MGA MINAMAHAL KONG KABABAYAN.

NAGING ABALA PO TAYO NITONG NAKARAANG ARAW SA PAGBUO NG ATING PAMAHALAAN. KASABAY NITO AY ANG PAGPILI NG MGA MIYEMBRO NG AKING GABINETE AT MGA MAMUMUNO SA IBA'T-IBANG SANGAY NG ATING PAMAHALAAN.

AFTER DAYS OF CONSULTATIONS AND PRAYERS FOR DISCERNMENT, NGAYON AY NAKAHANDA NA PO TAYONG HIRANGIN ANG SUSUNOD NA BISE-PRESIDENTE NG ATING BANSA.

LAHAT PO NG MGA ASPIRANTE SA PAGKA-BISE-PRESIDENTE AY KARAPAT-DAPAT. MGA MAGAGALING AT SUBOK NA LIDER. ANG KANILANG KAKAYAHAN AY HINDI MATATAWARAN.

THE INTEGRITY AND SENSE OF PATRIOTISM IS UNQUESTIONABLE WITH SENATOR FRANKLIN DRILON. HE STOOD FIRM IN HIS BELIEF AND COMMITMENT TO THE TRUTH CAUSING HIM THE SENATE PRESIDENCY. I SALUTE HIM.

THE TRACK RECORD OF SENATE PRESIDENT AQUILINO PIMENTEL, JR. SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE SENATE HAS SOARED TO NEW HEIGHTS CHARACTERIZED BY RESPECT AND CREDIBILITY.

SENATE MINORITY LEADER TEOFISTO GUINGONA IS ALSO A FREEDOM FIGHTER. HIS LEGISLATIVE WORK FINDS FEW PEERS. HIS COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE UNSURPASSED. LET US NOT FORGET THAT IT WAS HIS "I ACCUSE" PRIVILEGE SPEECH THAT HELPED TRIGGER THE EVENTS THAT LED TO EDSA DOS.

SENATOR RAUL ROCO LIKEWISE IS A LEADER WHO COMMANDS RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE LAND.

SENATOR RAMON MAGSAYSAY, LIKE HIS BELOVED FATHER, HAS A HEART THAT BEATS FOR THE POOR AND UNDERPRIVILEGED.

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA, ONE OF THE HEROINES OF EDSA DOS, IS ALSO AN OUTSTANDING LEGISLATOR AND  A LEADER TO WATCH. MAY MAGANDANG KAPALARAN ANG NAGHIHINTAY SA KANYA.

THEY ARE ALL WORTHY TO BECOME VICE-PRESIDENT, AND I SALUTE EACH OF THEM, AND I PRAY THAT THEY WILL LEND THEIR HANDS AS WE HEAL AND BUILD.

HOWEVER, ONLY ONE MUST BE CHOSEN AND I HAVE DECIDED TO NOMINATE A SON OF MINDANAO TO BE THE NEXT VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES.

MINDANAO, AS WE HAVE FOR DECADES HEARD, HAS BEEN DUBBED AS THE LAND OF PROMISE. THAT PROMISE HAS NOT FOUND FULFILLMENT, BECAUSE EFFORTS HAVE LAGGED BEHIND OBJECTIVES, BECAUSE MINDANAO, DESPITE ITS POTENTIALS TO HELP US FAST-TRACK PROGRAMS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND POLITICAL STABILITY, HAS NOT EXACTLY OCCUPIED THE TOP RANKS IN OUR TOTEM POLE OF PRIORITIES.

MINDANAO HAS ALL THE POTENTIALS TO BECOME BOTH THE RICE GRANARY OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC HUB WHICH WILL PROPEL US TO THE GLOBAL VILLAGE. ITS MANY AND DIVERSE RESOURCES, RANGING FROM THE SEA TO VAST TRACKS OF LAND, AND THE PEOPLE OF MINDANAO THEMSELVES ARE ONE VAST PROMISE.

TOO LONG HAVE WE FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT DIVIDE, RATHER THAN ON THE THINGS THAT UNITE. IN THE PROCESS, WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE PROMISE THAT IS MINDANAO.

IT IS TIME WE FULFILLED THAT PROMISE. IT IS TIME WE HEALED THE WOUNDS INFLICTED ON MINDANAO RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF UNFULFILLED COMMITMENTS. IT IS TIME WE BUILD A BRIDGE TO AN ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT MINDANAO, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS POCKMARKED BY CONFLICTS BETWEEN BROTHER FILIPINOS. BY DOING SO, WE SPUR THE PROGRESS AND STABILITY OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

IT IS TIME THEREFORE THAT WE SET OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT. IT IS TIME THEREFORE THAT MINDANAO SHOULD BE  GIVEN THE ATTENTION IT RICHLY DESERVES. IT IS TIME THEREFORE THAT WE JOINED HANDS WITH OUR BROTHER MUSLIMS SO THAT MINDANAO WILL FIND FULL DEVELOPMENT. AND DEVELOPMENT, AS A POPE ONCE SAID, IS BUT ANOTHER WORD FOR PEACE.

I, THEREFORE, NOMINATE SENATOR TEOFISTO GUINGONA, A WORTHY SON OF MINDANAO TO BE THE NEXT VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO AND MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.