Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

“ I ask congress to pass the pre-need code to rehabilitate, reform and regulate the pre-need educational programs that worked so well in the past as a major vehicle for youth education entitlement.
College education is the great Filipino dream. But in a world of rapid technological change, getting a job or keeping it depends as much on how well one reasons as how well one uses his hands. ”

“ This is the one reform that will snap the chain that has bound our future to a profligate past and the debt-burdened present. The Filipino’s strong sense of family has given congress a stronger resolve not to pass on today’s debt, and bankrupt our children and grandchildren tomorrow. ”

“ We must address such questions as how much more government is needed for the greater safety and economic security of our people, and how much less government is more conducive to free enterprise and economic progress.
The mode of charter change is the exclusive prerogative of Congress. But a constituent assembly may well give our people the quickest reforms. ”

“ This story should work itself out as one about an economy as resilient and full of potential as its people are patient and hardworking, guided by a government – with the executive and the legislative hand-in-hand — that is able to pass a no-nonsense budget and make the tough decisions to put our fiscal house in order. ”

“ In the area of national security, I urge the swift passage of an anti-terrorism law that will protect rather than subvert, enhance rather than weaken, the rights and liberties that terrorism precisely threatens with extinction. ”

“ We may disagree among ourselves but let us never lose sight of that greater battle for one people, one country, one Philippines. ”

“ In the area of education, we’ve spent our increased resources on better trained teachers in more classrooms, teaching students in more effective ways. We’ve laid a strong foundation by building almost 30,000 classrooms in the past four years, providing computer access to more than 3,000 high schools, and beginning a “healthy start” breakfast program for our young school children. ”

“ Analysts need only to look at our stock market, and even the peso-dollar exchange rate, to sense the strong anticipation of significant improvements, if only we would overcome the tendency to be our own worst enemy. ”

“ I shall work with Congress, civil society groups and local government executives who are convinced that charter changes are needed to enable the country to surmount the unprecedented challenges of the 21st century. ”