You invited me in December of last year to speak here as Vice-President of the country and as Ann of an active Rotarian. Since then, there has been an upgrading of my professional status, as you very well know. But I remain the supportive Ann of Rotarian Mike and, like him, continue to believe in R.I. President Frank Devlyn?s motto: ?CREATE AWARENESS, TAKE ACTION.?
I succeeded into the presidency borne on the crest of our people's conviction that the nation's survival can only be ensured by a change of leadership. That the trigger of the public's outrage, expressed at the Edsa Shrine and in 19 other cities of the country, was merely the opening of an envelope showed the people's revulsion of what is one of the most worst cases of graft and corruption in our country's history.
This awesome trust reposed upon me by our people shall forever be etched in my mind, as I carry on my duties as the country's 14th president.
Our people once again proved that the real power truly belongs to them. Indeed, no leader should be too inebriated by power to remember that this power, on loan from the people, can be recalled any time.
I was touched by what an ordinary citizen said over national television recently. He remarked that People Power 1 taught us that Filipinos can unite whenever necessary to demand honest and good governance; but People Power 2 showed us that we didn't learn our lesson well enough.
This appears to be a common sentiment. Edsa 2 should not have happened - if the Filipino people remained united and sustained their vigilance after Edsa 1. We must heed this important lesson of our people's struggle. Good governance is never negotiable. We deserve it and we must always demand for it. It is also a two-way process which requires not only good leaders but also good citizenship. Without any one of the two components, it's foundation is shaky and hollow.
The Imperative of Good Governance
We shall ensure that the gains from Edsa 2 are not dissipated through corruption by improving moral standards in governance. Thus, I deliberately chose as my first administrative order the ban on my relatives and those of my husband Atty. Mike Arroyo, whether by blood or any affinity, against conducting business with government to set the example.
I demand that my cabinet and other government officials follow this example. We will create fertile ground for good governance by adopting a philosophy of transparency and an ethic of effective implementation.
To me, good governance in a democracy must aim to:
1. Treat everyone fairly; 2. operate efficiently and quickly; 3. Pay people well but expect productivity and honesty; 4. Enforce the rule of law necessary in maintaining a functioning society; 5. Act to help, not hinder; 6. Provide consistency and continuity of policies, changing only to improve, and; 7. Protect society and the citizens.
Emphasis on Effective Implementation
Improving the moral standards in leadership may not reflect earth-shaking changes in policies, but it is critical in winning back the trust of the people and ensuring the ethic of implementation.
There are now urgent issues that need to be addressed decisively and with dispatch. One is our mounting budget deficit. We must get this big problem under control with a combination of intensified revenue effort and more prudent expenditure.
We want to trim down the expected budget deficit of P225 billion to P146 billion. To meet this target, a monthly monitoring of expenditures and income will be implemented. We can, and must do more with less. Every Peso should be wisely spent to improve the delivery of basic services to our people.
Reducing the country's fiscal deficit, however, is not the sole responsibility of the government. Like good governance, it is everybody's business. Thus, in my speech before the Makati Business Club earlier this month, I called on the business sector to continue doing its role in helping the government meet its fiscal targets and supporting the tax collection effort.
We also need to improve the long-term productive value of infrastructure expenditures through better choice of projects and honest and efficient project execution. We must likewise increase the positive human capital development impact of our economy's expenditures in education. Human resources development will be out to bridge to the opportunities of this century.
We will endeavor for a transparent mode of governance with emphasis on delivering results and the elements involving political empowerment of the people. We must attain predictability, regularity, consistency and transparency in all government actions. The enforcement of our rules must be fair for everyone, even as we strive to increase the participation of the poor, the provinces and the unorganized masses in decision-making processes.
Sustaining Strategic Unity
Good governance is always a two-way process involving not only government but also the citizenry. It requires not only good leaders but also good citizenry. In more ways than one, good governance is everybody's business.
I urge all of you who are successful businessmen and professionals, to sustain and deepen the strategic political unity you have forged at Edsa 2. With the basic sectors of our society. This unity which sealed the victory of People Power is the key to our winning the war against poverty and establishing a robust democracy.
More than ever, we now need your citizenship, more specifically, your corporate citizenship to bridge the gap between rich and poor as the solid foundation of good governance.
I am not speaking of dole outs. More often than not, they only perpetuate dependence and helplessness among the poor and disadvantaged. What we need are project and programs that are empowering, or those that promote long-term self-reliance and self-improvement.
We have many success stories to learn from the replicate in many more areas of the country. Given the opportunity, the poor proves to be more productive, more resourceful and more creative in improving their lot and increasing their role and contribution to their community and the larger society.
I am pleased to note that the Rotary Club has been a strong advocate of the empowerment of the poor. I urge you to strengthen and further increase your existing educational, livelihood and skills-training to help the poor help themselves and bridge the gap between rich and poor.
As businessmen and professionals, I urge Rotarians to make sure that as you increase your profit margin, more jobs, better income and greater opportunities are also created for our people.
I assure you that my administration shall endeavor not only to level but also improve the playing field for all business activities through greater transparency, regular consultation, and clear, consistent application of all laws.
In this regard, I urge you to help me not only to level but also improve the playing field for our people so that they can have a fair share of the fruits of growth and also lead more hopeful and rewarding lives like the rest of us.
Conclusion:
Through this forum, I thank the members of the various Rotary Clubs of the Philippines for joining our brave people at Edsa and elsewhere in the country. I ask your help through the continuance of your Rotary projects and programs, as well as your continued belief in R.I.'s theme. Indeed, creating awareness and taking action for Rotary and for every significant endeavor mark the beginnings of every successful undertaking.
I do not wish to raise the hopes of our people beyond what is attainable. As I have said, I only wish to be a good - not a great - president. The change of government does not change things overnight. A change in government does not lead to instant jobs, instant income generation, instant solutions. But it leads to what our country urgently needs at this time: direction, credibility and responsibility in government. The leadership has changed. Now, the harder work begins.
I assure you that I will always be guided by the words of my father, the late president Diosdado Macapagal, who wrote: "The presidency is not a position to be enjoyed. It is a post where, for the well-being of the people, the chosen leader of the nation is expected to give his best, to work his hardest, to bear hardship, and if need be, to suffer."
Join me, then, as we rebuild our nation together for our people to lead rewarding lives.
Thank you and good afternoon. |