INTRODUCTION
It is an honor and a pleasure to join you here today in celebrating the second anniversary of our Kabisig People’s Movement. The honor is even greater because in these ceremonies, President Aquino has turned over to me the torch and symbols of the movement, thereby placing in my charge the privilege and the challenge of leading Kabisig.
No honor can be greater than to lead a movement which will be vital to the success of my administration. Nothing could make me more proud than to be asked to accept this challenge by colleagues to whom i already owe so much.
It will not be presumptuous of me to say that besides marking the second anniversary of Kabisig, we also celebrate here one of its victories. The other day, congress finally finished its canvass of the presidential election and confirmed my election to the presidency of our country.
This is Kabisig’s victory as much as mine, your triumph as well as mine.
For truly we have stood during the election campaign for the principles, the vision and the work of this movement. With President Aquino leading the way, we have proven that what we worked for these past two years — what we fought since 1990 against so much doubt and cynicism — has found support among our countrymen, and more than support, their ardent labors.
If we have won in the election, it is surely because we didn’t just stand for personal ambition, but for a cause wedded to the life and future of our country.
If we have prevailed, it is because we have also proven ourselves in deeds, not just in promises.
I can say this with confidence because I know what Kabisig has achieved over the past two years. I know how the linkages formed by Kabisig with so many of our communities made a difference in our campaign.
PEOPLE EMPOWERMENT, SUBSIDIARITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
I know that when i speak of people empowerment, subsidiarity and sustainable development — which are the cornerstones of my program of government — I could point already to examples of these ideas at work within the Kabisig Movement. I could cite the farmers cooperative movement in Central Luzon, the community development projects in Muntinlupa, the people-based recovery efforts in Negros Occidental, the livelihood projects in Mindanao, and the wonderful work being done by many non-government organizations working with Kabisig.
Now, it is my turn to lead this movement and all of you, to whom i owe so much.
Let me say in gratitude for your help and in reply to this honor, that i will try very hard to be worthy of your trust and I will do all within my power and influence to extend and promote the work of Kabisig.
What we have done under President Aquino’s leadership — which is to found Kabisig on solid ground — we shall now extend and expand.
PEOPLE EMPOWERMENT AND KABISIG
With respect to people empowerment, you may be sure that we will move decisively to empower individuals, groups and entire communities so that they can all contribute decisively to the development of our country.
With respect to the principle of subsidiary, which was endorsed by the Kabisig national assembly in June 1991, we shall now strive to implement it in practice. With the new local government code, devolution and decentralization can now proceed in earnest. I pledge to you now that my administration will aggressively move to fully promote and benefit from the release of energies at the local and community levels.
And with respect to the principle of sustainable development, I say now that we shall place the care of our national environment at the center of our development program. There is no trade-off to be made between development and the environment. I believe we can develop without degrading the land, the forests and the seas around us. I believe development is more self-sustaining when we replace what we extract from nature’s bounty, when we take care of the blessings of nature instead of carelessly squandering it.
The basic rule should be: we should not harvest without planting. We should not reap without in turn investing.
THE FOCUS ON A POSITIVE APPROACH
Some years ago, Nick Joaquin, in a famous essay, declared that ours is “a heritage of smallness.” we are a small nation not just in terms of territory, but in terms of our achievements and our dreams.
If this indeed is true of much of our history, let it not be said that the condition is forever. I would answer Nick Joaquin by saying, consider what we’re doing with Kabisig today.
Sometimes, when we present ourselves to the world, it is not to put our best foot forward but our worst. We Filipinos have a tendency to belittle ourselves.
Well, let us now tell the nation and the world our policy in Kabisig. Instead of grousing about our misfortunes and looking for someone to blame, here we roll up our sleeves and we go to work — shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, hand in hand. Here we don’t just complain about the way things are, we try to make things better.
More than anything, this is the idea that attracts me most to Kabisig — its can-do spirit, its positive approach to problems.
And we’re not just talking of government alone. I am especially gratified by the wonderful linkages that Kabisig has been able to establish with the NGO’s and the private sector. For it is very plain to me, even now, before I can take over the presidency, that my administration cannot possibly succeed without their full participation. I hope to consider ways and means whereby these linkages can be further strengthened, and whereby Kabisig may continue as an even more expanded movement.
I look to the Kabisig spirit as an essential arm of my administration. And i hope and pray that you will fully provide me that arm.
CONCLUSION
Finally, may I say that I am pleased that President Aquino has agreed to serve as honorary chairperson of Kabisig after her term as president. This is already more than we have a right to expect, but nonetheless let me hope with you that she will consider in the future, should there be no legal impediments, to serve as chairperson of Kabisig.
This movement began as her vision, and so it will remain. It is only right that in its future expansion, Kabisig should be able to count on her guidance and leadership.
Once more, dear colleagues and friends, accept my congratulations on the second anniversary of Kabisig. Accept my thanks for your steadfast and unwavering support. And be assured that as the torch passes to me from President Aquino, you will not find a truer believer in Kabisig than me.
Mabuhay ang Kabisig People’s Movement. At marami pong salamat sa inyong lahat.