I am both humbled and honored to sit in the chair of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs - once occupied by the Sublime Paralytic - Apolinario Mabini.

            I have accepted the position knowing the great work that Secretary Blas Ople and Secretary Delia Albert have done. I am also aware of the enormous confidence the President has in the DFA personnel

            As she rightfully stated to which I fully concur:

        “DFA personnel have in fact time and again over my last three years as President, over the last three weeks, and even during the previous times when I was not yet President that I interacted with you, you have shown, indeed, that you have among the best brains in the country”.

            I expect and welcome this rare opportunity and challenge to serve the department charged with what a diplomat-statesman once called “the vast external realm” with “alien knowledge”.

            I thank the President for her trust and confidence.

            Last week, while in Cebu the President referred to my assignment from Executive Secretary to Secretary of Foreign Affairs as “no longer a domestic helper. He is now an OFW.” With wit, she has defined what this change is all about.

            In the conduct of foreign policy, my guidepost and loadstar is no less than the constitution with its clear mandate “to pursue an independent foreign policy with paramount consideration being national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest and the right to self determination.”

            We shall not falter nor flinch in the pursuit of these lofty noble and Filipino goals.

            In the Angelo dela Cruz crisis we were tested - and we prevailed.

            Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.

            Unlike Belshazzar and his kingdom, we did not fail our mandate. We did not fail  our people.

            We stood four-square behind the President who “stuck to her oath” and “took full responsibility” for the decision leading to the eventual release of Angelo dela Cruz.

            We must stress our nation’s commitment and determination to be unrelenting in the fight against terrorism.

            We must also underscore that our strategic alliance with the United States in the war against global terrorism remains vital to our national security.

            The bonds of friendship between the Philippines and the United States are enduring. Those bonds have been forged in the battlefields of freedom, in the foxholes of Bataan and Corregidor, by thousands of brave and courageous soldiers who fought and died together for their beliefs and ideals.

            Since the 9/11 tragedy in New York and Washington, those bonds became even stronger as the President committed our nation to fight global terrorism.

            Two Fridays ago, 17 Abu Sayyaf terrorists were sentenced to deaths by our court of justice.

            A week earlier, 19 terrorists were killed in an encounter with government troops.

            I expect more bumpy days ahead. The road to peace is no donnybrook.

            In the conduct and shaping of our foreign policy, the 8 realities enunciated by the President are worth revisiting.

                First  - China, Japan and the United States have a determining influence in the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia;
                Second -  More and more Philippine foreign policy decisions have to be  made in the context of ASEAN;
                Third  - The International Islamic Community will become more and  more important to the Philippines;
                Fourth - The coming years will see the redefinition of the role of  multilateral and inter-regional organizations in promoting  common interest;
                Fifth -  The defense of the nation’s sovereignty, the protection of its  environment and natural resources can be carried out only  to the extent that we get others to respect our rights over  our maritime territory;
                Sixth -  The country’s economic growth will continue to require direct  foreign investment;
                Seventh -  A country like the Philippines can benefit most quickly from  international tourism; and
                Eighth - Filipinos overseas will continue to play a critical role in the  country’s economic and social stability.

            These realities simply remind us that the era of living  “in splendid isolation” is forever gone.

            In every nook and corner of the globe a Filipino is struggling to survive and make a living.

            In the Middle East alone we have 1 ½ million countrymen. That is greater than the population of Pampanga or Bulacan.

            In the conduct of these most delicate and sensitive tasks, I certainly cannot or expect to do it alone.

            Like Horatio at the bridge I shall need two strong sentinels with me all the way.

                · The President as the Chief architect who has the last word on foreign policy and
                · The men and women of the DFA here and those in the 82 posts all over the globe

            During her 8-months tenure Secretary Albert did an outstanding job.

            Secretary Albert has been a staunch ally of our peace process. She has ensured the cooperation of our partners for peace, namely Malaysia and Norway, she has brought the Philippines closer to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, she has brought international support and assistance to critical areas of Mindanao, and she has mobilized the women of Mindanao as vital instruments of peace.

            Secretary Albert ensured the orderly conduct of our overseas absentee voting, and led the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the women foreign ministers in adopting measures that would protect women migrant workers.

            Secretary Albert’s handling of the Iraq hostage crisis was superb – at her post throughout the crisis even during the wee hours of the morning and up again at the crack of dawn.

            So did Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Chito Brillantes and the members of the home – based team.

            And who can say enough of our Iraq – based team – Undersecretary Paeng Seguis, CDA Eric Endaya, Ambassador Roy Cimatu and their members. At one point during the parley, Paeng Seguis telephoned to say he was going to meet the intermediaries of Angelo’s captors. Before hanging up Paeng whispered in his cellular “ I do not know how safe the road is but I’m going”

            These are the kind of men and women in the department with whom I have been privileged to work as Executive Secretary and as chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on intelligence and security and I know of no finer examples of courage, commitment and love of country.

            Theodore Roosevelt describes them well:

                “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doers of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.

            I now proudly join you in this arena.

            n my years in the Senate and the executive departments, I have long admired your capacity to cope with crises after world crisis. In the tasks ahead, it is with humility that I ask you to allow me to lead this great institution.

            Let us move forward.

            Let us dedicate ourselves to work for peace.

            Together, let us work hand-in-hand with the leaders and peoples around the globe that we might during our lifetime, “tame the savagery of men and make gentle the life of this world.” (Aeschylus)