SEN. FRANCIS "KIKO" PANGILINAN
MEET THE VICE PRESIDENTIABLES:
ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE NEW FRONTIER
FINEX, FFCCCII
02 FEBRUARY 2022

GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF FINEX AND THE FEDERATION OF FILIPINO CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.

ALLOW ME TO GREET YOU A HAPPY CHINESE NEW TIGER YEAR. KUNG HEI FAT CHOI.

IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE WITH THE PILLARS OF PHILIPPINE BUSINESS WHOM WE IN GOVERNMENT CONSIDER AS THE MOST VALUABLE AND RELIABLE PARTNER IN NATION BUILDING.

YOU IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTE A WHOPPING 80 PERCENT OF OUR COUNTRY'S ANNUAL G.D.P.

AND TO THE LARGEST DRIVER OF G.D.P. GROWTH, GOVERNMENT MUST BE A STRONG ALLY IF WE ARE TO MOVE OUR NATION AWAY FROM THE WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS IN OVER 70 YEARS. THOSE WITH THE MOST TO CONTRIBUTE MUST BE INSPIRED AND PERSUADED TO DO SO IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP.

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, BE A CATALYST FOR REFORMS, AND GOVERNMENT MUST INSPIRE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DIG DEEP INTO ITS COLLECTIVE POCKETS IN ORDER TO HELP FUEL ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR ALL.

AND GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY BE TRULY INSPIRING IF IT CAN BE TRUSTED UPON TO EXERCISE ITS POWERS JUDICIOUSLY AND RESPONSIBLY, ABLE TO PROVIDE CLARITY AND CERTAINTY IN THE DIRECTION IT INTENDS TO BRING THE NATION -- AWAY FROM THE CURRENT TREACHEROUS WATERS OF COVID, JOBLESSNESS, AND HUNGER...

TOWARD THE CALMER, SAFER WATERS OF MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASED INCOMES, THE EASING OF HUNGER AND BRINGING DOWN OF INFLATIONARY FOOD PRICES, RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW, AND YES BOOMING ECONOMIC GROWTH.

GOOD GOVERNANCE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

IT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT VICE PRESIDENT LENI AND MYSELF, THE TEAM ROBREDO-PANGILINAN LAID DOWN IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS KEY PLANS TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN.

AMONG THESE KEY PLANS, WHICH WERE MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS DIALOGUE WITH VICE PRESIDENT LENI WOULD BE THE KALAYAAN SA COVID PLAN -- HOW WE INTEND TO GET OUT OF THE COVID VICOUS CYCLE OF SURGE AND PLATEAU, WHAT WE MUST DO IN TERMS OF FUNDING FRONTLINERS, HOW DO WE ADDRESS HUNGER, HOW DO WE ENSURE GRANULAR RATHER THAN TOTAL LOCKDOWNS AMONG OTHER THINGS, TESTING TRACING AND ISOLATION, AND OF COURSE, VACCINATION.

AND THE OTHER PLAN IS THE HANAPUHAY PARA SA LAHAT JOBS PLAN. A MAIN AND KEY CHALLENGE FACING US TODAY IS THE LOSS OF JOBS AND OF COURSE THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WE FACE. KAYA MAHALAGA PAANO NATIN GAGAWAN NG PARAAN PARA MAGING MASIGLA MULI ANG ATING EKONOMIYA PARA MAGKAROON NG TRABAHO AT PAGKAKAKITAAN ANG ATING MGA KABABAYAN.

OUR PLANS HOWEVER ARE NOT MERELY PLANS THAT ARE CHURNED OUT EVERY ELECTION SEASON, BUT ARE PLANS BACKED BY OUR COMBINED RECORD OF SERVICE IN BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE SPANNING AT LEAST 40 YEARS. MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS A TRACK RECORD OF SERVICE, OF INTERVENTIONS AND REFORMS UNDERTAKEN BY VICE PRESIDENT LENI AS VICE PRESIDENT AND THIS REPRESENTATION WHEN WE WERE AND CONTINUE TO BE A SENATOR, UNTAINTED BY CORRUPTION.

VICE PRESIDENT LENI AND I RARELY IF AT ALL CALL ATTENTION TO OURSELVES BECAUSE OF WE FEEL THE DISCOMFORT OF BLOWING OUR OWN HORNS. BUT GIVEN THE MASSIVE WELL-FUNDED DISINFORMATION THAT WE ARE SUBJECTED TO DAILY, WE NEED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH TO COUNTER THE LIES AND WE NEED OTHERS TO HELP US THROUGH THIS.

EARLY JANUARY THIS YEAR, NOMURA GLOBAL RESEARCH, A LEADING INVESTMENT INSTITUTION AND MARKET RESEARCH GROUP IN ASIA, RELEASED THE STUDY ON THE COMING ELECTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES AND SAID THAT V.P. LENI IS THE CANDIDATE WHO IS MORE "MARKET FRIENDLY" AND QUALIFIED TO OVERSEE THE POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY OF THE COUNTRY COMPARED TO THE LEADING CANDIDATE.

THE REPORT, WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY THE ASEAN ECONOMIC EXPERTS, CITED THE EXPERIENCE OF VICE PRESIDENT LENI AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AS KEY IN ARTICULATING A STRATEGY TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC MESS.

LENI HAS WORKED WITH MANY OF YOU AS SHE SAID IN HER MESSAGE WHEN SHE APPEARED BEFORE YOU. HER ANGAT BUHAY PROGRAM THAT HAS HELPED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR KABABAYANS NATIONWIDE. THESE COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MANY IN THE BUSINESS SECTOR WHO PARTNERED WITH HER IN ACHIEVING THE PROGRAM'S GOALS.

AND HERE LIES THE KEY OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH VICE PRESIDENT LENI:

ALONG SIMILAR LINES, I TOO HAVE WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH MANY OF YOU, RECOGNIZING IN FULL THE NEED TO INSPIRE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN NATION BUILDING.

IN MY FIRST TERM AS SENATOR, A NUMBER OF YOU HERE TODAY MAY STILL RECALL, OUR OFFICE HAD SOLID PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FILIPINO CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, WHEREIN WE HELPED BUILD OVER 200 CLASSROOMS AT HALF THE COST OF D.P.W.H.-BUILT CLASSROOMS.

I BELIEVE THAT WITH PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP, THERE IS MORE TRANSPARENCY, THERE IS MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND YES, WE ARE ABLE TO INITIATE KEY REFORMS.

THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE ACTIVE WITH THE P.C.C.I. WILL RECALL OUR PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER WITH THE D.T.I. TO SUPPORT MICRO, SMALL, AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES THROUGH THE PROPEL PROGRAM: THE PROMOTING OF REGIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTERPRISE AND LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM.

TINUTULUNGAN NATIN 'YUNG MALILIIT NATING MGA KABABAYAN NA ANG PINAKAMALAKING NAGBIBIGAY NG HANAPBUHAY SA MARAMI NATING MGA KABABAYAN. M.S.M.E.'S CONTINUE TO BE THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COUNRTY COMBINED.

OUR OFFICE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE GAWAD KALINGA AND COUPLES FOR CHRIST TO BUILD G.K. HOMES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

OUR OFFICE ALLOCATED THE LARGEST AMOUNTS FOR GAWAD KALINGA HOMES, AGAIN RECOGNIZING THAT PARTNERING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS A KEY COMPONENT OF TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND IN OUR AGRICULTURE ADVOCACIES AND SUPPORTING FARMER AND FIHERFOLK COMMUNITIES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, NESTLE AND THE JOLLIBEE FOUNDATION HAVE BEEN OUR PARTNERS OF THE OFFICE BEGINNING SOME TEN YEARS AGO. WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH JOLLIBEE AND NESTLE FOR OUR COFFEE FARMERS AND OUR VEGETABLE FARMERS.

THE TEAM ROBREDO-PANGILINAN THEREFORE DOES NOT MERELY TALK THE TALK. OUR TRACK RECORD WILL SHOW THAT BETWEEN VICE PRESIDENT LENI AND MYSELF, AS I HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER, IS A TOTAL OF NO LESS THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT AND THAT APART FROM TALKING THE TALK, WE HAVE WALKED THE WALK AS WELL.

AN EXPERT IN PSYCHOLOGY HAS SAID THAT ABSENT ANY INDICATIONS TO THE CONTRARY, PAST BEHAVIOR IS THE BEST INDICATOR OF FUTURE BEHAVIOR. THUS WE STAND BEHIND OUR RECORD OF SERVICE.

AS VICE PRESIDENT, BEFORE I END, WHAT WOULD I BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF GOVERNANCE FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS?

WE MUST CONFRONT AND TAKE THE BULL BY ITS HORNS, SO TO SPEAK, IN THE MATTER OF FOOD SECURITY:

I WAS FOOD SECURITY SECRETARY DURING THE TIME OF PRESIDENT AQUINO, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR, ALSO AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE FROM 2010 TO 2013, AND THEN AGAIN FROM 2016 TO 2017.

• ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR FILIPINOS EXPERIENCED HUNGER LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO ACCESS SUFFICIENT FOOD.

• OUR FARMERS EARN ABOUT 6,000 PESOS A MONTH ON AVERAGE -- LESS THAN WHAT THE NEDA HAS DETERMINED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DAILY NEEDS OF A FAMILY.

• OUR CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING MALNUTRITION IN NUMBERS THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. ACCORDING TO THE UNICEF, 95 CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES DIE EVERY DAY DUE TO MALNUTRITION WHILE ONE-THIRD OF OUR CHILDREN ARE STUNTED IN VARYING DEGREES DUE TO POOR NUTRITION.

THESE ARE GLARING AND UNACCEPTABLE INDICATORS OF OUR LEVEL OF FOOD INSECURITY.

I BELIEVE THAT A FUNDAMENTAL AND A MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGE FOR OUR NATION, AND FOR ANY NATION FOR THAT MATTER, IS FOOD SECURITY, COMBATTING POVERTY AND HUNGER.

POVERTY AND HUNGER HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE COVID PANDEMIC. WE MUST, IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS OF SO, PUT FOOD SECURITY FRONT AND CENTER IN THE NATIONAL AGENDA. IN CHINA, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS TO MAP OUT ITS PLANS AND PROGRAMS, THE FIRST ITEM IN THE AGENDA IS FOOD SECURITY.

I ASKED THE CHINESE MINISTER WHY IS THIS SO, AND HE TOLD ME, IF WE DO NOT FEED 1.3 BILLION OF OUR PEOPLE, WE WILL BE MANY CHINAS. FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY.

IN THAILAND, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE WAS ARTICULATED BY THE LATE KING BHUMIBOL, WHO DECLARED THAT THE BACKBONE OF THE NATION IS THE FARMER, SUGGESTING THEREFORE THAT IF THE FARMER IS WEAK, THE BACKBONE WILL BE WEAK, THE NATION CANNOT STAND.

I MYSELF BELIEVE THAT UNLESS SOCIETY, LED BY GOVERNMENT AS CATALYST, PLACES THE PLIGHT OF OUR FARMERS AND FISHERFOLK FRONT AND CENTER IN OUR NATIONAL AGENDA, WE CAN NEVER ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE AND RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH.

WE CANNOT REACH DEVELOPED NATION STATUS UNLESS WE ATTEND TO POVERTY AND POVERTY IS LARGELY A RURAL PHENOMENON WHERE THE MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME IS AGRICULTURE AND FISHING.

HALF THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY ARE STILL IN RURAL AREAS. THIS US THE REALITY WE HAVE TO CONTEND. TO THIS END, THE ROBREDO-PANGILINAN ADMINISTRATION WILL ENDEAVOR TO:

• DOUBLE THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES BUDGET, RETOOLING THE BUREAUCRACY TO ENSURE THAT UTILIZATION OF THESE FUNDS IS PEGGED ON THE INDICATOR OF INCREASED INCOMES OF OUR FARMERS AND FISHERFOLK;

• MERGE THE D.A. AND D.A.R. BUREAUCRACIES WITHOUT UNDERMINING SECURITY OF TENURE AND IN ORDER TO FOCUS ON EXTENSION SERVICES AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL;

• ESTABLISH THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES. OUR NATIONAL TERRITORY IS FOUR-FIFTHS WATER AND ONE-FIFTH LAND. WE MUST ADDRESS THE DYSFUNCTIONAL BUDGETARY APPROPRIATIONS THAT PLACES MORE ON LAND, WHILE THAT IS CRITICAL, AND VERY LITTLE FOR FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES.

• ESTABLISH DEMO FARMS IN THE MALACANANG COMPLEX AS WELL AS IN SELECTED S.U.C.S NATIONWIDE TO SHOWCASE BEST PRACTICES IN AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES TO BE JOINTLY MANAGED BY THE OFFIECE OF THE PRESIDENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE SUCS CONCERNED.

FINALLY, LAST SUNDAY MORNING I MET AND HAD A DIALOGUE WITH RICE FARMERS IN SAN SIMON, PAMPANGA.

THERE, I MET TATANG MAMENG AND TATANG MEG. TATANG MAMENG IS 84 YEARS OLD AND STARTED FARMING WHEN HE WAS 17 WHILE TATANG MEG IS 87 YEARS OLD AND STARTED FARMING WHEN HE WAS 20. THEY HAVE BETWEEN THEM, BEEN FARMING FOR A TOTAL OF 134 YEARS.

INDIVIDUALLY, THEY HAVE LITERALLY SHED BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY SO THAT WE AS A PEOPLE CAN HAVE FOOD ON OUR TABLES.

THEY HAVE FED US FOR MORE THAN SIX DECADES RESPECTIVELY.

SO WHY ARE THEY EVEN STILL FARMING? AND MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, WHY ARE THEY STILL POOR? AND TO US I ASK THIS, IN WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY AND PEOPLE WILL ALLOW FOR SUCH A GROSS INJUSTICE TO PERSIST UNADDRESSED?

IT IS A SOCIETY THAT CRIES OUT FOR GENUINE REFORMS AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION. AND THIS IS WHY FOR OVER A DECADE NOW, WE HAVE TAKEN UP THE CUDGELS FOR OUR FARMERS AND FISHERFOLK AS WE HAVE BEFORE TAKEN UP THE CUDGELS FOR THE MARGINALIZED.

THIS TOO IS WHY I AGREED TO RUN AS VICE PRESIDENT WITH VICE PRESIDENT LENI, AS HER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: TO ADDRESS FUNDAMENTAL AND LONG-RUNNING SYSTEMIC ILLS THAT HAVE PREVENTED OUR NATION FROM BECOMING THE POWERHOUSE IT MOST CERTAINLY CAN BECOME.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF THE REST OF THE NATION, WITH OUR COLLECTIVE WILL, PERSEVERANCE, AND STEELY DETERMINATION, WITH LEADERSHIP THAT WE CAN TRUST, AND LEADERSHIP THAT HAS ACCOMPLISHED OR HAS A TRACK RECORD OF SERVICE, WE CAN AND WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE NOTHING LESS.

MAGANDANG ARAW SA KANILANG LAHAT AND I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER A NUMBER OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.