We spend a great deal of taxpayers’ money for an automated processing system, x-ray scanners, even for brokers’ accreditation, not to mention fairly high salaries for seasoned military men at the helm of the Bureau of Customs. But at the end of the day – all our efforts be damned — we are still one hell of a mess.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I rise before you on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
To say that our country is treated like trash appears to be true, as in literally, amid news reports of tons of waste being illegally shipped into our lands, no thanks to local and foreign smugglers, unscrupulous Customs brokers and corrupt Customs officials.
Talumpati ni Senador Panfilo M. Lacson para sa ika-119 Anibersaryo ng Proklamasyon ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas,
Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo, Kawit, Cavite
Ang kalayaang nakamit dahil ipinagmakaawa lamang ay walang kabuluhan. Hindi tulad ng kasarinlang pinagpanalunan matapos ipaglaban. Noong ika-12 ng Hunyo, 1898, ang mga pwersang rebolusyonaryo sa pamumuno ni Hen. Emilio Aguinaldo ay nagtipon-tipon sa mismong lugar na ito ng bayan ng Kawit, na ang tawag pa noon ay Cavite Dos del Viejo, upang basahin sa publiko ang proklamasyon ng kasarinlan ng sambayanang Pilipino, bilang pagpapahayag ng kalayaan at kasarinlan ng Pilipinas mula sa kolonyalismong pananakop ng bansang Espanya.