POLICY STATEMENTS*September-October 2017

President Rodrigo Roa DuterteRepublic of the Philippines

* Policy Statements and Issuances are culled online from the speeches and issuances of the President posted at http://www.gov.ph/offi cial-gazette/ and www.rtvm.gov.ph

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION BOARDEditor-in-Chief: Usec. George A. Apacible

Editorial Consultant: Benjamin R. Felipe

Production CoordinationEileen Cruz-David

Data GatheringMonica N. Ladisla

Editing and ProofreadingJohn S. SalvadoraRegin Raymund D. Dais

Graphic and Lay-out DesignRaymond R. dela RamaJhon Enrel S. Tan

Table of Contents

Economic Development: 1Support Local Businesses ThroughGovernmental and Private Endeavors forthem to Grow, Flourish, and Contributeto the Development of our Communities, in their Countries, and the ASEAN Region

Economic Development: 4Infrastructure Projects, Just and LastingPeace are Key to a Prosperous andProgressive Mindanao

Good Governance: 18Uphold the Constitution and MakePhilippines Safe for Everybody

Photo Gallery 29

Foreign Policy: 47Steadfast in Upholding Shared Values andAspiration in the ASEAN and withDialogue Partners

PRESIDENTIAL ISSUANCES 56

Executive Orders 56

Administrative Orders 58

Memorandum Circulars 59

Proclamations 61

REPUBLIC ACT 68

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Economic Development: Support Local Businesses Through Governmental andPrivate Endeavors for them to Grow,

Flourish, and Contribute to theDevelopment of our Communities,

in their Countries, and theASEAN Region

(ASEAN Business Awards 2017, ParañaqueCity, September 6, 2017)

t is an honor for me to welcome the economic ministers of our fellow ASEAN member-states as we host the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and Related

Meetings.

It is just and proper that you also join us tonight as we recognize outstanding ASEAN enterprises that contributed to the growth and prosperity of our region.

The ASEAN Business Advisory Council has been an instrumental in realizing our common aspirations of inclusive growth of our peoples.

It has served as a platform for the private sector to provide valuable guidance in empowering our entrepreneurs to become the bedrock of a stronger regional economy.

As Chair of the ASEAN in its milestone 50th year, I consider it a privilege to usher in a new age in our regional economy, one that is motivated not by the desire for profi t, but by the drive and entrepreneurial spirit of our peoples.

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To recognize the fi nalists, awardees for their outstanding performance in their respective fi elds.

We also acknowledge outstanding companies that made signifi cant social impact through their inclusive business models which enable us to achieve inclusive growth and prosperity for all.

For serving as role models and mentors to other ASEAN enterprises, you have contributed to the growth and the prosperity of the ASEAN Economic Community.

It is now your responsibility to help your fellow entrepreneurs to do better and achieve more to propel micro entrepreneurs to become small, and the small to become medium and so on.

You are the next breed of role models, and I look forward to your becoming the future mentors.

I also call on other entrepreneurs in the region to follow their example and become beacons of innovation and change towards poverty eradication and economic development in your respective countries.

Let the accomplishments of our honorees serve as an example for the whole region that MSMEs are key drivers and contributors to greater employment opportunities and more resilient economies in ASEAN.

Simply put, supporting their means — supporting the growth of the ASEAN countries.

It is truly an honor for the Philippines to lead ASEAN towards this promising future of businesses.

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For this reason, we have undertaken initiatives to create an enabling, nurturing, and globally competitive business environment in our entrepreneurs.

We have pushed for the promotion and integration of the MSMEs across all sectors in the Philippines, the development of an innovation-driven economy, and the promotion of women and — growth — entrepreneurship in all sectors.

We have also challenged those who achieve success and wealth to embrace inclusivity by helping our MSME.

I now extend this call to other big businesses in the region. Embrace MSMEs in your supply chains, open up your retail stores, and integrate these small entrepreneurs in the way you do business.

We need concrete action if we are to eliminate inequities in the region. That is why it is my fervent hope that all ASEAN member-states would continue to support local businesses through governmental and private endeavors that would make it easier for them to grow, fl ourish, and contribute to the development of our communities, in their countries, and the entire region.

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Economic Development: Infrastructure Projects, Just and Lasting Peace are Key toa Prosperous and Progressive Mindanao

(Closing Ceremony of the 26th Mindanao Business Conference [MINBIZCON], Cagayan de Oro City, September 9, 2017)

et me express my apologies. Actually, I was on time. I took off from Davao, it was a good weather over there. But coming in, I was advised by the security that I could

not proceed here immediately because there was this call of a thunderstorm maybe and the sky was blanketed. And coming over here, as a matter of fact, we had to turn back and to fi nd another route, an opening in the clouds, so that we could enter Cagayan. Sarado po and the clouds are very low and we had to negotiate the terrain.

But still, I made it on time because I noticed that the crowd is quite in their proper places. And of course, Mr. Ambassador, Igor Khovaev, he’s my good friend. We meet everywhere. He’s my idol, actually. We met in — it was a short time, but I was in the — in his country. Eh naudlot lang po dito sa developments ng ating bayan.

Let me begin by laying the predicate of this meeting.

Actually, I have a prepared speech. For all of the thousands, maybe hundreds of kilometers by motor, I had several locations to travel in my motoring days in a big bike. Actually, it’s about seven hours? But I have only three pages for you. Not worth the waiting for you and me. I was detained there sa holding room sa airport for almost an hour and a half before I was advised that I could take off.

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So, I would like to also just introduce — maybe, they have been already, the Defense Secretary Lorenzana; Mr. Pizarro, whom I met, the fi rst guy to greet me; Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, bakit ‘to, marami ang pangalan mo?; Cagayan de Oro First District Congressman Rolando Uy and other members of the House of Representatives; Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno — everytime I come here, he seems to be more handsomer, if there’s a word, baka sa babae ‘yan, walang iba; Mr. George Barcelon; participants of the 26th Mindanao Business Conference; mga kasama ko sa gobyerno; mga kababayan.

I said, let me — hindi tayo magkaintindihan dito if I go directly.

You know, we, the predicate is ‘what ails Mindanao’? Why is there a lag in the progress of Mindanao? Why is it that they do not have manufacturing? This is supposed to be an agricultural land.

Well, the Philippines fundamentally is — ang economy natin is based on agriculture. Why we do not have it here.

Well, one is you have to look into the factors but mainly because Mindanao seems to be in trouble. And I would admit that we have to correct the historical injustice asked by the Moro people. But then again, what’s happening in Marawi seems to stretch the trouble farther than we expect.

Let me assure the MI: we continue to respect the leadership and we would like to pursue the talks. And for Nur Misuari, the same thing. We made that guarantee, and it was the centerpiece of my campaign, that we will change the system to federalism.

Alam mo, let me be frank. This is aired all over the Philippines, so everybody’s listening. Just a caveat. I’m not trying

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to, you know, agitate or scare anybody, but the historical system of unitary type of government which is actually fundamentally for control of the population because we were colonized — would not work at this time anymore.

And if we cannot solve the problem of Mindanao, vis-a-vis the different contending parties for sharing maybe an equitable distribution of all things, then we are headed for a long haul of trouble.

I will guarantee you that being from Mindanao, with a mother from — a Mindanaoan, I will tell you now straight that there will be no peace in Mindanao for the longest time. The only way that we can really correct the injustice in Mindanao is for everybody to reconsider that position.

And the elite of this country cannot hang on to this unitary type of power grab every time. Ganito, ang humahawak kasi nito, ang ano, elite talaga eh. The elite of Manila and the rest of the countries.

That is why, in every election, they decide who should be President. It’s just a family of one or two or three before. The sugar block of Luzon and the Visayas, and some bright guys in Manila. Sila-sila lang ‘yan eh. They are the ones who meet there, decide who’s the best, they call for the Taipans, they call for the Chinese to pitch in and generate money for the elections.

And so, kanila talaga ang mananalo. Itong pagpasok ko sa Presidency, mind you, well of course, minimal ang utang ko. Kasi, except for Congressman Nograles and si Velasco of Marinduque because he’s a friend, wala akong congressman ni isa, even in Mindanao. Ang governor ko — and I have to acknowledge, si Amante sa Agusan del Norte, pati si Imee. Wala na. So wala akong utang na loob. Kaya nagbu-b******* talaga ako ng tao.

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Now, ABS is here, pati ‘yung nakikinig man ‘yang — Inquirer has been sold to somebody else. I will ask you frankly. Do you think that the Mile Long real estate, which has been practically given to the elites of Manila, kaya’t tingnan mo, isauli kaya ‘yan kung hindi ako naging Presidente? Sleep on it. Kung ‘yun ang nanalo doon sa ano, puro elitista, masauli kaya samga —

Ang Inquirer, sumobra. They were using the Inquirer as a power tool to control politics and to destroy reputations of people. Pagdating dito sa kanila, bi-null**** ko sila, at ******* ko sila.

At si Gabby Lopez ng ABS, andiyan man yan, sinabi ko, “Mukha kang pera. ********* mo.” Totoo kasi eh. Sinong makasabi sa kanila ng ganun? And they were foisting this lie that I was having 200 million, itong anak ko ngayon, we were the favorite targets.

Now, they have — during their time, during the campaign, I told everybody, “You can go around up to the rural banks of Tawi-Tawi, if there’s one. Hanapin niyong pera ninyo, kasi kung nandiyan, if it is true, I will withdraw my candidacy.”

Now, I gave you my commitment when I won, there will be no corruption, as I have told you, and if you can smell one, with my daughter who’s the Mayor of Davao City, and ‘yan si Pulong na may magsabi, huwag ‘yung hearsay na ganon, natatanggap. And I can’t invent — I’m coming up with Trillanes his bank deposits, all over.

Ngayon, nakuha ko na, akala kasi niya hindi ko rin kaya eh. So, I am giving you in a few days the number of deposits that he has with his — with Chinese joint accounts. It’s all over: Hong Kong, Australia, America, ‘yung ganun.

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PS • 2017

Kaya sabi ko, ako, I’m willing to resign immediately. I don’t have the illusions of the Presidency perpetuating in power. The Left, isa pa rin. “Diktador.”

Look, you ask me if I am happy being President now? I’m telling you, no. I am no longer happy. But because I was placed there by a mandate, with a sacred duty to run the country, I will just do it. I said there will be no corruption, and everybody has to follow, including Mindanao.

Some of the practices here, slavery is still prevalent. Maraming nagki-kidnap sa labas, tapos dinadala sa Marawi. Mga bata. Totoo ‘to. Hindi mo ako mabola kasi ang lola ko, Maranao. Huwag tayong magbolahan dito.

Slavery has to stop. Because itong mga kidnappers, mga hold-uppers dito, hindi lang Moro, pati itong Kuratong Baleleng, they have to stop. I will order the soldiers to shoot you, goddamnit. Do not give me that s*** about due process. Huwag tayong magbolahan dito. Whenever there’s shabu, there is no democracy at all. In Ozamiz, two decades, two decades of power. The mayor, being a narcopolitician, was using government resources and manpower pati na pulis to run a city — was manufacturing drugs day and night.

After this Marawi incident, meron pang martial law. I will go after you. At ‘yan, ‘yang human rights with all the hullabaloo.

Oh, tingnan mo ngayon sa Burma. Si Suu Kyi is a Nobel Prize winner. O, tingnan mo. The Rohingyas, they’re being brutalized. Kita mo, walang citizenship ‘yung mga tao. Look at the TV sa Al Jazeera.

Tapos itong mga human rights na ano, they’re all — shut up! Yesterday, I lost a policeman. He was hit in the head raiding

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

a drug den. Same place, sa Caloocan. And, I will just shout, itong Left, they are capitalizing, they want to get the cadaver to parade it. Well that’s a — that’s a — you will not affect me anymore. Psychologically, I will just think of some other things.

I cannot run for re-election. Andito ako. I will talk about the predicate of this. The predicate really is order.

So, ‘yang drugs, hindi matatapos ‘yan because it will never end. And everybody agrees with it. It’s either Trump or even President Putin when I was in Russia. We talked about it. And I said, it’s a problem for my country. And he said, “We will help you.”

That is why — well, of course, I only visited China and Russia. The countries I feel that could help me and understand me. Without giving me the s*** about human rights. Ito, itong ganitong sitwasyon sa — itong mga kidnapper, mga Kuratong Baleleng. Huwag mo akong bigyan ng — don’t give me a sad story about them.

I either — we are freed of them, as free, or I will see to it that we will get it. Dito sa panahon ko. ‘Pag hindi ko kaya ‘to, walang makakaya niyang mga animal na ‘yan. Totoo ‘yan. Kasi sabihin man nila na, “Bakit ka pumunta dito?” Sabihin ko, “Gusto kong mamatay.”Pareho ng terorista. I really want to die.

You know, my forebears are from Lanao del Sur. My cousins there are in the —mga mahirap lang at tsaka resettlement areas, sa evacuation centers. So it is good, it’s good to go back to the molecules of our — the past. Tapatan mo. Gusto mong kamatayan? Gusto ko rin. I’d be happy to die anytime for my country. So what’s the problem?

It’s really law and order. Mindanao cannot progress. Nandiyan ‘yung NPA, exacting extortion. Tapos andiyan ‘yung mga warlords, sa gobyerno, mga titulo. NI — ano ‘yun?

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PS • 2017

NICIP? NICIP. Tapos, nandiyan ang DENR. Andiyan pang land registration. Tatlong titulo sa gobyernong ‘to, nag-i-issue ng land title. ‘Di ko ‘to ma — but I’ll explode one day. Land dispute ‘yan.

So these are the things that contributed to this disorder, including government, because of corruption. ‘Pag hindi mo na-control ang corruption sa gobyerno, walang mangyayari sa buhay na ‘to. Kaya talagang hihiritan ko.

When I go back next week, I will abolish 1 to 3 agencies. ‘Yung Road Board, they have to go. ‘Yung Sugar Regulatory Board, I will abolish it. Just place it in an offi ce. Biro mo, the guy, meron siyang consultant: tatlo, ang bayad, 200,000 buwan-buwan. Mas malaki pa sa Presidente.

Sabi ko, I fi red — but I will abolish them, I will suggest to Congress na i-abolish na. You better — pati ‘yung pera lahat, isauli mo sa Congress. Let Congress decide. And I will tell Congress, be sparing in creating offi ces.

Marami akong bagahe eh. Corruption dito, corruption doon. Hindi ko — and I have soldiers who are wounded seriously. Kulang ako sa pera, and here are the guys here, consultants being paid 200. Mag-ku-kudeta ‘yang mga ‘yan, tignan mo. Makikita nila ‘yung mga masugatan, wala masyadong —

And look at this. August of last year, when I became President. July, August. Pumunta ako sa AFP Medical Center, V. Luna. Pagdating ko doon, because I am familiar — you know, being Mayor for the longest time. “May CT Scan kayo?” “Wala. May X-ray lang, luma.” “Do you have a — you have a — itong MRI?” “Wala.” Sabi ko, “Ito, ganito. The hyperbaric?” That’s the high-pressure chamber when you use if you have the bends. Para mag-dive ka na, maunahan, embolism. Hyperbaric.” “Wala.”

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So Diokno, the budget offi cer, and the Generals were with me. Andiyan si Secretary Esperon, I saw him here, Lorenzana. Sabi ko, I looked at Diokno, I glanced at him, and he said, nodding his head, yes.

So sabi ko, bigay ko, bigay, bigay, bigay. Would you believe it, when the government doctors were there to inaugurate the Malacañan — ‘yung sa mga sundalo, the Presidential Security, they have a medical thing there, hindi naman, parang ospital na pang-ano lang. Hindi naman tertiary. Tinanong ko ‘yung mga doctor. “Do you have the equipments and the machines already?” You know what they told me, one year hence? “Wala pa.” ******* gobyerno na ‘to.

Gusto kong mag-resign na, the exasperation. Kaya mainit ang ulo ko palagi. Sino ba namang hindi? Kaya ‘yang hyperbaric helps control the spread of gangrene.

You know, the soldiers are there, and they are extricated about half a day. And there are open wounds, infection sets in, bacterial or otherwise. ‘Pag hindi nadala kaagad ‘yan doon o ano, maputol talaga ang paa. And all you have to do is to bring him to a hyperbaric. Anak ng — kaya pabalik ako nang pabalik diyan.

Sabi ko sa Congress, I don’t know, but I specifi cally — I asked the Senate President and the Speaker, “Kindly do away with procurement.” Kasi ‘yung procurement is the evil of them all.

Kasi ‘yang procurement na ‘yan na lowest bid, pabagsakan ‘yan sila. Itong mga ******* ‘to, either they cabal, or they agree na magpasok sila dito, may project dito, tapos may — well, open ng ano, open na sa bids. Mag-ano ‘yan sila, tapos sila-sila lang ‘yan. Ibagsak nila. Ngayon, ‘yung iba, tataas kunwari. O, ‘di bagsak. Pero iwi-withdraw niya. Pero sila-sila lang magbayad. That’s one.

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‘Yung iba naman, kasama dito ang Korte. I know what’s happening to the judges here in the Philippines but some are really corrupt. Ganito ‘yan eh. ‘Pag manalo ito. And it happened kay Consunji pati kay Ayala. May manalo na, and the project, it’s about to start, because we are in a hurry to start and fi nish the job. Papasok naman itong isa, magkukuha ng TRO. Ito namang mga gagong judges. That’s why, I’ve warned you. I’m not the traditional, courteous guy ha? ******* Mag-uupakan tayo dito and —

Kaya lahat, binibira ko. Sabi ko, “Look, I will read. I’m a lawyer. I should know if you’re — if you are a son of a b****, I would know.” Kaya pati na si Ombudsman. So what’s the problem? They criticize me about the lack of what, due process or human rights? Kayo? Kayo, anong ginagawa — selective justice. Wala pa akong nakitang yellow, nademanda. Puro kalaban. Last time, si Gringo.

Unang-una, selective justice si Morales. Si Sereno naman, she’s running the Supreme Court as if it’s a private fi rm. At tsaka kung mag-abroad, sabi ko nga, I’ve always led a simple life. ‘Di tiningnan namin ‘yung mga ano sa hotel, presid — mga suite. What’s the —

Alam mo, sa gobyerno ngayon, sinasabi ko sa kanila, ‘yang Cabinet members, lahat. “You ride economy class. Wala kayong Mabuhay.” Mabuhay-Mabuhay kayo. Gastos ng tao ‘yan eh. And I don’t use the — wala kang nakikita, Cabinet members, they have this specialized number: 6. President is 1, I do not use it. I use the ordinary. When I go out, you can look at the plates. It’s an ordinary one.

When I was Mayor, I never placed that plate “Mayor.” When I was a Congressman, I never used the 8. I fi nd it very corny. Hilas ba.

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Tapos ‘tong mga ito, high offi cials, they travel, suite, fi rst class. Do not do that. What you should do if you’re a government offi cial, you want to travel, okay. Get in an economy. Then if you have the money, you buy, pa-upgrade ka lang. Otherwise, kukwestiyunin kita. Tatawagin kita sa Malacañang. Sabihin ko, “Ikaw ba may pera, o wala, o ano? Mayaman ka ba o mahirap?”

Ako, okay kasi ako. Hindi naman ako mahirap, hindi rin ako mayaman. So pareha tayo lahat dito. And so why **** with the money of the people? ‘Yan ang predicate diyan.

It’s corruption sa government, then the law and order is affected. ‘Yang Cotabato na ‘yan, puputok ‘yan, ke isang lote, tatlo ang titulo. And somebody has to explain that. Otherwise, pupu — tignan mo, ano ang sunod na —

The next fl ash point is still in Mindanao. Ang akin lang kasi, sa aking mga kadugong Moro. We know the situation. We know that you are the original occupants there. Pero lahat naman tayo, we belong to the Sri-Vishaya empire. Kaya nga kayong mga Bisaya, if you listen carefully sa Tausug, maiintindihan mo ang salita nila. So we are all Malay.

Hindi naman namin kasalanang nag-migrate kami dito because pagkaalam namin, ang Pilipinas, kasali ang Mindanao. So we are not really squatters here.

Me, I have a mixed blood, and I’ll tell you, let us understand each other. But we must also provide for our Moro brothers. Kasi nawala talaga sila eh. Because when the American came, they granted homestead. If it’s a corporation, 24 hectares; if it’s an individual, 7. No Moro was given any piece of land. Kaya ganun. So we have to correct that.

If you want a defi nite territory, fi ne. And that is why, I continue to talk with the mainline revolutionary fronts. They also want peace. Pero kung ganito lang naman ‘yung iba, including

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the communists. Sison, gusto niya, masunod kaag — kaibigan ko ang mga ‘yan eh.

But you know, when I became President, when I was in Davao, we used to talk. ‘Yang mga sundalong NPA sa Mindanao, hindi ‘yan kanila lahat. Iba niyan, Duterte faction. Tignan mo, when they start to come down. I’m negotiating with the big ones. Bumaba kayo, I’ll give you a piece of land and I’ll give you livelihood. ‘Wag muna tayo — iwan mo na ‘yung —

We have been fi ghting for 50 years. You want another 50 years? You want to kill Filipinos for another 50 years? ‘Yan ang gusto ninyo? Ayaw ko. Kung you’re very hesitant really to kill my own brother. Pero kung gusto ninyong bakbakan, marami man akong pulis, nakapila ‘yan sa Aguinaldo diyan o, araw-araw. Naghahanap ng trabaho ‘yung mga bugoy diyan na walang —

Okay, sige, ikaw ayan, magsundalo ka na. I am recruiting 20,000 new soldiers and I will train them just to kill. That’s how — war is all about killing, so hindi mo naman — wala nang ibang kurso diyan eh, on how to target your enemy. ‘Yan ang gusto ninyo.

If you want to talk peace, fi ne. But do not be too incessant ‘yung sa gusto ninyo, kaagad-agad nandiyan, ang mga komunista. And I get a blame for not — na-TKO sila doon, ‘yung dalawang — I’m the only President na naglagay ng mga komunista diyan sa Cabinet ko. Binigay ko pa DAR because that is closest to their heart, and DSWD binigay ko rin sa Left kasi makatulong eh. Pero ako pa — ako pa ‘yung pasingin na, ako pa ang sinisisi. Sila ‘yang nakipag-away, daldal nang daldal. “Ang gobyerno corrupt.” Siyempre, ang mga Congressman, nasasaktan ‘yan. Hindi naman lahat ng Congressman corrupt eh. May ilan, pero hindi ‘yan lahat. Most of them, wala akong — I could not even imagine one.

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So ‘yan ang ano, that’s the — having said that, I will now read my speech.

I thank you all for organizing and inviting me.

Sa totoo lang, pag nabalitaan ko na — in other occasions sana, in other places, if it’s really not a viable thing to penetrate the clouds, magsabi naman ‘yan sila na, “Sir, postpone mo na lang.” Kasi pumunta kami dito sa dagat. Nagsara. Balik kami, nag-ikot doon sa bukid, tapos dito kami nag-ano, diretso na sa ano, hindi na kami — hindi na ako dumaan ng Poblacion eh, diretso ‘yung target na ng chopper.

Had it been some other kind of activity, in some other place, ma’am, I would have just — you know, and there’s not, it’s the weather, and simply, it’s dangerous to be navigating when a — kasi pababa na ‘yung clouds eh. So hindi mo na makita and the helicopters can only fl y so much, and there are mountain ranges.

Were it not for the fact, really, that Cagayan de Oro is full of beautiful women. Mga puti na lithe ang — very lithe itong mga babae sa ano. Lithe ah, hindi masyado tambok pero wala kang makitang — it’s not a sexist ano, I’m just telling you the truth. Mahirap din kasi nito, “that’s a sexist statement.” “No, of course not, you’re beautiful.” We have lost the right of oratory: “Ikaw ang babae na pinuntahan ko dito.” “At sapat naman sa akin na sana makarating. At dahil sa ulan at makapal na ulap,” “ganun pa man, sumugod ako.”

Saan ba ‘yung ibang maganda dito? Ganun ‘yan eh.So —

Your continued support for the government’s development efforts is deeply appreciated. I’ve always been a fi rm believer in Mindanao’s great potential. As long as it has the right infrastructure and a sound business environment, Mindanao’s

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abundant resources and hardworking and dynamic people have the capacity to contribute even more to our country’s growth and development.

It is for this reason that the government is aggressively pursuing infrastructure projects in Mindanao. We have allocated funds to build structures that facilitate the transfer of goods and services as well as enhance mobility and connectivity.

Key projects such as the Mindanao Railway System, the Panguil Bay Bridge and the Laguindingan Airport development are in various stages of implementation.

To secure Mindanao’s important role as the country’s food basket, the government is actively providing assistance in the production of high value crops, and the development of agricultural products and marketing of its goods, among others.

The Color-Coded Agri-Fishery Map is now available to our farmers to help them identify the most suitable crops for their farms. This will be continuously improved with new data and tools to provide more information for our farmers and fi sherfolk.

All you have to do is just to look at the map. Ito, ito ang itanim mo dito. It’s actually, it’s simply stated, it’s the soil analysis of what’s the appropriate tanim mo.

However, our efforts to promote business, trade and investment in Mindanao will be in vain if we cannot ensure stability and order, as well as secure just and lasting peace in the island.

That is why, the government is intensifying the fi ght against illegal drugs, crime and corruption, even as it creates a more enabling and nurturing business environment in Mindanao.

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Government remains fi rmly committed to wiping out local terrorists and other threat groups that continue to hinder our peace and development efforts, especially the ISIS-inspired ones who have attempted to take over the City of Marawi. I assure all investors and businesses in Mindanao that the government will do everything to make sure that Marawi City recovers and that it will rise again as a thriving and fl ourishing city.

Government is now expediting preparatory works for the implementation of the Marawi City Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Plan to see to it that this will really happen.

While we have big and grand plans for Mindanao and our country, all of these will not succeed without the help and participation of the private sector.

I therefore ask everyone in this conference to continue supporting the government’s programs and initiatives.

Rest assured that the government will continue listening to your inputs and suggestions. With your cooperation and our people’s support, I am confi dent that we will create a more prosperous and progressive Mindanao.

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Good Governance: Uphold the Constitution and Make Philippines Safe for Everybody

(56th Anniversary of the Philippine Constitution Association [PHILCONSA], Manila, September 26, 2017)

s always, I have so many appointments for the day so that my speech — mga speech ko is prepared by the — just two pages. That’s about two sentences and a

paragraph of the Constitution. I would not be a true Filipino if I don’t mention really the entrails of the presidency.

May I greet the former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, sir, good evening; the Ambassador Jozsef Bencze of Hungary and other members of the diplomatic corps; National Defense Secretary Delfi n Lorenzana; Solicitor General Jose Calida; former congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; Justice Manuel Lazaro; retired Chief Justice Renato Puno; members of the Senate and House of Representatives; and, of course, Senator Enrile, sir, salamat for the kind words, you did a great service also to the nation because talagang buong puso ako nagsisilbi sa bayan; the offi cials, members, and employees for the Philippine Constitution Association; mga kasama ko sa gobyerno; mga kababayan.

Well, I said, I would not do justice just reading about — it’s only a half a minute. Maybe, you’d say that after all, mabuti pa naghanap tayo ng iba. I would be through in one minute and it is — I would say, not discourteous, but not adequate for me to be just talking a few words without substantial meaning.

Let me just state outright. I came from the Justice department. It’s their 120th anniversary. So let me reverse my — I’ll just start from where I left off. And the penultimate statement, I said that we are in trouble and this is the fi rst time that I would

A

19

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

reveal it because we’re talking about the Constitution and the interest of the country and, of course, the Bill of Rights and due process.

The Philippines today is a client of the — client state of the Bamboo Triad. They have taken over the operations sa — sad to say, Chinese but I do not mean the country and the people. The sense that they are — most of them are really into this kind of business. I said, they have decided to go international.

Philippines is a transhipment of shabu to America and it behoves upon America to work closely with the Republic of the Philippines, especially on this serious matter.

We are fl ooded with drugs and the locals here have been taken in, but they participate in the produce of the selling. And I think they are happy because they are protected. We have become a narco-state long ago. The Philippines, the barangay, is about 40 percent affected with this kind of disease and most of them are the barangay captains. And that is the reason I said, I am not telling you anything. But I told the congressmen, the Senate President and the Speaker that just listen to me. I’m not suggesting anything. Bahala na kayo. At sinabi ko iyong totoo, then I took them in to share the state secrets that are not really supposed to be revealed at this time.

But I think that because of the incessant use of the issue, EJK-EJK-EJK. It’s about time that we, be clear with each other. I am a worker of government who swore before the people and God that I will enforce the law. And it is part of that oath that I do not have to favor anybody and that the laws of the land will be applicable to all, the rich and the poor. Iyan ang pagkaintindi ko sa trabaho. That’s what I understand. How I should — So when I ran for the fi rst time as mayor, it’s just after I was appointed for one year, Davao City was really a troubled place. We used to lose something like two or three policemen and soldiers a day through assassination.

20

PS • 2017

And I was a prosecutor. And I was myself also tried in a kangaroo court when I was campaigning and they got hold of me. And I had to explain. Trabaho ko iyon eh. It’s my work. And if you kill me, everybody dies anytime, anyhow. So as long as you just tell the world that — I was referring to the NPA — that you killed me for doing my duty as a prosecutor, so be it! I’m ready to go. I have no illusions about life and death. The day I was born, I started to die.

And so when I became mayor, I became a fast friends and because hindi naman talaga kami mayaman. You know, we — you know, destiny has something to do with it and maybe God. But really, we started as migrants. Otherwise, kung ang tatay ko sa Cebu, o nanay ko sa Marawi, she was a daughter of a Maranao lady, eh ‘di hindi na sana kami nagpunta ng Davao, ang layo-layo. Pati my father was practicing his profession as a lawyer. Eh kung mayroon talaga kami doon sa amin, ‘di hindi na sana kami nagpunta ng ibang lugar. But because my father was eternally searching for the greener pasture, and you know —

Let me, if you’ll forgive me for taking a bit of your time. Alam mo kasi, most of the migrants in Mindanao went there as if for the better life. Better than what they had before you. And the Americans came up with the sloganeering, “Go to Mindanao because it is the land of promise.” Well, actually, we went there and found out that Davao City was owned only by about — count the number in your fi ngers, about seven or eight. All of them were — the land title there in the names of a few persons.

We have nothing against them. They were all Tagalogs. But you know, when they divided the Philippines, iyong mga homestead, mga cadastral lands. You know the map, was in the Philippines; it was only 19 — early, 1918 up to 1925. They introduced the homestead, American practice, and divided Mindanao into several territories. So just like an imperialist would do, ‘yun ang ginawa nila. And ibinigay na nila sa mga tao. So iyong pagdating ng — the huge migration took place

21

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

between the islands of Leyte, Cebu, Bohol because it was nearer in proximity. Bababa ka lang eh.

And Davao City and the rest of the — is suffering from — iyong lupa. So it was a hot issue and I promised the NPAs that just — you know, just go out for a while and do not ******* do not mess up with my city. And I said, I will govern Davao the way I should do. And there were a lot of killings and those who were holding arms, were given freely by the military because of anti-communists sentiments. You were right away given an arms. So when peace time came, everybody, almost everybody in the community was holding fi rearms.

That made the place — you know, if you’re from Davao — that made the place really very disorderly and crime-ridden. So I said, and it was there that they started the drugs.

When I won as mayor, I said, “I will serve you faithfully. And if you think I’m not — and even the communists, I’d try to invite you to kill me if I violate my oath.” But I said, “I will make Davao peaceful. But do not destroy the city because I will kill you. And do not, you know, destroy the youth of the land because they are just our only assets.” The reason why is very simple. We are not all millionaires. When we retire, kami dito sa gobyerno, we put our place exactly hoping that the savings or the pensions given us would sustain us for the years after retirement.

And there is no way of knowing how many years would I live after my retirement. And most of us are just not even — there’s no such thing as a middle income family here. It’s really the rich and the poor, period.

Eh kami, we, in government, I supposed I get a bigger sum because pegged to the last salary. Pero doon na ako kukuha. How sure can I be that the pension that I get from the government will sustain me for the rest until God calls me in, iyon ang mahirap.

22

PS • 2017

Iyon ang masakit sa akin. Because who will buy the oxygen? Who will pay for the hospitals of a regular government worker? Who will pay for the antibiotics? And eventually who will pay the funeral parlor and our burial expenses? It’s our children.

No such thing in America as — there’s a pension. No nothing. What you get is something an ordinary employee. You get about — the most is 100,000, maybe lower. Policemen, they used to retire at 32,000. My — and you destroy — when I die, at most of my children or majority of them are hooked into drugs. Who will pay the price? It’s society, the Filipino. Who’s to be blame? Well, of course, government! Eh pu — dumaan kayo dito at wala naman kayong ginawa. Why are we — there are so many zombies running around.

Now, count the number of Filipinos, children, mothers, and fathers killed since the advent of drugs. And they vary in number that we killed 10,000 or 12,000. Where do you get the facts? You must be idiots! You just read the newspaper and say, “This Duterte is a killer.” Or you rely on the bias of your representatives because the opposition gave it to them. That has always been my — the issue, even when I was mayor, women — to be frank with you, and killing.

Well because in my time, I told the police and the military: “Do your work! Just now, magtrabaho kayo!” Kapag magtrabaho kayo, maraming engkuwentro, there will be a lot of encounters. You work, do not give me that shit of just sitting there. I will not accept it. We will all die in this God — or it’s either we take control of our place.

Ano itong isa? There are Filipinos working abroad. In the Middle East, I will not specify the country, but I was there once upon a time to work on the release of a Filipina who was imprisoned. And I was able to talk to King Fahd when I was governor — no sorry, Congressman. Nakiusap ako, I went there to beg and he said, “You better talk to one of the ministers.” And

23

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

I was introduced to a member of the Parliament. Then we talked about the plight, the sad story of the Filipinos.

And this is what he said, he said to me, “You warn your countrymen not to go here. But if they do come here, let them live with the environment.” You know, there are many places in the Middle East and in African countries that if you work as a household domestic helper and you are paid, and if you work there, bought from the slave markets of Africa, you are used. So the head of the family will use you sometimes, sometimes the son, sometimes the brother-in-law. And just entertaining the fl esh, it would take them until so many hours, they sleep only three hours a day. And they continue to suffer humiliation and dignity. And they continue to send money here so that their children can go to school, can get education. The father is in one country, the other — the mother is in another country.

You know, when a child gets hooked in drugs, even with the father or mother, it becomes a dysfunctional family. There is already a dysfunction because you know. Alam natin and even your sons and daughters that you know, they begin to steal the cars, your car, they will mortgage it and everything, and they steal. And they graduate into a high-time business of robbing and killing. The poor, when they have the urge, they do not have any money, they go into a hold-up spree and they kill people.

Can I have — where’s my aide? Iyan. Iyan oh.

Well, this is the updated version. This is supposed to be a national secret but I’ll just show you one page. How many of them are — isa lang iyan o, Region I, o ito. O, look at the list.

So ganito. Past administration, July 10 to July 16: Anti-drug operations, 7,000 - 99,710. Killed in anti-drug operations, 206. My administration: 70,854. How many died? 3,811, to date. These are legitimate encounters duly recorded.

24

PS • 2017

Now, there are some countries which are insulting us to open our records to them, everything. Who are you to do that to my country? If you don’t believe our records, then go out and fi nd something else to do. We do not fabricate. Killed in police operation, total policemen killed, 85; Marawi casualties connected with the initial fl ashpoint — the Marawi war was ignited by the service of a summon and a warrant of arrest of one of the drug lords there. There was a fi refi ght and that started the rebellion.

And I was really aghast to know that until now, they have so many bullets, ordnance and everything that the fi ght is still going on.

Police killed in police operation, 85; wounded in police operation, 215; ang casualties is 58.

Soldiers, killed-in-action, drug related: 146; wounded-in-action, 2,592.

And you say that we are killing our own countrymen, for what reason? You enjoy slaughtering your own countrymen? Iyan ang mahirap. Ang masakit sa akin, what is really very painful is, there a lot of business going around, this time it was the Chinese — not the government, I said, not the people. I do not have any qualms against them. But look, what am I supposed to do?

You know, when I said in Davao, “I will clean up the city. For those who want to go out, go out now because if I destroy it, I’ll kill you.” When I became President, that was the same message, “If you destroy my country, I will kill you. If you destroy the young people of this country, the greatest and only resource of this Republic, I will kill you, period!” You all can go to hell if you disagree with me. But fi nd me a law which says that a President of the Republic cannot say, “I will kill you to

25

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

protect my country, I will kill you to protect the young people of this country.” Find me a law.

You know what? I may be just an old — one of the guys in Mindanao. But nobody, nobody in this country can question my love for my country. I will — I’m ready to die. I’m not even asking for a recognition. I’d love to die for my country, period! Wala nang — I do not want to aspire to be a hero, I do not need that because my only worry is that my children and the grandchildren of my children. Do not do it here. Do not do it here.

Now, I’m warning. A lot of guys has taken over. Do not do it here. Do not do it here because I said, one of these days, America would be a sorry state. They are no longer — the cocaine and heroin travels a long route. You just cook shabu in the boundary, just what like the trawler, the Chinese trawlers are doing, cooking shabu in the ships and throwing it over board and placing a GPS. There’s a GPS so that the drug lords here, ganun, travel ganun.

So if we meet in one — if we meet in one corner, I’m sorry. I am really sorry. I’m saying it to God, not to anybody else. I will not offer apologies or excuses. I have to do what I must do, period. I am — thank you.

I hope you realize my statement when I became President. I told you, in the dealing of problems of corruption, drugs, criminality, I make it peaceful for the economy to thrive. I never said that I was an expert in economics. I was honest enough to say, “I’ll take all of my —” mga kababa — Sonny Dominguez is a childhood friend. Tugade is from Cagayan, Tuguegarao.

They are all valedictorians. Pero ako, ordinaryo lang and — pero huwag mo talagang subukan iyon. Huwag mo talagang subukan ninyo, because I will not allow my country to sink. If

26

PS • 2017

you think that you are earning millions here, ha, better enjoy it because I said, “Magtatagpo rin tayo.”

You know, what is really very funny is this. When I became President, I did not start operating police punitive action right away. Kapa ako eh. You know why? Because on the fi rst day of my term, I said, “Give me all the available data of the drug problem.” And I found there nine generals. Nine ********* generals running the show here. So what do you think? But there were already people being killed by the dozens. You count, you go back to the records so that you will be fair. Huwag iyong basta salita ka lang nang salita. There were several killings before I assumed duty. Ten, fi fteen, it was already a — almost a vicious thing every day.

It was not only after two months that I allowed Bato, the PNP Chief, to start. But then, karamihan na, sige patay. Now that — I’d tell you. I will not name the countries. The funeral parlors complained that there are a lot of bodies piling there in their bodega and they are almost a warehouse already.

Nobody was claiming the bodies. I was not operating yet. Who do you think killed those pursuit? Nobody claimed them because they were all foreigners. Could you ever think a Christian country — whatever the crime of your — their carcass did, kukunin mo talaga iyan sa punerarya. But I said, remember there were complaints of piling up of bodies and nobody was claiming, because they have no relatives here. The drug lords are there, they are just a piece of meat, carcass, bahala diyan yan. And that was that issue na bakit maraming patay sa punerarya? They keep on pouring formalin because it was already stinking to the heavens.

Now, bakit walang nagke-claim? Eh walang kilala eh. Just like the innocent Filipinos lured abroad. Ito naman dito, they were lured here and to made believe that everything, you know, this kind of practice is all right. And so the poor guys were also just cooking there and cooking here.

27

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Now, who do you think killed them? What would be my reasons to kill a foreigner? And I said, I did not start it until two months later. The problem is, people sometimes — you know, there’s a word, please remember it. I’d like everybody. It says that, “Men judge best when they condemn.” That is the problem. If you are condemning, you are at your best element. Pardon my protestation. I’m actually protesting. That’s what I said, “Go to the streets and protest and I will protest also. What’s happening to my country? You are my country, that’s why, I am protesting here.

Iyan ang — alam mo and I would tell you. Then what your — what are you up to? Well, I would just say, “That is my characterization of my job. That is how I characterize the Offi ce of the President. And the perils and the burden and the duty that goes with it. Mabuti iyong magklaro tayo. There will be no let up. Ito ang ginawa ko, ganito, because the Bishops are complaining because they ride on the issues, mga madre diyan na — go ahead, this is a free country. And said, Duterte is planning for his extension in offi ce, ahh ****! I never wanted to be President. You know what? This is what happened during the last day of the term fi ling for — I did not fi le and so some supporters were disappointed. So when I fi nally decided to run. Sinong nagtulong sa akin, in the entire Philippines, who supported me? How many governors? Imee Marcos, one; Abet Garcia, governor, two; Romualdez, mga Romualdez sa ano; then one single, one single that’s Bisaya, one single, one single governor and only because she loved me and I loved her. Wala! I didn’t have a single barangay captain in Luzon; in the Visayas; in the hometown of my father, Danao, Cebu. Even my cousins were supporting the other guys. I said, “Okay.” Then, then only in Davao. So how many all in all politicians? 4, 5, 6, 7. O, when the results came? I had a majority of 6 million and all in all, you add it to the 15 million, the number

28

PS • 2017

of — 15 million something —16 rather. So the 10 million plus the 16, without any money, a very limited campaign activity, I won by a landslide. What does that say to you? I had only three message — four. I will stop corruption and my God I will stop corruption. Papatayin ko — sige. “Oh, if I have to kill you, I’ll kill you.” I said, stop: I will stop corruption; I will stop drugs; I will stop criminality.” Itong mga police na murder for hire and those policeman who are still wanted. And I placed a 20 million reward on their head and I announced the other day that I’m putting another million, three million. I want their heads in front of me. You know, I am not a violent man. I am not even — of course, I’m a playful guy. But when it comes to my country, I can be the most brutal. But I do not lose the sight of the Constitution because I am a lawyer, always, always. I was a prosecutor, I was doing trial work for eight years. I know what due process means. I know what is due should be given to the citizens. And lastly, I do not want killing innocent Filipino people. Rather, I do not want to see our —

Tignan mo ha? Look. You are here, you are — kayo lahat dito, Manila. You saw on TV. Kian was killed, another one? So there were a lot of ruckus there. So I’m not saying that the police is really — there are police who became police just because they wanted to make money. And these are the guys that we have to root out. And if you do not do anything, just take against them, because they are the police, contemporary Philippines, you’ll never go where. And I said, if you are a policeman or a military man and you’re into drugs, you will be the fi rst to go. Look at what they are doing. Kian was killed. Two days after, there was this police operation, because really Caloocan is fl ooded with drugs, in deep **** about drugs.

The police went there, and you know, one was shot in the head, right. He had a protected gear, he had a helmet, but he — and so with these guys who died, the statistics. Why

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Army? Why Army? Because, in some places in the Philippines, if you just rely on the police, they will be massacred. That is why, in Mindanao, if you want to go against the drug syndicates, you have to use a military armored car there. Because the fi rst thing that you will experience is the M-60, babbab. The police does not have that kind of weapon. So the entry is always made by the Army. That is why, mas maraming patay na Army in the campaign against drugs. Kaya while there are so many people, and the other, 206. Mine is 3,811 legitimate. Why? Because when I became President, I said, “Don’t give me that — you work. If I do not see results —” And I go out at night. Everybody knows it. In my city, I go out alone. I drive a taxi, and I watch people. I do not — a lot of you, you had the time to ride with me around. I do not bring bodyguards and all. I said, if it’s your time, it’s your time. That is why, the press said, “Why is Duterte always saying about death or —” Well, we’re talking about death because we’re talking about the dangers of drugs. And it could mean a danger to your life and the life of the idiot there outside making money and destroying the lives of people. And I said, it’s not that great. Never mind. Don’t give me a number. My country deserves the best even if you touch one, two, or three Filipinos. And if you oppress them, I will react.

I said, I made — if you pro — during the debates, the national debates during the campaign, I said — I fi nished early because I knew that we were only given one minute and a half. And if I follow that schedule given by the — what can you— when you talk about bridges and everything, eh mawalaan ka ng — there’s not enough time. So mine, may bullets. And what was my message? The three most important issues that the Filipinos are really afraid of: corruption, drugs, criminality. Iyon ang — I would let the managers take care of — do not ask me because even looking at the statistics, I get dizzy.

36

PS • 2017

Paganun-ganun yung *********, saan ba ito papunta? I don’t know how. I took up Economics, but not that — others took it seriously, maybe because they wanted to be economists. Me? I just wanted to be a trial lawyer, because I was fascinated eh. That’s why I went — joined the prosecution. And I really wanted to help my country. So when I was Mayor, I knew what I was doing. Due process must be observed. I will be the fi rst one to break it. Now, there are 130 policemen in the Philippines. Find me one, even one offi cer or a patrolman, fi nd me one that would say that I ordered them to execute criminals and you will have my resignation tomorrow. I’m only asking for one — patrolman or a police offi cer. Sige nga! And I’m challenging the opposition. If it is true in an affi davit form, or if you say that my children are into this kind of smuggling, I told you, I will not hesitate. I told them that you fi nd my two sons or one of my sons into it, you kill them. You kill him. That is to show you na I do not — I enforce the law against everybody. Ako, wala man akong ma-enforce. I do not smoke. I banned smoking. It is only when I became President na walang manigarilyo dito. I made Davao City smoke-free 15 years ago. I banned the paputok, the fi recrackers during New Year. And they say, it was impossible. Oh let us see. Oh ngayon, bakit? Davao was registered the highest growth rate in the entire history of the new — during our time, maybe the — Cory’s time. We are registering nine percent growth rate. Pero tao, ay grabe. We are numbering about two million already.

And that is why, I have to keep doing my work, make the Philippines safe so that everybody can work. Never mind about outside incentives and assistance. That we can be productive on our own and we can give work to — If there are those who’d like to join us, China, Japan, come and we would be happy.

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I would say, thank you, but to make it safe — because that is my — ibig sabihin, my template is Davao. I challenge you to go to Davao and walk about the whole evening. And if you are — I said, I guarantee you an unfettered, undisturbed, unmolested there. If something goes wrong there, let me know, I will slit my throat in front of you. Why is Davao so peaceful? Why is Davao so clean? Why is Davao expanding like hell? It’s because it’s safe and they want to cite fi gures. Huwag ka na — do not listen to the opposition. I said, men judge best when they condemn, or purposely really. Yung iba naman, they take it all, hook, line and sinker and start to babble their mouth. You go fi rst and investigate. I do not, I said that during my time, during the other people’s time, it’s 206, why? Because the police and the — everybody was into it. God damn! Now, mine: 3,811. How many so — how many policemen? Well, over 50. In Davao, all policemen who were connected with drugs died. Just give them a chance to fi ght. There’s nothing there which says “Give them a gun if they want to fi ght.” And that is your — that — if you go, if you commit a crime, you run the risk of — I said, “Go out and hunt for them, bring him under the custody of the law.” If there is resistance, then you have to overcome that resistance because your duty is to bring him to the police station or to the Judge issuing the warrant. Once you resist, because the duty of a citizen placed under arrest is, you must surrender to the majesty of the law. So when you are placed and he says, if the person announces, “I am a policeman.” “I am a soldier, better drop your weapon, stop it!” Now, if you resist, I will not — then the policeman or the military is under obligation to overcome your resistance and drag you to the police station for investigation or if there’s a warrant of arrest, then bring him to the judge. That is why, when drunks and children are taken into custody they begin to squabble, especially children. So the police and the drunk people, they have to be subdued physically. So what happens?

38

PS • 2017

When they have these bumps and — they go to the hospitals, have them examined, medical injuries in the head. So what is the — what is the practice now in the Philippines? Every time a police enforces the law and there is a case fi led against them, the police will either — would just keep quiet about it or they don’t do it. That’s why, you see a lot of children there. Nakikita ninyo sa EDSA, small children running. When they run, there’s a semblance of chase by the police and the tanods but when they are taken into custody physically, when you say, “How old are you?” “15 years old.” Not a minute of detention, nor even half a minute of a lecture about accountability and responsibility. These guys go in and out, every day, they grew up with the set of a psyche that it’s all right to violate the law. Now, I will tell you, I hate it. Because he is a friend and you know, once upon a time, my daughter, my only daughter then; I have two daughters now because I have two wives. When she was the only one at that time — the mayor now of Davao City. Said — I said, “Anak,” it’s a daughter eh, the only, “What do you want for your birthday?” She was about second year in high school, she said, “Papa, I want to have dinner with Sharon Cuneta,” her idol. So I had to call — I had to call Senator Pangilinan. Pero I have to be — Senator, I owe you for doing it to my daughter. I respect you and I — this is the thing I would like not to do, I hate it. But I have to be honest to the nation. It is you, the singular person of this country who is responsible for all of this now. I’m referring to the children, because you passed the law. You copied it, it’s either the New York — State of New York Juvenile Offenders Law or the State of Washington. Alin iyan diyan siya, kasi similar. You know, when you say that they will be not imprisoned, you ought to have provided under the law, an automatic

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recurrent money to build correctional facilities. They have just — just like in America, you copied that, you — from nine — well, below nine, they’re babies. Above nine, below twelve, you have to determine whether or not there was malice. Of course, stealing food to me is not — has no malice, clothes. But, you know, doing indecent things against a woman, there’s always malice there. Then above twelve, below sixteen, where you play the indeterminate sentence, it’s either be a full-term or short-term, depending on the court and the severity of the — of the criminal mind, that’s how it’s being done. Ang problema kay Pangilinan — Senator, I wanted during the campaign to talk about it but I refrained because I said that — I — you know, when you ask a favor. Pero kita mo naman, pagkatapos, they are brought to the station and when the child says that “I am only 13.” And he goes back to commit another crime, sometimes there are four snatching cases a day. And they go in and out, that’s good that you — you maybe, to defi ne or some sociologists there, criminologists, it’s good that you had to — the higher motive, it is okay — they’re just children, 15. But you’d — when they commit a crime, in and out, in and out, in and out everyday, what do you expect of that generation when they grow up? Sige nga! Now, this is not what happened in Kian or whatever previous incident, I would be very sparing in my — I’m not attributing it there. Why is it that you fi nd many minors walking around at night? There’s a curfew but it is not enforced. Most cities have laws against minors roaming around, doing nothing in the streets. Davao City is one city which enforces the curfew. But in many places here in Manila, Manila — they cannot, Caloocan and the Metro Manila itself. Now, they walk around, why do they have — I’m not referring to any particular incident. Ganito iyan eh. Ako, I’m 72. Then I befriend, or a friend, or a cousin, “Halika, sama ka.” Then I go, walk around, may

40

PS • 2017

lalapit sa akin and they have this talkaties about drug, mention something about “bato” or “pare, mayroon ka ba diyan?” “Sige, how much?” “How many?” “Five sachets?” “Okay, in that corner, you stand there, just wait for fi ve minutes.” So aalis ako. Tapos, I call the child, you will fi nd — so that — give it to him and get the money. If per chance, there is a passerby, mahuli. Once he gets hold of the child, “Oop, I’m a minor.” “Eh.” Because if you hurt or bring or imprison a minor, that policeman will go to jail. So hindi, dalhin lang sa istasyon. The distributor, the peddlers, runners nga — they’re just running the errands, iyong mga bata, they don’t know what’s actually being delivered. But by now, because it’s a common practice, alam na nila iyan. But I said, I was — I’m a prosecutor, I always have that thing of — you know, trying to solve how it is, how was it done. So ‘pag nahuli iyong, if the child is caught, he simply goes away, rides a motor to trade for another day. That is the problem of our country today. At itong mga magtago ng droga, you know, if I will be blunt, I don’t mind if you are caught with one ton of shabu and I am around, you are dead. You are dead. Iyong mga distributor, if I fi nd your trawler there or whatever, I will personally — because it’s terrorism! What do you think funded the Marawi siege?

I’ve been telling you, everyone, eh kung makinig ka sa prosecution opposition, marami sasabihin na he just wants to martial law-martial law. You know, all I need is my two balls complete, walang martial law-martial law. But that rebellion in Marawi was — and why is it that it’s still raging until now? Because the terrain has a different scenario. Just like the wars in Iraq, in Syria, and Mosul and Aleppo because they have natural concrete covers. And they were prepared with the holes. Alam mo, they have a hole here and another hole there. Ito iyong outside wall, dito sa loob, kuwarto, may wall. Lusot doon sila, dalawang layers pa. Dalawang layers na ano eh. Eh tatamaan mo iyan, dito ako eh, malayo. That’s the trick!

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And they have covers and they have dugged tunnels underground, nilagyan iyan ng mga IEDs, lahat na. Until now, every day, I lose a policeman or a soldier. I will be receiving my briefer and it hurts me deeply, that is why. That is why, that is — you see the outburst in me, almost shouting. Why? Because I declared martial law and I sent the soldiers and policemen there to die. So whenever I read a briefer every night, the burden is always here. I am glad that— thank you for really inviting me, so that I’d be given a chance to —

We are in trouble. We are in trouble, and China has trouble, too. Walang alam iyong mga gangster. Every country has gangsters. Every gangster now, 40 percent of the barangays in the Philippines are contaminated. I told the Congressmen, the Senate President and the Speaker, nilatag ko lang oh, here. I will not —

They said, “Do you think that an election, barangay election would be advisable?” I don’t know. “It’s your take.” Me? All I do is that I will enforce the law. If I have enemies numbering 1,000, then I will prepare my police and army for 1,000. If there are two, two-three there, then sige, no need for a martial law-martial law in this game of drugs. Pero basta, kapag nahuli kita isang tonelada, ah *********, huwag mo akong — ahh. I’ve told you before in my Presidency, I’m staking my honor, my life and the Presidency itself, period. Wala nang istorya tayo diyan. Either we follow the civilized way or we follow the brutalized methods of — just do not destroy my country. Do not destroy our young people because they are our valued assets, because maybe most of us here can afford the hospital. And that’s about how many? One percent? Two percent? How about the 98, 99 Filipinos outside? I said, it’s dysfunctional. Even when they had — child is under the infl uence of drugs, this family is already dysfunctional.

42

PS • 2017

When the husband goes out to work outside of the Philippines; without the father, this Filipino family is already dysfunctional. If the mother and father is out, and the children are left to the care of the grandmother or to the relatives, the poor Filipino has no family at all.

Now, you add that, that you make our children, their children ‘inutil and useless.’ That is not good for the country and you have to deal with me. That is why, if they look at me as a killer. I used to be known as a killer in my city, killer of ladies. Killer looks. But I said, “Let us be frank with each other.” That’s the Constitution. It prescribes the Bill of Rights. They say, the great magistrate here is the limit of power because we have the inherent police power, taxation, expropriation. So it’s the limit of what government can do. Well, as long as you do not destroy, we will always abide by the limits, the Bill of Rights, due process. They say that we cannot investigate children. Release them. Allow them to — look at a crazed — You have a very visual thing about — two weeks ago, here is this guy — iyan nga, walking around, threatening to stab all people. Then he started to stab the policeman. Yung pulis, inaaresto siya. What did the police do? He kept on parrying the stabber, he got hold of the knife and a slashed his fi ngers. And yet, he was retreating. And when he fell down, and the criminal was on top of him, all recorded in a CCTV, shown to the entire Philippines by ABS-CBN and the rest, sometimes —

Isa ka pa, ABS-CBN. You know, I’m not trying to — there will never be a time that the elite of this country will have their way. There’s always been the elite, the rich people, the rich politicians. Me? Few supported, I do not have debts of gratitude to pay. Ito, magprangkahan tayo, we are all lawyers. Do you think the Republic of Philippines would ever get back the Mile Long, the property of the people that was taken away by the elite of this country? And I told them “you know, you were collecting

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taxes on a property owned by the people. Already, the contract to occupy it was — has long gone. You start to — I will charge you with economic sabotage. That crime will not give you any right to bail.

So I’m telling you now, everybody who owns property of the government, return it now na wala pa tayong kaso. Because I will personally arrest, it would give me extreme pleasure to do the honor. That’s why, itong Mile Long, well, I would not want but they were using — ito ring mga gagong mga ********* that I’m killing press freedom. Iyon yung — abogado tayo, “he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.” Then you criticize us, picture us as a, lalo na politicians as if we are patay-gutom, that we are all there to plunder my country. Even in your editorials your editorials, you ****. Ipahiya ninyo ang tao, you put the guy to shame, humiliation. O, tapos, you are occupying a property of the government, making yourself rich at the expense of the — Sabi ko, return it or — and henceforth, there will be no special privileges for anybody. Wala! Walang pakiusap dito. Even iyang mga ano. I do not — do not talk to me. I do not talk to businessmen. You want to talk to me? You talk to the Secretary. Puro bright iyan. Huwag mo akong — Ako, I just sign state papers, appointments, promotion of generals and everything. And I said, there was this loose talk about coup, military coup. If you think that you deserve another leader, tell me. Do not fi ght because my — my — they are also military and policemen. You just tell me and —

Come here, you line up. There, line up there — “I, Lieutenant General of — appointed as a junta member —”

O sige, you solve the problem. You recover the properties of the government.

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PS • 2017

Alam mo, basta iyong ano, basta kayong wala nang — mga abogado man tayo lahat dito. You tell your clients “Pay the tax correctly.” Iyong isa dito ano, sabi niya — I did not accept. I did not accept his money. He is a contributor. At sabihin ko na: Lucio Tan, donor of funds. Sabi ko, “No?” Sabi ko, “Thank you, but —” And other guys there. Sabi ko, you are using government buildings, airport, you have a back — back — utang diyan sa runway, ‘di mo binabayaran.” Sabi ko, “You solve the problem yourself. I will give you 10 days. Bayaran mo, ‘pag hindi mo bayaran, eh ‘di sarhan ko.” Wala nang airport. So what? Kayo Pilipino have to travel overland from Luzon to Davao. “Basta bayaran mo, huwag mo akong bigyan ng **** nang ganoon.” I do not mind. If we sink, we sink. But I said, “We have to enforce the law.” So guys, you guys, if you are put into a great discomfort, sorry. Wala akong magawa! The law is the law. It is the law. And that is what makes me unpopular itong mga — eh alam mo na. Nandito sila, so bigyan.

Hindi man lang mag-imbestiga. Why would I kill a child? For what purpose? Why would — ? Do you know that the other guy who was killed — I forgot the name, there’s the other one, delos Santos ba iyon? He was my relative actually. They come all from Leyte, Baybay. They are related to me.

Would you ever think that I enjoy, sa pulis, killing my relative, an innocent relative. I’m not talking about this case to equate it with I said what I just illustrated to you. About how it is being done, how the issue of teen killing came about.

Alam mo, it’s not only the police and the military that are interested in solving the problem. Me? I’m just a citizen of — an ordinary citizen. It was to scratch around and lurk my — the children in neighborhood. I want to defend the — you know the children, that is why, I give to you now my — that is our covenant.

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The 6 million, those of us who follow democracy, the voice of the people is the voice of God. So what do I have is 86 percent acceptance. An American think tank says, yeah 86, publish in the newspaper, I read it tomorrow — rather, yesterday. Then, do you agree with the campaign of Duterte against war on drugs? He says that, “Well, 76 percent.” And to think that what is in their mind is what is being harp on by the oppositions and by these foreigners, blah, blah, blah. So the Filipino will question, “Do you agree how it is being done by Duterte? 76 percent: ‘Yes’.” So what is the scenario, the scenario that’s being painted by the other side and the foreign publication. Iyan, kasama na iyang patay na — kasi pinapatay ko raw ang bata ko, yes! Why? Why? Because, the Filipino people is really hard put. The drug problem has been here.

He knows — I tell you, Parojinog. Mayor Parojinog was hanging on to power using the Offi ce of the Mayor as his platform. He killed everybody who ran against him, had him killed to stay in power. He even killed the policemen who did not agree with him. That is why, when he was gone and there were a lot of diggings because everybody started to squeak and we found the bones of the — still in their uniforms. That is why, I had to deal with Parojinog the way that the law says. We serve a warrant; do not follow that day or night. You cannot catch a killer during the day because it does not show his face, it’s only during night. Kasi that’s there’s a — “a warrant has to be served and practicable only in daytime.” What kind of serve is that? Serve it anytime; time it when he is there. Oh he got killed. So we go now to the Ardot, his son who is wanted. So look what — the cameras went in. All of these guys, the wallpaper of his house was 500 pesos all and all. He made the money a wallpaper of his house. Tapos, lahat palasyo, talagang palasyo, they were really — it’s almost obscene to — And every policeman there was corrupt. So I had to go there and told them

46

PS • 2017

to assemble in front of me. You ********* guys. Do not **** with me. ******* kayo, sabi ko. Do not ever think that the gun you are holding there will protect you. I hear another — so with the Albuera, Mayor. Si Albuera was running, coming from Mindanao; si Odicta; and si Mabilog, the Mayor of Iloilo. I said, “You are a God damn protector.” Hindi ko sinasabi, nagluluto siya. He was correct. He was not producing drugs. But you know, when the police says — iyan ang ayaw ko eh, pag sinabi ng Mayor, “Huwag mong pakialaman iyan, leader ko iyan.” Ganoon iyan eh. Kaya pag ang mayor —

Pati iyong graft and corruption. I see a lot of municipal auditors, treasurers, yung in tatters. Some of them I know way, way back. “What happens to you?” “Sir, pupunta ako sa doon, tulong sana, pamasahe lang.” When the Mayor signed it, wala na. So they will just say, automatic iyan. So when the time comes, the Mayor pays the prosecutor or some of the Ombudsman there, iyong mga investigators dropped but that leaves the poor guy — they are there and — although, they did nothing, they have to face everything. Iyan ang Philippine scene. So I don’t know but the only way to — Look at Imee, I do not talk your dialect, Bingbong here, same. “You come from a different place.” Me, I have a Maranao grandmother; and a Chinese grandfather, mother side. My father side is a Cebuano. Some of you talk Davao; Tagalog; Bisaya; Zamboangueño; Davaoeño. We all talk in different dialect. We do not share the same menu; we have specialties, that’s peculiar to our tongue.

What keeps us here tonight? What is the unifying factor in the Filipino? It’s the Philippine Constitution signed by our forefather that we will be one. That keeps us united. You start to destroy the Constitution, there will be breakage of our society.

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Foreign Policy: Steadfast in UpholdingShared Values and Aspiration in theASEAN and with Dialogue Partners

(High Level Forum on Asean@50,Pasay City, October 19, 2017)

indly sit down. Thank you for the courtesy.

The Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea; former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Kingdom of Thailand; Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano; His Excellency Lim Jock Seng, Foreign Minister of Brunei Darussalam; their excellencies, members of the diplomatic corps; Professor Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of ERIA; Ambassador Claro S. Cristobal, Director General Foreign Service Institute; ladies and gentlemen.

I usually reckon the importance of the event by the number of pages that the offi ce has prepared. So I think it covers a lot, which means to say that this must be a very important meeting, and it is. It concerns the challenges that the ASEAN is facing in the next 100 years and there are so many things to correct and to innovate. May I just set it aside for a moment but I will read it to do justice to the guy who wrote it.

First and foremost is really the challenges of the moment. One is the not so much active and cooperation between the ASEAN and the matters of trade. We have to do more and there will be a lot of talks about this in the days to come, and I will challenge the leaders of the ASEAN in our meeting — in our coming meeting in November. I was just shooting the breeze with somebody, and I said that if EU can do it, the world, why can’t we? They have the problems about the mass migration,

K

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PS • 2017

and we have a problem here of terrorism which abounds in many ASEAN countries and of course, the drug situation.

But more than that or hand-in-hand with the solutions that are offered our way, we would like to see an ASEAN that is vibrant in our trade relations with each other, and somehow, copy. It’s not wrong to copy or to add up measures that would enhance the trade between us fi rst and maybe, the next time around the world.

There are so many things that are asked of us, even the products that would enter the European market and the United States. And it seems that the tariff is lowered or none at all. But, unfortunately, sadly, there are so many conditions or colatillas that affect the entire package of our trade relations with almost everybody.

I dream of a time when we can treat the other countries or the cartel of other nations equally on our own terms also. I hope that ASEAN will grow strong and solve the problems of the — the serious problems confronting us.

The South China Sea is one, but we are not in a hurry. And as a matter of fact, what we did was really the correct step and was to avoid a confrontational talks with the almost all of the parties concerned, just ask for a limited time to solve the problem and sharing of the resources if it could be done. For after all, it does not mean to say that if it is our economic — our fi shpond, our private — there’s no such thing, as you can claim the international waters as your own.

The economic zones provided are good and our consensus and concessions that are part of the respect for each other’s interest. China has stood pat on its decision. We need not go to war for that. It’s not good to add something which is already a very high-tension existing in Asia itself.

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I wish more talks to come, trade. And if there is one thing that must be immediately solved is really the problem of the Malacca Strait. Right from the west point coming in from the Indian Ocean, the ships have the choice of going up north around the Philippines between Thailand and the provinces up there or go down to the Moluccas.

The Moluccas used to be historically a supply route and a shipping lane that was very good for everybody. Of late, terrorism has entered the picture and we see a lot of hijackings and killing of people, and capturing hostages for ransom. These are the things that I think closest to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Somehow, I would say that something has a drastic — a drastic action for a very dangerous situation. Otherwise, that part of the sea lane of trade between Australia going up north and Malaysia itself, Indonesia and the Philippines will continue to suffer the degradations of our trade and even the human being itself.

I hope to talk with the leaders of these countries and we’re willing to put our resources together with theirs to fi nd a solution. I am a hardliner by nature. And I go for my last card always. Whenever I try to solve a problem that’s — which I — in my own assessment and evaluation, is serious enough, I tend to deal with my last card. That has been my character and if I get to talk to the leaders, there is one thing I can just offer: blast them out of the seas to keep our shipping lanes open and safe. They have committed enough piracy there. Enough money collected from ransoms, and needlessly killing people, decapitating them in front of cameras. I think that has to stop.

I just fi nished the war in Marawi, and then perhaps I can refocus the entire Armed Forces to deal with this problem, once and for all. Otherwise, we might just as well forget our sovereignty and pretend to be a nation by itself. There’s so much worry about individual rights, about people being killed in the process, and even revolutionaries are cautioned

50

PS • 2017

or governments are cautioned to deal with them peacefully, while at the same time, they are killing my soldiers and my policemen. These are the things that I would like to address myself now to the Western world. Please do not impose your will on us. Do not derogate our sovereignty by lecturing on us the civilities of a country which we turned a democratic state. It is not maybe to your satisfaction that you do not like what we are doing but you know, there are things which we have to do because we have to do it. Or not, then you can do it for us. Tell us if you are ready to deal with the problem, I’d be happy to order my soldiers and my policemen just to relax and if any western countries interested to do it the civilized way, then come, I am inviting you to join the fray. And I would be glad to appoint you the lead role in the problem. Otherwise, if you cannot stop interfering, at least, be educated in your assessment. For after all, all countries suffer from social problems.

Indeed, there are so many social injustices. Philippines is no exception. Plenty, but we tried to correct it along the way with meager resources and certainly, not — or cannot adopt the way they term it as the principled doctrines on how to deal with a democratic problem in a democratic state. It’s a social problem. You do not come here upon the invitation of some NGOs and the opposite political parties and look only on the number of extrajudicial killings which has not — but some even have an investigation if it is really one or not. In the style of — in my country today is, if somebody there lies dead, it is always an extrajudicial killing. If there is no suspect that can be pointed at, it is extrajudicial killing. All killings, whether perpetuated by a state or by ordinary citizen is always extrajudicial, in the sense that it is not the propriety of a court and to discuss the matter of

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how a human being should be killed or not. That’s not the point; the point is, look at the social problem. For example, during the time of — with due respect ma’am, the drug problem is already there. During the time of President Aquino, it got worst and it is still there. And when I was the President, it was there. And yet, early on, we’re being reprimanded publicly by the highest offi cials of other lands as if we are a colony.

You know guys, we have the United Nations. If you think — you have qualms against me, go to the United Nations, make your representations, state your complaint and ask the body to investigate us for being a member of that organization. If you begin to impose your values on me, and you try to correct things not our way and it is not really applicable, then we have a problem here. And other people, pretending to represent the sentiments of a certain region, a certain organization which had taken at face value of the truth, because they only consider how many were killed! But the question is why were they killed? Why are there victims? So what’s the reason for killing them? You know, when you are a policeman and you are called suddenly for assistance and you see somebody sprawled there wounded, dying, so you are interested to get the dying declaration because a person is about to die, they say, that’s the truth. And when I say that you do not ask what weapon was used, “What method?” “What doctrine of republicanism ideology do you follow?” You only just say, “Who killed you?” Never mind about what kind of weapon, you would know that when you see a stab wound, a slash or a single bullet in the head. So when you come here, do not just say that this — you count the number of allegedly unlawful killing, extrajudicial. If you really want to help, fi nd out why they were killed. So if

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PS • 2017

there is shortage of investigation, follow-ups and all, then you help us, then try to correct us if there is really a correction that were needed. That is what I meant. Now, they say that I have a bad mouth, a foul mouth, correct! I do it purposely. I am not the type that will just blur out epithets, curses and to use the slang street language. I do it for their sheer ignorance. When you say, “Philippines, you do this otherwise, you might lose your membership in the UN.” And to think, they are just the NGOs. But we never heard any offi cial disclaimer of their allegations that they represent the feelings of the European Union or the people of Europe. And then, there comes a problem. You fall short of — no, you cannot expel a member of the UN by just a single statement. That is an insult to a country. And, when you say that you want to expel me, that is a very serious matter and would reach eventually in the social — in the security council of the UN. It will be there, put on the table and they will discuss. And one vote of the permanent member says it is not good then, there is no expulsion.

Do you really think that Russia and China would go for it, expel the Philippines? One vote from either of the permanent members would — goes kaput! And that is why, I am very thankful for this opportunity. I do not want to lecture on you. I do not deliver speeches as a matter of practice because I am not up to it, but I usually talk to my audience or just discuss what I would like to convey to you. That is my style. I do not go around and say, ‘this time that the Philippines’ is going to rise from the ashes of poverty and we will —’ I have not been trained to do it that way. I’m just trying to just talk, pour your hearts out, convey your message and be — watch your mouth. With you, in front of me, I would be the most courteous, ever the most condescending President in front of you. But I also appreciate the time that you gave me. So that you

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will understand that the problem is serious and we’re trying to solve it our way. Now offi cially, I have pulled out the military, the Armed Forces and the police out of the picture. I just gave the — this thing about drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency whether they can cope up or not. I mean, I can explain to you in a longer — but I know, we have the time constraint. It’s almost a dinner time. I know, you won’t had your — even your meryenda yet. So I said — ‘May I be allowed just to read my speech?’ It will take about just two minutes. I wish to thank the organizers for this High Level Forum on ASEAN@50, for inviting me on this meaningful gathering. The fi nal discussion conducted earlier by ASEAN’s eminent leaders have shown us in retrospect, the evolution of a regional community and our continuing story as a family of nations.

Indeed, there’s a substantial contribution to the development of the respective nations and the growth of ASEAN community will steer us towards your realization of a common vision and the identity of our region. The Philippines’ Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017 coincides with the 50th Anniversary. As a founding member of ASEAN, it is an honor for our country to lead our community as we chart our course towards the future. The ASEAN story is a remarkable account of Determination, Vision, Unity and Cooperation. It was born in 1967 during one of the most turbulent and challenging periods in our region’s history. Comprising a mix of diverse languages, cultures, colonial experiences, forms of government and political systems, ASEAN was seen by some political observers as an experiment bound to fail. Yet, 50 years later, ASEAN has become one of the world’s most successful regional communities. ASEAN’s crucial role as the fulcrum that balances stability and security in the region is a testament of its success in the past

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PS • 2017

50 years. ASEAN was successful not just in bringing together a regional community, but also in shaping the relationships among major players in the ASEAN-Pacifi c region.

ASEAN at 50 is not a complete story, nor is it a fi nished product. It is steadily evolving pursuit towards the realization of our vision of a peaceful, stable and resilient community with the capability to respond effectively to the challenges within and outside our borders.

In January this year, in my home city of Davao, we assumed Chairmanship of ASEAN with a declaration that the Philippines will remain steadfast in upholding our shared values and aspirations. Part of this is the promotion of our common interests through mutual cooperation and constructive engagement with Dialogue Partners.

At the 30th ASEAN Summit in April, the Leaders of ASEAN re-affi rmed the commitment to enhance regional integration, respond to the challenges of climate change and natural disasters, and address transnational crimes such as the proliferation of illegal drugs, traffi cking in persons, terrorism and violent extremism.

We continue to address non-traditional security concerns through ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, plus an active engagement with our Dialogue Partners.

The recent developments in the Korean Peninsula have tested ASEAN’s resolve to keep the peace and ensure the security of our region. That is why, we remain committed in working closely with our international partners in maintaining stability in the Korean Peninsula. On the economic front, we continue to work towards bigger, more open and rules-based market where businesses especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise can thrive.

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We also launched the fi rst Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) Sea Route which connects the Davao and General Santos Ports in Mindanao to Bitung Port in North Sulawesi. It is clear, a manifestation of our commitment to stimulate trade, tourism and other areas of development among our ASEAN member states.

When the leaders of ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners meet in November, on the 31st ASEAN Summit, we intend to reaffi rm our commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, pursuing maritime security and cooperation, advancing inclusive innovations led growth, strengthening the region’s resiliency, and promoting ASEAN as a global player, a model of regionalism.

We would like to see substantial progress in negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. As the Philippines complete its duty as Chair of ASEAN by the end of the year, we remain optimistic that the priorities we have set will not cease as we pass on the chairmanship to our successor.

It is our sheer hope and our gains will become part of our continuing commitment to ASEAN and the principle for which it stands for.

I therefore call on our fellow ASEAN leaders to empower our peoples by making them understand the importance of ASEAN in their lives, its past gains have directly contributed to their well-being, and how the realization of goals will make their lives better.

Together, let us cultivate our peoples, a sense of ownership – for them to own the ASEAN story as their story, and to see ASEAN’s future as their own.

Thank you.

56

PS • 2017

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Executive Order No. 39September 5, 2017

Mandating the Secretary of Energy to sit as Ex-Offi cio Chairman of the Board of Directors of PNOC Exploration Corporation and PNOC Renewables Corporation.

Executive Order No. 40September 15, 2017

Amending Executive Order No. 9 (s. 2016) for the purpose of strengthening the functional arrangements in the Offi ce of the President.

Executive Order No. 41September 15, 2017

Reconstituting the membership of the Local Water UtilitiesAdministration Board of Trustees.

Executive Order No. 42September 25, 2017

Repealing Executive Order (EO) No. 340 (s. 2004) and defi ning the powers, functions and duties of the Board of Directors of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the SBMA Administrator.

PRESIDENTIAL ISSUANCES

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Executive Order No. 43October 4, 2017

Creating the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission andproviding for its powers, duties and functions, and for other purposes.

Executive Order No. 44September 28, 2017

Approving the acquisition of Philippine Postal Savings Bank by the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Executive Order No. 45October 20, 2017

Providing for the reorganization of the fi eld offi ces of the Offi ce of Consular Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Executive Order No. 46October 20, 2017

Reviving the post clearance audit function of the Bureau of Customs and institutionalizing the functions of the Financial Analytics and Intelligence Unit of the Department of Finance.

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PS • 2017

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS

Administrative Order No. 9 October 27, 2017

Amending Administrative Order No. 03 (s. 2017), creating an inter-agency task force for the recovery, reconstruction, andrehabilitation of the City of Marawi and other affected localities.

Administrative Order No. 8October 20, 2017

Rationalizing the composition of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board, the NEDA BoardExecutive Committee (EXCOM), and the InvestmentCoordination Committee (ICC).

Administrative Order No. 7September 22, 2017

Reorganizing the National Intelligence Committee to providegreater unity and cohesion of the intelligence community,amending for this purpose Administrative Order No. 68(s. 2003), and for the other purposes.

Administrative Order No. 6September 19, 2017

Repealing Administrative Order No. 103 (s. 2004) and for other purposes.

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MEMORANDUM CIRCULARS

Memorandum Circular No. 31October 25, 2017

Authorizing participation in the 16th Annual Career Executive Service (CES) conference.

Memorandum Circular No. 30October 19, 2017

Upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Organizing Committee for the Philippine hosting of the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12), and to ensure the suc-cessful, secure and effi cient holding of the event, work in gov-ernment agencies holding offi ce at the Philippine Convention Center (PICC) is hereby suspended for the duration of the CMS COP12 from 22-28 October 2017.

Memorandum Circular No. 29October 16, 2017

In view of the continuing transport strike, coupled with possibleinclement weather, work in government, both national andlocal, and classes at all levels, both public and private, including state universities and colleges, are hereby suspended onTuesday, 17 October 2017.

Memorandum Circular No. 28October 15, 2017

In view of the planned nationwide transport strike tomorrow, work in government, both national and local, and classes at all

60

PS • 2017

levels, both public and private, including state universities and colleges, are hereby suspended on Monday, 16 October 2017.

Memorandum Circular No. 27October 6, 2017

Directing all concerned government agencies to strengthen the implementation of the Philippine Export Development Plan and involving other relevant agencies in the development of theexport sector.

Memorandum Circular No. 26September 19, 2017

In view of the proclamation issued by the President declaring 21 September 2017 as a National Day of Protest and theexpected public rallies, marches, demonstrations, and othermass actions in various parts of the country, work ingovernment offi ces, both national and local, and classes inpublic schools at all levels, including state universities andcolleges, are hereby suspended on 21 September 2017.

Memorandum Circular No. 25September 15, 2017

Directing all government agencies and instrumentalities,including government-owned or -controlled corporations, state universities and colleges and public schools at all levels, todisplay or exhibit photographs, paintings or other forms ofvisual representations of Philippine heroes.

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Memorandum Circular No. 23September 8, 2017

Authorizing the participation of government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled

corporations, and local government units in the kalikasan green productivity, green purchasing towards GreenPhilippines Expo Conference 2017.

PROCLAMATIONS

Proclamation No. 334October 25, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 26 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Province of Catanduanes.

Proclamation No. 333October 23, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 26 October 2017, the day of intermentof Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, as a special(non-working) day in the Province of Cebu, including thecities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-lapu.

Proclamation No. 332October 23, 2017

Proclamation declaring 13–15 November 2017 as special (non-working) days in the National Capital Region (NCR),Province of Bulacan and Province of Pampanga.

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PS • 2017

Proclamation No. 331October 20, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 07 November 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Cuenca, Batangas.

Proclamation No. 330October 13, 2017

Declaring Monday, 16 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the City of Calbayog.

Proclamation No. 328October 6, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 24 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Pili, Province ofCamarines Sur.

Proclamation No. 327October 4, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 19 December 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Muntinlupa.

Proclamation No. 326October 4, 2017

Declaring Saturday, 28 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Dingle, Province of Iloilo.

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Proclamation No. 325October 4, 2017

Declaring Friday, 27 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the City of Mati, Province of DavaoOriental.

Proclamation No. 324October 4, 2017

Declaring Friday, 20 October 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Province of Negros Oriental.

Proclamation No. 323October 3, 2017

Declaring Monday, 09 October 2017, and Friday, 27 October 2017, as special (non-working) days in the City of Angeles.

Proclamation No. 322October 3, 2017

Declaring Wednesday, 04 October 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Infanta, Province of Pangasinan.

Proclamation No. 321September 29, 2017

Creating and designating two parcels of land, located inBarangay Don Martin Marundan, Makati City, Davao Oriental, as an Information Technology Park, pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916, as amended by Republic Act No. 8748.

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PS • 2017

Proclamation No. 320September 29, 2017

Declaring the last week of November of every year as “Direct Selling Week”.

Proclamation No. 319September 19, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 21 September 2017, as a “National Day of Protest.”

Proclamation No. 318September 18, 2017

Declaring Friday, 20 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Pigcawayan, Province of Cotabato.

Proclamation No. 317September 18, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 17 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Quinapondan,Eastern Samar.

Proclamation No. 316September 14, 2017

Declaring the month of September as the “Maritime andArchipelagic Nation Awareness Month” and amendingProclamation No. 176 (s. 1963) to transfer the observance of the “Fish Conservation Week” from the third week of October to the third week of September of every year.

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Proclamation No. 315September 14, 2017

Creating and designating several parcels of land located atBarangay Bagtic, Silay City, Negros Occidental, as aSpecial Economic Zone, pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916, as amended by Republic Act No. 8748.

Proclamation No. 314September 11, 2017

Declaring Monday, 18 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur.

Proclamation No. 313September 8, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 05 October 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, Province of Davao del Sur.

Proclamation No. 312September 8, 2017

Declaring Saturday, 30 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Masbate, Province ofMasbate.

Proclamation No. 311September 8, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 26 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Naval, Province of Biliran.

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PS • 2017

Proclamation No. 310September 6, 2017

Declaring Monday, 11 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Province of Ilocos Norte.

Proclamation No. 309September 6, 2017

Declaring Wednesday, 27 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Lobo, Province of Batangas.

Proclamation No. 308September 6, 2017

Declaring Wednesday, 27 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Malvar, Batangas.

Proclamation No. 307September 6, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 21 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of San Mateo, Province of Rizal.

Proclamation No. 306September 6, 2017

Declaring Friday, 29 September 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of San Rafael, Province of Bulacan.

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Proclamation No. 305September 5, 2017

Declaring Monday, 18 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Tacurong.

Proclamation No. 304September 5, 2017

Declaring Friday, 15 September 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Proclamation No. 303September 5, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 12 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Siquijor, Province of Siquijor.

Proclamation No. 302September 5, 2017

Declaring Friday, 08 September 2017, as a special(non-working) day in the Municipality of Loon, Province of Bohol.

Proclamation No. 301September 4, 2017

Declaring Wednesday, 20 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Dingras, Province of Ilocos Norte.

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PS • 2017

Proclamation No. 300September 4, 2017

Declaring Thursday, 07 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Cavite.

Proclamation No. 299September 4, 2017

Declaring Tuesday, 05 September 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the City of General Santos.

Republic Act No. 10952October 22, 2017

An act postponing the October 2017 Barangay andSangguniang Katabaan elections, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 9164, as amended by Republic Act No. 9340, Republic Act No. 10632, Republic Act No. 10656,Republic Act No. 10923, and for other purposes.

REPUBLIC ACT