Before I begin, let me share with you a short story – A man was walking on his farm one quiet Sunday afternoon – a rare break from the series of meetings and activities he had attended for the past several weeks. The heat of the April sun had mildened.
It was the perfect time to enjoy the gentle wind carrying the scent of freshly cut grass, softly touching his face. As he savored the stillness, he stopped by his favorite side of his pond, picked a dark gray pebble lying on the ground and tossed it sideways into the pond. As the pebble landed in the water, he noticed the instant ripples it created, spreading to the surface of the water, even reaching the far end of the pond.
From here, the man realized something: no matter how small that pebble – as a man’s voice or action is – it can create ripples that, in one way or another, make an impact – sometimes one that we cannot even foresee.
Dubbed as the voice of business, PCCI has truly lived up to its mission of being a proactive catalyst of development by promoting and supporting globally competitive Philippine enterprises.
Needless to say, I am sure that most, if not all of you would agree that taking up the mission of being such a voice is both a privilege and a great responsibility. Fortunate is the PCCI, as your collective voice truly resonates – one that cuts through the unnecessary noise and false narratives.
In my long years as a public servant, I, too, have done my best to serve as a VOICE in my own right – a voice that not only has challenged the status quo but more importantly stood against the louder roars of the most powerful figures in our country.
Unlike most if not all of you, my journey though was and still is – a lonely one – met with overwhelming resistance and criticism, sometimes even ridicule, simply because I contradicted institutional practices and political interests that were not only accepted but even applauded and celebrated.
Allow me to share one compelling instance: Over two decades ago, on March 11, 2003, as a neophyte Senator, still fresh from my three-decade career in law enforcement, I stood on the Senate floor, calling for the scrapping of a very corrupt and corrupting system in our political institutions – walang iba kundi ang PORK BARREL SYSTEM.
I called that provokingly hostile privilege speech – LIVING WITHOUT PORK – the speech wherein I detailed the evils of pork – the attendant commissions made possible by overpricing, substandard construction materials, even ghost projects in some instances resulting from misuse and abuse of public funds – and thereafter, I appealed to my fellow legislators to forego the pork barrel funds, as there is life even without it. Fully aware of the bold action I was asking from my colleagues, I even acknowledged that I was sure to lose some friends and create new enemies in the 12th Congress. I was certain that skeptics would taunt me, and the cynics would mock me without end.
After my speech, the Senate President declared, “Session suspended”. As I prepared myself for the anticipated long and exhausting debate that was to come after the resumption of the session that day, the next thing I heard was the Senate President’s announcement, “Session adjourned!” followed by an even louder banging of the gavel – no debates, no interpellations, not even the customary and procedural referral to an appropriate Senate committee to conduct hearings and tackle the issues contained in my privilege speech.
To cut the story short, though my voice was indeed heard, it was quickly buried deep down the dustbin of the Senate archives.
Admittedly, as history unfolded – in the years that followed, the appetite for pork even grew stronger and more intense. And my battle became more disheartening and frustrating.
Lo and behold! Ten years had passed after my 2003 privilege speech, the pork barrel scam, courtesy of Janet Lim-Napoles exploded right in our faces. What I had called out on the same Senate floor, frowned upon and deemed self-righteous and unreasonable by many legislators from both Houses of Congress was no longer mere claims and allegations but hard – and to many legislators – very concerning reality.
It was even cast in stone when the Supreme Court declared the PDAF a.k.a. pork barrel as unconstitutional in 2014. Some observers and friends wondered how I was able to predict that something as explosive as the Napoles controversy would shock Congress and many government institutions.
I remember telling them – I did not see it coming. I only knew then as I know now that the pork barrel system is rotten to the core and must be terminated.
Be that as it may, this is the very kind of governance that I have long been advocating. It is about more than just speaking or talking – it is about walking the talk, carrying the weight of one’s convictions with consistency, no matter the pressure that may come our way.
It is practicing what you preach, no matter how much theatrics other candidates may throw, especially those who seem to undermine my stance on rejecting pork in whatever shape or form, even in the guise of AYUDA to “help the poor and the marginalized”. They may not realize or simply ignore that pork is a temptation that clogs the lifeblood of our nation, just like the cholesterol-rich litsong baboy where it is named after.
For 18 years which is equivalent to my three terms as senator, I have made it my advocacy, mission if you like, to be the watchdog of the NATIONAL BUDGET. Kasama din sa aking adbokasya ang pagbibigay proteksyon sa mga MSMEs na bumubuo ng 99.5% ng lahat ng negosyo sa bansa at nagbibigay ng employment sa mahigit 66% sa buong labor force. One of the very first laws that I authored and sponsored was the Anti-Red Tape Act which sought to reduce the bureaucratic red tape in government and ensure transparency and efficiency in public service.
For business leaders like you, I understand that the digitization of government transactions and services, both at the national and local levels is crucial for fostering a more conducive business environment for business and job creation.
This is something I deeply recognize, which is why I remain committed to advancing this cause. I am fully aware how essential it is for our country’s economic growth and development.
Sa puntong ito, naka kong pasalamatan ang PCCI sa pagkakataong makasama kayo sa araw na ito.
Simple lang ang akong maipapangako – ako pa rin ang magiging boses, no matter how small and insignificant to some of our countrymen upang labanan ang katiwalian sa pamahalaan.
Lest we forget the words of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. He said and I quote – “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.
This said, let us all continue to create a lasting impact through our voices, collective or individual – whether through small ripples or powerful waves, as we relentlessly pursue true progress and a brighter future for every Filipino. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat.
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