PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III’s SPEECH
DURING THE FILIPINO-CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND
INDUSTRY INC. (FFCCCII) JOINT CELEBRATION OF THE
116th PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY AND
13th FILIPINO-CHINESE FRIENDSHIP DAY
Tent City, Manila Hotel
Bonifacio Drive, One Rizal Park, Manila
June 10, 2014
06102014B
(applause) Thank you very much. Please sit down.
Senate President Franklin Drilon; Secretary Albert del Rosario; Excellencies of
the Diplomatic Corps; His Excellency Zhao Jinhua, the Ambassador of the
People’s Republic of China to the Philippines; His Excellency Asif Anwar
Ahmad, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Island to the Philippines; His Excellency Neil Reeder, Ambassador of Canada to
the Philippines; Secretary Mar Roxas; Chairman Francis Tolentino; of course,
the very able and energetic Representative Zenaida Angping; Dr. Alfonso Siy—
you know, one of the higlights of attending the FFCCCII meetings is to hear
Pastor San Pedro and the very energetic speeches of Dr. Alfonso Siy; the
FFCCCII Honorary Presidents: Mr Jimmy Tang, Dr. Robin Sy, Dr. John Tan,
Dr. Alfonso Uy, and of course, Tito Doming Lee; Mr. Angel Ngu; members of the
Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry; and
fellow workers in government; honoured guests; ladies and gentlemen: Again,
good evening.
It is becoming a tradition for us to meet multiple times a year. In fact, this is
our third meeting in just six months. Your organization has always worked to
give back to the communities that have helped your respective businesses
succeed. This is why, whenever I receive an invitation from you, I always try to
make room in my schedule.
In every meeting that we have had, you have made it a point to share some
good news with me—whether it is in the form of a partnership with government
to develop businesses or a long-term commitment to aid calamity-stricken
communities. This time, perhaps you will allow me to be the bearer of welcome
news regarding an issue that has been a concern to many of you: it is my hope
that the burden on the operations of your businesses will be significantly
lessened, now that a 24-hour express lane for trucks passing through the cities
of Manila, Caloocan, Pasay, Makati, and Parañaque has been approved.
(applause)
1
Our gathering today serves as a reminder of what can be achieved when
selfless contribution triumphs over merely protecting one’s self, and when the
greater good is pursued instead of individual gains. In two days, we will be
celebrating the 116th anniversary of the proclamation of our independence.
Today, we have the opportunity to highlight the invaluable contributions not
just of your organization, but also of the countless Chinese-Filipinos who have
sacrificed—whether in small or large part—in uplifting their families and
communities, thus enabling them to take part in building a nation that is not
only free, but also more just and more equitable.
It is that spirit of dedicated service and sincere sacrifice that we celebrate
here—a spirit that likewise burned within our forefathers as they fought for our
freedom 116 years ago. It is the same spirit that Chinese-Filipinos—such as
General Ignacio Paua during the Filipino-American War, and General Vicente
Lim during the Second World War—demonstrated as they fought with utmost
loyalty and bravery for the right of our countrymen to live with dignity on their
own soil. Generations have passed since then, but that same spirit can still be
seen in our brave servicemen who, despite facing certain disadvantages at
times, remain determined to fulfill their sworn duty of protecting our people.
That same commitment is very much alive in the volunteer firefighters who
serve communities through the fire brigades you have set up, or in the
members of your federation who have continuously opened doors of meaningful
opportunity for our fellow Filipinos and have contributed resources towards the
benefit of the majority.
Take, for instance, your ongoing efforts to build classrooms for our public
schools. In sum, your federation has donated more than 9,200 classrooms,
which have helped address the needs of students all over the nation. Even
when my predecessor claimed that there was no more classroom shortage
under her administration—a claim only lent truth because they had students
come to school in shifts—your federation continued to focus on actually
building what was needed. This only proves that, even when it was difficult to
hope for meaningful change, your commitment to our people as responsible
and productive members of Filipino society remained strong. Today, however,
we are able to go from strength to strength. In stark contrast with the past,
when the government served as an obstacle to the growth of industry and to
development, I assure you: our administration will continue partnering with
you in pursuit of a prosperity that truly benefits all.
All your endeavors—from assisting government in eliminating the resource gap
in classrooms which we inherited, to helping our countrymen recover from
disaster; from developing business and enterprise, to promoting Philippinemade products; from funding your own fire brigades, to providing resources in
the maintenance of peace and order—only prove that Filipinos will always
2
stand ready to extend a hand to their fellow Filipinos. All your efforts do not
only suggest just how much your federation can contribute; but more
importantly, these serve as concrete examples that encourage all of us, whether
in government or the private sector, to work even harder towards our shared
success.
As President, I cannot overstate the gratitude of our countrymen to your
organization. You could have chosen to devote your resources, time, and
energy to simply finding ways to expand your businesses and secure a better
future only for those you personally know and care about. But instead, you
have also dedicated yourselves towards improving the plight of many
Filipinos—thus helping jumpstart a virtuous cycle of empowerment, equitable
development, and ultimately, collective advancement.
And just as you have chosen to do right by our people, let me guarantee you
that my administration will continue to work towards protecting the rights of
our people by combating corruption and upholding the rule of law in every
aspect of governance. This, I believe, is the greatest tribute we can give to the
many who have fought for our freedom: ensuring that the Filipino people will
have the wherewithal to rise from poverty, injustice, and oppression.
While we know that much remains to be done, I believe that our vision is
within reach. Just as we have shown in the past that meaningful change can
be achieved, that trust in government can be restored, and that by treading the
straight path to progress together we can overturn decades of neglect and
misgovernance. I know that with our continued partnership we can collectively
achieve our shared aspirations—not just for our nation, but with all nations of
goodwill. It is, after all, in our best interest to constantly deepen the friendship
we hold with all our neighbors, both large and small. It is through this that we
foster an international environment of fairness, reason, harmony, and
stability—a regional and global order that is fundamental to the growths of all
peoples.
It is my hope that your federation will continue to work with me not just while I
am President, but even after I step down, towards fulfilling the promise of
independence—in helping build a nation that serves as a wellspring of
opportunity not only for our peoples but also for our region; a society where
every Filipino works hand-in-hand with his fellowman towards fully realizing
the potential of a just and equitable Philippines, a country we can proudly
bequeath to succeeding generations.
And before I end, may I just respond to the very poignant and well-thought of
words of His Excellency Zhao Jinhua. In my visit to the People’s Republic of
China—the State Visit of 2011—perhaps one of the most encouraging things
3
that we heard from then, President Hu Jintao was that the disputes we do have
in the sea that borders our respective lands should not be the sum total of our
relationships. Our relationships are based on so many more things, not just on
this dispute, and that peace and stability are necessary components for our
own… well, for everybody’s progress.
Now, we did state that it is in our… we are both committed to improving the lot
and the circumstances of our peoples, and to hear them reiterated today truly
fills our heart. Thank you for the very kind words Your Excellency. (applause)
With that, I thank you all and an advance Happy Independence Day to all of
you!
Good night. (applause)
*
*
4
*