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| 04 JANUARY 2003 |
| President's radio address to the nation |
Sa pagpasok ng Bagong Taon, bigyang daan natin ang isang bagong kabanata sa ating buhay nang may panibagong pag-asa. Sana ay kasamang namaalam ng lumipas na taon ang mga galit at hinanakit sa ating dibdib. At nawa'y ang bagong pasok na taon naman ay maging lipos ng pagmamahal, pagpapatawad, at pang-unawa sa ating kapuwa. Ito ang gusto kong iparating na mensahe sa aking ipinahayag na pag-atras sa 2004 presidential elections. Ang aking naging desisyon ay sa pagitan ko at ng Panginoong Diyos. Pero ang nagbago lamang ay ang di ko pagtakbo sa pagka-Pangulo; pareho pa rin ang vision at programa ng aking Administrasyon. Nais kong matigil na ang hidwaang pulitikal sa ating bansa na isa sa mga dahilan nang kahirapang ating dinaranas. Ang tila walang katapusang pamumulitika ang pumipigil sa ating bansa upang makamit nito ang kaunlaran. Dapat ay isantabi muna natin ang pulitika at pansariling interes at sa halip ay magkaisa at magtulungan tayo para sa kapakanan ng nakararami. Noong nabubuhay pa ang aking ama, si dating Pangulong Diosdado Macapagal, sinabi niya na, "Coupled with integrity, the quality required of a President is self-denial.. A President must be ready to sacrifice for the sake of the country." Kaya naman, gusto kong lumayo muna sa pulitika at ibuhos ang natitirang labingwalong buwan ng aking panunungkulan sa pagsisikap na mai-angat ang ating ekonomiya at mabigyan ng makatotohanang serbisyo ang taumbayan. Dahil sa aking desisyong ito, inaasahan kong magiging malaya na sa kulay ng pulitika ang mga reporma at inisyatibong ipapatupad ko sa mga darating na araw. Kaugnay nito, ang aking Gabinete ay nagdaos ng isang workshop para alamin kung paano mas mabilis matugunan ng kanilang mga programa ang mga pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan at maitaas ang antas ng kabuhayan ng mga mahihirap. Kung tutuusin, ang ating ekonomiya ay patuloy na lumalago sa kabila ng mga paghihirap at habang ang ekonomiya ng ibang bansa ng mundo ay humihina. Bagama't naubos ang marami nating oras para labanan ang dahas ng terorismo, marami pa rin tayong tagumpay na nakamit at dapat ipagpasalamat. Simula nang ako ay naupo bilang Pangulo noong 2001, malaki ang ipinagbago ng peace and order sa bansa. Ang mga insidente ng kidnap-for-ransom ay halos natigil na, nabawasan ng husto ang mga tiwaling gawain ng mga pulis, at ang mga bandidong Abu Sayyaf sa Sulu at Basilan ay nagtatago ngayon kung hindi man tumakas na patungong ibang bansa. Bumaba rin ang dami ng mga walang trabaho. Nang nagsimula ako bilang Pangulo, mahigit sa apat na milyong manggagawa ang walang hanapbuhay. Ito ay bumaba na sa tatlong milyon, pero marami pa rin kaya pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ang paglikha ng mga bagong hanapbuhay para sa ating mga kababayan. Ang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin ay nananatiling matatag, milyun-milyon ang napagkalooban ng health insurance at limandaang libong maralitang taga-lungsod ang nabigyan ng pagkakataong magmay-ari ng sariling lupa. Isa pa sa ating pagtutuunan ng pansin sa mga darating na buwan ay ang pagpapatayo ng humigit-kumulang sa limandaang libong housing units sa tulong ng real estate industry. Ipagpapatuloy nating makamit ang mga mithiing binanggit ko sa una at pangalawang State of the Nation Address: Trabaho, tahanan, edukasyon, pagkain sa bawa't mesa. Masigasig pa rin nating nasusunod ang Medium Term Philippine Development Plan. At higit nating pagtutuunan ng pansin ang walong mahahalagang proyektong ating pinapatupad sa loob ng anim na buwan. Umaakyat na, halimbawa, ang ating nalilikom na buwis dahil sa reporma sa koleksiyon. Para sa North Rail Project, na-release na ang halagang P100 milyon para sa relokasyon ng squatters. Sa ating pagpapatupad ng Clean Air Act, nag-aalok ang LTO Emission Testing Service sa mga public transportation nang mas mabang testing fee sa halagang P90. Sa halip na P300 para sa mga private vehicles. At doon naman sa Mt. Diwalwal, binibigyang-pansin natin ang mother lode ng ginto na tinatayang nagkakahalaga ng 18 billion dollars. Ang perang makukuha sa pagmina ng gintong ito ay magagamit natin upang mapaliit ang ating budget deficit. Ang lahat ng ito ay bahagi nang sinabi kong tatlong mahahalagang gawaing pagbubuhusan ko nang panahon ngayong malaya na ako sa pabigat ng pulitika. Una, ang pagpapalakas ng ating ekonomiya, paglikha ng mas maraming hanapbuhay at paghimok sa mas maraming business activities nang walang sagabal na corruption at red tape sa gobyerno. Pangalawa, ang paghilom ng mga hidwaan at pagkawatak-watak sa ating lipunan. At pangatlo, pagtiyak na magkakaroon tayo ng clean and honest elections sa 2004. Nagpapasalamat ako doon sa mga dating kritiko at at kalaban na ngayon ay nagpapahayag ng suporta sa ating pamahalaang walang pulitika. Doon naman sa tumutuloy na kritiko’t kalaban, hinihiling ko na itigil na ang paghanap ng kamalian at pagpuna sa administrasyon at sa halip ay tulungan akong i-ahon ang ating bansa mula sa kahirapan. Ang ating pagkakabuklod at pagsisikap tungo sa pagsulong ng isang mapayapa at maunlad na Pilipinas ang tanging gantimpalang inaasahan kong kapalit ng sakripisyong idineklara ko kamakailan. Muli, tulungan sana ninyo ako na gawin ang aking pag-atras sa larangan ng pulitika na maging mahalagang hakbang para sa kabutihan ng ating bansa. Maraming salamat at Manigong Bagong Taon sa ating lahat. |
| GMA urges critics anew to help in campaign against poverty |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called anew on her critics to put an end to faultfinding and criticisms and instead help the administration win the fight against poverty. In a radio message, the President thanked those who were once skeptical about her government but are now supportive after she declared that she wouldn’t run anymore in the 2004 presidential elections. "Sa pagpasok ng Bagong Taon, bigyang daan natin ang isang bagong kabanata sa ating buhay nang may panibagong pag-asa (In the advent of the New Year, let us all give way to a new chapter in our lives with a new hope)," the President urged the nation. The President hopes that with the exit of the old year goes the hatred and pains in our hearts. "At nawa’y ang Bagong pasok na taon naman ay maging lipos ng pagmamahal, pagpapatawad, at pang-unawa sa ating kapuwa (Hopefully, the New Year will usher in love, forgiveness and understanding for our fellowmen)," the President said. The President assured the nation that only her running for the 2004 presidential elections has changed but not her program of government. She acknowledged that politics has brought so much suffering to the country. "Ang tila walang katapusang pamumulitika ang pumipigil sa ating bansa upang makamit nito ang kaunlaran (Endless politicking has hampered our country from attaining progress)," the President said. The President urged the nation to set aside politics and personal interests and instead unite and help one another for the sake of the masses. "Noong nabubuhay pa ang aking ama, si dating Pangulong Diosdado Macapagal, sinabi niya na (When my father was still alive, former President Diosdado Macapagal said), ‘Coupled with integrity, the quality required of a President is self-denial… A President must be ready to sacrifice for the sake of the country." The President said she wanted to spend the rest of her 16 months in power away from politics and instead devote all her efforts to sprucing the economy and delivering true public service to the people. "Dahil sa aking desisyong ito, inaasahan kong magiging malaya na sa kulay ng pulitika ang mga reporma at inisyatibong ipatutupad ko sa mga darating na araw (Because of my decision, I expect that all the reforms and initiatives that my administration will implement will not be tainted by politics)," the President said. |
| GMA says Cabinet workshop intended to hasten delivery of public services to the people |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the recent Cabinet workshop is intended to identify backlogs in the delivery of public service and implement expeditiously government programs that address the needs of the populace and uplift the living conditions of the poor. In a radio message, the President noted that the economy is continuously growing despite the hardships and difficulties confronting the country and the global community. "Bagama’t naubos ang marami nating oras para labanan ang dahas ng terorismo, marami pa rin tayong tagumpay na nakamit at dapat ipagpasalamat (Although we spent so much time in fighting violence and terrorism, we have many victories to be thankful for)," the President said. According to the President, since the time she took office as President in 2001, peace and order in the country has improved. "Ang mga insidente ng kidnap-for-ransom ay halos natigil na, nabawasan ng husto ang mga tiwaling gawain ng mga pulis, at ang mga bandidong Abu Sayyaf sa Sulu at Basilan ay nagtatago ngayon, kung hindi man tumatakas na patungong ibang bansa (The incidents of kidnap-for-ransom have almost stopped, corruption in the police ranks has been lessened, and the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu and Basilan are now in hiding or have escaped to other countries)," the President said. Unemployment, according to the President, has also decreased. She said that when she became President, there were more than four million unemployed. "Ito ay bumaba na sa tatlong milyon, pero marami pa rin kaya pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ang paglikha ng mga bagong hanapbuhay para sa ating mga kababayan (This has gone down to three million, but this is still big so that we still have to focus on creating new livelihoods for our countrymen)," the President said. The President said prices of basic commodities are stable, millions have been given health insurance and 500,000 urban poor were given the chance to own their own lots. "Isa pa sa ating pagtutuunan ng pansin sa mga darating na buwan ay ang pagpapatayo ng humigit-kumulang sa limandaang libong housing units sa tulong ng real estate industry (One of those that we will focus our efforts on in the coming months will be the building of some 500,000 housing units through the help of the real estate industry)," the President said. "Ipagpapatuloy nating makamit ang mga mithiing binanggit ko sa una at pangalawang State of the Nation Address: Trabaho, tahanan, edukasyon, pagkain sa bawat mesa. Masigasig pa rin nating nasusunod ang Medium- Term Philippine Development Plan. (We will continue to achieve our vision as mentioned in my first and second State of the Nation Addresses: Jobs, housing, education, food on every table. We have religiously implemented the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan)," the President said. |
| GMA appoints Datumanong as Justice Secretary |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today appointed Public Works and Highways Secretary Simeon Datumanong as Justice Secretary. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Secretary Datumanong has accepted the post held till Thursday by Secretary Hernando Perez. According to Secretary Bunye, Datumanong said he would live up to the high expectation of the President. Asked when Datumanong will assume the justice portfolio, Bunye said he (Datumanong) would formally take over the justice department in the earliest possible time. Datumanong, who hails from Cotabato, graduated from UP and placed 12th in the 1959 bar examinations. He served as governor of Cotabato from 1968 to 1971, and in 1973, was elected governor of Maguindanao province. During the 9th Congress, he represented the 2nd district of Maguindanao and was also elected assistant majority floor leader. He was re-elected in 1995 and 1998. He was appointed DPWH Secretary when the President assumed power in January 2001 and became the lone Maguindanaoan in her Cabinet. |
| Eight-point work program of administration on track -- GMA |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said her eight-point work program is on track saying her efforts are part of the three important works she said she would focus on after she depoliticized herself by declaring that she’s not running in the 2004 presidential elections. In a radio message, the President said the tax take has increased as a result of the tax collection reforms that have been initiated. For the North Rail Project, the President said, P100 million has been released for the relocation of the squatters. "Sa ating pagpapatupad ng Clean Air Act, nag-aalok ang LTO Emission Testing Service sa mga public transportation nang mas mababang testing fee sa halagang P90. Sa halip na P300 para sa mga private vehicles (In our implementation of the Clean Air Act, the LTO Emission Testing Service offered a testing fee for public transportation of only P90 compared to the P300 for private vehicles)," the President said. As for Mt. Diwalwal, the President said she is focused on the mother lode gold, which is priced at $18 billion. "And perang makukuha sa pagmina ng gintong ito ay magagamit natin upang mapaliit ang ating budget deficit (The money from mining the gold can be used to reduce our budget deficit)," the President said. The President’s eight-point program is as follows:
The President reiterated that now that she’s free from the burdens of politics, she could now concentrate on three important works. The first of these three important works, according to the President, is strengthening the economy by creating more livelihood and business activities which are unhampered by corruption and red tape. "Pangalawa, ang paghilom ng mga hidwaan at pagkawatak-watak sa ating lipunan (Second, the healing of conflicts and disunity in our society)," the President said. And, third, the President said, is an assurance that we have a clean and honest elections in 2004. "Ang ating pagkakabuklod at pagsisikap tungo sa pagsulong ng isang mapayapa at maunlad na Pilipinas and tanging gantimpalang inaasahan kong kapalit ng sakripisyong idineklara ko kamakailan (Our unity and strivings for a peaceful and progressive Philippines is the only prize I seek in return for the sacrifice I declared recently)," the President said. |
