INTRODUCTION
Isang taos-pusong pagbati sa inyong lahat!

Kami po ay nandirito ngayon sa napakagandang bayan ng Belgium upang pagtibayin ang pagka-kaibigan at pagtutulungan ng ating minamahal na Pilipinas sa bansang ito.

Hinahangad din namin na ang paglakbay namin dito ay magdudulot ng panibagong lakas sa iba pang mga bahagi ng ating relasyon sa Belgium, tulad ng kalakalan at technical assistance and cooperation.

Umaasa rin po kami na lalo naming mahimok ang mga negosyante rito na magtayo ng kanilang pagawaan sa Pilipinas o kaya’y maki-sosyo sa ating nga negosyante.

Bali ba’y ito ang aming tungkulin bilang mga naninilbi sa pamahalaan at sa ating taong-bayan. At sa pagtupad ng mga tungkuling ito, kami ay humarap at makikipag-usap pa sa mga lider ng Belgium.

Nguni’t ang pinakamasayang bahagi ng pagpunta namin dito — na hindi namin tinuturing na tungkulin, bagkus ay parang isang pamaskong regalo — ay ang pagkakataong ito, ang makatagpo ang mga kapwa-pinoy.

Malayo man tayo sa Pilipinas, sa ating pagtitipon-tipong ito ay para na ring hindi tayo umalis.
A RESURGENT PHILIPPINES
My visit to Belgium is part of my administration’s efforts to further push forward the modernization of our Philippines, by seeking larger markets for our exports, greater assistance from our friends and enlisting more foreign investors as our partners in development.

These are essentially also our missions in the three other places we visited — in Italy, Spain, France — and in our last stop, Germany.

I call your attention to my use of the phrase, “further push forward our modernization”.

My friends — make no mistake about this: our country has already made a great leap, and it is no longer what it was as recently as, say, two years ago.

Our task now is to fast-track our journey to greater progress.

Mga kababayan, marahil ay sawang-sawa na kayo sa para bang wala nang naririnig tungkol sa Pilipinas kundi pawang mga nakalulungkot na balita.

Ngayon ay nais kong ipabatid sa inyo na tapos na at nangibabaw na tayo sa maraming problemang naging balakid sa ating pagsulong nitong nakararaang mga taon.

Ang ating kapwa Pilipino sa ating bayan ngayon ay punung-puno ng pag-asa sa ating hinaharap at matatag na nananalig sa kanilang kakayahang makamit ang ating mga pambansang layunin.
A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE ECONOMY
The most recent indication that we are coming closer to our goals in “Philippines 2000!!!” is the breakthrough in our economy.

After years of decline and stagnation, our gross national product (GNP) — the standard measure of a country’s economic performance — grew by 5.1 percent over the first half of the year, mainly by the dramatic rise of exports and investments.

Given this momentum, we hope to post a growth of from six to seven percent in the coming years, and i am confident we have laid the foundations to fulfill this.
AN END TO OUR CRIPPLING BROWNOUTS
One reason for our glowing economic report card is our triumph over one bad news that has been associated with our country.

At this time last year, crippling brownouts slowed down most economic activities, and our prospects were indeed dark. Today, by rehabilitating our existing power plants and continuously building new ones, we have fully conquered the power crisis. Brownouts are now but a dim memory in our land.

This triumph alone would not have brought us to where we are now had we not also liberalized the economy — by opening it to competition and leveling the playing field of enterprise.

Thus, we are now enjoying the modest fruits of our efforts. Investments and our exports have grown dramatically by two digits each in only a year.

Moreover, the Philippines has re-established its credit-worthiness with the international financial network as well as regained the confidence of the world’s donor community.

I would like to believe that our good economic performance was basically made possible by underlying achievements in our political and social environment.
WE HAVE PUT OUR HOUSE IN ORDER
We have put our house in order — by restoring political stability, enhancing national unity and strengthening social cohesion.

We began by seeking reconciliation and unity with our disaffected countrymen. Since then, thousands of them have crossed over the bridges of peace we have built, back into civil and productive society.

Today, the insurgency no longer exacts the toll of dead and wounded it did over the last ten years.

We have declared a total war on crime. We have cleansed, and continue to cleanse, the police and the judiciary — as well as other branches of government — of crooks and misfits.

And amid the pain of reconstruction, we have demonstrated time and again that ours is a democratic government that works — and works for our people’s benefit.
A NATION TO LIVE AND WORK IN
We are on course with our goals of “Philippines 2000!!!”, and, as i have said, what we need to do now is to vigorously build upon our achievements.

And why should we do so?

One, because we do not want our nation to be singled out as “the sick man of Asia”.

Second, because we believe in the bright destiny for our country, which our forebears dreamed about and fought and sacrificed their lives for.

And third, because we owe it to ourselves and to our children to have a better place under the sun.

This means that we shall put in place a stable socio-economic environment that offers dignified and fulfilling jobs for the vast majority of our people.

Jobs that offer internationally competitive incomes — so that we can keep our skilled men and women at home with us.

In other words, we want to build a society that shall be able to fully employ the skills and talents of Filipino workers right in their home — in the service not of others but of our own industries and that of Philippine development.

I assure you that we are heading toward that destination, and coming closer to it each year.
WELFARE OF OVERSEAS FILIPINOS
In the meantime, we are only too aware that you contribute substantially to fueling our quest for modernization. That is why my administration and our countrymen regard you as the new heroes of our time.

The money you send back home for the education of your children and the well-being of your families contributes greatly to the prosperity of the entire nation. For this, we are deeply grateful.

Because we regard the situation of overseas Filipinos an important concern, your government is committed to protect the rights and promote the welfare of overseas Filipinos.

Remember that our embassy, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, all our government representatives in this country starting with your ambassador, are duty bound to hear out your problems and concerns, and quickly address those that are within their capabilities.

Back at home, Congress is currently deliberating on an absentee-voting bill that will soon allow you to vote in the coming elections. The leaders of congress have promised to expedite the passage of this bill.
A PAG-IBIG FUND FOR YOU IN BELGIUM
With respect to the community here in Belgium, the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMG), a government corporation, has just relaunched its Pag-ibig program here should you want to use your savings to acquire a house for yourselves and your families in the Philippines.

The Pag-ibig program has recently appointed a respected member of the community as information officer for the Benelux countries.

More important, I just had talks with king albert ii and minister claes on a proposed RP-Belgium agreement on social security.

Forging of this agreement will provide added social security protection to those among you who are qualified.

Moreover, King Albert has pledged his government’s continuing attention to the general welfare of Filipinos in Belgium.
RIZAL WAS HERE
In closing, let me recall with you that a little over a hundred years ago, another Filipino traveled to and lived briefly in this country.

Though here in Europe he was in relative safety and comfort, no day passed by without his thinking of home — thinking of his mother especially and other members of his family who were being unjustly persecuted by colonial authorities.

Above all, his thoughts always turned to his beloved Filipinas for whom the attainment of its freedom and liberty would spell the salvation of not only his family but that of the rest of his countrymen.

He had just finished a novel depicting — with honesty, realism and passion — a land in pain and oppression. He knew that if his novel was read by his people, it would help awaken them to the need for unity and action to correct the ills of the colonial society.

I refer to Jose Rizal, our national hero.

Rizal came to Ghent almost penniless, in search of a printer. A sympathetic Belgian, Monsieur F. Meyer van loo, agreed to print his novel even without a down payment.

A Filipino compatriot, Jose Alejandrino, took him in into his flat for free while the book was being printed.

Our nation is now at this juncture in history — only four years away from celebrating the proud centennial of Philippine independence, in no small part because of Rizal and his El Filibusterismo, first published here in Belgium, and we might add, also because of Jose Alejandrino.

To this land also came the great general of the Philippine Revolution, Antonio Luna, who took military studies in Ghent.

You have come here to Europe and to Belgium for many reasons. I understand and respect those reasons. Indeed, I admire the strength of spirit and the will to succeed that any Filipino expatriate worker or immigrant must have to be here at all.
YOU ARE A SOURCE OF GREAT PRIDE TO US
Many of you have achieved success and prominence in Belgian society — and this is a source of pride for us back home.

But like our fellow traveler Rizal, who lived in Ghent, we cannot sever our umbilical cord to the land of our birth. Indeed, we must do all we can to help the Philippines reach its full potentials, as Rizal did.

Let us keep our home Philippines always in our hearts and minds.

Let us always respond to her needs.

Let us take pride in her achievements.

Let us always stand united with our fellow Filipinos, particularly those with us in this country.

And let us dedicate ourselves, in our individual capacities, to help our country and our people go “fast forward” into the future.

Maraming salamat po at mabuhay kayong lahat!