Ambassador
John Negroponte, thank you for the very, very kind words. I never thought
they’d be directed at me ever since I’ve first heard of your name, but thank
you, nonetheless.
Mr.
Manuel Pangilinan; Mr. Washington Sycip; and Mr. Maurice Greenberg; Senator
Lugar who was here previously; distinguished members of the U.S. House of
Representatives present; State Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell; members of
the Philippine delegation; Secretary Albert del Rosario; Ambassador Jose
Cuisia; Secretary Cesar Purisima; Greg Domingo; Mon Jimenez; Rene Almendras;
Ricky Carandang; and of course, the Honorable Miguel Perez-Rubio; members of
the Board of the U.S.-Philippine Society; Filipino-American community leaders
present; honored guests; mga minamahal ko pong kababayan; ladies and gentlemen:
Good
evening.
Since
the turn of the last century, when Mark Twain and his fellow anti-imperialists
spoke up for fairness and decency in Filipino–American relations, our country
has always been able to count on good and loyal friends amongst the American
people. This is a relationship that was underscored in the Second World War,
and even during Martial Law, as a deep and continuing friendship based on
shared principles and values.
Today,
we mark the latest manifestation of this bond—the launch of the
U.S.-Philippines Society, which seeks to enhance the ties that bind our two
countries. And today is also an incredibly apt and exciting time to be having
this launch as the Philippines has recovered its optimism and hope.
It is
also very timely that tonight I had the pleasure of conferring on Senator Lugar
a truly well-deserved honor, the Order of Lakandula. Senator Lugar is popularly
known for his principled and consistent support for Philippine freedom,
democracy, the peace process, and the strengthening of Philippine defense
capabilities.
Just
two years ago, Filipinos once again showed the world just how much power the
people do indeed hold in their hands. This time, they did so not by taking to
the streets, but by participating in an act that defines the very spirit of a
democratic government; they did so through the electoral process. Millions of
our countrymen flocked the balloting stations in May of 2010 and made a
collective decision: It was about time to change their country. These voters
were driven by the principle that defines the bedrock of my administration’s
agenda of good governance and that is: if we can stamp out corruption in our
country, then we can free our countrymen from the shackles of poverty.
As
public servants, that was our marching order: end corruption, so that we can
end poverty. And so when we took office in July of 2010, we hit the ground
running. The strategy was simple: Create a level playing field. Let’s get more
businesses to set up here by sticking to the true, time-tested formula for
success. Connections and the willingness to bend the rules went out the window;
success became about hard work, ingenuity, and innovation. We’re making sure
that those who fall in line get what they’re lining up for, without anyone
cutting in. We’re making sure that when these businesses do set up here in the
Philippines and grow the economy, each and every Filipino feels it—not just a
very small minority.
We
worked long nights with these intentions at heart, and, not surprisingly,
please look at where we find ourselves now. In less than two years, we have
emerged from a dark decade with a winning attitude and a truly cooperative
approach to problem solving. Respected analysts like those at HSBC are
predicting that, at the rate we’re going, we’ll be the 16th largest world
economy come 2050—hopefully, I would reach that point. After conducting surveys
with companies in the Asia-Oceana region, the Japan External Trade Organization
has named us the best place to do business in all of Asia, whether in
manufacturing or in service. Many of you may have heard that the Philippine
economy grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2012. And my economic team
tells me that it is just the beginning. They expect better numbers come the
succeeding quarters, and I did remind them that I do have a very good memory.
[Laughter] This is the highest growth rate in ASEAN for that period, and the
second highest in all of Asia.
We’ve
likewise been on the receiving end of seven positive credit ratings actions
from known credit ratings agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and
the Japan Credit Ratings Agency—the latest being a credit outlook upgrade from
Moody’s announced just last week. Many of these reports have cited our
anticorruption efforts. Please look at the Philippine Stock Exchange Index,
which many consider to be an early indicator of economic performance. We have
seen it break records that we didn’t consider reachable just two years ago. We
breached the 4,000 mark, and then the 5,000 mark not long after. For those
keeping score, that’s about 27 record highs in less than 23 months in office.
But, of
course, focusing on the economy requires a counterpart effort in fighting
corruption, which is why I am glad to report that the good news extends to our
crusade to bring back integrity in government.
You
must know by now that the Philippine Senate convicted Mr. Renato Corona and
removed him from the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This was
done through a constitutional, peaceful, and credible process worthy of a
rapidly maturing democracy. This is a giant, progressive step for our nation,
especially since, in today’s global environment, a culture of transparency and
accountability is a major competitive advantage.
Now,
judicial reform is fast becoming a reality. Now, our people will begin to get
used to a government where public officials are held to a higher standard. It
is true: These past two years have been quite successful for us, but the amount
of work we have left remains significant.
Our war
against poverty is definitely far from over. There are still corrupt officials
out there who will be caught and tried and incarcerated by a court of law. And,
of course, there is that issue that has arisen in the West Philippine Sea.
On this
issue, our position has always been very clear: We pledged to do right by our
people, and we pledged to be a responsible member of the community of nations.
Right
now, we are engaged in bilateral dialogue to find a mutually beneficial way to
break the impasse, and we fully intend to come up with a solution that will
maintain the peace and stability in the region while at the same time upholding
the dignity and sovereign rights of our people.
We are
committed to defusing the tension in Bajo de Masinloc, and this is precisely
why we are using all the tools of diplomacy to reach a peaceful resolution. We
have been firm in asserting our rights over the Philippine Exclusive Economic
Zone, and we believe it is important for the People’s Republic of China to
adhere to the ASEAN Declaration of Conduct on the South China Sea.
We are
optimistic that our dialogue will progress favorably. Two weeks ago, we
nominated a very competent and well-respected career diplomat as our new
Ambassador to China, and we believe this will open up new dialogues on this
sensitive issue. We have also supported efforts to draft a new code of conduct
in disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea, and we are also continuing to use
regional mechanisms like the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit to
build an environment conducive to the peaceful settlement of disputes.
On this
note, allow me to speak briefly of the Philippine government’s policy towards
the United States, and what is called the “U.S. pivot to Asia.” There is a
reason why I emphasized the enduring basis of our country’s friendship:
democracy and shared values based on equality and mutual respect. No other
country in my part of the world has the same, shared history with America, or
is anchored in the same Democratic culture, as the Philippines. It is not our
intention to embroil the United States in military intervention in our region.
At the same time, we do recognize that our two nations, with so many other
nations, will all share in the peace and the prosperity that comes from the
U.S. adding its voice to supporting and guaranteeing a rules-based
international system. As the U.S. government undertakes what it calls
“rebalancing” in Asia, many countries in our part of the world do indeed
welcome this. But as members of your Congress have said, the challenge for the
U.S. is to make this rebalancing meaningful. We recognize that your interests
lie in freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce, as well as a common
adherence to fundamental concepts of international law, such as the sovereign
equality of all states. These are interests that we, along with many other
nations, share. We will work with you to reinforce this crucial principle of
sovereign equality of all states, regardless of size or economic might. This
was, after all, one of the principal reasons for our shared sacrifice in World
War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Finally, we do need to work together with other
nations to put in place enduring resolutions to such disputes, so that we can
avoid similar issues in the future.
My
government, therefore, is following with great interest the discussions ongoing
here in Washington about ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
This provides a major impetus to upholding the convention as the defining law
governing maritime domain. That the U.S. has called for claimant states to
clarify the basis for their claims emphasizes a commitment to ensuring that
these claims are based on, and adjudicated in accordance with, existing
international law.
The
U.S. remains our only treaty ally, our second largest trading partner in 2011,
and our second biggest source of foreign direct investments. Our country is
supported by your government’s strategic development initiative, called the
Partnership for Growth, which captures the principles of an Open Government
Partnership. We have moved forward on all sorts of matters including the Trade
Facilitation and Customs Agreement, otherwise known as the Trade Facilitation
Protocol, which we signed at the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Honolulu and
which will simplify customs procedures and improve transparency in customs
administration.
As you
can see, in contrast to the nay-saying of the past, by clarifying and sticking
to the rules, the true competitive advantage of Filipinos shines through. Many
of you know the enduring truth in our tourism slogan: “It’s more fun in the
Philippines.” In the same way, those of you who have experienced working with
Filipinos know another enduring truth: that Filipinos work. This is what our
government is committed to: guaranteeing that, just like our people, the rules
work.
It is
clear that there are many challenges that await us, and there are issues that
we are still in the midst of solving. But we have turned the gears, and once
again, we are moving forward along the path to progress. This government is
working in earnest for its bosses—the Filipino people.
Ladies
and gentlemen, this is the context in which we launch the U.S.-Philippine
Society. It is a context that strengthens our optimism. It is one that
encourages us to work even harder with one another to achieve our collective
aspirations for all. This is a great time for us to be a Filipino. We are in
the midst of creating a better Philippines for generations to come—and we are
hopeful that this will be the lasting legacy of our generation.
The
work continues, and we are fortunate to have supporters and friends, both at
home and abroad, who want to see—and are willing to work for—a Philippines that
shines brighter than ever before under the light of day.
Whilst
looking at the membership of the U.S.-Philippine Society, I noted a lot who
have worked in the Philippines or with Filipinos. And I couldn’t help but
think, “Did these gentlemen and ladies join us because there was work
unfinished when they had to depart our country?” So may we invite you to join
us at the beginning of the end of the work that we have all been striving for.
Thank
you. Good evening.
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programmes. Many thanks for visiting www.yourvietnamexpert.com and/or contacting us at contact@yourvietnamexpert.com
No comments:
Post a Comment