Governor Atty. Henry Sevilla Oaminal, maraming salamat po. And thank you for your very kind introduction. I’m afraid my speech is 10 minutes so mas mahaba ang introduction kesa aking talumpati.
Una sa lahat, nais kong bigyang pugay at paghanga si Gov. Henry Oaminal at ang pamunuan ng lalawigan ng Misamis Occidental sa pagkilala at pagbibigay ng kahalagahan sa sektor ng kababaihan at kabataan sa araw na ito. Nais ko rin siyang pasalamatan sa kanyang paanyaya sa akin upang maging bahagi ng inyong pagtitipon ngayong araw.
Sa ating Bise-Gobernador Rowena “Weng” Gutierrez, Congressman Jason Almonte ng 1st District at kahit wala rito nais kong batiin si Congressman Sancho Fernando “Ando” Oaminal ng 2nd District. Una kong nakilala si Cong Ando a few months ago nang dumalaw siya sa aking opisina sa BGC sa Taguig City. He struck me as a very young, unassuming, and humble person who in my view has a lot of potential in his chosen career as a public servant. Sa mga bumubuo ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Misamis Occidental, sa ating mga panauhin, sa mga kababaihan, mga kabataan, kasama na rin ang kalalakihan, mga kababayan: maayong adlaw sa atong tanan.
After having taken a pause from the public arena to enjoy some private time for myself and with my family, it is truly a breath of fresh air to once again stand and speak before wonderful people like you who have come together for a single cause, and to become part of something bigger.
What warms my heart even more is the fact that the shared vision carried by everyone inside this gym today centers on uplifting and protecting the welfare of the sectors that touch the softest parts of our hearts. Kahit ang pinakasigang tao naman siguro, basta’t nasa tamang pag-iisip, ay lumalambot ang puso kapag mga kababaihan at kabataan ang pinag-uusapan.
As the illustrious Mahatma Gandhi once said, and I quote: “A society can be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members — women and children.”
As most, if not all of you know, I have spent nearly half of my life as a law enforcer — tagapagpatupad ng batas. I began my early years in public service as a member of the defunct Philippine Constabulary (as a Second Lieutenant), which later became the Philippine National Police (PNP), the very organization I had the honor of heading from 1999 to 2001.
Suffice to say that, as a former police officer, I was able to witness the worst of humanity through the many forms of unspeakable crimes often committed against the vulnerable members of our society – against women and children in particular.
Recognizing this problem, much has been done to date to address the grim reality that these vulnerable sectors have been facing. Fast forward to today – we have seen significant efforts particularly in reforming our policies, and in enacting and strengthening our laws to protect every woman and child in our society.
I definitely speak of the passage of significant laws, including but not limited to: the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (which was strengthened even more by the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022), the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, the Anti Child Pornography Act of 2009, the Magna Carta for Women which I co-authored in 2008, and a lot more legal and institutional mechanisms to ultimately protect the welfare of the women and children sectors.
Sa aking tatlong terminong panunungkulan bilang Senador ng ating Republika, hindi po nawala sa aking kamalayan ang pagsulong at pagsuporta sa mga programa ng ating pamahalaan upang mapangalagaan ang karapatan ng ating mga kababaihan at mga kabataan.
As a budget watchdog o bantay ng ating taunang pambansang badyet, records bear witness to the institutional amendments that I pushed to augment the funds allocated for the protection of women and children. Allow me to share some of our most recent efforts in this regard.
Para sa taong 2022, mula sa mga kwestyunableng pondo na nakalaan sa Department of Public Works and Highways, tumayo po ang inyong lingkod sa bulwagan ng Senado upang mapalipat ang pondong tiyak namang masasayang lamang, sa mga mas mahahalagang programa ng ating pamahalaan.
Kabilang dito ang pagdaragdag ng P22 million na pondo para sa Child Protection Program at taunang dagdag pondo para sa School-based Feeding Program ng Department of Education, gayundin ang dagdag na P178.5 million para naman sa Child Welfare Prevention and Elimination Program ng Department of Labor and Employment. Ito po ay laan upang magkaroon ng mas malakas na armas ang ating mga ahensya sa pagsigurong hindi makakaranas ng pang-aabuso at eksploytasyon ang mga bata.
As the sponsor of the yearly budget of the Commission on Human Rights during the 17th and 18th Congresses, I was consistent in augmenting the budget of the Commission to support meaningful projects and activities, including their monitoring of gender-based violence across our country.
At the height of the threats to defund the CHR during the past administration, I, together with my staff, managed to look for sources of funds to even increase the budget for the operations of the Commission, which included its program to enhance the role of national government, local government units, and civil society organizations in addressing gender rights, children’s rights, and internally displaced persons’ rights in crisis and conflict situations.
Hindi rin po tayo nag-atubili upang magdagdag ng pondo para sa ating law enforcement agencies, sa PNP at National Bureau of Investigation, upang mas maging maigting ang kanilang pagpapatupad ng mga batas na susi sa ating pangangalaga sa ating mga komunidad.
I humbly tell you about these efforts, because I have always felt this shared vision with all of you in amplifying the cause of protecting every member of our society.
For the past two years, I must say that my life has taken on a new rhythm – one that is slow-paced, definitely a lot more at ease and filled with peace. I cannot say that I have not enjoyed the unhurried mornings and longer hours for myself and my family, especially with my grandchildren.
But as I have stepped back from public life, I have come to realize that helping to solve the many challenges that our country continues to face is a lot harder from the outside.
I asked myself: Am I truly ready to leave behind the life I was once so dedicated to? Does my legacy end here? This was the reason why on October 2, 2024, in a makeshift tent within the compound of Manila Hotel, I filed my Certificate of Candidacy for Senator before the Commission on Elections.
Sakaling mabigyan po ako ng pagkakataong muli na makapaglingkod bilang Senador ng taumbayan sa 2025, maaasahan po ninyo na ang inyong abang lingkod ay inyong magiging katulong o tulay upang itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga kababaihan at kabataan.
Patuloy po ninyong makakasama sa pagsigurong mayroon tayong mga komunidad na ligtas para sa bawat mamamayan, anuman ang kanyang edad, kasarian, o antas sa ating lipunan.
As I have consistently upheld in all of my personal and professional life, my credo remains: Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan.
At this point, allow me to express once again my sincerest thanks to Governor Henry for having me here today with you.
Muli, daghang salamat! Mabuhay po ang Misamis Occidental. Mabuhay tayong lahat!
*****
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