(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
SPEECH OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING THE 10TH FILIPINA ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT
[Delivered at World Trade Center, Pasay City | 06 March 2018]
Kindly sit down. Thank you for your courtesy.
As usual, I have three pages to read. After that, we go home. [laughter]
Kamalas ko naman, Joey, naka-dalawa lang ako ng halik. [laughter] I have never seen such a gathering of beautiful women in my life. Pwera ‘yung mga Girl Scout pero hindi mo ma-ano kasi naka-uniporme eh.
Sana ‘yung si Mrs. Lim. Nilapit ko ‘yung ano — medyo gumanun eh. Akala ko… [laughter] Baka ayaw
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; Excellencies of the diplomatic corps; Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez and other members of the Cabinet; Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and founder of Go Negosyo Jose Concepcion and other co-chairpersons; awardees of the Go Negosyo 2018 inspiring Filipina entrepreneurs; friends from the private sector; fellow workers of government; mga kababayan ko.
Okay man sana ito. I mean, this is a good speech, very concise, very short. Problem is, there are things in our lives today that you must also know. At least know, hindi na kailangan maniwala kayo.
First of all, we are improving the lives of the Filipinos, but there are so many forces that also — is pulling us down.
One is the law and order. They call it peace and order. And the other, I said, is just simply a country at troubled — a ship of state sailing in rough waters.
Ganun ho ‘yang ating naabutan ngayon at I don’t know if God intended it by way of just a destiny. I never thought I’d never make it actually, coming in from the cold as far as Mindanao — or whether I’m here for a purpose.
But whatever it is, I am quite aware of what I should be doing. And, if you remember most kindly and even during the presidential debates and the campaign, I never promised anything at all.
But I carried the most practical messages and that was I was an early… Well, first one to finish in a speech in any debate or crowd because I limited myself to the crying needs of the moment at that time. And it was really people are sick and tired of corruption; people who are desperately afraid of drugs which was engulfing our country by the way.
And it was not only after I became President that you saw the whole picture of how bad it was and then and now.
Then I said, I will talk to the rebels, the enemies of the state, maybe I can help. And so I started to talk with the communists and at the same time ‘yung MI, MNLF — not discounting at that time the possibility of an ISIS coming in.
Tapos that I would just allow the bright guys, ‘yung mga bright. Eh hindi naman kasi ako bright. But I know a lot of them.
One is our DOF, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez because he was my childhood friend, neighbor and he was a very consistent valedictorian, since Kindergarten kami. Ako ang naiwan. It took me seven years to finish high school kasi ako ‘yung experimental boy sa K-12 noon. [laughter]
So but then, I said, we have the best of men, all brilliant. Not really known to many but they have a reputation for honesty and talent.
Tugade is a billionaire if I may say so and he was the valedictorian of our class in the law school. So it did not really surprise me that he would make good in life.
And Aguirre or if he can improve his toupee — more shiny. He was a cum laude of our class. And the rest of them actually — Lorenzana is a valedictorian. Pa-ganun-ganun lang. But I surrounded myself with men whose average was almost 94.
I got the averaging — what pulled us down in the ratings sa Cabinet was my own record because consistent ako. It’s either 75 to 78 and that affected the total score.
But you know what, the irony of it all, including si Mon Lopez, they’re all so bright, so talented, and you know what? I’ll share with you a secret. They all work for me, 75 lang po. [applause]
So what I’m really crying is that — it’s destiny. I really believe in destiny. It was a long shot even in my dreams.
So now, let’s go to the basics. I’m stopping corruption. I’ve been firing left and right of people close to me, those who were with me when I was mayor of Davao City in 1988 and I coasted along for 23 years. They were with me when I was a congressman and a vice mayor and early on in the presidency. But you know, I hope they understood it very clearly: this is the red light, do not ever cross it.
And I supposed that everyone understood what I was really conveying simply because they were working for me for several years. And when I was in Davao, I would not say I was the most holy man.
Ako ‘yung pinaka-holy nga eh, sa lahat. Pinag-huhuli-huli, so nahuli talaga. [laughter] Kaya tuloy, dalawa na lang ang asawa ko kasi hindi ko naman pwedeng — eh nahuli na eh. Hindi ko naman gusto…
Meron kasi tayong — I would want… I told the Cabinet na would we be so kind enough to just give the Filipino a respite of about four years remaining. Sinabi ko, “tutal, apat na taon na lang naman.”
Just bear with me, avoid corruption, avoid wrongdoing para naman makapaghinga ang Filipino. So for you guys in the business, you can stop worrying about if you have — if you are there as an entrepreneur or using imported goods or a component of your business would need imports.
I gave you the one that’s sitting there — General Lapeña. He’s a military man and he used to be my longest Chief of Staff and regional commander. I personally picked him up. Nakiusap ako kay President Arroyo noon that I would need a man of my own choosing to run the law and order of the city. Ngayon, he’s there and I can assure you, he’s fundamentally honest.
Dulay, kasama kami sa dormitory sa YMCA, diyan lang sa tabi ng City Hall noon. A few of the older generation — it used to be a YMCA dormitory. Nandiyan kami lahat noon. Bebot Bello was the Labor, who was also a student from Isabela.
Yasay, you know when Yasay talks. [mimics Yasay] You would hardly make out of what he’s saying and I just heard him this morning talking about those visas or those passports that was manufactured by APO and I said, “What is wrong with that?” [laughter]
Anak ng pastor kasi ‘yan eh, taga-Davao ‘yan. You know, pastors are very eloquent, sometimes articulate. Sa ano ‘yan siya, sa Protestante. And he’s very good.
Unfortunately… I could explain it to you, but it would take so many precious minutes. Just let me tell you that he was into this kind of not really a mess but a situation because he went to the States as a refugee during the Marcos time because he was one of those hunted by the military for subversion, aktibista ‘yan eh.
And so I have a very good team. At meron kayo sa DTI. Talagang hinintay ko ‘yan si Mon. I already had my Cabinet filled up except for one, ang DTI, because I was waiting for Ramon Lopez. Everybody told me that he’s good and if you can get him into the team, you would be better off dealing with the businessmen.
So hinintay ko siya. He was vacationing in the States with your third wife? [laughter] Hindi, isa lang ‘yan kanya. Kokonti lang kami ‘yung mga tig-dadalawa diyan. [laughter]
And so if you have some qualms or misgivings sa Bureau of Customs, I can assure you, you go to him directly or you can call me, or you can call Mon, and you can call anybody, you can call Joey. And if it’s a matter of graft and corruption, go to Malacañan and I’ll give you the space and time and I would listen to you. That’s what happened with those frigate-frigate style. [applause]
You know the losing — or the winning bidder or the winning bid wanted to deliver. Negosyo ‘yan eh. Who’d ever want to go into business na malugi ka? That’s crazy. So just as I have enjoined everybody. Sabi ko… Dito pala si Merl. Merl — she used to be the regional DTI sa Davao. Well, you’re quite well.
Sabi ko sa inyo, kung meron kayong reklamo either sa BIR or he’s going for a shakedown or something maghingi, all you have to just to say, “Look, stupid. I pay my taxes correctly. Do not [f**** with me].” [laughter] Ganun ‘yan o sampalin mo. “P***** i** ka, huwag mo akong…”[laughter and applause]
Sabihin mo na, alam mo nagbabayad kami. Alam mo sabi ni Duterte na ‘pag nagbayad kami ng tama, wala na, it’s — hanggang diyan na lang. I won’t allow anybody to look into the papers. Walang ibang purpose ‘yan eh, it’s money. I only…
You know, hindi naman ako nagyayabang. Before I became a mayor, I was a prosecutor. I was doing trial work. During the time of Marcos, wala pa ‘yang Ombudsman. It was known to be a body called Tanodbayan. So I was one of the two — only from Mindanao who was appointed Special Tanod Prosecutors.
So I used to prosecute people in court. Kaya all — all sorts of bribery, malversation, lahat, and most of them ‘yung karamihan sa gobyerno.
So alam ko ang — where I — where from — I stand. Alam ko ‘yan. So that I know the ins and outs of government corruption.
Kasi sabi ko, “huwag muna ngayon.” Sabi ko, “not during my time, my watch. Huwag sa panahon ko kasi mag-away lang tayo.”
I do not want to hurt people, especially ‘yung nasa gobyerno na at mga anak ninyo doktor na, mga abugado na.
Kaya the only way, ‘pag mabasa ko ‘yung dossier, I read it and if I think it would not be to the best interest of all, I would just call you or ask Medialdea to call you and say, “go out silently.”
And of course, uppermost — in the minds of people is — was this guy fired for a reason? Yes, I do not oppress people.
I do not, for the life of me, go after innocent people. I do not fire people just because they were supporting the other side.
In the first place, nanalo na ako with a whopping 16 million, the 6 of which was my margin.
Second is wala na akong ano sa buhay. After this, I would be nobody. I’m a goner.
The best way for me is to buy a house in the mountains and sleep it off until I die. Wala na akong gagawin. My — malaki na ang mga anak ko. Of course, I enjoy the company of my grandchildren, but that’s about it.
After I shall have finished, wala na ako. So why would I go into… Ba’t pa ako mag-ipon ng karma? You know, ‘yung… Why do I go into things that oppress people, you hurt your fellowmen, you do wrong to somebody na wala namang ginawa?
Not my style and I’m sure everybody else’s. Eh bakit ka maghanap ng — so sabihin ko na lang ‘yung lalo na mabasa ko na may anak na doktora, tapos nandiyan sa intern. Kunin ko ‘yung background check sa military then I decide kung ipatawag ko lang or ask somebody in the Cabinet to just call and say, “kindly go para walang…”
So that’s what I do. I do not make any high profile… I don’t enjoy it. It comes from the others pero hindi sa akin. Except ‘yung talagang galit ako.
But all others, I supposed that by now, mga directors na… Lalo na ‘yung mag-travel, you enjoy the perks. You are allowed to enjoy the perks but do not overdo things.
Punta ka ng climate change sa Africa, nandoon ka sa Canada, Ontario; climate change sa Brussels; climate change doon sa Tokyo, ano ba naman p***… Tapos ang bagyo sa Pilipinas, hampas nang hampas, nagbubuntutan pa ang mga y***. [laughter]
So? You know, 22 times is just bu — it’s b*** s***. You have to go.
There’s only one indicator there that you want really to enjoy life but you want at the expense of your — pareho tayo nagbabayad ng utang eh, gobyerno.
Graft and corruption. Let me say this before you once and no more. No transaction of government ever, ever reaches on my table.
‘Yung MRT, ‘yung ano niyan, ‘yung bidding, whatever, conversion, Clark, hanggang kay Tugade lang ‘yan. DTI, hanggang kay Mon lang ‘yan. Kung pagka mina, hanggang kay Roy Cimatu lang ‘yan.
Wala akong pakialam. Ang dumadating sa akin mga appointments lang pati ‘yung critical policies — policies, not for approval or disapproval.
You would never find — look for any transaction in this government and look for any notes there, or approved or disapproved or cleared, then you would be the luckiest citizen in the…
I will give you a free tour sa Hong Kong. Kung may asawa ka, disqualified pero kung dalaga… Saan na ‘yun si ano…? [laughter] Ayaw magpahalik.
Totoo, walang umaabot sa akin. Kaya malakas loob ko bumira. It could be CBN, it could be the Inquirer, it could be some — somebody. Kaya kitang babuyin in public, when agitated ako. Wala kang mahanap sa akin na butas.
Sinabi ko sa inyo, kayong mga taga — may connection sa Central Bank, “go ahead, I give you the pleasure of — silipin ninyo ‘yung bangko.” I told you it would never go beyond 40 million, including my inheritance and everything.
I’m sure you have mga kapatid ninyo, eh ‘di tingnan ninyo. Huwag lang doon sa mga pulitiko because I would not give you the pleasure of my cooperation.
Why should I? You hunt evidence from me? Do not get it from my mouth or by my efforts. Go to hell and look for it.
But kung kayo, publiko, you have my blessings and you can confront me if it does really exceed 40 million and I will step down. Wala akong itinatago sa inyo. Sanay ako sa hirap.
Nahirapan lang ako sa mga asawa ko. [laughter] Kaya huwag kayong magdadalawa-dalawang asawa diyan, napapaiyak tuloy ako. [laughter]
Because all my troubles nandoon man sa ano, lalo na may anak ako na — susmaryosep. Si Inday. Bantay kayo kay Inday, nambubugbog talaga ‘yan. [laughter]
But she’s running the show very well. She was able to maintain the momentum sa Davao. And all you —- all of you, I’m sure, have been there.
Wala nang droga, malinis, nobody messes you up. Kasi nasanay. And it took me about 22 years to craft what Davao is today.
You know, I am just lucky na… I agree with you that dynasties are bad but sometimes it can be for the better.
Kasi kung hindi tumakbo ‘yan si Inday actually, I would not be in front of you right now kasi I never wanted to leave Davao. Manghinayang ako eh. Most especially so that Davao is in Mindanao, and Mindanao is a troubled land.
Now I’m going to ramble on to the next, ‘yung droga. So maniwala ang human rights o hindi, it is not my business to do with their biddings.
I have a duty to perform and worse, I made it a solemn promise.
So the war against drugs will continue with or without the ICC, with or without the human rights, with or without the politicians, it will last until the last day of my term as President. After that, wala na akong pakialam sa inyo. [applause]
Sinabi ko in Davao and when I became President, same sloganeering, might be called one, I’m — you know, I am not a soldier, I am not a military man but I build city — I build a city because that is the mandate of the people.
Do not destroy it because I will kill you. Do not put to naught my toil and destroy the young of my country because I will really kill you.
What I said to the policemen and military is go after the organized crime because ‘yang shabu and drugs could not prosper as a single proprietorship.
There has to be one who has to cook it, then he has his lieutenants to distribute it and he has the “basurero,” they are called “basurero” or the one who’d peddle it on the streets. Do not destroy the young of — they are our only precious possession.
‘Yung iba siguro, maybe a fourth of this room, could easily retire happily. Ako? ‘yan mga pulis, how much are they receiving?
Bago ko lang dinoble ang mga sweldo nito. Why? Because they would be the first one to go to hell to die when there’s trouble. O kita mo sa Marawi.
And yet I promised them not during Marawi, not before the siege of Marawi but during my campaign, kasali ‘yan, sabi ko, “if I get elected you’d — I’ll double your salary.” And they are happy.
Sana lang naman with the thought that hindi sila — would fall into easy temptation sa drugs at dirty money. That was really my focus.
Because they enforce, they arrest and they are the very first one to be corrupted.
At kung sabihin mo may namatay na, marami. I told them ‘pag ikaw ay military pati pulis, mauuna ka, you will be the first to go to hell.
But at the same time, you should make things easier for them to live.
And that is why makita mo everytime a Filipina domestic helper, an OFW abroad, is brutalized, nakita mo naman na ano, ang mura ko pareho. Lahat ng — I spew the epithets, the curses, the — lahat. Kasi alam mo bakit?
Alam ko na noon pa. When I was a congressman in 1988 when I exhausted the three-year term, so I allowed Inday to run, she was my vice mayor.
There were three Filipinas or Filipino that were imprisoned in Riyadh.
One was, came from the district of Toril, the other two from Kidapawan. And they were there everyday outside, umiiyak and so my wife had to take them in, fed them and isa pang gabi, still crying, waiting for my arrival. Sometimes, 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning.
Nandiyan sa garahe umiiyak. And so my wife said, “ba’t… you know, you do something about it. Kaawa naman eh. Why don’t you just focus for a few days dito sa problema nila?”
So I went to Saudi Arabia. I pleaded their cases with King Fahd. King Fahd was at that time, medyo ano na but he could still communicate with you.
So fortunately, I was — I was granted. But ang sabi nung minister na adviser doon, “you better go and have a very serious talk with your counterpart.”
So pumunta ako sa Parliament. Ayaw kong bitawan ‘yan noon, matagal ‘yang sikreto na ano because it could create cobwebs, ‘yung naiwan dito. Alam mo na.
Sabi niya, “you should tell your countrymen that if they come here, either as a slave bought from the slave markets of Africa and in the Middle East, or as a paid helper, rape is always a part of the territory.”
Ayaw ko ‘yan sabihin noon kasi alam ko maraming naiiwan dito at kung naiwan, babae man o lalaki, worse pagka lalaki, marami nang iniisip ‘yan. And pagbalik ng asawa niyan as is the psychology of — he would begin to hate and find dirty sa asawa niya.
Ganun ‘yan eh, ganun ‘yan. Even if it’s not the fault of the woman, so powerless creates a dirty mind, as sometimes, not all, some idiots would begin to hate the wife.
Kaya diyan ako galit sa durugista. Sabi ng itong mga human rights, “bakit ito si Duterte pinapatay niya ang mahihirap?” Of course not, patay man sila lahat. Mayor, patay. Alam mo bakit? Shabu is a commodity for the poor. ‘Yun lang ang kaya ng sachet-sachet tag-200 lang ‘yan.
At ‘yang mga ‘yan didikitan nila ‘yung bata na alam nila na may steady stipend or allowance, especially if they know na ‘yung mga nanay pati tatay niyan wala diyan. ‘Yan ang talagang — they would rub it until bumigay ‘yung bata.
And usually, you know, when there’s a family, you take away the wife leave it with his children and father, this family becomes dysfunctional. If the father works outside and the mother works also outside of the Philippines, the family becomes totally dysfunctional.
They are left with their nephews and nieces, lolo and lola, grandparents or relatives and they grow to be most of them derelicts because nobody is there really to impose discipline at least values and everything.
Kaya ako nasasaktan. You just… Kung buksan mo ‘yang puso ko, literally umaapoy talaga. P***** i** mo, do not do it.
Kasi kami mahirap lang. Itong mga mahirap, how much do they get when they retire? Tell me. 700,000?
‘Yung mga official, 100 — one million, ako, pegged to the highest salary, president, maybe eight, seven. You think it could last me a lifetime? I’m 72, I’ll be about 77, 76 when I get out. You think that eight million would suffice for my medicines, my hospitalizations, my burial at ang punerarya?
Eh if I get to live for another 88 years? Magkano lang hinihingi ng SSS ng mga matatanda? I could only give them — but sabi ng actuarial, you cannot do that, you’ll — this SSS thing will go bankrupt.
So 1,000. Magkano ang medisina na ngayon ng hypertension, liver, diabetes, heart, kidney, dialysis? 2,000? 1,000? Ito they retire at the age of 56, what do you think will happen to them?
Now, if their children are hooked into drugs, who will now drag them along their rooms to feed them, to buy their antibiotics, to buy their own steroids and everything?
Remember, we are not Norway or Sweden, or Finland, or Canada, or Britain where you can get your medicines for free. Tayo, mahirap na, wala pa ang libre. Not — not even a discounted.
Alam mo may gusto akong sabihin, I’d like to ask the forgiveness of the PGH. Kasi sabi ko sa kanila, hindi ko — ‘wag ninyong iingay ‘yan, atin lang ‘yan. ‘Wag niyong ipadaldal kasi ayaw kong magpaburot ng ego ko. But you know, sometimes, sabihin ko na lang rin sa inyo, tutal hindi ko naman pera ‘yan.
Punta sila minsan doon, sabi nila, even the interns, ‘yung mga doktor, nagco-contribute na ‘yan sila para lang makabili ng medisina ang mga pasiyente.
So why — they told me a very sad story, I said, “how much do you need monthly?” Sabi nila, “Mayor, ano na ‘yan…” When I say mayor ako ‘yan. I do not call myself mayor. If you talk to me and you want me to respond to you, call me mayor, call me president, I will not acknowledge you.
Sabi nila, “Mayor, mga 17.” Sabi ko, “okay, I’ll give you 100 million.” Sabi nila, “oh wow. Monthly, Mayor?” “Ah, yearly?” Sabi ko, “No, no. Monthly.” Nakita mo ngayon lahat ng tao nakapila diyan sa PGH, may pera eh. “I’ll give you monthly, 100 million”. [applause]
Sabi ko kay Andrea, PAGCOR, ibigay mo ‘yung kita mo diyan sa — and itong Philippine Veterans, mga sundalo, their management, ‘pag matanda na ang sundalo usually diabetes, kidney, karamihan diyan kidney. So the Philippine Veteran gets 50 million a month. Ang AFP gets another 50 million.
Para maintindihan lang ninyo ano — kung saan ang pera ninyo. And all others, pupunta ‘yan sa social amelioration.
Kaya lahat dito ‘yung mga illegal, eh sila lang naman ‘yung nag-import, ipa-embargo nila, they need to wait for about a few months, then they will go — there’s an auction. Tapos sila rin ang bibili, because they are in cahoots with the auction office of the Customs pati sila, then they get their cars of their liking.
Ngayon no more. New ones, new bulldozer. Nagbili ako ng bulldozer diyan, naka-parking sa Customs. Flatten them out. Inggit? Oo, talagang naiinggit ako. Bakit sinong mainggit? Ilan taon ko na pinaglawayan, hindi ko talaga — hindi ko nga mahawakan eh. Pero ‘yung — ang inggit akin ‘yan. Ang trabaho ko iba ‘yan. Pero kung may pera ako, bibili ako, pero magbabayad ako ng taxes. ‘Yan ang inggit ko.
Kayo, mga p****** i** kayo, [laughter] l****. Akala ninyo… So hindi mo ako maisahan dito. I mean, I’ve been in this business for…
Ito naman ngayon, let’s go to the peace talks. Uminit ‘yung ulo ko nito kay Maria Sison but since they — Bebot Bello asked me to just tone down my… Sabi ko, “as far as I am concerned, no talks, no ceasefire.”
Work it out, if you can have it, fine, show it to me and maybe I will reconsider it. But the sole, singular, single reason why I am for the federalism is not because I have plans of perpetuating myself with power. I do not need it, ladies and gentlemen.
If you can perfect it by 2020, and you are ready for an election and it calls for a strong president, I will step down. You have my commitment.
Otherwise, I’ll finish the 22, but I will not stay there, not even an excess of one hour.
They are afraid — they are the soldiers of the Republic. I told them do not owe your loyalty to me. I do not need it. You stick with the flag. That is your real master.
And you think I’m drifting to a dictatorship, you have two things to do: Either kill me or oust me. Wala akong ambisyon mag-diktador, pagod na ako.
‘Yan ang totoo.
Duha — makinig kayo diyan sa mga… You know there’s always a saying, men judge best when they condemn. Makinig kayo diyan sa mga loko-loko na hindi naman makatanggap ng talo or just find faults to put me down.
Ako, bahala kayo, ayaw ninyo ako? Eh ‘di mamili kayo nang iba. For all I care, bakit kayo magpatayan diyan? Eh naggu-gwardiya sundalo tapos kalaban niyo sundalo? Eh ‘di kalokohan, para kayong buang.
You call me and sabihin ninyo then — I will call you, “halika dito. Sinong general? Ha? Halika, line up. Raise your right hands. ‘I, General, state your name, now take over by the virtue of a new junta.’” Oh ayan oh. O sige bahala — kausapin niyo ‘yung mga negosyante kung anong problema nila. Simple lang naman ‘yan, wala ng drama, drama ka pa diyan.
Pero ‘yang mga… Dito sa Okada, Okada ba yan? ‘Yan, p****** i**, lahat ng hold-upper na itong mga… Wala akong masyadong problema sa army, military, Armed Forces.
Itong mga pulis na g***** ‘to nandiyan lahat, hold-upper, ‘pag walang ginagawa mag-istambay diyan kidnapin ‘yang… Kaya ‘pag makaharap ko ‘yang silang buang na ‘yan gusto kong tuma — but not all, not all.
Many of our countrymen, many of our policemen and even Moro policemen and soldiers died in Marawi. Marami tayong sundalo na Moro, members of the PNP.
So it is not the true that it’s really a question of crime. It’s a question of extremism which has arrived on our shores — ISIS. It remains to be problem and that is why I’m building a strong Armed Forces and a strong police.
‘Yan nalang ang worry ko, it’s going to be bloody but I said just like Marawi, I hope you would — they would not have to go into this kind of brutality and cruelty.
Because, my lola is also a Maranao. Nanay ko mestiza, tatay ko Cebuano. And I can match your cruelty inch for inch. Sana huwag mangyari. Sana paabutin lang ng ano. But that’s the only reason.
Okay naman itong unitary type, presidential type of government. For all I care, tapos na ako eh. But then I said, the one reason why because pagka wala there will be trouble in Mindanao. Maggugulo talaga ‘yan.
Now let me lecture again baka kasi hindi ninyo narinig, simply because before the Spaniards came, Mindanao was already Islam by almost 90 to 100 years.
So when the Spaniards came, they were the conquistadores, colonials, for 400 years on bended knees tayo sa kanila. And they forced the Roman Catholic religion.
Huwag mong sabihin it was given to us on a golden platter. You read history. If you happen to go to Malaysia, you go to the archives, doon mo malaman. And before that, itong Maranao pati Maguindanao, itong Tausug pati itong Maranao, there was also trouble before.
Kaya kung iwanan ng gobyerno ‘yang ano — as it is — magpatayan ‘yan. Sigurado ako. Sila mismo hindi magkakaintindihan eh. You have to build something of an organization. You have to… You know — hindi na…
Tama na ‘yon, I heard one businessman say itong development sa humanity could not be a product of rebellion or revolution, it has to be an evolution.
Now ngayon, sabi ko kung iwanan mo ‘yan sila diyan, sila-sila ‘yung magpatayan. Unless na iwanan mo then you build this — the institutions. Iyan ang ano.
Mabuti’t napunta rin ako dito para malaman niyo. So those are the promises that I have made. Simply do not be a corrupt guy, pay your taxes, do not do under the table, you’d save a lot of trouble diyan.
Kasi pag nandiyan na, malinis, wala ka ng takot. Gusto mo ipakain mo ‘yang papel doon sa — kung sino ‘yung mag-imbestiga. “Ahh, open your mouth.”
Dulay would never allow it. Sa Customs ‘yon lang naman ang sensitive. Itong sa problema sa local governments, what we are passing the anti-red tape.
Sa Davao ngayon it’s two hours ang business. Ngayong panahon ni Inday, they are only given two hours. Ako, three days. Dumating itong — hindi naman Pilipinong puro. German naman. Tapos siya ang tigas-tigas ngayon. Two hours, tapusin mo.
Then I would be implementing it all throughout the country. If there’s already the law and the implementing rules is given to me, you can expect the same. So I’ll make it as easily as it can be for you.
Pero ‘yang mga BIR, that’s a thing of the past. I said… Kaya ‘yang Koreano pumunta doon sa frigate eh hindi naman inorder nila. I said, everybody, everybody huwag kayong ma-ano basta sabihin niyo “pakisabi lang kay Duterte, kay Mayor, this is a matter of graft and corruption.” Then I will — maski gabi, if there’s still time. Kung bababa lang sa 12 o’clock, alas-onse, sige pasok, I will listen to you.
Kung ayaw mo na pahiramin kita sa baril mo, pagbalik mo, barilin mo. Akong bahala. Huwag ka lang umamin. [laughter]
Iyan man ang gusto nila. Actually may mga tao gustong ganun eh. P**** i** sinabi ko na sa iyo huwag na, tapusin na ‘yan. Eh gusto ta… Eh gusto mo talagang mamatay. Ano pang ibig sabihin niyan?
Meron naman siguro kayong merienda pagkatapos? Wala? Unahin ko na ang tubig. [laughter]
No, really that’s my message to you. But mahiya naman ako sa nag… Basahin na lang natin para walang — fair is fair. [laughter] It also talks about you so…
I am glad to join the [organizers], participants and awardees of the Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs Awards, which is part of this year’s Go Negosyo 10th Filipina Entrepreneurship Summit.
This occasion, which is held annually since 2009 in line with the celebration of the International Women’s Day and the National Women’s Month, which aims to reinforce the entrepreneurial spirit among women and recognize the capacity of Filipina [entrepreneurs] to be agents of change and progress.
I thank Go Negosyo for its efforts in providing opportunities for the country’s MSMEs, particularly for women [entrepreneurs], to expand and improve their [businesses]. What you do today complements the government’s vision for MSMEs to be globally competitive, regionally integrated, resilient, sustainable, productive, innovative and dynamic by 2022. Sa panahon na wala na pala ako nito.
I congratulate all the awardees and encourage you to continue to serve as inspiration to everyone, especially to other women.
With about 75% of MSMEs being women-owned and accounting for more than 60% of jobs in the Philippines, increasing their competitiveness provides economic benefit and results in job creation.
To all women [entrepreneurs] today here present, I am grateful to all of you for being critical drivers of the country’s economic growth, and I assure you of the government’s support to promote MSME development and of our untiring commitment to provide a conducive business environment.
We likewise reiterate the administration’s focus on eradicating illegal drugs, crimes, and corruption and in our relentless drive in pursuing peace to foster economic growth and achieve sustainable development.
I assure everyone that, in line with the theme of this year’s National Women’s Month celebration, the government is supportive of initiatives to “Make Change Work for Women.”
To the men and women and young entrepreneurs, students and administrators from the academe, business organizations, NGOs, cooperatives, and government officials who have gathered here today, may we continue to highlight the empowerment of women as active contributors and claimholders of development.
Through the various government initiatives like the Investment Priorities Plan 2017-2019, our efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the MSMEs and our Build, Build, Build program among other noteworthy endeavors, may we work as one in building a progressive and prosperous society where everyone can have a decent and comfortable life.
Together, let us build an inclusive and equitable Philippines where upliftment and opportunities – regardless of ethnicity, class or gender – are available and accessible to all.
Maraming salamat po. [applause]
By the way before I end, you just pray for a continued — medyo ganito lang. We are improving in our economy.
We have poured so many millions dito sa development ng MSMEs. I will try to make it double or triple next week to make the money available. Salamat. [applause]
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