We’ve seen Balai Isabel in one of our weekend forays to Batangas. We thought it’s a nice place to visit and stay. We’ve seen it on TV. We should go there, we said, but the plan got shelved due to commitments that kept us from spending at least overnight in this place.

Then a former classmate and a close friend, Jun, announced that he is getting married to Kaye. The announcement came a week before the wedding date, which made us pause and ponder if the delayed announcement was intentional, that he assumes our busy schedules would prevent us from attending.

The wedding was on a Saturday — we checked our planner and we moved some appointments, so it’s good. It’s going to be held in Talisay, Batangas — far, but we’ve gone farther than that on a single drive, so good. The location is in Balai Isabel, with a discount on guests who are staying overnight. How can we NOT go?

We didn’t really need a map going to Balai Isabel. We didn’t want to. Just the general direction, from SLE and through Star Tollway, then exit to Tanauan. It was, as usual, an adventure — an adventure that yielded a few gems, including the Apolinario Mabini Shrine.

Located in the town of Talisay (province of Batangas, around two hours south of Metro Manila), Club Balai Isabel reflects the provincial tempo of the place. It’s the opposite of the hustle and bustle of the crowded Metro Manila.

The accommodations (stand-alone villas, condo-type units and hotel rooms), allow guests to choose based on the preferred view (hotel rooms and the lakeshore units face the Taal Lake), extent of seclusion (villas are fenced off, with its own parking space inside) and budget (hotel room has the lowest rate). Cooking is allowed in the villas and the lakeshore units. We later learned that cooking equipment (e.g., pots, pans, laddle) are available to those who forgot to bring their own. We also learned that your own karaoke machine is most welcome. The occupants of the unit in front belted their hearts out the whole night, though we didn’t mind because we didn’t hear the “music” (or noise?) inside the room (the entrance leads to a big space for the extra bed and the kitchen, with a sliding door that leads to the master bedroom).

With a playground and a number of swimming pools (one beside the clubhouse, with two more nearing completion), it’s perfect for the kids. There’s fishing, but I passed in “protest” against the separate fees for the equipment and the fish caught. It’s also perfect for the health buffs, with fresh air, lots of running space and a basketball court.

Internet addicts on a budget, however, would have to go on rehab. Hourly rate for the wi-fi is not user-friendly, while the wireless signal for those with Smartbro/Tatoo is painfully slow or non-existent.

I sense that Balai Isabel is positioned as a destination wedding venue. There’s a church inside the compound that is scheduled to be completed within the year. There’s a covered reception area beside Taal Lake, a stone’s throw from the church. With more than enough accommodation and a splendid view of the Taal Lake during sunrise and sunset, with photo-ops at the wharf, this is a romantic and picture-perfect venue for weddings.

The main draw of Balai Isabel, as far as I’m concerned, is the view. It’s beside Taal Lake, with a great, close-up view of the inner or main crater (the resort, just like the establishments along the Tagaytay ridge, is sitting on the outer crater of Taal Volcano. I limit myself to the view, as swimming in the lake is strongly discouraged, but the view and the quiet are more than enough to soothe the spirit.

Using “peace of mind” in the title seems inappropriate. It is, after all, a volcano, and PHIVOLCS, the government agency in charge of volcanoes, raised the alert level for Taal Volcano in June of this year to Alert Level 2 (Alarming), downgraded in August to Alert Level 1 (Abnormal). The highest alert level is 5 (see Alert Levels here).

Not enough reason not to go.

There’s another volcano that plays home to locals and tourists who seem oblivious to its status as an active volcano — Taal volcano. I used to think that identifying Taal Volcano is a simple matter: there’s the crater and there’s the lake. Then I learned that Taal Volcano has 47 craters and 4 maars (shallow, flat-floored craters).

The Main Crater Lake, which is obviously inside the Main Crater, is 1.9 kilometers in diameter. The conical crater which we prominent from the Tagaytay ridge is not the main crater. It’s an extinct crater. The Main Crater is inside the Taal Caldera (25 kms across). Inside the Taal Caldera, surrounding the Main Crater, is the Taal Lake (267 square kilometers). This is why it’s also referred to as the lake within a lake.

The Tagaytay Ridge, with its numerous establishments catering to travelers and tourists, offers a good view of Taal Volcano and the Taal Lake. Lakeshore towns, or those which border on Taal Lake, include Talisay, Tanauan, Agoncillo, Balete, San Nicolas and Laurel.

There were 33 historical eruptions, the last one in 1977. The Volcano Island is a permanent danger zone.

The government agency specifically tasked to keep an eye on volcanoes, the PHIVOLCS, declared a Alert Level 2 in June of 2010, which alert was downgraded to Level 1 in August. Based on PHIVOLCS information, the alert levels for Taal Volcano (Mayon Volcano has separate alert level descriptions) are as follows:

No alert (Normal)

Criteria: Background, quiet.

Interpretation: No eruption in foreseeable future.

Alert Level 1 (Abnormal)

Criteria: Low level seismicity, fumarolic, other activity.

Interpretation: Magmatic, tectonic or hydrothermal disturbance; no eruption imminent.

Alert Level 2 (Alarming)

Criteria: Low to moderate level of seismicity, persistence of local but unfelt earthquakes. Ground deformation measurements above baseline levels. Increased water and/or ground probe hole temperatures, increased bubbling at Crater Lake

Interpretation: A) Probable magmatic intrusion; could eventually lead to an eruption.

B) If trend shows further decline, volcano may soon go to level 1

Alert Level 3 (Critical)

Criteria: Relatively high unrest manifested by seismic swarms including increasing occurrence of low frequency earthquakes and/or harmonic tremor (some events felt). Sudden or increasing changes in temperature or bubbling activity or radon gas emission or Crater Lake pH. Bulging of the edifice and fissuring may accompany seismicity.

Interpretation: A) If trend is one of increasing unrest, eruption is possible within days to weeks.

B) If trend is one of decreasing unrest, volcano may soon go to level 2

Alert Level 4 (Eruption Imminent)

Criteria: Intense unrest, continuing seismic swarms, including harmonic tremor and/or “low frequency earthquakes” which are usually felt, profuse steaming along existing and perhaps new vents and fissures.

Interpretation: Hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days.

Alert Level 5 (Eruption)

Criteria: Base surges accompanied by eruption columns or lava fountaining or lava flows.

Interpretation: Hazardous eruption in progress. Extreme hazards to communities west of the volcano and ashfalls on downwind sectors.

Source: PHIVOLCS

If I don’t make sense, if I sound confused, think that I’m seriously low in sugar right now. Or think about the confusion in the name Cafe Breton, which, at first glance, obviously has reference to things British. It serves Dracula (of Transylvania, but in Cafe Breton, it’s cheese, tomato and garlic), La Pinay (definitely Filipina, but here: mango, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce), Hungarian Sausage, the savoury favorites Neptune (Roman god of the sea, but here: tuna, dairy fresh cream, tomato, onion and mushrooms), Poseidon (Greek equivalent of Neptune, but here: smoked salmon, dill sauce, sour cream, capers). Sure, Poseidon and Neptune may have reference to the British past of being masters of the sea (like, uhm, pirate Captain Jack Sparrows?).

Turned out “Breton” is not really about the British; it’s French. The word “crepe”, which is a type of very thin pancake, is French in origin. Breton refers to the people of, or things associated with, Britanny, which is part of France. It is said that crepe originated in Britanny. Cafe Breton is not confused after all.

Our friend, Jean, would make it a point to visit Cafe Breton every time she’s on a vacation from the U.S. She goes every day. Oui mademoiselle, you heard me right, EVERY day. We have the same favorite in Cafe Breton — La Pinay. How can you resist this sweet crepe? The soft, ripe mango inside is warmed and wrapped by the crepe. The vanilla ice cream on top, melts in a slow pace, not hurrying you to gobble up everything. The chocolate sauce caps the diffused sweetness of the mango, crepe and ice cream. As I said before: “But logic rarely applies in food, something which should be easily understood by those who are fighting so hard to lose weight. Must . . . have . . . La Pinay. Really, how could you resist this mango-filled crepe, served with vanilla ice cream on top and made extra juicy-licious by a “healthy” dose of chocolate?” I’d still go back here in Cafe Breton for this crepe even if Dracula asks for my blood in return.

Of course, there’s a balance to everything. If Britain has King Arthur, it also has, well, Austin Powers. If France has Joan of Arc, it has the Moulin Rouge. If Cafe Breton has a sweet La Pinay, it also has other offerings like the savoury Dracula and the Sausage in a Bun. The Dracula I tasted only once, just a little bite, sharing my wife’s plate (it sounds good in the title of this post, though). My default pairing for a light meal in Cafe Breton is the Sausage in a Bun, capped by La Pinay.

And here’s the other part that I really appreciate about Cafe Breton — no, it’s not the service (last weekend when we went to the Trinoma branch, I was tempted to swear not to come back again, except that I’ll be unfaithful to my La Pinay if I do that), it’s the atmosphere that allows a decent conversation. Soft music. No need to raise the volume of one’s voice. Plenty of elbow room. While the tables are usually loaded when we got here, it’s not too noisy. Better than Starbucks, I guess.

Dracula would surely appreciate the ambiance here, though he better be careful because Cafe Breton serves Dracula for meals.

We know it was terribly wrong for Mendoza, who was previously dismissed from police service, to use force to air his grievances. In the morning of 23 August 2010, a Monday, Mendoza boarded a tourist bus and held hostage more than 20 tourists. Many hostages were released, while many died during the ensuing assault on the bus.

We know that the police committed a number of serious tactical errors during the negotiations and during the actual assault, something which is admitted by the PNP’s brass. We all know that there’s a whole lot of changes and improvements that must be done with the capabilities of the authorities.

We know that many from Hongkong protested how the crisis was handled by the Philippine authorities. We know that the Hongkong people have the right to make such protest — we’ve done the same thing in this instance. We express our sincerest condolences to the family of those who perished. We have to wait for a week to keep our anger in check.

Yet we also know that it’s wrong to attack other Filipinos for what happened. We share the same frustrations like anyone else. While we cannot bring back the lives that were lost, we can honor their memory by always remembering what happened — and insisting that continuing measures be set in place to effectively address peace and order concerns.

This is the least we could do, for ourselves and for all non-Filipinos.

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Serving lutong bahay is the core of RSM Lutong Bahay Restaurant, I suppose. We often pass by this place, which is near Leslie’s and also overlooking Taal Volcano, but never have any compelling reason to stop and grab a bite. Now that we’re in the area, and since we’ve long ago thought of exploring other bulalo-serving restaurants, we’ve found the perfect excuse to go.

The wisp of steaming bulalo sent my gut to overdrive. The first sip of the bulalo broth, it became clear — the flavor is less distinct than others, say Leslie’s. This, however, is never enough to deter me from attacking a good bulalo. I began nodding by the third sip, then a smile. It’s actually good. It’s like a soft approach, with the taste slowly building up and getting better. In the end, the taste became a non-issue (except that I would appreciate RSM putting more litid in the bulalo). I could actually eat it the whole day, if only that’s not a health suicide.

The inihaw na pusit (grilled squid) and the minatamis na saging (sweetened banana) were ok. There’s the tawilis, a kind of fish which you can only find — and eat — in the areas surrounding Taal lake, principally Tagaytay. You MUST taste it when you go visit Tagaytay (and eat it while it’s hot).

What surprised me was the laing, which gabi as the main ingredient. I usually shy away from the laing in Metro Manila, or anywhere in Luzon for that matter, because laing here is made of the gabi leaf. In our place, the leaves are thrown away, the stalks are made into laing. Laing made of leaves, of course, is too soft for my palate. The laing of RSM, while still made of gabi leaves, is different. It has a smoother, paste-like, consistency, but what got my goat, er, taste buds, is the flavor. They obviously did not scrimp on the coconut milk. I actually ate it with gusto.

RSM has a great view of Taal Volcano (or the Taal Lake, because, if you come to think of it, RSM and the other establishments are sitting on the outer crater of the volcano. There’s a telescope, which is actually a good idea, so you could take a closer look at the crater within the crater, or the fish pens dotting the Taal Lake.

Maybe I got too big, and need to lose some weight, because I felt stifled. It’s obviously not the floor area, as the restaurant has a generous floor area, with a number of levels and a viewing deck. I thought I’d get smarter with each bite of glorious bulalo, more nutrients for the brain, and figure out why I felt like a claustrophobic. I got tired of thinking, and I got tired of chewing, so I settled with the best theory I could come up with . . .

Both sides of RSM’s view deck are covered by a high concrete walls. You can’t see your neighbors. Why would I care about my neighbors when I’m eating bulalo, you say. Well, you have a point, but my point is this — the high walls abruptly cut off the line of sight in both sides. It encases the vision. It’s like: “Thanks for the great food, but perhaps it would be better if I can eat while enjoying my peripheral vision.” Tagaytay, after all, is somewhere you breathe and relax.

Still, my beef (no pun intended) about my peripheral vision has absolutely nothing to do with the good food in strong RSM Lutong Bahay Restaurant.

Binagol, which is taro pudding with nuts, derives its name from it’s container — polished coconut shell, called “bagol” in the local dialect. It’s just half of the coconut shell, because if it’s the whole shell (with glutinous/sticky rice as the main ingredient), that would be the kalamay of Bohol. Same glutinous rice ingredient, but using the tiny pitugo shell, that’s the infamous “sundot kulangot” of Baguio City (it’s a delicacy, but its name, which is booger in English, would make you think twice before eating it).

Binagol could be found in Samar and Leyte, and it’s widely known to be the star produce of the municipality of Dagami, found in Leyte province. Still, for travelers and tourists, binagol is generally linked to Tacloban City, primarily because tourists usually use the Tacloban airport as a means of access to the provinces of Samar, Leyte and Southern Leyte.

Tacloban is swarming with binagol: airport, bus terminals, port area, shopping centers, sidewalk stores. Everywhere you’ll see the blackish-green banana leaf cover (two layers, with the grain of the leaf placed perpendicular for strength), beautifully tied by a white string.

There’s an art in eating the binagol. You don’t start by scooping and eating the upper part or the crust, which is a dense mixture of ground taro (this is the primary ingredient, a root crop locally known as gabi, but remember there are many varieties of gabi).

Starting with the crust would give you a dull sweetness, pretty much like eating sugar with an iced tongue. The bottom part is a mixture of taro, condensed milk, coconut milk, with raw egg yolk dropped in the middle, then covered by the tuber mixture. So you slice through until the bottom, where the really sweet part is, and eat a portion which has a good crust-core  blend.

We once said that you haven’t been to Bohol if you have not seen the Chocolate Hills. The same is true with binagol (or other delicacies for that matter) — you haven’t been to Leyte if you haven’t tasted binagol.

Then, floating majestically in the sky, a hero. It’s a bird. No, it’s a plane? Superman, not even.

It’s the Flying Pig. And not any ordinary flying pig. It’s the Flying Pig: BBQ House & French-American Bistro.

The story is, of course, a fantastic tale, but that’s within the spirit of the Flying Pig, a named coined by Raymund Magdaluyo’s four-year old son, Rico. Chef Raymund, with more than ten restaurants under his belt, thanked his son and “all other little sons and daughters who remind us of a world where pigs fly and dreams come true.”

I really had no monumental dream at that time, about thirty minutes from lunch on a weekend. I was to accompany my wife to the occasional gathering with her college friends. Rina, who works abroad, is scheduled to leave in a week. Nancy and Neil, as usual, were behind schedule. We didn’t mind, really, because we had an exciting search up ahead — where in Eastwood Mall is the Flying Pig?

Travel is equally about the journey and the destination. The fun starts with the search for the destination. The search for a restaurant is no different. Besides, how hard could it be to look for a Flying Pig? We quickly learned it’s in front, near the entrance of Eastwood Mall, facing the fountains. Then came the harder part, what to order.

The time-tested suggestion is to ask the staff for the bestseller. We’ve tried it time and again. That time, however, I knew I don’t have to resort to it as soon as I saw the menu. Just like a pig flying, three items seemed to float out of the menu: baby back ribs, spare ribs, and bagnet.

The baby back ribs tasted good, though I’d like to believe that I made the wrong decision in trying the homemade pork and beans as side dish, instead of the usual fries or mashed potato which I order in TGI Fridays or FlapJacks. The pork and beans side dish was too salty for me. The mashed potato should have balanced the crisp and full flavor of the ribs; the pork and beans heightened it.

The spare ribs, ordered by my wife but within easy reach of my roving spoon and fork, fared better with the sliced potatoes on the side. The meat was soft, the flavor heavenly.

The Bangin’ Bagnet is described in the menu as “Ilocandia crispy pork belly with adobo rice, pinakurat vinegar and balsamic liver sauce.” The Flying Pig bagnet is as crunchy, even crispier, but maybe because it’s sliced into thinner pieces, not in cubes like what you see in the previous post.

Anyway, Chef Raymund’s Flying Pig is one that I’d willingly visit again. I can’t pretend to know Chef Raymund, though it would probably be cool having a chef as a friend. Lots of samplers. Lots of great food. This may be an empty daydream, but Chef Raymund himself noted a world where pigs fly and dreams come true.

Apolinario Mabini. When you hear Apolinario Mabini, what first comes to mind?

Lumpo. Crippled. The Sublime Paralytic. It’s secondary, even unknown to many, that Mabini is a lawyer, an educator, and a political writer. He is, of course, a statesman and a patriot.

He is the chief adviser of General Emilio Aquinaldo during the revolution. He is also known as the Brains of the Philippine Revolution.

It’s also unknown to many that there’s an Apolinario Mabini Shrine. I’m one of those who didn’t know that a shrine for Mabini exists, until last week, when we stumbled by accident on the shrine on the way to a weekend trip.

We took the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) route, taking the Batangas exit (Exit 50), then entering the Star Tollway. A moderately-sized sign at the roadside, just before the Star Tollway entrance, announces that the Mabini Shrine is up ahead, as well as the distance. Just under 10 minutes  from the Star Tollway entrance, we took the first exit (Tanauan Exit), taking the first right turn and driving straight towards the direction of Talisay. The shrine is at the right side of the road, around 15 minutes from the Star Tollway exit.

The shrine stands just right by the side of the national highway in Barangay Talaga, municipality of Tanauan, province of Batangas.

It basks in solitude even if surrounded by residential houses, just  7 kilometers from Tanauan town proper. I don’t know if the drizzle and the dark clouds reflect Mabini’s  solitude in this shrine. Not a car or any vehicle in the parking area inside.

I was the only guest that roamed the premises.

We made our “surprise” visit after lunch on a Saturday, which is ok because the shrine is open daily, except holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. My companions, mostly with children, decided not to go down because of the drizzle. There would be no extra cost if everybody went it because there’s no entrance fee.

Anyone who maintains a lawn knows if the grass is regularly trimmed and if you’re wondering how a regularly-cut grass looks like, you’ll see it here in the Mabini shrine. The grounds are well-kept and the staff very courteous. One staff will accompany you and explain an interesting detail or two as you go around the modest museum. Or, just a thought, maybe make sure that you don’t take away an item of importance.

Let me see, it’s hard to take out the casket. This is the coffin used to transfer the remains of Mabini from the Mausoleo delos Veteranos de la Revolucion in Manila North Cemetery to this shrine, which is the where Mabini was born. That was on 23 July 1956 (died in 13 May 1903, after his exile from Guam). Apolinario Mabini came home to his place of birth.

The museum, as expected, holds a number of items of historical interest. There’s the Decalogue of Mabini and his other writings. There’s a walking cane (perhaps used during the time that Mabini was about to lose the use of his legs, he was born on 23 July 1864, paralyzed in January 1896). There’s a handkerchief given by Mabini to a lady teacher (smooth, huh?).

Among the items that caught my attention was something that you’ll see in popular culture — eyeglasses. Kids today easily recognize Harry Potter in his round-rimmed clear glasses. The hippies of the past generation remember John Lennon of the Beatles, with his round eyeglasses. You’ll recognize Mahatma Gandhi, born more than 10 years after Mabini, by his teachings and his round-shaped eyeglasses.

But even before Potter, Lennon or Gandhi, all wearing their iconic glasses, there already was Apolinario Mabini of the Philippines. And who says a museum visit is boring?

Prior to August 1, we’ve followed the medical bulletins indicating that President Aquino, fondly called as Tita Cory, was in a lot of physical suffering from cancer. While we prayed for a miracle, we also prepared for the reality that Tita Cory would be gone any time soon.

And so on the first day of the month of August, the same month that her martyred husband (Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino) died, Tita Cory was finally granted eternal rest.

We wrote during that day:

We mark this day, 1 August 2009, as a very sad and solemn day for Filipinos. Today, at around 3:18 a.m., our beloved former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, joined her Creator.

We could continue writing about her life, but let’s just say that the previous write-up would suffice for our purposes (see President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, 1933-2009). She was buried on August 5, declared as a national holiday to enable Filipinos to grieve without being hampered by work. So many would be absent anyway.

I wanted to go to the Manila Cathedral for her wake, the first and only time that someone who is a “civilian” or not part of the clergy was allowed that honor. My friends and relatives were there, braving the almost half a day of wait in the queue and the heavy rains. Nobody budged. I wasn’t able to make it.

I wanted to join the procession from the Manila Cathedral to the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque, where Cory was buried, but I wasn’t able to attend. Yet I could not work or leave the house. I was in front of the TV watching the entire thing, from the preparations in the morning until the sign-off in the evening.

After one year and after monuments were created in Cory’s honor (see Cory Aquino Memorial Shrine), we finally resolved to visit her grave and pay our respects.

“Guard, saan banda si Tita Cory?” (Where is the tomb of Tita Cory?), we asked the guard at the entrance of the Manila Memorial Park. Just 10 or 15 minutes back, coming from the direction of Makati, we took the Sucat exit of the South Luzon Expressway, turning right at the first intersection. We saw the Loyola Memorial Park, but was told that’s not the place. Just go straight up ahead. We saw the Manila Memorial Park, also at the left side of the road.

The guard replied: “Ah, kay Tita Cory. Pagdating niyo sa fountain, kanan papunta sa pataas na tulay. Pagkatapos ng apat na intersection, makikita mo si Tita Cory sa kanan.” He seemed to be know that there’s no other Tita Cory. He knew exactly where the tomb is; he probably visited it. We said thank you and went our way, except that we did not find any fountain.

The memorial park is huge, even bigger than many subdivisions. It has huge and grandly-designed mausoleums, with names that resembles a who’s who list of known family names. The yellow ribbons on posts and trees were no help — they’re everywhere. We assumed that we could easily spot the mausoleum of Tita Cory and Ninoy. We thought the mausoleum would be the grandest and the biggest. But assumption, as one movie line goes, is the mother of all f*#kups.

It took us around half an hour to find the mausoleum. It was so simple it’s dwarfed by other lesser mortals. Typical of Cory.

The last man we asked was a driver, onboard his tricycle having just dropped a passenger. “Doon po,” he said, “ituturo ko po sa inyo.” We thought he’d just raise his hand and point to the general direction of the tomb. Then, without hesitation, he turned on his tricycle, made a u-turn, and led us all the way to the tomb. We were amazed. This is the same kind of spirit during the burial of Tita Cory, when people spontaneously do things we don’t normally expect, just to show their respect and appreciation for this extraordinary woman. This is the same spirit of the four honor guards, who stood in attention for a whole day, without food and water, under the sun and in pouring rain. This is the same spirit of a sea of people who gathered around the cortege and walked from the Manila Cathedral to the burial site. 22 kilometers, more or less.

“Salamat po,” was all we could say to the driver. He smiled and went his way.

We went ahead of Cory’s death anniversary because we figured many people, including President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and his siblings, will visit on August 1. We might not have the silence to pay our respects. Five people were already there when we around around 10 a.m., and four more arrived while we were saying our prayers.

I bet these visitors are unknown to President Cory Aquino or her entire family. We’re unknown to them. But we know Tita Cory as the Saint of Democracy. We don’t call her “Tita” Cory by reason of some fad. We feel comfortable calling her “Tita Cory” because she’s like a mother; a  mother of the country, rekindling hope whenever it dwindles. She will be terribly missed.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; my fellow workers in government;

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.

Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.

Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.

Sa unang tatlong linggo ng aming panunungkulan, marami po kaming natuklasan. Nais ko pong ipahayag sa inyo ang iilan lamang sa mga namana nating suliranin at ang ginagawa naming hakbang para lutasin ang mga ito.

Sulyap lamang po ito; hindi pa ito ang lahat ng problemang haharapin natin. Inilihim at sadyang iniligaw ang sambayanan sa totoong kalagayan ng ating bansa.

Sa unang anim na buwan ng taon, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos. Sa target na kuleksyon, kinapos tayo ng 23.8 billion pesos; ang tinataya namang gastos, nalagpasan natin ng 45.1 billion pesos.

Ang budget po sa 2010 ay 1.54 trillion pesos.
Nasa isandaang bilyong piso o anim at kalahating porsyento na lang ng kabuuan ang malaya nating magagamit para sa nalalabing anim na buwan ng taong ito.

Halos isang porsyento na lang po ng kabuuang budget ang natitira para sa bawat buwan.

Saan naman po dinala ang pera?

Naglaan ng dalawang bilyong piso na Calamity Fund bilang paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad na hindi pa nangyayari. Napakaliit na nga po ng pondong ito, ngunit kapapasok pa lang natin sa panahon ng baha at bagyo, 1.4 billion pesos o sitenta porsyento na ang nagastos.

Sa kabuuan ng 108 million pesos para sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, 105 million pesos nito ay napunta sa iisang distrito lamang. Samantala, ang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na sinalanta ng Pepeng ay nakatanggap ng limang milyong piso lamang para sa pinsalang idinulot ng bagyong Cosme, na nangyari noong 2008 pa.

Ibinigay po ang pondo ng Pampanga sa buwan ng eleksyon, pitong buwan pagkatapos ng Ondoy at Pepeng. Paano kung bumagyo bukas? Inubos na ang pondo nito para sa bagyong nangyari noong isang taon pa. Pagbabayaran ng kinabukasan ang kasakiman ng nakaraan.

Ganyan din po ang nangyari sa pondo ng MWSS. Kamakailan lamang, pumipila ang mga tao para lang makakuha ng tubig. Sa kabila nito, minabuti pa ng liderato ng MWSS na magbigay ng gantimpala sa sarili kahit hindi pa nababayaran ang pensyon ng mga retiradong empleyado.

Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag.

Ang karaniwang manggagawa hanggang 13th month pay plus cash gift lang ang nakukuha. Sa MWSS, aabot sa katumbas ng mahigit sa tatlumpung buwan ang sahod kasama na ang lahat ng mga bonuses at allowances na nakuha nila.

Mas matindi po ang natuklasan natin sa pasahod ng kanilang Board of Trustees. Tingnan po natin ang mga allowances na tinatanggap nila:
Umupo ka lang sa Board of Trustees at Board Committee meeting, katorse mil na. Aabot ng nobenta’y otso mil ito kada buwan. May grocery incentive pa sila na otsenta mil kada taon.

Hindi lang iyon: may mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, at Financial Assistance. May Christmas bonus na, may Additional Christmas Package pa. Kada isa sa mga ito, nobenta’y otso mil.

Sa suma total po, aabot ang lahat ng dalawa’t kalahating milyong piso kada taon sa bawat miyembro ng Board maliban sa pakotse, technical assistance, at pautang. Uulitin ko po. Lahat ng ito ay ibinibigay nila sa kanilang mga sarili habang hindi pa nababayaran ang mga pensyon ng kanilang mga retirees.

Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangang alagaan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay para sa matataas na opisyal ng MWSS.

Hindi naman sila agad maaalis sa puwesto dahil kabilang sila sa mga Midnight Appointees ni dating Pangulong Arroyo. Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.

Pag-usapan naman po natin ang pondo para sa imprastruktura. Tumukoy ang DPWH ng dalawandaan apatnapu’t anim na priority safety projects na popondohan ng Motor Vehicle Users Charge. Mangangailangan po ito ng budget na 425 million pesos.

Ang pinondohan po, dalawampu’t walong proyekto lang. Kinalimutan po ang dalawandaan at labing walong proyekto at pinalitan ng pitumpung proyekto na wala naman sa plano. Ang hininging 425 million pesos, naging 480 million pesos pa, lumaki lalo dahil sa mga proyektong sa piling-piling mga benepisyaryo lang napunta.

Mga proyekto po itong walang saysay, hindi pinag-aralan at hindi pinaghandaan, kaya parang kabuteng sumusulpot.

Tapos na po ang panahon para dito. Sa administrasyon po natin, walang kota-kota, walang tongpats, ang pera ng taumbayan ay gagastusin para sa taumbayan lamang.

Meron pa po tayong natuklasan. Limang araw bago matapos ang termino ng nakaraang administrasyon, nagpautos silang maglabas ng 3.5 billion pesos para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga nasalanta nina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Walumpu’t anim na proyekto ang paglalaanan dapat nito na hindi na sana idadaan sa public bidding. Labingsiyam sa mga ito na nagkakahalaga ng 981 million pesos ang muntik nang makalusot. Hindi pa nailalabas ang Special Allotment Release Order ay pirmado na ang mga kontrata.

Buti na lang po ay natuklasan at pinigilan ito ni Secretary Rogelio Singson ng DPWH. Ngayon po ay dadaan na ang kabuuan ng 3.5 billion pesos sa tapat na bidding, at magagamit na ang pondo na ito sa pagbibigay ng lingap sa mga nawalan ng tahanan dahil kina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Pag-usapan naman natin ang nangyari sa NAPOCOR. Noong 2001 hanggang 2004, pinilit ng gobyerno ang NAPOCOR na magbenta ng kuryente nang palugi para hindi tumaas ang presyo. Tila ang dahilan: pinaghahandaan na nila ang eleksyon.
Dahil dito, noong 2004, sumagad ang pagkakabaon sa utang ng NAPOCOR. Napilitan ang pambansang gobyerno na sagutin ang dalawandaang bilyong pisong utang nito.

Ang inakala ng taumbayan na natipid nila sa kuryente ay binabayaran din natin mula sa kaban ng bayan. May gastos na tayo sa kuryente, binabayaran pa natin ang dagdag na pagkakautang ng gobyerno.

Kung naging matino ang pag-utang, sana’y nadagdagan ang ating kasiguruhan sa supply ng kuryente. Pero ang desisyon ay ibinatay sa maling pulitika, at hindi sa pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan, matapos pinagsakripisyo ay lalo pang pinahirapan.

Ganito rin po ang nangyari sa MRT. Sinubukan na namang bilhin ang ating pagmamahal. Pinilit ang operator na panatilihing mababa ang pamasahe.
Hindi tuloy nagampanan ang garantiyang ibinigay sa operator na mababawi nila ang kanilang puhunan. Dahil dito, inutusan ang Landbank at Development Bank of the Philippines na bilhin ang MRT.

Ang pera ng taumbayan, ipinagpalit sa isang naluluging operasyon.
Dumako naman po tayo sa pondo ng NFA.

Noong 2004: 117,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply ng Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 900,000 metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit pitong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra pa rin ang binili nila.

Noong 2007: 589,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply sa Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 1.827 million metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit tatlong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra na naman ang binili nila.

Ang masakit nito, dahil sobra-sobra ang binibili nila taun-taon, nabubulok lang pala sa mga kamalig ang bigas, kagaya ng nangyari noong 2008.
Hindi po ba krimen ito, na hinahayaan nilang mabulok ang bigas, sa kabila ng apat na milyong Pilipinong hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw?

Ang resulta nito, umabot na sa 171.6 billion pesos ang utang ng NFA noong Mayo ng taong ito.

Ang tinapon na ito, halos puwede na sanang pondohan ang mga sumusunod:

Ang budget ng buong Hudikatura, na 12.7 billion pesos sa taong ito.

Ang Conditional Cash Transfers para sa susunod na taon, na nagkakahalaga ng 29.6 billion pesos.

Ang lahat ng classroom na kailangan ng ating bansa, na nagkakahalaga ng 130 billion pesos.

Kasuklam-suklam ang kalakarang ito. Pera na, naging bato pa.

Narinig po ninyo kung paano nilustay ang kaban ng bayan. Ang malinaw po sa ngayon: ang anumang pagbabago ay magmumula sa pagsiguro natin na magwawakas na ang pagiging maluho at pagwawaldas.

Kaya nga po mula ngayon: ititigil na natin ang paglulustay sa salapi ng bayan. Tatanggalin natin ang mga proyektong mali.

Ito po ang punto ng tinatawag nating zero-based approach sa ating budget. Ang naging kalakaran po, taun-taon ay inuulit lamang ang budget na puno ng tagas. Dadagdagan lang nang konti, puwede na.

Sa susunod na buwan ay maghahain tayo ng budget na kumikilala nang tama sa mga problema, at magtutuon din ng pansin sa tamang solusyon.

Ilan lang ito sa mga natuklasan nating problema. Heto naman po ang ilang halimbawa ng mga hakbang na ginagawa natin.

Nandiyan po ang kaso ng isang may-ari ng sanglaan. Bumili siya ng sasakyang tinatayang nasa dalawampu’t anim na milyong piso ang halaga.

Kung kaya mong bumili ng Lamborghini, bakit hindi mo kayang magbayad ng buwis?

Nasampahan na po ito ng kaso. Sa pangunguna nina Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares at Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, bawat linggo po ay may bago tayong kasong isinasampa kontra sa mga smuggler at sa mga hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.

Natukoy na rin po ang salarin sa mga kaso nina Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio at Miguel Belen, tatlo sa anim na insidente ng extralegal killings mula nang umupo tayo.

Singkuwenta porsyento po ng mga insidente ng extralegal killings ang patungo na sa kanilang resolusyon.

Ang natitira pong kalahati ay hindi natin tatantanan ang pag-usig hanggang makamit ang katarungan.

Pananagutin natin ang mga mamamatay-tao. Pananagutin din natin ang mga corrupt sa gobyerno.

Nagsimula nang mabuo ang ating Truth Commission, sa pangunguna ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Hahanapin natin ang katotohanan sa mga nangyari diumanong katiwalian noong nakaraang siyam na taon.

Sa loob ng linggong ito, pipirmahan ko ang kauna-unahang Executive Order na nagtatalaga sa pagbuo nitong Truth Commission.

Kung ang sagot sa kawalan ng katarungan ay pananagutan, ang sagot naman sa kakulangan natin sa pondo ay mga makabago at malikhaing paraan para tugunan ang mga pagkatagal-tagal nang problema.

Napakarami po ng ating pangangailangan: mula sa edukasyon, imprastruktura, pangkalusugan, pangangailangan ng militar at kapulisan, at marami pang iba. Hindi kakasya ang pondo para mapunan ang lahat ng ito.

Kahit gaano po kalaki ang kakulangan para mapunan ang mga listahan ng ating pangangailangan, ganado pa rin ako dahil marami nang nagpakita ng panibagong interes at kumpyansa sa Pilipinas.

Ito ang magiging solusyon: mga Public-Private Partnerships. Kahit wala pa pong pirmahang nangyayari dito, masasabi kong maganda ang magiging bunga ng maraming usapin ukol dito.

May mga nagpakita na po ng interes, gustong magtayo ng expressway na mula Maynila, tatahak ng Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, hanggang sa dulo ng Cagayan Valley nang hindi gugugol ang estado kahit na po piso.

Sa larangan ng ating Sandatahang Lakas:

Mayroon po tayong 36,000 nautical miles ng baybayin. Ang mayroon lamang tayo: tatlumpu’t dalawang barko. Itong mga barkong ito, panahon pa ni MacArthur.

May nagmungkahi sa atin, ito ang proposisyon: uupahan po nila ang headquarters ng Navy sa Roxas Boulevard at ang Naval Station sa Fort Bonifacio.

Sagot po nila ang paglipat ng Navy Headquarters sa Camp Aguinaldo. Agaran, bibigyan tayo ng isandaang milyong dolyar. At dagdag pa sa lahat nang iyan, magsusubi pa sila sa atin ng kita mula sa mga negosyong itatayo nila sa uupahan nilang lupa.

Sa madali pong sabi: Makukuha natin ang kailangan natin, hindi tatayo gagastos, kikita pa tayo.

Marami na pong nag-alok at nagmungkahi sa atin, mula lokal hanggang dayuhang negosyante, na magpuno ng iba’t ibang pangangailangan.

Mula sa mga public-private partnerships na ito, lalago ang ating ekonomiya, at bawat Pilipino makikinabang. Napakaraming sektor na matutulungan nito.

Maipapatayo na po ang imprastrukturang kailangan natin para palaguin ang turismo.

Sa agrikultura, makapagtatayo na tayo ng mga grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, maayos na road networks at post-harvest facilities.

Kung maisasaayos natin ang ating food supply chain sa tulong ng pribadong sektor, sa halip na mag-angkat tayo ay maari na sana tayong mangarap na mag-supply sa pandaigdigang merkado.

Kung maitatayo ang minumungkahi sa ating railway system, bababa ang presyo ng bilihin. Mas mura, mas mabilis, mas maginhawa, at makakaiwas pa sa kotong cops at mga kumokotong na rebelde ang mga bumibiyahe.

Paalala lang po: una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho, at nanggagaling ang trabaho sa paglago ng industriya. Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo.

Pabibilisin natin ang proseso ng mga proyektong sumasailalim sa Build-Operate-Transfer. Sa tulong ng lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno at ng mga mamamayan, pabababain natin sa anim na buwan ang proseso na noon ay inaabot ng taon kung hindi dekada.

May mga hakbang na rin pong sinisimulan ang DTI, sa pamumuno ni Secretary Gregory Domingo:

Ang walang-katapusang pabalik-balik sa proseso ng pagrehistro ng pangalan ng kumpanya, na kada dalaw ay umaabot ng apat hanggang walong oras, ibababa na natin sa labinlimang minuto.

Ang dating listahan ng tatlumpu’t anim na dokumento, ibababa natin sa anim. Ang dating walong pahinang application form, ibababa natin sa isang pahina.

Nananawagan ako sa ating mga LGUs. Habang naghahanap tayo ng paraan para gawing mas mabilis ang pagbubukas ng mga negosyo, pag-aralan din sana nila ang kanilang mga proseso. Kailangan itong gawing mas mabilis, at kailangan itong itugma sa mga sinisumulan nating reporma.

Negosyante, sundalo, rebelde, at karaniwang Pilipino, lahat po makikinabang dito. Basta po hindi dehado ang Pilipino, papasukin po natin lahat iyan. Kailangan na po nating simulan ang pagtutulungan para makamit ito. Huwag nating pahirapan ang isa’t isa.

Parating na po ang panahon na hindi na natin kailangang mamili sa pagitan ng seguridad ng ating mamamayan o sa kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak.

Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships na ito, mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan, alinsunod sa ating plataporma.

Magkakapondo na po para maipatupad ang mga plano natin sa edukasyon.
Mapapalawak natin ang basic education cycle mula sa napakaikling sampung taon tungo sa global standard na labindalawang taon.

Madadagdagan natin ang mga classroom. Mapopondohan natin ang service contracting sa ilalim ng GASTPE.

Pati ang conditional cash transfers, na magbabawas ng pabigat sa bulsa ng mga pamilya, madadagdan na rin ng pondo.

Maipapatupad ang plano natin sa PhilHealth.

Una, tutukuyin natin ang tunay na bilang ng mga nangangailangan nito. Sa ngayon, hindi magkakatugma ang datos. Sabi ng PhilHealth sa isang bibig, walumpu’t pitong porsyento na raw ang merong coverage. Sa kabilang bibig naman, singkuwenta’y tres porsyento naman. Ayon naman sa National Statistics Office, tatlumpu’t walong porsyento ang may coverage.

Ngayon pa lang, kumikilos na si Secretary Dinky Soliman at ang DSWD upang ipatupad ang National Household Targetting System, na magtutukoy sa mga pamilyang higit na nagangailangan ng tulong. Tinatayang siyam na bilyon ang kailangan para mabigyan ng PhilHealth ang limang milyong pinakamaralitang pamilyang Pilipino.

Napakaganda po ng hinaharap natin. Kasama na po natin ang pribadong sektor, at kasama na rin natin ang League of Provinces, sa pangunguna nina Governor Alfonso Umali kasama sina Governor L-Ray Villafuerte at Governor Icot Petilla. Handa na pong makipagtulungan para makibahagi sa pagtustos ng mga gastusin. Alam ko rin pong hindi magpapahuli ang League of Cities sa pangunguna ni Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

Kung ang mga gobyernong lokal ay nakikiramay na sa ating mga adhikain, ang Kongreso namang pinanggalingan ko, siguro naman maasahan ko din.

Nagpakitang-gilas na po ang gabinete sa pagtukoy ng ating mga problema at sa paglulunsad ng mga solusyon sa loob lamang ng tatlong linggo.

Nang bagyo pong Basyang, ang sabi sa atin ng mga may prangkisa sa kuryente, apat na araw na walang kuryente. Dahil sa mabilis na pagkilos ni Secretary Rene Almendras at ng Department of Energy, naibalik ang kuryente sa halos lahat sa loob lamang ng beinte-kwatro oras.

Ito pong sinasabing kakulangan sa tubig sa Metro Manila, kinilusan agad ni Secretary Rogelio Singson at ng DPWH. Hindi na siya naghintay ng utos, kaya nabawasan ang perwisyo.

Nakita na rin natin ang gilas ng mga hinirang nating makatulong sa Gabinete. Makatuwiran naman po sigurong umasa na hindi na sila padadaanin sa butas ng karayom para makumpirma ng Commission on Appointments. Kung mangyayari po ito, marami pa sa mga mahuhusay na Pilipino ang maeengganyong magsilbi sa gobyerno.

Sa lalong madaling panahon po, uupo na tayo sa LEDAC at pag-uusapan ang mga mahahalagang batas na kailangan nating ipasa. Makakaasa kayo na mananatiling bukas ang aking isipan, at ang ating ugnayan ay mananatiling tapat.

Isinusulong po natin ang Fiscal Responsibility Bill, kung saan hindi tayo magpapasa ng batas na mangangailangan ng pondo kung hindi pa natukoy ang panggagalingan nito. May 104.1 billion pesos tayong kailangan para pondohan ang mga batas na naipasa na, ngunit hindi maipatupad.
Kailangan din nating isaayos ang mga insentibong piskal na ibinigay noong nakaraan. Ngayong naghihigpit tayo ng sinturon, kailangang balikan kung alin sa mga ito ang dapat manatili at kung ano ang dapat nang itigil.

Huwag po tayong pumayag na magkaroon ng isa pang NBN-ZTE. Sa lokal man o dayuhan manggagaling ang pondo, dapat dumaan ito sa tamang proseso. Hinihingi ko po ang tulong ninyo upang amiyendahan ang ating Procurement Law.

Ayon po sa Saligang Batas, tungkulin ng estado ang siguruhing walang lamangan sa merkado. Bawal ang monopolya, bawal ang mga cartel na sasakal sa kumpetisyon. Kailangan po natin ng isang Anti-Trust Law na magbibigay-buhay sa mga prinsipyong ito. Ito ang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga Small- at Medium-scale Enterprises na makilahok at tumulong sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya.
Ipasa na po natin ang National Land Use Bill.

Una rin pong naging batas ng Commonwealth ang National Defense Act, na ipinasa noon pang 1935. Kailangan nang palitan ito ng batas na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng pambansang seguridad sa kasalukuyan.

Nakikiusap po akong isulong ang Whistleblower’s Bill upang patuloy nang iwaksi ang kultura ng takot at pananahimik.

Palalakasin pa lalo ang Witness Protection Program. Alalahanin po natin na noong taong 2009 hanggang 2010, may nahatulan sa 95% ng mga kaso kung saan may witness na sumailalim sa programang ito.

Kailangang repasuhin ang ating mga batas. Nanawagan po akong umpisahan na ang rekodipikasyon ng ating mga batas, upang siguruhing magkakatugma sila at hindi salu-salungat.

Ito pong mga batas na ito ang batayan ng kaayusan, ngunit ang pundasyon ng lahat ng ginagawa natin ay ang prinsipyong wala tayong mararating kung walang kapayapaan at katahimikan.

Dalawa ang hinaharap nating suliranin sa usapin ng kapayapaan: ang situwasyon sa Mindanao, at ang patuloy na pag-aaklas ng CPP-NPA-NDF.

Tungkol sa situwasyon sa Mindanao: Hindi po nagbabago ang ating pananaw. Mararating lamang ang kapayapaan at katahimikan kung mag-uusap ang lahat ng apektado: Moro, Lumad, at Kristiyano. Inatasan na natin si Dean Marvic Leonen na mangasiwa sa ginagawa nating pakikipag-usap sa MILF.

Iiwasan natin ang mga pagkakamaling nangyari sa nakaraang administrasyon, kung saan binulaga na lang ang mga mamamayan ng Mindanao. Hindi tayo puwedeng magbulag-bulagan sa mga dudang may kulay ng pulitika ang proseso, at hindi ang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang tanging interes.

Kinikilala natin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng MILF sa pamamagitan ng pagdidisplina sa kanilang hanay. Inaasahan natin na muling magsisimula ang negosasyon pagkatapos ng Ramadan.

Tungkol naman po sa CPP-NPA-NDF: handa na ba kayong maglaan ng kongkretong mungkahi, sa halip na pawang batikos lamang?

Kung kapayapaan din ang hangad ninyo, handa po kami sa malawakang tigil-putukan. Mag-usap tayo.

Mahirap magsimula ang usapan habang mayroon pang amoy ng pulbura sa hangin. Nananawagan ako: huwag po natin hayaang masayang ang napakagandang pagkakataong ito upang magtipon sa ilalim ng iisang adhikain.

Kapayapaan at katahimikan po ang pundasyon ng kaunlaran. Habang nagpapatuloy ang barilan, patuloy din ang pagkakagapos natin sa kahirapan.

Dapat din po nating mabatid: ito ay panahon ng sakripisyo. At ang sakripisyong ito ay magiging puhunan para sa ating kinabukasan. Kaakibat ng ating mga karapatan at kalayaan ay ang tungkulin natin sa kapwa at sa bayan.

Inaasahan ko po ang ating mga kaibigan sa media, lalo na sa radyo at sa print, sa mga nagbablock-time, at sa community newspapers, kayo na po mismo ang magbantay sa inyong hanay.

Mabigyang-buhay sana ang mga batayang prinsipyo ng inyong bokasyon: ang magbigay-linaw sa mahahalagang isyu; ang maging patas at makatotohanan, at ang itaas ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso.

Tungkulin po ng bawat Pilipino na tutukan ang mga pinunong tayo rin naman ang nagluklok sa puwesto. Humakbang mula sa pakikialam tungo sa pakikilahok. Dahil ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon.

Napakatagal na pong namamayani ang pananaw na ang susi sa asenso ay ang intindihin ang sarili kaysa intindihin ang kapwa. Malinaw po sa akin: paano tayo aasenso habang nilalamangan ang kapwa?

Ang hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataong mag-aral, paanong makakakuha ng trabaho? Kung walang trabaho, paanong magiging konsumer? Paanong mag-iimpok sa bangko?

Ngunit kung babaliktarin natin ang pananaw—kung iisipin nating “Dadagdagan ko ang kakayahan ng aking kapwa”—magbubunga po ito, at ang lahat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon.

Maganda na po ang nasimulan natin. At mas lalong maganda po ang mararating natin. Ngunit huwag nating kalimutan na mayroong mga nagnanasang hindi tayo magtagumpay. Dahil kapag hindi tayo nagtagumpay, makakabalik na naman sila sa kapangyarihan, at sa pagsasamantala sa taumbayan.

Akin pong paniwala na Diyos at taumbayan ang nagdala sa ating kinalalagyan ngayon. Habang nakatutok tayo sa kapakanan ng ating kapwa, bendisyon at patnubay ay tiyak na maaasahan natin sa Poong Maykapal. At kapag nanalig tayo na ang kasangga natin ay ang Diyos, mayroon ba tayong hindi kakayanin?

Ang mandato nating nakuha sa huling eleksyon ay patunay na umaasa pa rin ang Pilipino sa pagbabago. Iba na talaga ang situwasyon. Puwede na muling mangarap. Tayo nang tumungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pinangarap.

Maraming salamat po.

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(Full English official translation of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address [SONA]. Full text and photos courtesy of the Office of the President.)

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay, Chief Justice Renato Corona, Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps;

My beloved countrymen:

Our administration is facing a forked road. On one direction, decisions are made to protect the welfare of our people; to look after the interest of the majority; to have a firm grip on principles; and to be faithful to the public servant’s sworn oath to serve the country honestly.

This is the straight path.

On the other side, personal interest is the priority, and where one becomes a slave to political considerations to the detriment of our nation.

This is the crooked path.

For a long time, our country lost its way in the crooked path. As days go by (since I became President), the massive scope of the problems we have inherited becomes much clearer. I could almost feel the weight of my responsibilities.

In the first three weeks of our administration, we discovered many things, and I will report to you some of the problems we have uncovered, and the steps we are taking to solve them.

This report is merely a glimpse of our situation. It is not the entire picture of the crises we are facing. The reality was hidden from our people, who seem to have been deliberately obfuscated on the real state of our nation.

In the first six years of this year, government expenditure exceeded our revenues. Our deficit further increased to PhP196.7 billion. Our collection targets, which lack PhP23.8 billion, were not fully met, while we went beyond our spending by PhP45.1 billion.

Our budget for 2010 is PhP1.54 trillion. Of this, only PhP100 billion – or 6.5% of the total budget – can be used for the remaining six months of the current year. Roughly 1% of the total budget is left for each of the remaining month.
Where did the funds go?

A calamity fund worth PhP2 billion was reserved in preparation for anticipated calamities. Of this already miniscule amount, at a time when the rainy season has yet to set in, PhP1.4 billion or 70% was already spent.

The entire province of Pampanga received PhP108 million. Of this, PhP105 million went to only one district. On the other hand, the province of Pangasinan, which was severely affected by Typhoon Pepeng, received a mere PhP5 million, which had to be used to fix damages inflicted not even by Pepeng, but by a previous typhoon, Cosme.

The funds were released on election month, which was seven months after the typhoon. What will happen if a typhoon arrives tomorrow? The fund has been used up to repair damage from typhoons that hit us last year. Our future will pay for the greed of yesterday.

This is also what happened to the funds of the MWSS. Just recently, people lined up for water while the leadership of the MWSS rewarded itself even though the pensions of retired employees remain unpaid.

The entire payroll of the MWSS amounts to 51.4 million pesos annually. But this isn’t the full extent of what they receive: they receive additional allowances and benefits amounting to 81.1 million pesos. In short, they receive 211.5 million pesos annually. Twenty four percent of this is for normal salaries, and sixty six percent is added on.

The average worker receives up to 13th month pay plus a cash gift. In the MWSS, they receive the equivalent of over thirty months pay if you include all their additional bonuses and allowances.

What we discovered in the case of the salaries of their board of trustees is even more shocking. Let’s take a look at the allowances they receive:

Attending board of trustees and board committee meetings, and you get fourteen thousands pesos. This totals ninety eight thousand pesos a month. They also get an annual grocery incentive of eighty thousand pesos.

And that’s not all. They get a mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, and financial assistance. They not only get a Christmas bonus, but an additional Christmas package as well. Each of these amounts to eighty thousand pesos. All in all, each member of the board receives two and a half million pesos a year exclusive of car service, technical assistance, and loans. Let me repeat. They award themselves all of these while being in arrears for the pensions of their retired employees.

Even the La Mesa watershed wasn’t spared. In order to ensure an adequate supply of water, we need to protect our watersheds. In watersheds, trees are needed. Where there should be trees, they built homes for the top officials of the MWSS.

We cannot remove them from their positions quickly because they are among the midnight appointees of former president Arroyo. We are investigating all of these things. But if they have any shame left, they should voluntarily relinquish their positions.

Now let’s discuss funds for infrastructure. The DPWH identified two hundred forty six priority safety projects to be funded by the motor vehicle user’s charge. This needs a budget of 425 million pesos. What they ended up funding were only 28 projects. They disregarded 218 projects and replaced these with seventy projects that weren’t in the plans. The 425 million pesos originally asked for became 480 million pesos, increasing because of projects allocated for a favored few.

These projects make no sense: unstudied and unprepared for, sprouting like mushrooms.

The era of such projects is at an end. Under our administration, there will be no quotas, there will be no overpricing, the funds of the people will be spent for the people.

There’s more. Five days before the term of the previous administration ended, they ordered 3.5 billion pesos to be released for the rehabilitation of those affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. This was supposed to fund eighty-nine projects. But nineteen of these projects amounting to 981 million pesos didn’t go through public bidding. Special Allotment Release Orders hadn’t even been released and yet the contracts were already signed. It’s a good thing Secretary Rogelio Singson spotted and stopped them. Instead, they will all go through the proper bidding, and the funds will be used to provide relief to those who lost their homes due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Let’s discuss what happened in Napocor. From 2001 to 2004, the government forced Napocor to sell electricity at a loss to prevent increases in electricity rates. The real motivation for this is that they were preparing for the election.

As a result, in 2004, NAPOCOR slumped deeply in debt. The government was obligated to shoulder the 200 billion pesos it owed.

What the public thought they saved from electricity, we are now paying for using public coffers. Not only are we paying for the cost of electricity; we are also paying for the interest arising from the debt.

If the money we borrowed was used properly, then there would be added assurance that constant supply of electricity is available. However, this decision was based on bad politics, not on the true needs of the people. The people, after having to sacrifice, suffered even more.

This is also what happened to the MRT. The government tried again to buy the people’s love. The operator was forced to keep the rates low.

In effect, the guarantee given to the operator that he will still be able to recoup his investment was not fulfilled. Because of this, Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines were ordered to purchase the MRT.

The money of the people was used in exchange for an operation that was losing money.

Let us now move on to the funds of the National Food Authority (NFA).
In 2004: 117,000 metric tons (of rice) was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they (the government) bought were 900,000 metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than seven times the amount of shortage, they still bought more than what was needed.

In 2007: 589,000 metric tons was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they bought were 1.827 million metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than three times the amount of shortage, they again bought more than what was needed.

What hurts is, because they keep purchasing more than what they need year after year, the excess rice that had to be stored in warehouses ended up rotting, just like what happened in 2008.

Is this not a crime, letting rice rot, despite the fact that there are 4 million Filipinos who do not eat three times a day?

The result is NFA’s current debt of 177 billion pesos.

This money that was wasted could have funded the following:

- The budget of the entire judiciary, which is at 12.7 billion pesos this year.

- The Conditional Cash Transfers for the following year, which cost 29.6 billion pesos.

- All the classrooms that our country needs, which cost 130 billion pesos.

This way of doing things is revolting. Money was there only to be wasted.

You have heard how the public coffers were squandered. This is what is clear to me now: change can only come from our determination to stamp out this extravagance and profligacy.

That is why starting now: we will stop the wasteful use of government funds. We will eradicate projects that are wrong.

This is the point of what we call the zero-based approach in our budget. What used to be the norm was every year, the budget merely gets re-enacted without plugging the holes.

Next month we will be submitting a budget that accurately identifies the problem and gives much attention on the right solution.

Those that I have mentioned were only some of the problems we have discovered. Here now are examples of the steps we are undertaking to solve them.

There is a case of one pawnshop owner. He purchased a vehicle at an estimated cost of 26 million pesos.

If he can afford to buy a Lamborghini, why can’t he pay his taxes?

A case has already been filed against him. Through the leadership of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, every week we have new cases filed against smugglers and against those who do not pay the right taxes.

We have also already identified the suspects of the cases of Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio and Miguel Belen, 3 of the 6 incidents of extralegal killings since we assumed the Presidency.

Fifty percent (50%) of these incidents of extralegal killings are now on their way to being resolved.

We will not stop the pursuit of the remaining half of these killings until justice has been achieved.

We will hold murderers accountable. We will also hold those who are corrupt that work in government accountable for their actions.

We have begun forming our Truth Commission, through the leadership of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. We will search for the truth on the alleged wrongdoing committed in the last nine years.

This week, I will sign the first ever Executive Order on the formation of this Truth Commission.

If the answer to justice is accountability, the answer to the dearth in funds is a new and creative approach to our long-standing problems.

We have so many needs: from education, infrastructure, health, military, police and more. Our funds will not be enough to meet them.

No matter how massive the deficit is that may keep us from paying for this list of needs, I am heartened because many have already expressed renewed interest and confidence in the Philippines.

Our solution: public-private partnerships. Although no contract has been signed yet, I can say that ongoing talks with interested investors will yield fruitful outcomes.

There are some who have already shown interest and want to build an expressway from Manila that will pass through Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, until the end of Cagayan Valley, without the government having to spend a single peso.

On national defense:

We have 36,000 nautical miles of shoreline, but we only have 32 boats. These boats are as old as the time of (US General Douglas) MacArthur.

Some had this proposition: they will rent the Navy headquarters on Roxas Boulevard and the Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio.

They will take care of the funding necessary to transfer the Navy Headquarters to Camp Aguinaldo. Immediately, we will be given 100 million dollars. Furthermore, they will give us a portion of their profits from their businesses that would occupy the land they will rent.

In short, we will meet our needs without spending, and we will also earn.

There have already been many proposals from local to foreign investors to provide for our various needs.

From these public-private partnerships, our economy will grow and every Filipino will be the beneficiary. There are so many sectors that could benefit from this.

We will be able to construct the needed infrastructure in order to help tourism grow.

In agriculture, we will be able to have access to grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, orderly road networks and post-harvest facilities.

If we can fix out food supply chain with the help of the private sector, instead of importing, we will hopefully be able to supply for the needs of the global market.

The prices of commodities will go down if we are able to make this efficient railway system a reality. It will be cheaper and faster, and it will be easier for travelers to avoid crooked cops and rebels.

A reminder to all: creating jobs is foremost on our agenda, and the creation of jobs will come from the growth of our industries. Growth will only be possible if we streamline processes to make them predictable, reliable and efficient for those who want to invest.

We make sure that the Build-Operate-and-Transfer projects will undergo quick and efficient processes. With the help of all government agencies concerned and the people, a process that used to take as short as a year and as long as a decade will now only take six months.

The Department of Trade and Industry has already taken steps to effect this change, under the leadership of Secretary Gregory Domingo:

The never-ending horror story of registering business names, which used to take a minimum of four to eight hours depending on the day, will be cut down drastically to fifteen minutes.

What used to be a check list of thirty-six documents will be shortened to a list of six, and the old eight-page application form will be whittled down to one page.

I call on our local government units to review its own procedures. While we look for more ways to streamline our processes to make business start-ups easier, I hope the LGUs can also find ways to implement reforms that will be consistent with the ones we have already started.

All will certainly benefit from this streamlining — be it businessmen, soldiers, rebels and ordinary Filipinos. As long as the interests of Filipinos will not be jeopardized, we will explore all available avenues to make this a reality. We must start now, and we should all help achieve this and not stand in each other’s way.

The time when we will no longer be made to choose between our people’s security and the future of our children is upon us now.

Once we implement these public-private partnerships, we will be able to fund public service in accordance with our platform.

This will enable us to fund our plans for education.

We will be able to expand our basic education cycle from seven years to the global standard of twelve years.

We can build more classrooms, and we will fund service contracting under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Program (GASTPE).

Conditional cash transfers that aim to lessen the burden of education on parents will also be funded if this partnership becomes a reality.

Our plans for improving PhilHealth can now be within reach.

First, we will identify the correct number of Filipinos who sorely need PhilHealth coverage, as current data is conflicting on this matter. On one hand, PhilHealth says that eighty-seven percent (87%) of Filipinos are covered, then lowers the number to only fifty-three percent (53%). On the other hand, the National Statistics Office says that only thirty-eight percent (38%) of Filipinos are covered by Philhealth.

Even as we speak, Secretary Dinky Soliman and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are moving to implement the National Household Targeting System that will identify the families that most urgently need assistance. An estimated 9 billion pesos is needed in order to provide coverage for five million poor Filipinos.

Our country is beginning to see better days ahead. The private sector, the League of Provinces headed by Governor Alfonso Umali, together with Governors L-Ray Villafuerte and Icot Petilla, are now ready to do their share when it comes to shouldering the financial burden. I know that the League of Cities under the leadership of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez will not be far behind.

If the local governments share in our goals, I know that I can surely count on Congress, the institution where I began public service, to push for our agenda for change.

Our Cabinet has already showed it skill by identifying not just problems but also proposing solutions in a matter of three weeks.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Basyang, we were told by those in the power sector that we would be without electricity for four days. The quick action of Secretary Rene Almendras and the Department of Energy resulted in the restoration of power to almost all those affected within twenty-four hours.

The so-called water shortage in Metro Manila was quickly attended to by Secretary Rogelio Singson and the Department of Public Works and Highways. Secretary Singson did it without prodding, which alleviated the suffering of those affected.

We also witnessed the competence and initiative of those we appointed to be part of our Cabinet. It is but just that they not be forced to go through the eye of a needle to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. Should this happen, competent Filipinos will be encouraged to help our country by becoming public servants.

In the soonest possible time, we will convene the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to discuss the important bills that need to be addressed. Rest assured that I will keep an open mind and treat you honorably.

We will push for the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, which will limit spending bills only for appropriations that have identified a source of funding. We need 104.1 billion pesos to fund those laws already passed but whose implementation remains pending because of lack of funds.

We will re-evaluate fiscal incentives given in the past. Now that we are tightening our purse strings, we need to identify those incentives that will remain and those that need to be done away with.
We will not allow another NBN-ZTE scandal to happen again. Whether from local or foreign sources, all proposed contracts must undergo the scrutiny of correct procedures. I now ask for your help with amending our Procurement Law.

According to our Constitution, it is the government’s duty to ensure that the market is fair for all. No monopolies, no cartels that kill competition. We need an Anti-Trust Law that will give life to these principles, to afford Small- and Medium-Scale Enterprises the opportunity to participate in the growth of our economy.

Let us pass into law the National Land Use Bill.

It was in 1935, during the Commonwealth, that the National Defense Act was passed. There is a need to amend for a new law that is more responsive to the current needs of national security.

I appeal to our legislators to pass the Whistleblower’s Bill to eradicate the prevalent culture of fear and silence that has hounded our system.
We will strengthen the Witness Protection Program. We must remember that from 2009 to 2010 alone, cases which involved the participation of witnesses under the program resulted in a ninety-five percent conviction.

There is a need to review our laws. I call on our lawmakers to begin a re-codification of our laws to ensure harmony in legislation and eliminate contradictions.

These laws serve as the basis of order in our land, but the foundation of all rests on the principle that we cannot grow without peace and order.
We face two obstacles on our road to peace: the situation in Mindanao and the continued revolt of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Our view has not changed when it comes to the situation in Mindanao. We will only achieve lasting peace if all stakeholders engage in an honest dialogue: may they be Moro, Lumad, or Christian. We have asked Dean Marvic Leonen to head our efforts to talk to the MILF.

We will learn from the mistakes of the past administration, that suddenly announced an agreement reached without consultations from all concerned. We are not blind to the fact that it was done with political motivation, and that the interest behind it was not that of the people.

We recognize the efforts of the MILF to discipline those within its ranks. We are hopeful that the negotiations will begin after Ramadan.

To the CPP-NPA-NDF: are you prepared to put forth concrete solutions rather than pure criticism and finger-pointing?

If it is peace you truly desire, then we are ready for an immediate cease-fire. Let us go back to the table and begin talking again.

It is difficult to begin discussions in earnest if the smell of gun powder still hangs in the air. I call on everyone concerned not to waste a good opportunity to rally behind our common aspiration for peace.

Our foundation for growth is peace. We will continue to be shackled by poverty if the crossfire persists.

We must understand that now is a time for sacrifice. It is this sacrifice that will pave the way for a better future. With our freedom comes our responsibility to do good unto our fellows and to our country.

To our friends in media, especially those in radio and print, to the block-timers and those in our community newspapers, I trust that you will take up the cudgels to police your own ranks.

May you give new meaning to the principles of your vocation: to provide clarity to pressing issues; to be fair and truthful in your reporting, and to raise the level of public discourse.

It is every Filipino’s duty to closely watch the leaders that you have elected. I encourage everyone to take a step towards participation rather than fault-finding. The former takes part in finding a solution; from the latter, never-ending complaints.

We have always known that the key to growth is putting the interest of others beyond one’s own. One thing is clear: how do we move forward if we keep putting others down?

How will those without education secure quality jobs? How will the unemployed become consumers? How will they save money for their future needs?

If we change all this, if we prioritize enabling others, we will open a world of opportunities not just for ourselves but for those who direly need it.

We have already begun the process of change, and we are now able to dream of better things for our country. Let us not forget that there are those who wish us to fail, so that they will once again reclaim power to do as they please at the expense of our people.

My firm belief is that our fate is in the hands of God and our people. While we focus on uplifting the lives of our fellow men, I have an unshakeable faith that Almighty God will give us His blessings and support. If we remain firm in our belief that God is on our side, is there anything impossible for us to achieve?

The mandate we received last May 10 is testament to the fact that the Filipino continues to hope for true change. The situation is not what it was before; we can all dream again. Let us all become one in achieving a fulfillment of our hopes and aspirations for our country.

Maraming Salamat Po!