Benigno Aquino III

“ What we call inclusive growth—this all-encompassing progress—is the principle that drives every initiative, every action, and every decision of your government. The only ones who will be left behind are those who chose not to venture onwards with us, simply because they did not seize the opportunity. ”

“ What if our aviation industry had already been improved and strengthened before? Was it not a waste to miss out on tourists whose lack of enthusiasm for visiting the country can be attributed to this? Missed jobs, funds, and opportunities—these are the results of the previous system of governance.
This is why, from the very onset, we have fought against corruption in all levels of government and pushed for the transformation of our institutions. The result: public service that truly benefits our countrymen. ”

“ How could we possibly achieve the program’s desired effects; where are the funds to cover all poor Filipinos? Did anyone imagine that in just three years, we will have expanded the scope of our project to cover 4 million household beneficiaries? And isn’t it they themselves who continue to help this program succeed? Each mother who wakes up early to send her child off to school? Each child that studies hard?
Did anyone imagine that from importing millions of tons of rice, we would be 94 percent rice self-sufficient by the end of 2012? ”

“ If it is clear that compassion is your bedrock principle, then we will be more eager to work with you. Before roofs were dismantled, before walls were demolished, we explained how we came to our decision: better housing, access to public transport, and, for the diligent, no shortage of opportunities to earn. We made it clear that we wanted to provide a refuge to those who were high-risk and most in need—and not to syndicates. We are aware that whenever the aid given by the state is abused, the lives of other Filipinos are also put in jeopardy. ”

“ Today, it is clear: A single goal is behind each square meter of cement we pour in building the foundations of a more progressive country; gain for all—and not politics. Whereas before, roads were constructed based on whims, and bridges were built where the Mayor enjoyed the friendship of Madam, now, we follow a nationwide plan. No favorites, no transactionalism, no patronage; each peso is spent to accelerate our goal of broad-based growth. ”

“ Yes, let us keep going, let us add to the 8,581 sitios that we have electrified; let us add to the 28,398 families who were once informal settlers but who finally have, or will soon have, decent homes; let us increase the not less than 40 billion pesos in additional funds that go to education, health, social services, and many others because of the right and more efficient collection of taxes; we feel all the other tangible signs that society is truly changing. ”

“ From being a candidate, to being President, or even after I step down from office, the difficulties I will have to face are no joke. Widespread transformation of society is my objective, and I am aware that there are many things and many people I would have to confront in order to achieve this. ”

“ A stronger tourism sector will generate more job opportunities. The DOT estimates that tourism created 3.8 million jobs in 2011. The truth is, it is not just our scenic and most famed destinations that will profit from the arrival of tourists, but also the nearby towns that can be considered tourism support communities; the places from which resorts and hotels source the food that they serve, the souvenirs that they sell, as well as other products and services that provide a source of income for our provinces. ”

“ I know that it is not easy to battle floods, dig through mud, and confront calamities. I will not tire of recognizing your contributions to our society; I salute the way you have offered yourselves to help in lessening the suffering of our countrymen. ”

“ Every word we utter must result in an action that would benefit all. Every line that we craft in the agreement we are forging must be set in stone and not merely written on water, only to be forgotten by history. ”

“ It is saddening though, that the depth of the reforms planted by the MWSS leadership is tarnished by the mudslinging of those who want to cling to the old system.
In tandem with the increased confidence in our good governance is the continued resurgence of our economy. The results: two consecutive ten-place jumps in the global competitiveness index of the World Economic Forum. For the first time in history, we attained investment-grade status from two of the three most respected credit ratings agencies in the world, and it is quite possible that the third will soon follow suit. ”

“ We have maintained the stability of our consumer goods prices, and we continue to reduce the portion of our budget allotted to paying our debts, while increasing the funds allotted to social services. In a period of lethargic global economic activity, we registered an astounding 6.8 percent GDP growth in 2012. We surpassed this in the first quarter of 2013, when we reported growth of 7.8 percent—the highest recorded GDP in East and Southeast Asia. Special mention must be made of the 28.5 percent contributed by the manufacturing sector to the growth of our economy. ”

“ At 1.58 billion pesos per jet, we would have to devote 37.92 billion pesos of the nation’s coffers just to assemble one squadron. And what about practice missiles? And it is not as if jet fuel, a radar system, ground bases, and ground intercept controls are free. Building a minimum credible defense posture is not something we can take lightly. Do we follow others who prioritize the possession of a nuclear option at the expense of everything else? ”

“ We have the potential to vastly increase the income of this sector if we can foster a culture that truly encourages hard work and productivity. The solution: intercropping.
The government will help you to strengthen your coconut farms; but in exchange, you will be required to sow different kinds of seeds in between the rows of coconut trees. Doing so will raise the frequency of crop harvests, and depending on what they plant, their income will also increase. If they grow only coconuts, the farmers would earn about 20,000 pesos a year per hectare. ”

“ Just because the critics are not aware of what we are doing, they assume that we are doing nothing about these issues. If government possesses no data and yet announces who it will investigate, does that not send a message to the suspects to just hide the evidence? This is why we go where the truth takes us. ”

“ The over 700,000 household beneficiaries we found upon coming into office in 2010 have now grown to almost 4 million households in the three years of our administration.
There is more: According to research conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, compared with those who only finished the elementary level, the income of high school graduates is 40 percent higher. Is it not right that we maximize the help we give these families, so that our young beneficiaries can finish high school, thereby helping them make the most out of the benefits of this program? ”

“ If before, soldiers were concerned solely with defending us, now, even military retirees can participate in improving our economy.
But our quest to find solutions to all the other problems we inherited regarding national defense does not stop here. Consider this: In 1986, there were an estimated 250,000 policemen and soldiers protecting a total of 55 million Filipinos. Today, we still have an estimated 250,000 policemen and soldiers, who protect 95 million Filipinos. Our population has almost doubled, while the number of our protectors has not changed. ”

“ What we can expect in the years to come: airports and ports to facilitate commerce and tourism; roads to ensure that we all reap the maximum benefit from these big-ticket projects; power plants that will generate enough energy and fuel the development of industry. This is the framework from which other initiatives will branch out, creating even greater opportunities for Juan and Juana dela Cruz—from the farmer who will have access to adequate irrigation and who will be able to sell his harvest more quickly, to the construction workers erecting new buildings ”

“ What’s worse: because past leaders gave away our commercial development rights, each peso that we can earn from the posters and billboards in the stations goes to private companies, instead of going to the government. ”

“ We likewise know that there are those who have grown impatient waiting for them.
Let us put things into context. Back in 2010, when our administration came into office, we were left with only 6.5 percent of the programmable budget for the year, or just around 100 billion pesos; 93.5 percent of the budget had already been allotted by my predecessor. This is precisely why we approached the private sector. We told them: “We do not have the funds, let us partner with one another to build the necessary infrastructure.” ”

“ This budget is not only a continuation of our reforms, but it will also accelerate our momentum towards long-lasting inclusive progress.
There are those who insist on upgrading our Armed Forces. I agree with this, but some of them act as if they want us to invest every centavo of our country into fighter jets, tanks, and other equipment for warfare. They may not know that one fighter jet costs 1.58 billion pesos—equivalent to 6,580 houses for our soldiers and our police force, or nearly 2,000 classrooms for our children. ”

“ We are committed to meeting the needs of our society, while remaining a good and upstanding member of the community of nations.
We are well aware that, in the past, decisions were made based on politics. Leaders did everything they could just to keep a firm hold on their power—at the expense of the suffering of present and future generations of Filipinos. ”

“ If you have health problems, the government must care for you; in times of illness, it should be there to give aid and support. What has our government done in this regard?
Our goal to extend PhilHealth coverage to more of our countrymen has been achieved. When we began, 62 percent of Filipinos were enrolled; now, that number stands at 81 percent. The remaining number still not on our lists are those we are seeking to identify, including those in the informal settlers’ and indigenous people’s sectors. ”

“ We’re happy now, we do not want of anything. I tell my colleagues: The government has been giving us so much, and we just need to do our jobs well in return—to give back to the country, to give back to the people. ”

“ We also want more power plants built in other parts of the Philippines. As our economy grows, so will our consumption of electricity, which means we must likewise increase supply. Do we really want to wait until our plants are at full capacity before more plants are built? Power plants do not sprout like mushrooms—a power plant takes two to three years to construct. ”

“ Is it not true that we have gotten used to news of violence during elections? Oplan Katok directly addresses this. The goal of the program: track down loose firearms, which ensures that the guns we have licensed are in the possession of those authorized to do so. The police have knocked on a total of 491,929 front doors for the renewal of licenses. This contributed greatly to our campaign for Secure and Fair Elections, which yielded a 63 percent reduction among private armed groups—from the 112 during the 2010 elections, to just 41 this 2013. ”

“ This type of bravery is what our soldiers display every day as they patrol our most remote mountains and our farthest islands; soldiers who continuously bear the distance from their families, who proudly stand their ground against anyone who challenges our sovereignty. It is no exaggeration either when I say that the triumphs we have achieved along the straight path might still be distant aspirations had it not been for the members of our Cabinet. When I asked them to join the government, they knew their jobs were not going to be easy. ”

“ Under the electronics and semiconductor program, the percentage of employed graduates reached 85 percent. It is clear: You are the ones who will shape this growth, you are the ones who will determine whether the fruits of our labors become sweet and ripe for the picking, or if you will let them rot away and waste the chances that this new chapter in our history has given us. ”

“ Our country has never lacked for people prepared to take a stand and fight for our country regardless of the enormity of the challenges before them. There is the courage of Commodore Ramon Alcaraz during the Second World War. ”

“ Trust is vital to the peace process. It does not come automatically, perhaps because of the long history of conflict. Now, the desire of both sides to reach an agreement is palpable, and we are truly proving ourselves trustworthy. ”

“ Every day, an estimated 55,000 motorists will benefit from this project. Motorists will save time and gas, pollution will be decreased, and commerce and tourism will flourish. Is this not a win-win situation?
In the space of only three years, we have proven that agencies that were once cesspools of corruption can be transformed into examples of honest and efficient service. Some of the simple, but effective, reforms that Secretary Singson implemented in DPWH: no more letters of intent, which bidders once used in conspiring with each other to inflate costs and gain more profit ”

“ We also know that excellent public servants do not just transform a society; they inspire. Millions of Filipinos grieved when Jesse Robredo passed. For almost two decades, he served and led Naga with skill, compassion, and humility. ”

“ We see an equivalent solution for the problems that the SSS pensions will soon face. Consider that, since 1980, across-the-board pension increases occurred 21 times, but actual pension contribution increases only occurred twice. As a result, the SSS has accumulated an estimated 1.1 trillion pesos in unfunded liability. According to a study done in 2011, this shortfall will increase by 8 percent per annum, eventually resulting in the complete consumption of the fund 28 years from now. If this happens, the next generation is certain to suffer. ”

“ According to the NFA, in 2010, the country imported more than 2 million metric tons of rice. In 2011, this fell to 855,000 metric tons. In 2012: 500,000 metric tons. And now in 2013, the maximum we, including the private sector, will import will be the minimum access volume of 350,000 metric tons. This includes the 187,000 metric tons of reserve buffer stock in case typhoons arrive one after the other; in all likelihood, even the private sector will no longer have to import rice because we are still on track to becoming self-sufficient in rice. ”