Speech

Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos at the 75th Ormoc City Diamond Charter Day Celebration

Event Ormoc City Diamond Charter Day Celebration
Location Ormoc City Superdome in Ormoc City, Leyte

Thank you very much Secretary Manny Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways for his kind introduction.

DILG Secretary, Secretary Benhur Abalos; our Tourism Secretary, Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco; Presidential Management Staff Secretary Ma. Zenaida Angping; well of course our hosts for today’s activities, our good friends from Ormoc City the Congressman of the 4th District, our Congressman Richard Gomez and the new City Mayor — pinag-uusapan namin kung ano ‘yung kaibahan kung nasanay na siya parang pareho ‘yung experience namin paglipat namin sa legislature napunta kami sa local, pareho ‘yung naging experience namin overworked and underpaid pagka ano nasa LGU — our Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez; Philippine Post Office Postmaster General and CEO Norman Fulgencio; the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Dr. Rene Escalante; TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid na kasama namin galing Tacloban; other distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, magandang tanghali na po, magandang tanghali sa inyong lahat.

Parang pagpasok namin ni Mayor Lucy at ni Cong. Richard, pagpasok namin dito, nung nakita ko ulit ito, sabi ko, “parang familiar sa akin itong lugar na ito eh.” Dahil noong last na pagpunta ko dito sa Ormoc ay nag-rally tayo dito sa Superdome na ito. At kaya’t siguro karapat-dapat lang naman na — dahil nandito na nga tayo ay kailangan ko ipaabot ang aking napakalaking pasasalamat sa inyong lahat sa suportang ibinigay ninyo [applause] — sa suportang ibinigay ninyo sa akin sa nakaraang halalan at hindi ko po makakalimutan ‘yun.

At kahit na marami tayong hinaharap na kahirapan, na mga challenge kung tawagin, ay hindi kami mapapagod. Hindi namin titigilan ang aming trabaho dahil alam ko na malaki ang kailangan kong isukli sa inyong suporta at ang isusukli ko sa inyo ay ang aming trabaho at ang pagpaganda muli ng Pilipinas at ng buhay ng Pilipino. [applause]

Kaya’t noong nakita ko na may pagkakataon na makapunta ulit sa Ormoc at mabati kayong lahat at mapasalamatan kayong lahat ay sinabi ko kahit papaano gawin natin.

Galing kami sa Palo, sa Leyte, dahil nag-celebrate doon sa Leyte Landing. Every October 20 Leyte Landing ay may celebration doon sa Palo. Eh malapit na lang, kaya’t sabi namin lumipad na muna tayo sa Ormoc at mayroon pa lang Foundation Day Celebration ang Ormoc.

Dapat nga naman talaga na laging ipinagdiriwang ang Foundation Day ng Ormoc dahil napakahaba ng kasaysayan ng Bayan ng Ormoc, City of Ormoc.

So it is my pleasure to join you today as we observe the celebration of the 75th Adlaw sa Ormoc. This commemoration is a testament to the collective resilience and good character of the Ormocanons.

Through your local history and shared experiences, you have assured us all that no matter how uncertain the future remains, we know that your strong sense of solidarity and cooperation will always lead us to greater feats. These are the characteristics of national unity — the national unity we spoke about for so many months — because it is what we badly need to heal our nation from political divide and diversity.

With this, I thank you as you have responded to that call for unity, especially in the past national elections. Your overwhelming support, your faith and trust in me, as you were among the strongholds of our collective victory.

Wala namang nanalo ng halalan na nag-iisa. Isa lang ang nahahalal ngunit maraming-marami at napakalaki at napakalalim ng utang na loob sa napakaraming tao dahil hindi naman mangyayari ito kung hindi ko kayo kasama. [applause]

I will forever remember and cherish that kindness that you showed us and the support that you gave us.

Now the work has begun and I am pleased to return to speak before you today, bringing this Administration’s message of encouragement and of commitment.

Bearing the zeal and drive for unification, I hope that the city government of Ormoc will bind its people and sustain its programs and projects that are primarily geared to attain the crisis that we face, that of food security, that of energy supply, and the change in the global climate.

When we ensure that the present generation receives quality education and the Filipino people become free from hunger, we can make our lives more comfortable and usher our country to the heights of progress.

Aside from these, it is likewise commendable that you have given emphasis to initiatives that address the vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change.

Hindi natin makakalimutan ang mga pangyayari noong tayo’y tinamaan ng Yolanda. At naalala ko na ang inyong congresswoman ay nababalitaan niya, nandoon kami sa Tacloban, umiikot kami sa buong Leyte, marami kaming ginagawa at nagpadala ng message sa akin. Sabi niya, “Huwag mo naman kalimutan ‘yung Ormoc. Alam ko tinatrabaho mo nang mabuti ‘yung Leyte, pero huwag niyong kakalimutan ‘yung Ormoc.”

Kaya’t nakapagpadala din kami ng tulong dito at hindi ko makakalimutan at wala siguro sa atin na nakadaan diyan ay makakakalimot kung gaano kabigat. ‘Yung Odette na dumating, hindi kasing-lakas pero ganoon din ang damage.

‘Yung mga dumadaan na bagyo ay talagang kailangan natin isipin nang mabuti kung papaano natin babaguhin ang ating pamumuhay. Kung papaano natin babaguhin ang ating mga ginagawa upang tayo naman ay masagot natin itong global warming na nararamdaman natin.

Tayo dito sa Pilipinas ay napaka ano… Tayo ay napaka-vulnerable tayo diyan sa mga problemang ganyan. Kaya’t lahat ay kailangan nating gawin para alagaan natin ang ating environment. Alagaan natin at maging conscious tayo sa ating paggamit ng mga natural resources dito sa Pilipinas. Dahil kung hindi tayo mag-ingat ay mauubos natin lahat.

With the implementation of your Local Climate Change Action Plan 2016-2025, you help the executive branch of government to deliver our mandate, to boost civic engagement, and to raise public awareness.

Importante po ito dahil ito nga po ang sinasabi ko tungkol dito sa global warming. Lagi ko pong sinasabi, ito ang una, kauna-unahang global na problema na talagang global. Bakit talagang global? Dahil bawat tao sa buong mundo ay nararamdaman ang mga effects of climate change.

At para tayo ay maayos natin ang problemang ito, kailangan natin ang tulong ng bawat isang tao sa buong mundo. That is why it is the most existential, the first global crisis that we need as humanity have to face together.

So by developing and utilizing renewable energy, you help our country and the world minimize the negative impacts of fossil fuel. I look forward to these advancements that will yield to bounties beneficial to the environment, our economy, [and] our people.

It is noteworthy that, alongside conserving and taking care of our natural resources, you also give importance to interventions for the development of families.

I applaud this and your partnership with the Commission on Population and Development to implement your Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children.

As the 15th locality to become a city in the entire Philippines and the first in the Eastern Visayan region, these accomplishments you have championed continue to speak of your excellence in service and in governance.

With this, I once again will repeat this Administration’s commitment to support those programs and projects for the betterment of your locality and for our country.

And finally, I call on the people of Ormoc City to actively participate… Mayroon pa rin tayong kailangang pag-alagaan. Kung minsan dahil… ‘Yan ganyan, wala na tayong masks. Hindi na tayo masyadong maingat ay nakakalimutan natin nandiyan pa ang pandemya. Medyo mahina na pero mas hihina ‘yan kung tayo po ay magpa-booster shot.

So gagamitin ko na lang itong aking pagkakataon na nagsalita sa inyo. Magpa-booster shot po kayo para mabawasan na ‘yan lahat ng infection, mabuksan na natin lahat ng negosyo. Wala ng protocol, wala ng plastic, wala ng kung ano-ano pa.

Bukas lahat ang restawran, bukas lahat ng mga tindahan, bukas lahat ng mga panghahanap-buhay ng ating mga kababayan. Kaya’t maimamadali ‘yan kapag tayo ay sumama sa PinasLakas Vaccination Campaign against COVID-19.  [applause]

Mababa pa tayo sa booster uptake. Dito sa inyo, 33 percent. Pero alam ko kaya ninyong paakyatin ‘yan. It is essential that we increase that rate to 50 percent para mayroon tayong tinatawag na wall of immunity. Magtulungan tayo. Napakahalaga nito at marami tayong magagawa kaagad.

So i-prioritize natin ang ating health so that with renewed vigor and with renewed strength, we can act unrestrained in our efforts to bring forth a better, a brighter, and more united Philippines for everyone.

Maraming, maraming salamat po at mabuhay po kayong lahat! Magandang tanghali po. [applause]

 

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SOURCE: OPS-PND (Presidential News Desk)