SENATE PRESIDENT AND MRS. FRANKLIN DRILON  OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SENATE; SPEAKER AND MRS. DE VENECIA, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; HIS EXCELLENCY ARCHBISHOP ANTONIO FRANCO, DEAN OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, AND OTHER EXCELLENCIES OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND HEADS OF THE SPECIALIZED AGENCIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; ACTING SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MRS. FRANKLIN EBDALIN, AND THE OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT; MEMBERS OF THE CABINET; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

ON JUNE 12th  OF EVERY YEAR, WE RAISE THE FLAG AND HONOR IT TO SHOW OUR PATRIOTISM.  THIS MORNING I RAISED THE FLAG IN THE POBLACION OF LAMITAN IN BASILAN.  I WAS THERE TO ATTEND THE WAKE OF EDIBORAH YAP, ONE OF THE LEADING PATRIOTS OF OUR TIME.  EDIBORAH DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.  SHE HAD TAKEN CARE OF GRACIA AND MARTIN BURNHAM WHEN THEY WERE IN CAPTIVITY.  SHE WAS A NURSE TO THE VERY END.  SHE STUCK TO HER PROFESSIONAL OATH EVEN IN THE DARKEST DEPTHS OF ADVERSITY.

THE DEATH OF EDIBORAH YAP, THE LAST OF THE FILIPINO DOS PALMAS HOSTAGES, CHALLENGES US ANEW TO THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM TO TAKE A STEADY AND DETERMINED PACE IN THIS FIGHT.   WE MUST DO IT, AND WE CAN DO IT ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE THREAT OF COUPS HAS BEEN VANISHED; AND WE CAN CONSOLIDATE OUR EFFORTS IN LAW AND ORDER.  THE KEEL OF DEMOCRACY IS BALANCED ON FREEDOM AND RESPONSBILITY.

HERE AND NOW, WE ARE BUOYED BY A NEW SENSE OF RESOLVE AND HOPE IN SUCCESSFULLY RESTORING THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC MOORINGS OF OUR NATION.

TODAY WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO CELEBRATE COMMON IDEALS, IDEALS THAT ALL PEOPLES LIVE AND FIGHT FOR AT WORK, IN THE STREETS, IN HOMES ALL OVER.  THESE ARE THE IDEALS OF HUMAN FREEDOM, HUMAN DIGNITY, HUMAN EXCELLENCE.
 

THERE ARE TIMES IN HISTORY WHEN THE PROMOTION OF THESE IDEALS CALLS FOR THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.  SOME, LIKE JOSE RIZAL, CONSCIOUSLY ANSWERED THAT CALL.  OTHERS, LIKE EDIBORAH YAP, ANSWERED THAT CALL THOUGH NOTHING IN THEIR PREVIOUS LIVES HAD WARNED THEM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IT.   YET, ALL IN ALL, OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN SANCTIFIED BY THE SACRIFICES OF MARTYRS.

BUT INDEPENDENCE DAY IS NOT ONLY FOR GREAT ACTS OF COURAGE AND MARTYRDOM.  DAY TO DAY, OUR NATION IS BUILT THROUGH SMALL BUT UNNOTICED ACTS OF COURAGE AND CIVIC DUTY.  THE FARMER, THE STREET SWEEPER, THE POLICE OFFICER ON THE BEAT, THE WORKER IN THE EXPORT FACTORY -- ALL SERVE THE FAMILY, THE COMMUNITY AND THE NATION.  WE SALUTE THEM ALL FOR THEIR HONESTY AND DEDICATION.

I RECALL MARILYN BONGUIAT, THE TEACHER FROM CALABANGA, WHO RETURNED 6.6 MILLION PESOS INADVERTENTLY ADDED TO HER MEAGER PAYCHECK.  SHE IS TELLING US THAT CIVIC DUTY COMES AHEAD OF PERSONAL GAIN.  MANY COULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE PHILIPPINES BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT WE HAVE HEROES AND HEROINES ALL AROUND US.  WE DO NOT HAVE TO DIG DEEP INTO HISTORY TO REALIZE THIS.

THESE HEROES AND HEROINES ALL AROUND US INSPIRE US TO TAKE BOLD AND DECISIVE MEASURES TOWARDS NATIONAL CONSOLIDATION.  THEY INSPIRE US TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND THE EXAMPLE OF HARD WORK.  THEY INSPIRE US TO DELIVER CARE AND SERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE.
 
IN GOING AFTER OUR ENEMIES -- THE ENEMY THAT IS POVERTY AND THE ENEMY THAT IS THE TERRORIST -- I AM GLAD THAT WE HAVE FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE PHILIPPINES EXPECTS TO POST A FOUR PERCENT GROWTH RATE THIS YEAR.  OUR FINANCIAL TEAM SEES A BALANCED BUDGET BY THE YEAR 2006.  LONG-TERM REFORMS ARE BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE ECONOMIC STREAM, AND INVESTMENTS ARE BEING INFUSED INTO THE DRIVE FOR SOCIAL EQUITY.

BUT TERRORISM, LIKE A PHANTOM IN THE NIGHT, STALKS THE WORLD, STALKS THE SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF OUR LAND IN THE PHILIPPINES.  BUT WE HAVE LEARNED TO MUSTER THE MILITARY AND DEVELOPMENTAL FORCES TO FIGHT THIS EVIL.  THE BALIKATAN EXCERCISES WITH THE UNITED STATES HOLDS A PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE TO NATIONAL SECURITY.  AND IN ASEAN, WE HAVE FORMALIZED OUR COOPERATION TO CHECK TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES AND TERRORISM.  THIS IS FOUND IN THE TRILATERAL AGREEMENT OF INDONESIA, MALAYSIA AND THE PHILIPPINES, RECENTLY JOINED IN BY THAILAND, TO SHARE INTELLIGENCE AND MAINTAIN TIGHTER CONTROL OF BORDERS TO STOP THE FLOW OF WEAPONS AND TERRORISTS.  THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES WITHIN ITS PURVIEW OTHER TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES SUCH AS MONEY LAUNDERING, HIJACKING, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND PIRACY.

THE INTEGRATION OF ASEAN, ONCE A HAZY VISION, IS NOW A REALITY,  FROM THE EARLY PART OF THIS YEAR WHEN MOST OF THE GOODS TRADED AMONG US HAD THEIR TARIFFS GO DOWN TO ZERO TO FIVE PERCENT.  I AM REMINDED OF THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE, WHERE BETWEEN 1870 AND 1945, THERE WERE THREE MAJOR WARS BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY. BUT THEY EVENTUALLY OVERCAME THE PAST TO WIN THE FUTURE.  EUROPE'S ECONOMIC INTEGRATION LED TO GREATER POLITICAL STABILITY AND SECURITY.  WE IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, TOO SHOULD BE THINKING AND ACTING TOGETHER AS EAST ASIANS RATHER THAN JUST AS INDIVIDUAL NATIONS AND CULTURES.

THIS HAS BEEN THE THEME OF MY VISITS TO COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, AND OF MY DISCUSSIONS WITH LEADERS AROUND THIS AREA.  TWO POINTS ARE PARAMOUNT:  ONE IS THE DRIVE TOWARDS ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AS PART OF THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY IN THE WORLD AND IN THE REGION; AND THE OTHER IS THE UNITED FRONT AGAINST TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL CRIME.  WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT BEYOND PHYSICAL SECURITY, WE NEED TOTAL HUMAN SECURITY WHICH RELATES TO BASIC HUMAN NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, SHELTER, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT.  UNLESS ALL THESE ARE COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESSED, IMPOVERISHED AND DISILLUSIONED COMMUNITIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE RECRUITMENT GROUNDS FOR THE EVIL OF TERRORISM.

ASEAN HAS DONE ITS SHARE IN MITIGATING DISPUTES IN THE REGION.  IT HAS SEEN TO THE SMOOTH TRANSITION TO POLITICAL STABILITY BY CAMBODIA AND EAST TIMOR, AND ACTS AS THE NEXUS OF THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM, A MAJOR VENUE OF CONSTANT DIALOGUE AMONG THE POWERS IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC.  THIS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ENSURING PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEAS AND IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA.

AT NO TIME IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION HAS THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF NATIONS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED THAN IN THIS MILLENNIUM, WITH THE ADVENT OF GLOBALIZATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND THE RISE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION TO MEET THE INTERNATIONAL THREAT OF TERRORISM.

THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE A PART OF THIS NEW ECONOMIC ORDER, WORKING WITH, THOUGH NOT DOMINATED, BY REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.

AND EVEN AS WE BECOME ENGAGED IN THE NEW ECONOMIC ORDER, I SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT MY LATE FATHER, DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL SAID, THAT THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS GOVERNMENT SHOULD BECOME TRULY INDEPENDENT SO AS TO ADOPT POLICIES AND DECISIONS ON THE OVERRIDING ISSUES OF NATIONAL INTEREST.  IT IS ONLY IF OUR GOVERNMENT AND ITS LEADERS ARE FREE TO DECIDE AND ACT IN THE HIGHEST INTEREST OF OUR PEOPLE THAT WE CAN SOLVE OUR VITAL PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY THE REDEMPTION OF THE POOR FROM POVERTY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE NATIONS AND PEOPLES.

WE ARE DEALING SHARP BLOWS AGAINST POVERTY.  WE HAVE SURPASSED MOST TARGETS OF LAST YEAR'S STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS.  FOR INSTANCE, I SAID, WE WOULD DISTRIBUTE A 100,000 HECTARES OF AGRICULTURAL LAND UNDER LAND REFORM.  WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED A 104,261 HECTARES.  I SAID, WE WOULD GIVE HEALTH INSURANCE TO 500,000 URBAN POOR.  WE HAVE GIVEN HEALTH INSURANCE TO MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION URBAN AND RURAL POOR.  I SAID THAT ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL HAVE TEXTBOOKS FOR PRIORITY SUBJECTS IN GRADES 1 TO 4 AND FIRST AND SECOND YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL.  AND BY SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE FIVE TEXTBOOKS IN THE HANDS OF EVERY CHILD IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF HUMAN FREEDOM.  PEOPLE ARE NOT TRULY FREE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE AN EDUCATION.  THEY ARE NOT TRULY FREE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.  THEY ARE NOT TRULY FREE IF THEY ARE LANDLESS.

AND IN THIS QUEST FOR TRUE FREEDOM FOR OUR PEOPLE IN THIS MILLENNIUM OF GLOBAL COOPERATION, I AM VERY THANKFUL TO ALL YOUR COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN THIS HALL TODAY FOR HELPING THE PHILIPPINES ACHIEVE TRUE FREEDOM FOR ITS PEOPLE.

THUS, ON THIS COMMEMORATION OF THE 104th ANNIVERSARY OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE, MAY I PROPOSE A TOAST TO ALL THE NATIONS AND PEOPLES, IN ORDER THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND HARDER THAN BEFORE, TO ATTAIN OUR DREAMS OF WORLD PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

MABUHAY!