Extemporaneous
Speech of Raul S. Roco
14th National Convention of Vice Mayors League of the Philippines
Century Park Hotel, Manila
25 February 2003
Good morning.
Maayong Buntag. Marhay na aga. Magandang umaga. Let me first announce that
if elections were held today, the next secretary of the DILG will be Vice
Mayor Facultad (Applause). Let me however warn him that I have promised that
to seven other people (Laughter). Well I guess that is how some ways of politics
can occur.
As I looked around,
I'm very proud to meet many friends. The Vice Mayors League has always helped
me -- in 1992 and in 1995. 1998 was a skip so I guess in 2004, the Vice Mayors
League will be helping me again (Applause). But there is something peculiar
about the composition of the Vice Mayors. This is one group where the males
are still dominant. In almost all the groups I attend, the female of the specie
are dominant. But here, it is still a male domain. And it reminds me of the
time when I was in law school and we were always told that behind the success
of every man is a woman, and the more the success, the more the women (Laughter).
Let me say, however, that that is no longer an acceptable story. Today, because
of consciousness of women's rights, the acceptable story goes like this: "Behind
the success of every man is a surprised mother-in-law (Laughter). And the
mother-in-law is telling everybody that he would not have amounted to much
were it not for my daughter."
And that is part
really of the principle of sustainable development. Sustainable development
means we cannot eat all the food today so that tomorrow we will all be hungry
and there is nothing left on the table. Sustainable development means that
we cannot take all the minerals in the hills, the mountains and the seas of
the Philippines and there is nothing left, no pearls left for the future.
Sustainable development means that when you commit the resources for today,
you ensure that tomorrow's resources are maximized. Sustainable development
is a principle that was accepted 15 years ago in all economic planning models
of the world. Sustainable development, therefore, when the Vice Mayors talk
about it, is an appropriate commitment because the Vice Mayors are the leaders
of the consensus mechanism in every town. Sustainable development as a principle
is also something that we in Aksyon Demokratiko believe in. Always, sustainable
development.
It is like the
story of the farmer. The farmer in Calabanga - I saw the Vice Mayor of Calabanga
- won all the awards for best livestock, best fish and best seeds. But whenever
he won the best seeds award, he went out to his neighbors and gave away the
seeds for free. And he was interviewed by one of the Manila papers and was
asked, "Why do you give it away for free? You can sell it. We are supposed
to be a free enterprise system. Sell the best seeds." And the farmer
said, "I give away the best seeds for free because it is to my interest
to do so. Because if my neighbors have poor seeds, then during the cross-pollination
when the birds and the bees and the butterflies bring the pollen from their
fields to mine, then my seeds will become poorer. But if all our seedlings
are good, then all our plants will grow well." It is to our best interest
as Vice Mayors and as Filipinos to share the best seeds we are capable of.
That is what sustainable development means. Hindi puwedeng para sa akin lamang.
I was reading
an article and somebody said this, "If I do not help myself, who will
help me?" But it also said, "But if I help only myself, who am I
and what am I?" Of course we must help our towns. Of course we must help
ourselves. But if we think only of helping ourselves, who are we, what are
we, and what is the Filipino nation all about?
Everywhere I
go, and some of you have listened to me very recently, I tell stories. I will
apply to be the storyteller of the Philippines because it is stories that
will bring us to wealth and development. All of you have gone abroad. I went
on a tour in Europe. They bring me to this small chapel. I could not understand
why I was there. The paint was crumbling. The chapel in San Beda is nicer
but they were telling me stories galore. The whole morning we sat there in
this small chapel. But it was the stories and the legends that showed the
value of the people. You go on a tour not to watch the chapel but to remember
the history of your host. We lack stories because we do not tell the stories
of the heroes of Cebu -- Justice Lee who saved others at the expense of his
life. We do not tell the story of Sadjig Bulig of Bulacan, a 12-year old boy
who saved nine of his classmates when the Bocaue Pagoda sank. He tried again
to save on the 10th time but was hit by a beam and died. What kind of DNA
does Bulacan have that a 12-year old, after saving nine lives, will try to
save another?
I tell them the
story of the teacher in Harubay Elementary School. She was a public school
teacher and she had P6,626 in her bank account. The computer added three zeroes.
She now had P6,626,000. She went to me the next day, I was then secretary
of the Department of Education, and she said, "Isasauli ko ito sapagkat
hindi namin puwedeng kainin ang hindi namin pinagpawisan." Sabi ko, "Marangal
at kahanga-hanga ang ginawa mo. Anong gantimpala ang puwede kong ibigay sa
iyo?" And she said, "Four years na po akong nagtuturo sa bundok.
Puwede bang ma-assign sa poblacion?" That is all she asked. Only a Filipino
public school teacher will do that. She was living in Barangay San Felipe,
40 minutes away to Calabanga, another 40 minutes to the foot of Mt. Isarog,
another 40 minutes up Mount Isarog to Harubay Elementary School. So there
and then, we assigned her to San Felipe Elementary School, two minutes away
from her residence. I understand now she is complaining she has no exercise
(Laughter).
I tell them about
Sotelo, the security guard in Festival Mall, Alabang. Her take home pay was
P4,000 a month. She saw P500,000 and returned it to the owner. Only a Filipino
security guard will think of returning immediately something that represented
ten years' worth of salary for her.
In the United
States, I addressed the Filipino-American community and I was introduced in
this manner, "I came to the United States with only $100 in my pocket.
Now, I have 40 employees under me." And he said, "Only in America."
Palakpakan sila. So when I stood up, I said, "In the Philippines, there
was a taxi driver called Emil Advincula. He saw P2,000,000 at the back of
his taxi, looked for his passenger, returned the money, did not even leave
his name." And I told them, "Only in the Philippines." That
will not happen in any major cities in the United States. The Filipino is
good. The Filipino is dedicated. The Filipino is talented. The Filipino is
diligent. The Filipino is God-fearing.
But when I gave
a similar speech to the San Carlos University students in Cebu, at the end
of my speech, a young lady stood up. She was the first in open forum and she
said, "Secretary, listening to you I feel good I am a Filipino,"
she said. "But if the Filipino is so good, why is the Philippines in
such big trouble? If the Filipino is diligent and hardworking and talented,
why is our country in such bad shape?" And I told them about Francisco
Balagtas. All of us remember Francisco Balagtas. Are there Bulakeños
here? Yes, Malolos is here. Francisco Balagtas gave us Florante at Laura.
I will not ask the Vice Mayors because you may guess the answer, but I always
tell the students whoever answers my question now I will give P5,000 to. Tatanungin
ko rin kayo kung game kayo. Game ba kayo doon? (Audience replied softly).
Siguro doon P2,000 lang kasi medyo mahina ang sagot. Dito, game ba tayo dito?
(Audience replied loudly). Aba, P4,000 dito. Dito sa gitna, game ba tayo?
(Audience replied enthusiastically). Five thousand pesos dito. Kaya doon ako
magtatanong sa P2,000 dahil mura (Laughter). At ang katanungan ko ay, "Kailan
ba sinulat ang Florante at Laura?"
That is almost
impossible to guess. But you may not believe it. It was written in 1830. And
Florante at Laura was the roots of Philippine literature in nationalism. Florante
at Laura, the Tagalogs will remember, was dedicated to Celia. And I wish I
could say it in Cebuano because it is nice. "Kung pag saulan mong basahin
sa isip ang nakakaraang araw ng pag-ibig, may mahahagilap kayang isaisip liban
na kay Celiang namugad sa dibdib?" That was the dedication (Applause).
Florante at Laura influenced Rizal. It was the book Rizal was carrying with
him in Europe. It was the book that was rewritten by Apolinario Mabini when
he was in exile in Guam.
And Florante
at Laura in the 14th stanza says this, and this is what I often repeat to
all my audiences, "Sa loob at labas ng bayan kong sawi, kaliluha'y siyang
nangyayaring hari, kagalinga't bait ay nalulugami, ininis sa libing ng dusa't
pighati." Because there are Bicolanos, I will translate. "Inside
and outside our suffering country, treachery has often been the king. The
search for excellence and goodness is weakened," - only Bulakeños
say nalulugami - "And is buried in anguish and misery." That paragraph
14 of Florante at Laura explains so much of Philippine history. The Filipino,
the ordinary Filipino, ang mamamayang Pilipino ay mahusay, magaling at marangal.
But many of our leaders upon whom we gave trust betrayed us. Kaliluha'y siyang
nangyayaring hari.
Consider. We
sent the best and the brightest of our students to Europe so that they will
come back to educate us. Well, they educated themselves and they thought of
their self-interest. Except for a few - Gat. Jose Rizal, Jose Panganiban,
Lopez Jaena, Juan Luna, Antonio Luna, the heroes of the Propaganda Movement.
They came back to teach the Filipino and to educate the Filipino. The others
thought of self-interest. Noong ibinenta tayo ng Spain to America, what did
they do? They shifted immediate allegiance. First they were with Spain, then
sali na kaagad sa Amerika. They shifted. Nobody thought again of the Filipino.
Kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring hari. The Americans came, betrayed us. Akala
natin tutulungan tayo, well, moro-moro pala. When the Filipinos were shooting
with the Spaniards on the other side of Intramuros, the Americans attacking
Intramuros had a band leading them. Nakabanda. Walang nasaktan sa kanila.
Moro-moro lang pala. Kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring hari.
Rizal, the first
Filipino, umuwi, binaril sa Luneta. Kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring hari. Si
Antonio Luna, hero of the North, binaril. Kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring hari.
The best and the brightest president we had, fighter for liberty in Bessang
Pass, forgot to protect liberty and somehow declared Martial Law. Kaliluha'y
siyang nangyayaring hari. One of the bravest senators we ever had, Ninoy,
came back to seek reconciliation, but was shot at the Tarmac. Kaliluha'y siyang
nangyayaring hari. Ang pinaka-popular na Presidenteng naihalal natin, para
sa mahirap, napasarap sa inom at nakalimot. Kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring
hari. A president we installed at great risk and sacrifice by the youth of
the land, dedicated to truth and justice, aba'y declared all-out-war and all-out-support
until she was in Malaysia. The question is, is that also a form of "kaliluha'y
siyang nangyayaring hari?" Those are the questions that we must confront.
I was in the
United States and there was a whole live TV program. And the TV program was
composed of all the cities and town councilors of America. Live program, C-Span,
thousands of them. And they were saying, "Mr. President (Bush), according
to the surveys we will support war in Iraq. We came here together to show
that the American people has a different voice. We are the representatives
of direct democracy in the United States. We represent the voice. If you must
go to war, go to war but not with our voice because we do not believe in war."
The same thing can be said of all the leadership structure in the Philippines.
If they must go to war, let them do so but not in our name, not with our voice.
War is contrary
to all principles of sustainable development. Every bullet that is spent could
have bought maybe 10 loaves of bread, maybe one cavan of rice. Every minor
missile that explodes, that wounds and decimates could buy us medicines for
your barangay. War is the anti-thesis of sustainable development. You cannot
even sustain war because it turns into ashes everything that it touches. If
there must be one sense then, if you would want to influence the national
leadership, maybe the Vice Mayors should show the conscience of the Filipino.
Maybe the Vice Mayors would want to say, "If you want to go to war, go
to war but not in our name, not with our voice." Even in Mindanao, what
good has the shooting done? Our brothers, whether Christians or Muslims, once
dead they're forever dead. We must think of the Filipino.
There was a story
of the guru. He was a general. Before the battle, the soldiers said, "Sir,
we are ready to die for you!" And the general said, "That's very
good but are you ready to live for me?" What is more challenging, what
is more difficult is whether you are ready to live with commitment and dedication.
We must therefore break the cycle of betrayal by leaders who pass and think
of self interest. The 2004 election should change the face of the political
landscape in the Philippines. After this, it seems to me, it will be very
difficult. Even now, it is very difficult for the country.
I will not tell
you about all the bad news. You know it: P54.50 for $1. Good for our overseas
workers; bad for everybody else. Good for the exporters; difficult for those
who do not earn in dollars. There are so many things that are difficult. Education.
It's supposed to be free public education. But the only time we had free public
education, outside cities like Parañaque, Manila, Cavite, Mandaue and
Cebu where the city itself pays, was when I sat as secretary and I looked
at the problems. And one of the problems was that the parents could not afford
tuition. And I said, "What tuition? The law says free public education."
So we did not collect. Now, it seems they are collecting. That cannot be.
The Constitution says free and compulsory public education, and yet they collect
under the guise of electricity, under the guise of Boy Scouts. Imagine, we
are the only public school system where the girls are obliged to pay Boy Scout
fee. The boys also pay Girl Scout fee. And yet they cannot become Girl Scouts.
All those are
covered by a circular signed by Boncodin, Lina and myself which says, "Have
adjustability in your use of Special Education Fund so that you can support
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Red Cross or Anti-TB." But it cannot be compulsorily
collected because that is not the business of the public school, to be the
collecting agency of anybody. And the law says voluntary. Boys Scouts in the
United States sell lemonade. They voluntarily raise funds. Girls Scouts in
the U.S. sell Girls Scout cookies. You can see it in the subways, you can
see it in the book shops. Voluntary. Value for value. Here, no. Just collect
at the beginning of the year. And the parents say it is tuition. We must abide
by the law. We must implement the law. And the Executive Department, through
the Vice Mayors League and the Local Government Units, are the key to development.
I have always
believed and I will state it now again that the cities are the fulcrum of
development in the Republic of the Philippines. The first class municipalities
can also be a fulcrum of development. But the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th class
municipalities, national government must care for you. National government
must help more. Magsaysay said, "Those who have less in life should have
more in law." Cities, 1st class municipalities, go and multiply. Second
to 6th class, we will help. And if the cities can spiral their development
to the neighboring towns, like in Naga they have developed the Metro Naga,
then there will be sharing of development. The best seeds we will share.
What are we looking
for? Today, we are looking for very simple values. We must return to the original
values of the Filipino race. Remember the story of the king who said, "Lalakad
ako. Ayaw kong masaktan ang paa ko. Carpet the whole kingdom!" What a
waste of money because what the next king did was gumawa ng tsinelas, cut
out in the carpet the form of his foot. Why cover the whole kingdom with carpet
when you can protect your feet and spend only so much? Protect your feet;
do not cover the kingdom with carpet. We don't have to cover the whole world.
Begin with ourselves.
All leaders in
the Philippines - Councilors, Barangay Captains, Vice Mayors, Mayors, Senators,
Congressmen - to the extent that they are still saveable - Presidents, Vice
Presidents - must comply with the four standards of leadership that you have
read in all books of leadership. Number one, competence. We must know what
we are doing. Hindi puwedeng pa-tsamba-tsamba. Hindi puwedeng pa-weather-weather.
You must know. And we must realize that you can do things today that you can
never have done before. Second, character. Competence without character is
like law without morality. And that cannot be. Third is courage. Fear is contagious;
but so is courage. When you stand ground, it is contagious and other people
will stand by you. Fourth is Commitment. We must live by our word constantly.
The youth says, "We must walk our talk." When they accuse us of
being traditional politicians, when they accuse all of us who have engaged
in politics as untrustworthy, the principal accusation is hindi matiwalaan,
hindi ginagawa ang sinasabi. Ang tulak ng bibig ay hindi kabig ng dibdib.
We must learn to live by what we say. We must walk our talk. Competence, character,
courage and commitment, then we can have sustainable human growth, sustainable
development among ourselves.
I will end with
one story because I want to join the EDSA celebration only because they kept
sending text messages that I should be in EDSA. There is a mass that is why
I'm very grateful to Louie Bustamante who will certainly be in the next cabinet
of the Republic of the Philippines (Applause). And there are enough positions
to make that true, unless he wants to go to the United Nations or something
like that. I'm very grateful he moved me forward by one hour. Then it gives
me time to travel to EDSA. We have always said money is important. It is good
to have money. But the more important thing is a strong human values and strong
human efforts to excel. You may have all the money in the world, it will be
lost unless you have good human values and you strive to excel. That must
come from within. It cannot come from American aid. It cannot come from anybody.
It must come from the Filipino.
And so that you
will remember that, I will tell you a small story. Remember Cesar Legaspi?
Cesar Legaspi was our national artist. When I was practicing law, I made his
will and kept it in the vault. He went abroad for six months. When he came
back, he gave me a one-meter long painting. His painting, one foot long, is
worth P500,000. So it is my trophy painting. If you come to my house, I'll
show it to you. The painting is in all different shapes of green. When he
gave it to me, I asked him, "Ka Cesar, how did you paint the various
colors of green when you are color blind?" Because Cesar Legaspi, our
master of colors, our national artist, was color blind. He could not distinguish
green from red. So I asked him, "How do you paint green?" And he
said, "The color green outside, that is important, but you must find
the colors within you. Then the paintings are beautiful."
We must find
the colors within us. That is what we as a people are longing for. We keep
getting bad news and bad advice and bad opinions all over. We must find the
colors within us. That is the function of leadership. If we are able to motivate
our people to find the colors within them, we shall finally achieve development
in the Philippines. It is not money; it is the heart, it is ideas, it is our
beliefs, it is our legends, it is our courage that will make us grow. And
that is my final message. Development cannot be done by money alone. Development
cannot be done by materials alone. It must begin with the spirit. It must
begin with the heart. It must begin from within us, within the talent, ingenuity
and creativity of the Filipino. Then we can have true development in real
time. Thank you very much. I hope you remember (Applause). |
