PGMA's Speech during the Launching and Induction of Officers of the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PCCCI)

One Rizal Park, Manila Hotel, Manila

10 November 2007

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Secretary Favila for your introduction.

Ambassador Song Tao; Chairman Emeritus Francis Chua; Chairman of the Board, John Co; President Anson Tan; Mr. John Tan, President of FFCCCI; our different government officials who are here tonight; officers and members of the PCCCI; ladies and gentlemen. 

Happy  birthday  to PCCCI! 

Tonight's launching of the Philippine's Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry  paves the way for a new generation of Filipino-Chinese businessmen.  Francis tells me that now with you, the businessmen of the Filipino-Chinese community  who are not on the radar's screen now being organized, the whole Filipino-Chinese business community is now accounted for.  Congratulations! 

Congratulations! To your newly-inducted board of directors, headed by, as I mentioned earlier, by Chairman Emeritus Francis Chua, Chairman of the Board John Co and President Anson Tan.  And through your leadership, we look forward to the PCCCI working hand in hand  with the government to create more jobs and broader business opportunities.

I commend your deep concern to further our country's economic growth and progress in  spite of the seemingly relentless political noise and partisan intrigues going on around us.

I know you want results, not rhetoric. I know you want action not political posturing. And when i was greeting the different members of the board, congratulations! I recognize some individuals who are very known supporters of certain very important politicians. So I ask you to tell the politicians that you support in the elections to get on with the people's work. 

I know you are tired of negative political rhetoric that does nothing to bring about the legislation that will create a new future for our nation. So i ask you to call on the legislators that you support in the election to stop wrangling and start legislating. Congress has demonstrated that when it sets aside self-interest, it can produce legislation that improves the quality of life of all Filipinos.  The most notable recent example is the bill that reduces the cost of medicines. 

But much more needs to be done to improve human rights, secure budgets for health care and education, invest more in peace and order, and advance our national interests with other nations on trade, economy and security issues.

The Filipino-Chinese community has been instrumental in realizing our gains in the fight against poverty and for peace and security.

Eradicating poverty is the central mission of this government and our society.  Soon, we will be entering the holiday season.  As I was coming here to manila hotel from Parañaque along Roxas Boulevard, I already saw some christmas decorations being put up in the commercial establishments. And during this coming holiday season it's essential that every person of means   -- and you are persons of means --  important that you all help those in need.  The government is doing everything in its power to be a catalyst for this process.

Rice is not only a staple for our people, it is symbolic of our ability to deliver on our promise to feed those less fortunate.  We are committed to ensuring that the needy throughout the nation have access to affordable rice during this important holiday season.  So I ask you, our new generation of Filipino-Chinese businessmen, to help me in this project -- bring rice affordable to the needy.

We cannot say that we have moved forward as a nation if we don't lift up the poor and the hungry among us.  Let us be a society measured by our ability to live our faith.

The strength of your partnership with the government will help take us to our long-term vision for the Philippines to reach the verge of first world in 20 years. To do so, we will need a robust middle-class, and many of the robust middle-class are Filipino-Chinese businessmen. We need world class infrastructure. We will need strong institutions of government.  Yet in the near term, we must address the very real issues of hunger and poverty that affect us here and now.

According to an independent survey that came out last Monday, those living in poverty have declined.  But we must accelerate the trend to eliminate poverty more aggressively. That's why, during the holiday season and beyond, we will do everything in our power to bring rice to those who need it most and work hard to protect the poor from high prices.  I ask you, the Filipino-Chinese businessmen, to help me protect the poor from high prices. 

This week, I ordered the release of one billion pesos to boost the government's food production and distribution program to mitigate hunger for the rest of the year. Part of the food distribution program is to create an NGO network to support feeding programs under the responsibility of the DSWD.  I ask the PCCCI to be part of that NGO network.

Education is a core value of Philippine society and family life.  The hardworking men and women of this nation including yourselves put their family first.  The best gift a family can give to a child, the best gift any nation can give to its people, is access to a good education. 

Education is the foundation of economic prosperity and individual liberty, justice and self-worth.  That is why we will continue to invest in new school construction at the elementary level. We will continue to bolster our college scholarship program for those high school students ready for higher education. The FFCCCI already helps build schools.  I ask the PCCCI to help me in the scholarship program.

Teachers are the backbone of our educational system.  Without these selfless men and women, our children would fall short of their dreams and aspirations.  We are deeply indebted to the hard work and dedication of all our teachers.  Their work is noble and patriotic.  They deserve the praise and respect of every Filipino. I ask your help when we develop programs especially to make our teachers feel praise and respect from the Filipinos.

Through the end of my term, I aim to provide increased political stability, continued economic growth and sustainable peace and order.  With your help we will not let the nation slip into constant election year instability.  We want this to be an era of peace, reassurance and hope.

So tonight, be assured that I lead with a steady hand to guide the nation to a new election and new leadership.  We will not falter in keeping our hand on the ship of state.  With your support we will also continue strong, focused leadership in the international arena to advance the interests of our nation and our people, including our relationship with the People's Republic of China.

Our special relationship with China is marked by a glorious history of trade that has grown to make China, including Hong Kong, our largest export market today.  More opportunities lie ahead which you, the leaders of PCCCI,  can  help us develop.

Like the fabled maritime trade routes between the Philippines and China, the greater cooperation in trade and investment facilitated by you, the movers, the leaders of the Filipino-Chinese business community, can lead to an economic boom for the Philippines.

My goal is to leave this nation stronger and more stable.  To provide even more jobs and build more and better schools.  And to lift up the poor through investments in infrastructure, health care, better housing and improved social justice.

Unity is a real aspiration that manifests itself through progress.

People want to know that we are strong, are we stable? Are we growing as a nation?  And you who are feeling the economic boom can tell the people this, because the business community is the first to feel a boom and the first to feel a bust.  Is everyone benefiting equally? Is there social justice in the land? Do people feel good about themselves and the society in which they live?  This is what the people ask.

Unity of purpose is driven by a common desire to know where we are going as a nation, a desire to know that leaders are strong, hardworking and committed to the best interests of the people. Unity is about action, not discussion. It is about working together, not just talking together. Within unity there can be room for dissent, even conflict as part of the process of moving the nation forward.  At the end of the day, unity is measured by collective hope, commitment and confidence.

And I look forward to PCCCI being a true partner for development in the years ahead. United, we shall make a progressive, modernizing Philippines a reality.

Congratulations! To the progressive, modern Filipino-Chinese business community. 

Thank you.  Mabuhay!   Xie,  xie. 

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