensuring that our economy’s newfound vitality generates jobs.
Let us keep in mind:
there are about a million new entrants to the job market every year. The jobs
we have produced within the past two years total almost 3.1 million.
As a result, our
unemployment rate is declining steadily. In 2010, the unemployment rate was at
8 percent. In April 2011, it dropped to 7.2, and dropped further to 6.9 this
year. Is it not an apt time for us to dream of a day where any Filipino who
wishes to work can find a job?
Look at the BPO
sector. Back in the year 2000, only 5,000 people were employed in this
industry. Fast forward to 2011: 638,000 people are employed by BPOs, and the
industry has contributed 11 billion dollars to our economy. It has been
projected that come 2016, the year I will bid you farewell, it will be bringing
in 25 billion dollars and will be employing 1.3 million Filipinos. And this
does not include the estimated 3.2 million taxi drivers, baristas, corner
stores, canteens, and many others that will benefit from the indirect jobs that
the BPO industry will create.
A large portion of our
job generation strategy is building sufficient infrastructure. For those who
have gone to Boracay on vacation, you have probably seen our newly christened
terminal in Caticlan. The plan to expand its runway has also been laid out.
And we will not stop
there. Before the end of my term, the New
Bohol Airport
in Panglao, New Legaspi
Airport in Daraga, and Laguindingan Airport Puerto Princesa Airport ,
so they can receive more passengers; in addition to remodeling the airports in
Butuan, Cotabato, Dipolog, Pagadian, Tawi-Tawi, Southern Leyte, and San Vicente
in Palawan .
I am the fourth
president to deal with the problems of NAIA Terminal 3. Airplanes are not all
that take off and land here; so did problems and anomalies. Secretary Mar Roxas
has already said: Before we convene at the next SONA, the structural defects we
inherited in NAIA 3 will have been fully repaired.
This June, the LRT
Line 1 Cavite Extension project began to move forward. When completed, it will
alleviate traffic in Las Piñas, Parañaque, and Cavite North Luzon and South
Luzon Expressways. These will be completed in 2015 and will reduce travel time
between Clark and Calamba to 1 hour and 40 minutes. Before I leave office,
there will be high-quality terminals in Taguig, Quezon City
Perceptions have also
changed about a department formerly notorious for its inadequacies. I still
remember the days when, during the rainy season, the Tarlac River MacArthur
Highway
As the representative
of my district, I registered my complaints about this. The Department of Public
Works and Highways’ reply: we know about the problem, we know how to solve it,
but we have no money. I had to appeal to my barangays: “If we don’t prioritize
and spend for this ourselves, no one will fix it, and we will be the ones who
suffer.” Back in those days, everyone called upon the government to wake up and
start working. The complaints today are different: traffic is terrible, but
that’s because there’s so much roadwork being done. May I remind everyone: we
have done all this without raising taxes.
We will not build our
road network based on kickbacks or favoritism. We will build them according to
a clear system. Now that resources for these projects are no longer allocated
haphazardly, our plans will no longer end up unfulfilled—they will become
tangible roads that benefit the Filipino people. When we assumed office, 7,239
kilometers of our national roads were not yet fixed. Right now, 1,569
kilometers of this has been fixed under the leadership of Secretary Babes
Singson. In 2012, an additional 2,275 kilometers will be finished. We are even
identifying and fixing dangerous roads with the use of modern technology. These
are challenges we will continue to address every year, so that, before end of
my term, every inch of our national road network will be fixed.
We have fixed more
than roads; our DPWH has fixed its system. Just by following the right process
of bidding and procurement, their agency saved a total of 10.6 billion pesos
from 2011 to June of this year. Even our contractors are feeling the positive
effects of our reforms in DPWH. According to the DPWH, “the top 40 contractors
are now fully booked.” I am hopeful that the development of our infrastructure
continues unimpeded to facilitate the growth of our other industries.
The improvement of our
infrastructure is intertwined with the growth of our tourism industry. Consider
this: In 2001, the Philippines
But Secretary Mon
Jimenez is still not satisfied. He says: if 24.7 million tourists came to Malaysia in 2011, and around 17 million visited Thailand , would it be too far-fetched to have
ten million tourists visiting the Philippines Philippines
When it comes to
growth and development, agriculture is at the top of our priorities. Secretary
Alcala has been working nonstop to deliver us good news. Before, it seemed as
though the officials of DA cultivated nothing but NFA’s debts. The NFA that our
predecessors took over had a 12-billion peso debt; when they left office, they
then bequeathed to us a debt of 177 billion pesos.
For so long in the
past, we were led to believe that we were short 1.3 million metric tons of
rice, and that we needed to import 2 million metric tons to address this
shortage. They ordered rice as like it was unlimited—but because we had
exceeded far more than what we needed, imported rice went to rot in the
warehouses.
In just our first
year, we redcued the annual shortage of 1.3 million metric tons to just 860,000
metric tons. This year, it is down to 500,000—including a buffer stock to dip
into in times of calamity. And, if the weather cooperates, we’ll be able to
export rice next year.
Secretary Alcala has
said that key to our success is a feasible irrigation program and the assiduous
implementation of the certified seeds program. What is galling is that this
knowledge is not new—it simply wasn’t applied. If they had only done their jobs
right, where could we have been by now?
Look at our coconut
industry: Coconut water, once treated as a waste product, is now being utilized
by our farmers. From 483,862 liters exported in 2009, to 1,807,583 liters in
2010, to a staggering 16,756,498 liters of cocowater exported in 2011. And
where no one previously paid heed to coconut coir, we are now experiencing a
shortage due to the high demand of exporters. We are not wasting this
opportunity: we are buying the machines that will process the coco fibers. We
have allocated 1.75 billion pesos to invest in, and develop, this sector.
My mother initiated
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. It is only just that this program
sees its conclusion during my term.
We are improving the
system, so that we can more swiftly and more efficiently realize agrarian
reform. The government is doing everything in its power to ensure that our
farmers can claim as their own the land they have tilled and nurtured with
their sweat.
There are those, however, who wish to obstruct us. I say to
them: We will obey the law. The law says, the nation says, and I say: Before I
step down, all the land covered by CARP will have been distributed.
Let me shed some light
on our advances in the energy sector. In the past, an electrical wire needed
only to reach the barangay hall for an entire barangay to be deemed energized.
This was the pretext for the claim that 99.98 percent of the country’s
barangays had electricity. Even the delivery of so basic a service was a
deception?
We challenged DOE and
NEA, allocating 1.3 billion pesos to light up an initial target of 1,300
sitios, at the cost of one million pesos per sitio. And the agencies met the
challenge—they lit up 1,520 sitios, at a total cost of 814 million pesos. They
accomplished this in three months, instead of the two years it took the people
that preceded them. Secretary Rene Almendras, I give you credit; you never seem
to run out of energy. With public service, you are not only ever-ready, but
like an energizer bunny too—you keep on going, and going, and going.
We have suffused the
nation with light—and it is this light, too, that has exposed the crimes that
occur in the shadowed corners of society. What the Filipino works so hard for
can no longer be pilfered. Crime volume continues to decline across the
country. In 2009, over 500,000 crimes were recorded—this year, we have cut that
number by more than half, to 246,958. Moreover, 2010’s recorded 2,200 cases of
carnapping has likewise been reduced by half—to 966 cases this 2011.
It is these facts
that, we hope, will be bannered in headlines. We do not claim that we have
ended criminality, but I’m sure no one would complain that it has been reduced.
In the span of just a little more than a year, haven’t we finally put Raymond
Dominguez in jail, after years of being in and out of prison? Charges
have been filed against two of his brothers as well, and they are now serving
time, too. Of the two suspects in the Makati
Pacquiao does not
fight every day, and so we can’t rely on him to bring down the crime rate.
Which is why we’re strengthening our police force. When this administration
began, 45 percent of our police carried no guns and probably relied on magic
charms as they chased criminals. But now we have completed the bidding—and we
are now testing the quality—for an order of 74,600 guns, which we will provide
our police, so that they may better serve and protect the nation, our communities,
and themselves.
Let us now talk about
national defense. Some have described our Air Force as all air and no force.
Lacking the proper equipment, our troops remain vulnerable even as they are
expected to be put in harm’s way. We cannot allow things to remain this way.
After only one year
and seven months, we have been able to allocate over 28 billion pesos for the
AFP Modernization Program. This will soon match the 33 billion pesos set aside
for the program in the past 15 years. And we’re only getting started: if our
proposed AFP modernization bill is passed in Congress, we will be able to
allocate 75 billion pesos for defense within the next five years.
The 30-million dollar
fund entrusted to us by the United
States Coast Watch
Center of the Philippines
At this moment, the Armed Forces is likewise canvassing
equipment such as cannons, personnel carriers, and frigates. Before long, the
BRPRamon Alcaraz, our second Hamilton
And perhaps it is an
apt time for our Armed Forces to clean up their hangars, because we will be
having equipment arriving soon to further fortify our defenses. Finally, our
one and only C-130 that has been roaming our skies for the past 36 years will
have partners: two more C-130s will once again be operational. Before this year
ends, we are hopeful that the twenty-one refurbished UH-1H Helicopters, the
four combat utility helicopters, the radios and other communication equipment,
the rifles, the mortars, the mobile diagnostic laboratories, and even the
station bullet assemblies we have purchased will be delivered. Come 2013, ten
attack helicopters, two naval helicopters, two light aircraft, one frigate, and
air force protection equipment will also be arriving.
And it is not only
through better equipment that we demonstrate our commitment to help our police
and our soldiers. We have eased their financial burdens through the 22,000
houses that have been built under the AFP–PNP housing program.
We are not doing this
because we want to be an aggressor, we are not doing this because we want
escalation. This is about keeping the peace. This is about protecting
ourselves—something that we have long thought impossible. This is about the
life of a soldier who risks his life every day; this is about his family, who
awaits his safe return, despite the challenges that confront him.
Let’s listen to some
of the beneficiaries of these programs tell us in their own words how their
lives have been changed.
[VIDEO]
Now that the people
care for them, the more impassioned our soldiers are in winning the peace. We
consider the 1,772 outlaws whose violence has come to an end a great triumph.
One example is the infamous terrorist, Doctor Abu, who will never again strike
fear in the hearts of our countrymen. We also celebrate the peace and quiet
that has returned to places where our countrymen were once deafened by gunfire.
As a result of our solidarity: 365 barangays have been liberated from the
enemy, 270 buildings and schools have been repaired, and 74 health centers have
been built.
While we are on the
subject of peace, let us talk about a place that has long stood as a symbol of
frustrated hopes. Before our reforms in the ARMM began, what we had were ghost
students walking to ghost schools on ghost roads, to learn from ghost teachers.
Some of the apparitions that haunted OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman: Four schools
found with ghost students; we are also investigating the teachers whose names
do not appear in the list of the Professional Regulation Commission, as well as
the government workers not listed in the plantilla. Fifty-five ghost entries
have been taken off the payroll. The previous scheme of regraveling roads again
and again just to earn money has been outlawed. To avoid abuse, we have ended
cash advances for agencies. Now, the souls of the ghosts in voters lists can
rest in peace. This is why, to OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman, we can say to you:
you are indeed a certified ghost buster.
What we have replaced
these phantoms with: real housing, bridges, and learning centers for Badjaos in
Basilan. Community-based hatcheries, nets, materials to grow seaweeds, and
seedlings that have benefited 2,588 fishermen. Certified seeds, gabi seedlings,
cassava, rubber, and trees that are bearing fruit for 145,121 farmers. And this
is only the beginning. 183 million pesos has been set aside for the fire
stations; 515 million pesos for clean drinking water; 551.9 million pesos for
health-care equipment; 691.9 million pesos for daycare centers; and 2.85
billion pesos for the roads and bridges across the region. These are just some
of the things that will be afforded by the aggregate 8.59 billion pesos the
national government has granted the ARMM. Also, allow me to clarify: this does
not include the yearly support that they receive, which in 2012 reached 11.7
billion pesos.
Even those who
previously wanted to break away are seeing the effects of reform. Over the past
seven months, not even a single encounter has been recorded between the
military and the MILF. We recognize this as a sign of their trust. With regard
to the peace process: talks have been very open; both sides have shown trust
and faith in one another. There may be times when the process can get a little
complicated, but these are merely signs that we are steadily moving closer to
our shared goal: Peace.
We likewise engaged
stakeholders in a level-headed discussion in crafting our Executive Order on
mining. The idea behind our consensus we reached: that we be able to utilize
our natural resources to uplift the living conditions of the Filipinos not just
of today, also of the following generations. We will not reap the rewards
of this industry if the cost is the destruction of nature.
But this Executive
Order is only the first step. Think about it: In 2010, 145 billion pesos was
the total value derived from mining, but only 13.4 billion or 9 percent went to
the national treasury. These natural resources are yours; it shouldn’t happen
that all that’s left to you is a tip after they’re extracted. We are hoping
that Congress will work with us and pass a law that will ensure that the
environment is cared for, and that the public and private sectors will receive just
benefits from this industry.
Let us talk about the
situation in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Once, the government,
which is supposed to give aid, was the one asking for aid. Today, even when the
storm is still brewing, we already know how to craft clear plans to avoid
catastrophe.
Talking about
disasters reminds me of the time when a typhoon struck Tarlac. The dike
collapsed due to the rains; when one of the barangay captains awoke, the floods
had already taken his family, as well as his farming equipment. Fortunately,
the entire family survived. But the carabao they had left tied to a tree wasn’t
as lucky; it was strangled to death from the force of the flood.
Many of those affected
by typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, and Sendong were just as defenseless. We lost so
many lives to these natural disasters. And now, through Project NOAH, all our
anti-disaster initiatives have been brought inside one boat, and we no longer
leave the evacuation of families up to mere luck. We now have the technology to
give fair warning to Filipinos in order to prepare for and avoid the worst.
Our 86 automated rain
gauges and 28 water level monitoring sensors in various regions now benefit us
directly and in real time. Our target before the end of 2013: 600 automated
rain gauges and 422 water level sensors. We will have them installed in 80
primary river basins around the country.
Yet another change:
Before, agencies with shared responsibilities would work separately, with
little coordination or cooperation. Now, the culture of government is
bayanihan—a coming together for the sake of the people. This is what we call
Convergence.
There have always been
tree planting programs in government—but after the trees have been planted,
they were left alone. Communities that needed livelihood would cut these down
and turn them into charcoal.
We have the solution
for this. 128,558 hectares of forest have been planted across the country; this
is only a fraction of the 1.5 million-hectare farmlands to be laid out before
we step down. This covers the communities under the National Convergence
Initiative. The process: When a tree is planted, the DWSD will coordinate with
communities. In exchange for a conditional cash transfer, communities would
take care of the trees; some would help nurture seeds in a nursery. 335,078
individuals now earn their livelihood from these activities.
The private sector has
likewise taken part in a program that hands out special coffee and cacao beans
to communities, and trains the townsfolk, too, to nurture those seeds into a
bountiful harvest. The coffee is planted in the shade of the trees that in turn
help prevent flooding and protect the people. The company that hands out the
seeds are sure buyers of the yield. It’s a win-win situation—for the private
sector, the communities with their extra income, and the succeeding generations
that will benefit from the trees.
Illegal logging has long been a problem. From the time we signed
Executive Order No. 23, Mayor Jun Amante has confiscated lumber amounting to
more than six million pesos. He has our gratitude. This is just in Butuan; what
more if all our LGUs demonstrated the same kind of political will?
The timber confiscated
by DENR are handed over to TESDA, which then gives the timber to communities
they train in carpentry. From this, DepEd gets chairs for our public schools.
Consider this: What was once the product of destruction has been crafted into
an instrument for the realization of a better future. This was impossible
then—impossible so long as the government turned a blind eye to illegal
activities.
To those of you
without a conscience; those of you who repeatedly gamble the lives of your
fellow Filipinos—your days are numbered. We’ve already sanctioned thirty-four
DENR officials, one PNP provincial director, and seven chiefs of police. We are
asking a regional director of the PNP to explain why he seemed deaf to our
directives and blind to the colossal logs that were being transported before
his very eyes. If you do not shape up, you will be next. Even if you tremble
beneath the skirts of your patrons, we will find you. I suggest that you start
doing your jobs, before it’s too late.
From the womb, to
school, to work, change has touched the Filipino. And should a life of
government service be chosen, our people can expect the same level of care from
the state, until retirement. Our administration will recognize their
contributions to our society as public servants, and will not withhold from
them the pensions they themselves contributed to.
Consider: some
retirees receive less than 500 pesos a month. How does one pay for water,
power, and food, daily? Our response: With the New Year comes our resolution
that all old-age and disability pensioners will receive no less than five
thousand pesos monthly. We are heartened that we can meet their needs now,
without jeopardizing their future benefits.
The face of government
has truly changed. Our compensation levels are at par with the private sector’s
at the entry level. But as you rise through the ranks, private-sector pay overtakes
the government.
We will close that gap
in time; for now, we have good news for government employees: Performance-Based
Incentives. In the past, even poorly performing agencies would not have any
employees with ratings lower than “very satisfactory.” To maintain smooth
interpersonal relations, supervisors would have a hard time giving appropriate
ratings. Exceptional employees are not recognized: their excellence is
de-incentivized, and receive the same rewards as laziness and indolence.
Here is one of our
steps to respond to this. Starting this year, we will implement a system in
which bonuses are based on their agency’s abilities to meet their annual
targets. Employees now hold the keys to their own advancement. Incentives may
reach up to 35,000 pesos, depending on how well you do your jobs. This is in
addition to your across-the-board Christmas bonus.
We are doing this not
only to boost morale and to show due appreciation of our public servants. This
is, above all, for the Filipino people, who expect sincere and efficient
service—who expect that they will continue to be the sole Bosses of our workers
in government.
There have always been
people who have questioned our guiding principle, “If there is no corruption,
there is no poverty.” They ask if good governance can put food on the table.
Quite simply: Yes.
Think about it: Doing
business in the Philippines
Now, with a level
playing field, and clear and consistent rules, confidence in our economy is
growing. Investments are pouring in, jobs are being created, and a virtuous
cycle has begun—where empowered consumers buy more products, and businesses
hire more people so they can expand to keep up with the growing demand.
Prudent spending has
allowed us to plug the leaks in the system, and improved tax collection has
increased revenues. Every peso collected is properly spent on roads, on
vaccines, on classrooms and chairs—spent on our future.
We have fixed the
system by which we build roads, bridges, and buildings—they now go where they
are truly needed. Our roads are properly paved; products, services, and people
reach their destination quickly and with greater ease.
Because of good
governance in agriculture, food production has increased, prices don’t
fluctuate, wages are stable, and our economy is stronger.
It is true: A
resilient and dynamic economy resting on the foundations of good governance is the
best defense against global uncertainty. We have been dismantling the obstacles
to progress for two years, and now, our success can only be limited by how hard
we are willing to work for it.
We achieved all these
things even as countries around the world were surmounting their own
challenges.
We exist in this world
with others. And so it is only appropriate that even as we attend to our own
problems, we remain vigilant about some events that affect us.
The situation in Bajo
de Masinloc has been the source of much discussion. Chinese fishermen entered
out territory. Our patrol boats intercepted some of their ships, which contain
endangered species. As your leader, it is my duty to uphold the laws of our
country. And as I did, tension ensued: on one hand, the Chinese had their
Nine-Dash Line Theory laying claim to almost the entire West Philippine Sea; on
the other, there was the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea,
which recognized the rights of many countries, including that of China
We demonstrated utmost
forbearance in dealing with this issue. As a sign of our goodwill, we replaced
our navy cutter with a civilian boat as soon as we could. We chose not to
respond to their media’s harangues. I do not think it excessive to ask that our
rights be respected, just as we respect their rights as a fellow nation
in a world we need to share.
There are those who
say that we should let Bajo de Masinloc go; we should avoid the trouble. But if
someone entered your yard and told you he owned it, would you agree? Would it
be right to give away that which is rightfully ours?
And so I ask for
solidarity from our people regarding this issue. Let us speak with one voice.
Help me relay to the other side the logic of our stand.
This is not a simple
situation, and there can be no simple solutions. Rest assured: we are
consulting experts, every leader of our nation, our allies—even those on the
other side—to find a resolution that is acceptable to all.
With every step on the
straight and righteous path, we plant the seeds of change. But there are still
some who are committed to uprooting our work. Even as I speak, there are those
who have gathered in a room, whispering to each other, dissecting each word I
utter, looking for any pretext to attack me with tomorrow. These are also the
ones who say, “Let go of the past. Unite. Forgive and forget so we can move
forward as a people.”
I find this
unacceptable. Shall we simply forgive and forget the ten years that were taken
from us? Do we simply forgive and forget the farmers who piled up massive debts
because of a government that insisted on importing rice, while we could have
reinvested in them and their farmlands instead? Shall we forgive and forget the
family of the police officer who died while trying to defend himself against
guns with nothing but a nightstick?
Shall we forgive and
forget the orphans of the 57 victims of the massacre in Maguindanao? Will their
loved ones be brought back to life by forgiving and forgetting? Do we forgive
and forget everything that was ever done to us, to sink us into a rotten state?
Do we forgive and forget to return to the former status quo? My response:
Forgiveness is possible; forgetting is not. If offenders go unpunished,
society’s future suffering is guaranteed.
True unity and
reconciliation can only emanate from genuine justice. Justice is the plunder
case leveled against our former president; justice that she receives her day in
court and can defend herself against the accusations leveled against her.
Justice is what we witnessed on the 29th of May. On that day, we proved that
justice can prevail, even when confronted with an opponent in a position of
power. On that day, a woman named Delsa Flores, in Panabo, Davao del Norte,
said “It is actually possible: a single law governing both a simple court
reporter like me, and the Chief Justice.” It is possible for the scales to be
set right, and for even the rich and powerful to be held accountable.
This is why, to the
next Chief Justice, much will be demanded of you by our people. We have proven
the impossible possible; now, our task is reform towards true justice that
continues even after our administration. There are still many flaws in the
system, and repairing these will not be easy. I am aware of the weight of your
mandate. But this is what our people tasked us to do; this is the duty we have
sworn to do; and this what we must do.
Our objectives are
simple: If you are innocent, you will appear in court with confidence, because
you will be found not guilty. But if you are guilty, you will be made to pay
for your sins, no matter who you are.
I would also like to
thank Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, for accepting the challenges that came
with the position. She could have turned down the responsibility, citing her
retirement and volunteering others for the job—but her desire to serve the
nation won out. This generosity was met with a grenade in her home. Ma’am, more
challenges will come; in time, perhaps, they’ll give you the same monikers
they’ve given me—a greedy capitalist who is also a communist headed towards
dictatorship because of the reforms we have been working so hard to achieve.
I thank you for your
work, and I thank you for being an instrument of true justice—especially at the
height of the impeachment trial. I thank, too, the two institutions that form
our Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives—which were weighed and
measured by the Filipino people, and were not found wanting.
To everyone that
ensured that our justice system worked well: You weathered many challenges and
criticism, and even misgivings; couple that with the anxiety over possible
failure, of having to face the ire of those you went up against, after a
mission lost. But you did not falter. The Filipino people were relying on you,
and you proved that their faith was rightly placed. You did not fail the
nation; you further brightened our futures.
Let me remind you that
our fight does not end with the ousting of one corrupt official, with the
suspension of an anomalous contract, or the systemic overhauling of a
government office. I call upon Congress to pass our amendments to the
Anti-Money Laundering Act, that we may strengthen our measures to hold the
corrupt accountable.
Every town that has
and will be lighted; the highways, bridges, airports, trains, and ports we have
built; fair contracts; the peace in our cities and our rural areas; every
classroom, desk, and book assigned to a child; every Filipino granted a
future—all of these, we have achieved in just two years. We have advanced an
agenda of reform in these last two years, a marked contrast to our suffering in
the decade that came before.
If we share the same
ideals and work for the same goals, then we are bound by a shared agenda. But
if you are against us, it only follows that you are against what we are doing.
Whoever stands against the agenda for genuine change—can the people really
count them as being on their side?
Elections are fast
approaching. You, our Bosses, will be our compass. I ask you, “Boss, what
direction will we take? Do we continue treading the straight and righteous
path, or do we double-back—towards the crooked road that leads to a dead end?”
I remember well those
early days when we first started working. I was keenly aware of the heavy
burdens we would face. And I was among those who wondered: Is it possible to
fix a system this broken?
This is what I have
learned in the 25 months I have served as your president: nothing is
impossible. Nothing is impossible because if the Filipino people see that they
are the only Bosses of their government, they will carry you, they will guide
you, they themselves will lead you towards meaningful change. It isn’t
impossible for the Philippines
to become the first country in Southeast Asia
to provide free vaccines for the rotavirus. It isn’t impossible for the Philippines
Last year, I asked the
Filipino people: Thank those who have done their share in bringing about
positive change in society. The obstacles we encountered were no laughing
matter, and I believe it is only right that we thank those who shouldered the
burdens with us, in righting the wrongs brought about by bad governance.
To all the members of
my Cabinet: my sincerest thanks. The Filipino people are lucky that there are
those of you ready to sacrifice your private and much quieter lives in order to
serve the public, even if you know that you will receive smaller salaries,
dangers, and constant criticism in return.
And I hope that they
will not mind if I take this opportunity to thank them today: to Father
Catalino Arevalo and Sister Agnes Guillen, who have nurtured and allowed my
spiritual life to flourish, especially in times of greatest difficulty: my
deepest gratitude.
This is my third SONA; only three remain. We are entering the
midpoint of our administration. Last year, I challenged you to fully turn your
back on the culture of negativism; to take every chance to uplift your fellow
Filipinos.
From what we are
experiencing today, it is clear: you succeeded. You are the wellspring of
change. You said: it is possible.
I stand before you
today as the face of a government that knows you as its Boss and draws its
strength from you. I am only here to narrate the changes that you yourselves
have made possible.
This is why, to all
the nurses, midwives, or doctors who chose to serve in the barrios; to each new
graduate who has chosen to work for the government; to each Filipino athlete
who proudly carries the flag in any corner of the globe, to each government
official who renders true and honest service: You made this change possible.
So whenever I come
face to face with a mother who tells me, “Thank you, my child has been
vaccinated,” I respond: You made this happen.
Whenever I come face
to face with a child who tells me, “Thank you for the paper, for the pencils,
for the chance to study,” I respond: You made this happen.
Whenever I come face
to face with an OFW who tells me, “Thank you, because I can once again dream of
growing old in the Philippines
Whenever I come face
to face with a Filipino who says, “Thank you, I thought that we would never
have electricity in our sitio. I never imagined living to see the light,” I
respond: You made this happen.
Whenever I come face
to face with any farmer, teacher, pilot, engineer, driver, call center agent,
or any normal Filipino; to every Juan and Juana dela Cruz who says, ”Thank you
for this change,” I respond: You made this happen.
I repeat: what was
once impossible is now possible. I stand before you today and tell you: this is
not my SONA. You made this happen. This is the SONA of the Filipino nation.
Thank you.
