INTRODUCTION
Maluwalhating pasko ng pagkabuhay sa ating mga kapatid at kababayang nagdiriwang ng muling pagkabuhay ni Hesukristo.

He who died on the Cross is again risen, to illumine the lives of all the faithful. In the agony of crucifixion is the crown of life revealed to us. In the mystery and glory of the resurrection is bequeathed to each of us the meaning of salvation.

I join our people — especially our Christian communities and brethren — in celebrating this most glorious day of the Christian year. For today, into the darkness and the sorrow of his absence from the world, he returns to us, triumphant over death, and over the many agonies of our mortal life.

His resurrection is ours as well. It is his personal sign to us that hope always remains for those who are willing to be reborn into the Christian life — that our existence on this earth is merely a preparation and a trial for the glory and the grace that are bound to follow from our faith and the goodness that we do.

This Easter Sunday, Christ rejoins us with a message of faith and hope. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved”, he said, “but whoever does not believe will be condemned”. (Mark 16:16)

And thus, a new life is possible for all of us. But we must have faith, and must profess that faith in the midst of those who would destroy God’s work among his people.
EASTER AND THE NATION
As we marvel at the significance of easter and its relevance today, let us realize that suffering and agony are no less true individuals as with nations and societies which must constantly struggle with poverty and prosperity, despair and hope, deterioration and redemption.

Let Easter also make us think of our bigger home that is the Philippines, and of the promise of success that lies behind our struggles to become a nation united, progressive and self-reliant.

Thus, Easter comes to us both as a blessing and a reminder. The future is ours to win — if we prove ourselves worthy of its promise.

This message of Easter can be a great source of enlightenment and encouragement for our nation and its leaders. While Christ was speaking of the life of the spirit, he was deeply concerned as well with the success and the promotion of harmony within human society.

To him, according to Matthew (22:37), love of neighbors comes second only to love of God. It is the practice of this love of neighbor that has distinguished the Christian life — and Christian communities everywhere — in these two thousand years since his first coming.

This is the message we would do well to heed, as we take stock of our accomplishments, our shortcomings, and our aspirations as a people. Today we stand on the threshold of a new century of challenges and opportunities, which could bring unprecedented progress if we unite as a people under God.
THE PEACE PROCESS
A few days ago, I issued Presidential Proclamation 347 and 348 granting amnesty to various groups in order to hasten the establishment of enduring peace in our land. The peace process, as an anchor of political, economic and social stability and development, has steadily moved forward with the overwhelming acceptance and support of the Filipino people. We shall enhance and hasten this process by addressing, among others, the legal status of many rebels and insurgents, who had already returned or expressed their desire and readiness to return to the folds of the law and join the mainstream of the Philippine society.

These grants of amnesty are the culmination of almost two years of intense but patient study, consultations and discussions among concerned government agencies, including the senate and the house of representatives, and non-government organizations and concerned citizens from the private sector. I strongly believe the time for talking is over. The time to decide and act has come.

I wish to stress, however, that these grants of amnesty are only a part of the actions contemplated by government in its unrelenting quest for a just and enduring peace for our country and people. This does not preclude and is without prejudice to any legal arrangement that may result from a negotiated settlement which the government is still pursuing with the various rebel or insurgent groups which i am hopeful will materialize soon.
I mention these amnesty developments on this day, Easter Sunday, as a reminder to our people that, as part of our determined effort to reconcile and unify our national society, these proclamations may help bring about a new dawn for us all, after decades of internal strife and suffering.
PROVING OURSELVES WORTHY
Marami tayong pinagdaanang mabibigat na pagsubok at matitinding suliranin sa mga nakaraang panahon. At, walang biglaang lunas sa mga suliraning ito. Nariyan pa rin ang malalalim na pagsubok subali’t hindi na tulad ng dati na kanya-kanyang kamot ang ating pagsugpo nito. Sa halip ay magsama-sama tayo at magbigkis ng tapat na pag-ibig sa dakilang lumikha at ng maalab nating pagnanasang paglingkuran ang ating mga kababayan.

Easter then should demand of us the fullest measure of our resolve, our service and our faith. By these, we rise to the upliftment of the Filipino nation and achieve the aspirations of our people.

The Lord has seen it fit to grant us the bounties of our land, and the talents and the energies of our people. And yet, in his great wisdom, he has left it to us to prove ourselves worthy of his generous blessings, and of his promise of heaven.
OUR CHRISTIAN LEGACY
This is the happy legacy of our humanity. This is our Christian legacy: to perfect ourselves into His own image, and to gain entry thereby into His Kingdom.

By doing our Christian best unto ourselves and to others, we redeem ourselves from man-made evil, the sin and the despair that are a constant test of our worthiness.

And there is much to be done. A just and lasting peace among all Filipinos is at hand — but we must manifest the unity of purpose, and the charity as well, to secure it once and for all.

Our economy has improved — but we must make sure that the benefits of growth accrue to those who need them most.

We have made great gains in the battle against crime — but we need to cleanse our own lives of corrupt and evil influences.

We stand poised on the verge of progress such as we have never seen — but we must have faith in ourselves and in the grace of God, and the unity and the resolve to achieve our aspirations.

My friends, let this be a day of rededication for all of us to the ideals and values of the Christian life. Let us welcome Christ back into our hearts and homes, openly and humbly, imploring his aid for the success of our earthly mission.

What he has made possible by the example of his supreme sacrifice, let us achieve in our own ways, in our own lives — a fresh start, renewed hope, and growth for the good of all.

Nawa’y sumaating lahat ang pagasa’t kaluwalhatian ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay!

A happy Easter to all!

Salamat sa inyong lahat!