| STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT | | | | become agribusinessmen by allowing their land to be |
| GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO DURING THE 2ND | | | | used as collateral. |
| REGULAR SESSION OF THE 14TH CONGRESS OF | | | | Dapat mapalaya ng reporma sa lupa ang magsasaka |
| THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, 28 July 2008 | | | | sa pagiging alipin sa iba. Dapat bigyan ang magsasaka |
| Thank you, Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar. | | | | ng dangal bilang taong malaya at di hawak ninuman. |
| Senators and Representatives. Vice President de | | | | We must curb the recklessness that gives land |
| Castro, President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, | | | | without the means to make it productive and bites |
| members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and | | | | off more than beneficiaries can chew. |
| gentlemen: | | | | At the same time, I want the rackets out of agrarian |
| I address you today at a crucial moment in world | | | | reform: the threats to take and therefore undervalue |
| history. | | | | land, the conspiracies to overvalue it. |
| Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the | | | | Be with me on this. There must be a path where |
| strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation | | | | justice and progress converge. Let us find it before |
| was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs | | | | Christmas. Dapat nating linisin ang landas para sa mga |
| were created. We were all looking to a better, | | | | ibig magpursige sa pagsasaka, taglay ang pananalig na |
| brighter future. Because tough choices were made, | | | | ang lupa ay sasagip sa atin sa huli kung gamitin natin |
| kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas. Malapit na sana | | | | ito nang maayos. |
| tayo sa pagbalanse ng budget. We were retiring | | | | Along with massive rice production, we are cutting |
| debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our | | | | costs through more efficient transport. For our |
| country's development, habang namumuhunan sa | | | | farm-to-market roads, we released P6 billion in 2007. |
| taong bayan. Biglang-bigla, nabaligtad ang ekonomiya | | | | On our nautical highways. RORO boats carried 33 |
| ng mundo. Ang pagtalon ng presyo ng langis at | | | | million metric tons of cargo and 31 million passengers |
| pagkain ay nagbunsod ng pandaigdigan krisis, the | | | | in 2007. We have built 39 RORO ports during our |
| worst since the Great Depression and the end of | | | | administration, 12 more are slated to start within the |
| World War II. Some blame speculators moving billions | | | | next two years. In 2003, we inaugurated the |
| of dollars from subprime mortgages to commodities | | | | Western Nautical Highway from Batangas through |
| like fuel and food. Others point of the very real surge | | | | Mindoro, Panay and Negros to Mindanao. This year |
| in demand as millions of Chinese and Indians move up | | | | we launched the Central Nautical Highway from Bicol |
| to the middle class. | | | | mainland, through Masbate, Cebu, Bohol and Camiguin |
| Whatever the reasons, we are on a roller coaster | | | | to Mindanao mainland. These developments |
| ride of oil price hikes, high food prices and looming | | | | strengthen our competitiveness. |
| economic recession in the US and other markets. | | | | Leading multinational company Nestle cut transport |
| Uncertainty has moved like a terrible tsunami around | | | | costs and offset higher milk prices abroad. Salamat, |
| the globe, wiping away gains, erasing progress. | | | | RORO. Transport costs have become so reasonable |
| This is a complex time that defies simple and easy | | | | for bakeries like Gardenia, a loaf of its bread in Iloilo is |
| solutions. For starters, it is hard to identify villains, | | | | priced the same as in Laguna and Manila. Salamat muli |
| unlike in the 1997 financial crisis. Everyone seems to | | | | sa RORO. |
| be a victim, rich countries and poor, though certainly | | | | To the many LGUs who have stopped collecting fees |
| some can take more punishment than others. | | | | from cargo vehicles, maraming, maraming salamat. |
| To address these global challenges, we must go on | | | | We are repaving airports that are useful for |
| building and buttressing bridges to allies around the | | | | agriculture, like Zamboanga City Airport. Producing rice |
| world: to bring in the rice to feed our people, | | | | and moving it cheaper addresses the supply side of |
| investments to create jobs; and to keep the peace | | | | our rice needs. On the demand side, we are boosting |
| and maintain stability in our country and the rest of | | | | the people's buying power. |
| the world. Yet even as we reach out to those who | | | | Ginagawa nating labor-intensive ang paggawa at |
| need, and who may need us, we strive for greater | | | | pag-ayos ng kalsada at patubig. Noong SONA ng |
| self-reliance. | | | | 2001, naglunsad tayo sa NCR ng patrabaho para sa |
| Because tough choices were made, the global crisis | | | | 20,000 na out of school youth, na tinawag OYSTER. |
| did not catch us helpless and unprepared. Through | | | | Ngayon, mahigit 20,000 ang ineempleyo ng OYSTER |
| foresight, grit and political will, we built a shield around | | | | sa buong bansa. In disaster-stricken areas, we have a |
| our country that has slowed down and somewhat | | | | cash-for-work program. |
| softened the worst effects of the global crisis. We | | | | In training, 7.74 million took technical and vocational |
| have the money to care for our people and pay for | | | | courses over the last seven years, double the |
| food when there are shortages; for fuel despite price | | | | number in the previous 14 years. In 2007 alone, 1.7 |
| spikes. | | | | million graduated. Among them are Jessica |
| Neither we nor anyone else in the world expected | | | | Barlomento now in Hanjin as supply officer, Shenve |
| this day to come so soon but we prepared for it. For | | | | Catana, Marie Grace Comendador, and Marlyn Tusi, |
| the guts not to flinch in the face of tough choices, I | | | | lady welders, congratulations. In microfinance, loans |
| thank God. For the wisdom to recognize how needed | | | | have reached P102 billion or 30 times more than the |
| you are, I thank, you Congress. For footing the bill, I | | | | P3 billion we started with in 2001, with a 98% |
| thank the taxpayers. | | | | repayment record, congratulations! Major lenders |
| The result has been, on the one hand, ito ang | | | | include the Land Bank with P69 billion, the Peoples' |
| nakasalba sa bayan; and, on the other, more | | | | Credit and Finance Corporation P8 billion, the National |
| unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls. Yet, even | | | | Livelihood Support Fund P3 billion, DBP P1 billion and |
| unfriendly polls show self-rated poverty down to its | | | | the DSWD's SEA-K P800 million. For partnering with |
| 20-year low in 2007. My responsibility as President is | | | | us to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit, thank you, Go |
| to take care to solve the problems we are facing | | | | Negosyo and Joey Concepcion. |
| now and to provide a vision and direction for how | | | | Upland development benefits farmers through |
| our nation should advance in the future. | | | | agro-forestry initiatives. Rubber is especially strong in |
| Many in this great hall live privileged lives and exert | | | | Zamboanga Sibugay and North Cotabato. Victoria |
| great influence in public affairs. I am accessible to | | | | Mindoro, 56 years old, used to earn P5,000 a month |
| you, but I spend time every day with the | | | | as farmer and factory worker. Now she owns 10 |
| underprivileged and under represented who cannot | | | | hectares in the Goodyear Agrarian Reform |
| get a grip on their lives in the daily, all-consuming | | | | Community in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, she |
| struggle to make ends meet. | | | | earns P10,000 a week. With one hectare, Pedro and |
| Nag-aalala ako para sa naka-aawang maybahay na | | | | Concordia Faviolas of Makilala, North Cotabato, they |
| pasan ang pananagutan para sa buong pamilya. | | | | sent their six children to college, bought two more |
| Nag-aalala ako para sa magsasakang nasa unang | | | | hectares, and earn P15,000 a month. Congratulations! |
| hanay ng pambansang produksyon ng pagkain ngunit | | | | Jatropha estates are starting in 900 hectares in and |
| nagsisikap pakanin ang pamilya. I care for hardworking | | | | around Tamlang Valley in Negros Oriental; 200 in |
| students soon to graduate and wanting to see hope | | | | CamSur; 300 in GenSan, 500 in Fort Magsaysay near |
| of good job and a career prospect here at home. | | | | the Cordero Dam and 700 in Samar, among others. |
| Nag-aalala ako para sa 41-year old na padre de | | | | In our 2006 SONA, our food baskets were identified |
| pamilya na di araw-araw ang trabaho, at nag-aabala | | | | as North Luzon and Mindanao. The sad irony of |
| sa asawa at tatlong anak, at dapat bigyan ng higit | | | | Mindanao as food basket is that it has some of the |
| pang pagkakakitaan at dangal. I care for our teachers | | | | highest hunger in our nation. It has large fields of high |
| who gave the greatest gift we ever received - a | | | | productivity, yet also six of our ten poorest |
| good education - still trying to pass on the same gift | | | | provinces. |
| to succeeding generations. I care for our OFWs, | | | | The prime reason is the endless Mindanao conflict. A |
| famed for their skill, integrity and untiring labor, who | | | | comprehensive peace has eluded us for half a |
| send home their pay as the only way to touch loved | | | | century. But last night, differences on the tough issue |
| ones so far away. Nagpupugay ako ngayon sa | | | | of ancestral domain were resolved. Yes, there are |
| kanilang mga karaniwang Pilipino. | | | | political dynamics among the people of Mindanao. Let |
| My critics say this is fiction, along with other facts | | | | us sort them out with the utmost sobriety, patience |
| and figures I cite today. I call it heroism though they | | | | and restraint. I ask Congress to act on the legislative |
| don't need our praise. Each is already a hero to those | | | | and political reforms that will lead to a just and lasting |
| who matter most, their families. I said this is a global | | | | peace during our term of office. The demands of |
| crisis where everyone is a victim. But only few can | | | | decency and compassion urge dialogue. Better talk |
| afford to avoid, or pay to delay, the worst effects. | | | | than fight, if nothing of sovereign value is anyway |
| Many more have nothing to protect them from the | | | | lost. Dialogue has achieved more than confrontation in |
| immediate blunt force trauma of the global crisis. | | | | many parts of the world. This was the message of |
| Tulad ninyo, nag-aalala ako para sa kanila. Ito ang | | | | the recent World Conference in Madrid organized by |
| mga taong bayan na dapat samahan natin. Not only | | | | the King of Saudi Arabia, and the universal message |
| because of their sacrifices for our country but | | | | of the Pope in Sydney. |
| because they are our countrymen. How do we solve | | | | Pope Benedict's encyclical Deus Caritas Est reminds |
| these many complex challenges? | | | | us: "There will always be situations of material need |
| Sa kanilang kalagayan, the answer must be special | | | | where help in the form of concrete love for |
| care and attention in this great hour of need. | | | | neighbour is indispensable." |
| First, we must have a targeted strategy with set of | | | | Pinagsasama-sama natin ang mga programa ng |
| precise prescriptions to ease the price challenges we | | | | DSWD, DOH, GSIS, SSS at iba pang lumalaban sa |
| are facing. | | | | kahirapan sa isang National Social Welfare Program |
| Second, food self-sufficiency; less energy | | | | para proteksyonan ang pinaka-mahihirap mula sa |
| dependence; greater self-reliance in our attitude as a | | | | pandaigdigang krisis, and to help those whose |
| people and in our posture as a nation. | | | | earnings are limited by illness, disability, loss of job, |
| Third, short-term relief cannot be at the expense of | | | | age and so on-through livelihood projects, |
| long term reforms. These reforms will benefit not | | | | microfinance, skills and technology transfer, |
| just the next generation of Filipinos, but the next | | | | emergency and temporary employment, pension |
| President as well. | | | | funds, food aid and cash subsidies, child nutrition and |
| Napakahalaga ang Value Added Tax sa pagharap sa | | | | adult health care, medical missions, salary loans, |
| mga hamong ito. Itong programa ang sagot sa mga | | | | insurance, housing programs, educational and other |
| problemang namana natin. Una, mabawasan ang ating | | | | savings schemes, and now cheaper medicine-Thanks |
| mga utang and shore up our fiscal independence. | | | | to Congress. |
| Pangalawa, higit na pamumuhunan para mamamayan | | | | The World Bank says that in Brazil, the income of the |
| at imprastraktura. Pangatlo, sapat na pondo para sa | | | | poorest 10% has grown 9% per year versus the 3% |
| mga programang pangmasa. | | | | for the higher income levels due in large part to their |
| Thus, the infrastructure links programmed for the our | | | | family stipend program linking welfare checks to |
| poorest provinces like Northern Samar: | | | | school attendance. We have introduced a similar |
| Lao-ang-Lapinig-Arteche, right now ay maputik, San | | | | program, Pantawid Pamilya. |
| Isidro-Lope de Vega; the rehabilitation of Maharlika in | | | | Employers have funded the two increases in SSS |
| Samar. Take VAT away and you and I abdicate our | | | | benefits since 2005. Thank you, employers for paying |
| responsibility as leaders and pull the rug from under | | | | the premiums. |
| our present and future progress, which may be | | | | GSIS pensions have been indexed to inflation and |
| compromised by the global crisis. | | | | have increased every year since 2001. Its salary loan |
| Lalong lumakas ang tiwala ng mga investor dahil sa | | | | availments have increased from two months |
| VAT. Mula P56.50 kada dolyar, lumakas ang piso | | | | equivalent to 10 months, the highest of any system |
| hanggang P40.20 bago bumalik sa P44 dahil sa mga | | | | public or private-while repayments have been |
| pabigat ng pangdaigdigang ekonomiya. Kung alisin ang | | | | stretched out. |
| VAT, hihina ang kumpiyansa ng negosyo, lalong | | | | Pag-Ibig housing loans increased from P3.82 billion in |
| tataas ang interes, lalong bababa ang piso, lalong | | | | 2001 to P22.6 billion in 2007. This year it experienced |
| mamahal ang bilihin. | | | | an 84% increase in the first four months alone. Super |
| Kapag ibinasura ang VAT sa langis at kuryente, ang | | | | heating na. Dapat dagdagan ng GSIS at buksan muli |
| mas makikinabang ay ang mga may kaya na | | | | ng SSS ang pautang sa pabahay. I ask Congress to |
| kumukonsumo ng 84% ng langis at 90% ng kuryente | | | | pass a bill allowing SSS to do housing loans beyond |
| habang mas masasaktan ang mahihirap na | | | | the present 10% limitation. Bago ako naging |
| mawawalan ng P80 billion para sa mga programang | | | | Pangulo, isa't kalahating milyong maralita lamang ang |
| pinopondohan ngayon ng VAT. Take away VAT and | | | | may health insurance. Noong 2001, sabi natin, |
| we strip our people of the means to ride out the | | | | dadagdagan pa ng kalahating milyon. Sa taong iyon, |
| world food and energy crisis. | | | | mahigit isang milyon ang nabigyan natin. Ngayon, 65 |
| We have come too far and made too many | | | | milyong Pilipino na ang may health insurance, mahigit |
| sacrifices to turn back now on fiscal reforms. | | | | doble ng 2000, kasama ang labinlimang milyong |
| Leadership is not about doing the first easy thing that | | | | maralita. Philhealth has paid P100 billion for |
| comes to mind; it is about doing what is necessary, | | | | hospitalization. The indigent beneficiaries largely come |
| however hard. The government has persevered, | | | | from West and Central Visayas, Central Luzon, and |
| without flip-flops, in its much-criticized but | | | | Ilocos. Patuloy nating palalawakin itong |
| irreplaceable policies, including oil and power VAT and | | | | napaka-importanted programa, lalo na sa Tawi-Tawi, |
| oil deregulation. | | | | Zambo Norte, Maguindanao, Apayao, Dinagat, Lanao |
| Patuloy na gagamitin ng pamahalaan ang lumalago | | | | Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra and Misamis |
| nating yaman upang tulungan ang mga pamilyang | | | | Occidental. Lalo na sa kanilang mga magsasaka at |
| naghihirap sa taas ng bilihin at hampas ng bagyo, | | | | mangingisda. |
| habang nagpupundar upang sanggahan ang bayan sa | | | | In these provinces and in Agusan Sur, Kalinga, Surigao |
| mga krisis sa hinaharap. | | | | Sur and calamity-stricken areas, we will launch a |
| Para sa mga namamasada at namamasahe sa dyip, | | | | massive school feeding program at P10 per child |
| sinusugpo natin ang kotong at colorum upang | | | | every school day. |
| mapataas ang kita ng mga tsuper. Si Federico Alvarez | | | | Bukod sa libreng edukasyon sa elementarya at high |
| kumikita ng P200 a day sa kaniyang rutang | | | | school, nadoble ang pondo para sa mga college |
| Cubao-Rosario. Tinaas ito ng anti-kotong, anti-colorum | | | | scholarships, while private high school scholarship |
| ngayon P500 na ang kita niya. Iyan ang paraan kung | | | | funds from the government have quadrupled. |
| paano napananatili ang dagdag-pasahe sa piso lamang. | | | | I have started reforming and clustering the programs |
| Halaga lang ng isang text. | | | | of the DepEd, CHED and TESDA. As with fiscal and |
| Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut | | | | food challenges, the global energy crunch demands |
| the cost of messages between networks. They | | | | better and more focused resource mobilization, |
| responded. It is now down to 50 centavos. Noong | | | | conservation and management. |
| Hunyo, nagpalabas tayo ng apat na bilyong piso mula | | | | Government agencies are reducing their energy and |
| sa VAT sa langis-dalawang bilyong pambayad ng | | | | fuel bills by 10%, emulating Texas Instruments and |
| koryente ng apat na milyong mahihirap, isang bilyon | | | | Philippine Stock Exchange who did it last year. |
| para college scholarship o pautang sa 70,000 na | | | | Congratulations, Justice Vitug and Francis Lim. |
| estudyanteng maralita; kalahating bilyong pautang | | | | To reduce power system losses, we count on |
| upang palitan ng mas matipid na LPG, CNG o biofuel | | | | government regulators and also on EPIRA |
| ang motor ng libu-libong jeepney; at kalahating bilyong | | | | amendments. We are successful in increasing energy |
| pampalit sa fluorescent sa mga pampublikong lugar. | | | | self-sufficiency-56%, the highest in our history. We |
| Kung mapapalitan ng fluorescent ang lahat ng | | | | promote natural gas and biofuel; geothermal fields, |
| bumbilya, makatitipid tayo ng lampas P2 billion. Sa | | | | among the world's largest; windmills like those in |
| sunod na katas ng VAT, may P1 billion na pambayad | | | | Ilocos and Batanes; and the solar cells lighting many |
| ng kuryente ng mahihirap; kalahating bilyon para sa | | | | communities in Mindanao. The new Galoc oil field can |
| matatandang di sakop ng SSS o GSIS; kalahating | | | | produce 17,000-22,000 barrels per day, 1/12 of our |
| bilyong kapital para sa pamilya ng mga namamasada; | | | | crude consumption. |
| kalahating bilyon upang mapataas ang kakayahan at | | | | The Renewable Energy Bill has passed the House. |
| equipment ng mga munting ospital sa mga lalawigan. | | | | Thank you, Congressmen. Our costly commodity |
| At para sa mga kalamidad, angkop na halaga. | | | | imports like oil and rice should be offset by hard |
| We released P1 billion for the victims of typhoon | | | | commodities exports like primary products, and soft |
| Frank. We support a supplemental Western Visayas | | | | ones like tourism and cyberservices, at which only |
| calamity budget from VAT proceeds, as a tribute to | | | | India beats us. |
| the likes of Rodney Berdin, age 13, of Barangay | | | | Our P 350 million training partnership with the private |
| Rombang, Belison, Antique, who saved his mother, | | | | sector should qualify 60,000 for call centers, medical |
| brother and sister from the raging waters of Sibalom | | | | transcription, animation and software development, |
| River. Mula sa buwang ito, wala nang income tax ang | | | | which have a projected demand of one million |
| sumusweldo ng P200,000 o mas mababa sa isang | | | | workers generating $13 billion by 2010. |
| taon - P12 billion na bawas-buwis para sa maralita at | | | | International finance agrees with our progress. Credit |
| middle class. Maraming salamat, Congress. | | | | rating agencies have kept their positive or stable |
| Ngayong may P32 na commercial rice, natugunan na | | | | outlook on the country. Our world competitiveness |
| natin ang problema sa pagkain sa kasalukuyan. | | | | ranking rose five notches. Congratulations to us. We |
| Nagtagumpay tayo dahil sa pagtutulungan ng buong | | | | are sticking to, and widening, the fiscal reforms that |
| bayan sa pagsasaka, bantay-presyo at paghihigpit sa | | | | have earned us their respect. |
| price manipulation, sa masipag na pamumuno ni Artie | | | | To our investors, thank you for your valuable role in |
| Yap. | | | | our development. I invite you to invest not only in |
| Sa mga LGU at religious groups na tumutulong dalhin | | | | factories and services, but in profitable infrastructure, |
| ang NFA rice sa mahihirap, maraming salamat sa inyo. | | | | following the formula for the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La |
| Dahil sa subsidy, NFA rice is among the region's | | | | Union Expressway. I ask business and civil society to |
| cheapest. While we can take some comfort that our | | | | continue to work for a socially equitable, economically |
| situation is better than many other nations, there is | | | | viable balance of interests. Mining companies should |
| no substitute for solving the problem of rice and fuel | | | | ensure that host communities benefit substantively |
| here at home. In doing so, let us be honest and clear | | | | from their investments, and with no environmental |
| eyed - there has been a fundamental shift in global | | | | damage from operations. |
| economics. The price of food and fuel will likely | | | | Our administration enacted the Solid Waste |
| remain high. Nothing will be easy; the government | | | | Management Act, Wildlife Act, Protection of Plant |
| cannot solve these problems over night. But, we can | | | | Varieties, Clean Water Act, Biofuels Act and various |
| work to ease the near-term pain while investing in | | | | laws declaring protected areas. For reforestation, for |
| long-term solutions. | | | | next year we have budgeted P2 billion. Not only do |
| Since 2001, new irrigation systems for 146,000 | | | | forests enhance the beauty of the land, they |
| hectares, including Malmar in Maguindanao and North | | | | mitigate climate change, a key factor in increasing the |
| Cotabato, Lower Agusan, Casecnan and Aulo in | | | | frequency and intensity of typhoons and costing the |
| Nueva Ecija, Abulog-Apayao in Cagayan and Apayao, | | | | country 0.5% of the GDP. |
| Addalam in Quirino and Isabela, among others, and | | | | We have set up over 100 marine and fish sanctuaries |
| the restoration of old systems on another 980,000 | | | | since 2001. In the whaleshark sanctuary of Donsol, |
| hectares have increased our nation's irrigated land to | | | | Sorsogon, Alan Amanse, 40-year-old college |
| a historic 1.5 million hectares. | | | | undergraduate and father of two, was earning P100 |
| Edwin Bandila, 48 years old, of Ugalingan, Carmen, | | | | a day from fishing and driving a tricycle. Now as |
| North Cotabato, cultivated one hectare and | | | | whaleshark-watching officer, he is earns P1,000 a |
| harvested 35 cavans. Thirteen years na ginawa iyong | | | | day, ten times his former income. For clean water, so |
| Malmar. In my first State of the Nation Address, sabi | | | | important to health, there is P500 million this year and |
| ko kung hindi matapos iyon sa Setyembre ay | | | | P1.5 billion for next year. From just one sanitary landfill |
| kakanselahin ko ang kontrata, papapasukin ko ang | | | | in 2001, we now have 21, with another 18 in the |
| engineering brigade, natapos nila. With Malamar, now | | | | works. |
| he cultivates five hectares and produces 97 cavans | | | | We launched the Zero Basura Olympics to clear our |
| per hectare. Mabuhay, Edwin! VAT will complete the | | | | communities of trash. Rather than more money, all |
| San Roque-Agno River project. | | | | that is needed is for each citizen to keep home and |
| The Land Bank has quadrupled loans for farmers and | | | | workplace clean, and for garbage officials to stop |
| fisher folk. That is fact not fiction. Check it. For more | | | | squabbling. Our investments also include essential |
| effective credit utilization, I instructed DA to revitalize | | | | ways to strengthen our institutions of governance in |
| farmers cooperatives. We are providing seeds at | | | | order to fight the decades-old scourge of corruption. |
| subsidized prices to help our farmers. | | | | I will continue to fight this battle every single day. |
| Incremental Malampaya national revenues of P4 billion | | | | While others are happy with headlines through |
| will go to our rice self-sufficiency program. Rice | | | | accusation without evidence and privilege speeches |
| production since 2000 increased an average of 4.07% | | | | without accountability, we have allocated more than |
| a year, twice the population growth rate. By | | | | P3 billion - the largest anti-graft fund in our history - |
| promoting natural planning and female education, we | | | | for real evidence gathering and vigorous prosecution. |
| have curbed population growth to 2.04% during our | | | | From its dismal past record, the Ombudsman's |
| administration, down from the 2.36 in the 1990's, | | | | conviction rate has increased 500%. Lifestyle checks, |
| when artificial birth control was pushed. Our campaign | | | | never seriously implemented before our time, have |
| spreads awareness of responsible parenthood | | | | led to the dismissal and/or criminal prosecution of |
| regarding birth spacing. Long years of pushing | | | | dozens of corrupt officials. |
| contraceptives made it synonymous to family | | | | I recently met with the Millennium Challenge |
| planning. Therefore informed choice should mean | | | | Corporation, a US agency that provides grants to |
| letting more couples, who are mostly Catholics, know | | | | countries based on governance. They have |
| about natural family planning. | | | | commended our gains, contributed P1 billion to our |
| From 1978 to 1981, nag-export tayo ng bigas. Hindi | | | | fight against graft, and declared us eligible for more |
| tumagal. But let's not be too hard on ourselves. | | | | grants. Thank you! |
| Panahon pa ng Kastila bumibili na tayo ng bigas sa | | | | Last September, we created the Procurement |
| labas. While we may know how to grow rice well, | | | | Transparency Group in the DBM and linked it with |
| topography doesn't always cooperate. | | | | business, academe, and the Church, to deter or catch |
| Nature did not gift us with a mighty Mekong like | | | | anomalies in government contracts. On my |
| Thailand and Vietnam, with their vast and naturally | | | | instruction, the BIR and Customs established similar |
| fertile plains. Nature instead put our islands ahead of | | | | government-civil society tie-ups for information |
| our neighbours in the path of typhoons from the | | | | gathering and tax evasion and smuggling monitoring. |
| Pacific. So, we import 10% of the rice we consume. | | | | More advanced corruption practices require a |
| To meet the challenge of today, we will feed our | | | | commensurate advances in legislative responses. |
| people now, not later, and help them get through | | | | Colleagues in Congress, we need a more stringent |
| these hard times. To meet the challenges of | | | | Anti-Graft Act. |
| tomorrow, we must become more self-reliant, | | | | Sa pagmahal ng bilihin, hirap na ang mamimili - tapos, |
| self-sufficient and independent, relying on ourselves | | | | dadayain pa. Dapat itong mahinto. Hinihiling ko sa |
| more than on the world. | | | | Kongreso na magpasa ng Consumer Bill of Rights |
| Now we come to the future of agrarian reform. | | | | laban sa price gouging, false advertising at iba pang |
| There are those who say it is a failure, that our rice | | | | gawain kontra sa mamimili. I call on all our government |
| importations prove it. There are those who say it is a | | | | workers at the national and local levels to be more |
| success-if only because anything is better than | | | | responsive and accountable to the people. Panahon |
| nothing. Indeed, people are happier owning the land | | | | ito ng pagsubok. Kung saan kayang tumulong at |
| they work, no matter what the difficulties. | | | | dapat tumulong ang pamahalaan, we must be there |
| Sa SONA noong 2001, sinabi ko, bawat taon, | | | | with a helping hand. Where government can |
| mamamahagi tayo ng dalawang daang libong ektarya | | | | contribute nothing useful, stay away. Let's be more |
| sa reporma sa lupa: 100,000 hectares of private | | | | helpful, more courteous, more quick. |
| farmland and 100,000 of public farmland, including | | | | Kaakibat ng ating mga adhikain ang tuloy na |
| ancestral domains. Di hamak mahigit sa target ang | | | | pagkalinga sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino. Iisa ang |
| naipamahagi natin sa nakaraang pitong taon: 854,000 | | | | ating pangarap - maunlad at mapayapang lipunan, |
| hectares of private farmland, 797,000 of public | | | | kung saan ang magandang kinabukasan ay hindi |
| farmland, and Certificates of Ancestral Domain for | | | | pangarap lamang, bagkus natutupad. Sama-sama tayo |
| 525,000 hectares. Including, over a 100,000 hectares | | | | sa tungkuling ito. May papel na gagampanan ang |
| for Bugkalots in Quirino, Aurora, and Nueva Vizcaya. | | | | bawat mamamayan, negosyante, pinunong bayan at |
| After the release of their CADT, Rosario Camma, | | | | simbahan, sampu ng mga nasa lalawigan. |
| Bugkalot chieftain, and now mayor of Nagtipunan, | | | | We are three branches but one government. We |
| helped his 15,000-member tribe develop irrigation, | | | | have our disagreements; we each have hopes, and |
| plant vegetables and corn and achieve food | | | | ambitions that drive and divide us, be they personal, |
| sufficiency. Mabuhay, Chief! | | | | ethnic, religious and cultural. But we are one nation |
| Agrarian reform should not merely subdivide misery, | | | | with one fate. As your President, I care too much |
| it must raise living standards. Ownership raises the | | | | about this nation to let anyone stand in the way of |
| farmer from his but productivity will keep him on his | | | | our people's wellbeing. Hindi ko papayagang humadlang |
| feet. | | | | ang sinuman sa pag-unlad at pagsagana ng taong |
| Sinimula ng aking ama ang land reform noong 1963. | | | | bayan. I will let no one - and no one's political plans - |
| Upang mabuo ito, the extension of CARP with | | | | threaten our nation's survival. |
| reforms is top priority. I will continue to do all I can | | | | Our country and our people have never failed to be |
| for the rural as well as urban poor. Ayaw natin na | | | | there for us. We must be there for them now. |
| paglaya ng tenant sa landlord, mapapasa-ilalim naman | | | | Maraming salamat. Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. |
| sa usurero. Former tenants must be empowered to | | | | |