With more than 75% of the votes counted on the basis of available certificates of canvass – and my lead against my closest opponent stable at more than 800,000 – I now claim victory in the presidential contest, even as the nation awaits its proclamation by Congress in joint session.

I do so not in triumph but in all humility, awed by the tremendous responsibilities of the presidency – and mindful of the hard work and the sacrifices that the next six years will demand from every one of us.

Though the votes for me represent a plurality of all those cast, I regard the wide margin between me and the 2nd highest contender as the unmistakable decision of Filipino voters in my favor. I am confident that I will eventually win the mandate of the majority by accomplishing the following:

– To bring our people back together, after an election that saw them divided nearly seven ways;

– To form a government that will address authoritatively the problems pressing on us, and

– To lead the way to national renewal and transformation.

In the campaign, I learned many things about our country. But the one recurring image that struck me everywhere I went was our countrymen’s hunger for a fresh system of governance that will finally unify Filipinos and move us to prove our best as a nation.

My administration will do its utmost to fill this yearning. It will also bridge the gaps that divide us – the gaps between the winners and the losers, the rich and the poor, the city and the barrio, the island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the young and the old – and enable every Filipino to realize the full possibilities of his or her potential. For only by putting our act together can we master the challenges that face us.
I will take up my office ever mindful of the efforts of the many who helped me get there, and always aware that the best way to repay my supporters is to become a president who does right by the office, by the constitution, and by the Filipino people.
With God’s help and yours, I know I will not fail this trust. Thank you very much. Salamat sa inyong lahat!