Great Speeches: “AFFIRMING A LEGACY: STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF THE FFW AS A TRADE UNION SOCIAL MOVEMENT”

From the Author: This is also a memorable one for me. This speech was very much in demand during Labor Day.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY. IT IS A DISTINCT HONOR FOR ME TO BE IN THIS EVENT.

THE FFW REPRESENTS A VITAL SECTOR TO SOCIETY, THE WORKERS, WHOSE HANDS ERECTED THE STRONGEST FOUNDATION FROM WHICH THE TALLEST BUILDING STANDS. IT IS THE WORKERS’ THAT IS THE BACKBONE OF THE ECONOMY. FOR WITHOUT THE PATIENCE, AND SUPPORT OF THE WORKERS’, NO COMPANY, FIRM, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY WILL EVER EMERGE AND SUSTAIN ITSELF IN THE LONG-RUN.

WE LAUD YOUR EFFORTS IN REPRESENTING THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS AND WE AGREE WITH YOUR THRUST OF SOCIAL COOPERATION AND TRUE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP. INDEED, SEEING A WORKER AS A FELLOW HUMAN BEING IS A GOOD START IN UPLIFTING THE DECENCY OF LABORERS AND EMPLOYEES.

THE FFW HAS CONTRIBUTED TO POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE ISSUES YOU STAND FOR ARE SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY MUST BE ADDRESSED POSITIVELY NOT ONLY TO STRENGTHEN THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT BUT ALSO FOR THE SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE FFW’S IMPORTANCE TO SOCIETY CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED.

THE PAPM HAS DONE WELL, YES, BUT THE TIME HAS COME TO DO EVEN BETTER.

THE PCCI BELIEVES THAT A RENEWED AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH KEY SECTORS IN SOCIETY, LIKE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN STRENGTHENING THE FFW AS A TRADE UNION AND A SOCIAL MOVEMENT.

I BELIEVE THAT ALL OUR ENDEAVORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECTORS WE REPRESENT CAN BE DIRECTED TO ONE COMMON DIRECTION.

THE GOVERNMENT IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH RESPECT TO IMPROVING THE COUNTRY’S FISCAL CONDITION. WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RVAT (REFORMED VAT), WE EXPECT TO GENERATE OVER P50 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUES THIS YEAR. THIS TO, WILL FUEL AGRICULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ACROSS THE ARCHIPELAGO.

THESE PROJECTS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE MORE JOBS AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE.

ALSO, WITH THE CONTINUED INCREASE IN PRICES OF OIL AND OTHER COMMODITIES, THE PCCI CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR CONSUMERS TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING WORLD MARKET.

IN FACT, PCCI IS PUTTING UP A COUNTERPART TO GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAM ON PUMP-PRIMING THE ECONOMY. DURING THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE, I HAVE OUTLINED ON BEHALF OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, OUR INITIATIVES TO COMPLIMENT GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENDEAVORS TO PROMOTE INVESTMENTS, GENERATE MORE JOBS AND INCREASE RURAL INCOME.

THESE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE TOURISM AND ENERGY INVESTMENTS, DEVELOPMENT OF THE MILK AND DAIRY INDUSTRY, GUARANTEE FUNDS TO SME LOANS, CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS, PROVIDING VOIP (VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL) SERVICES IN THE BARANGAYS, EXPANSION OF KALAHI LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMS IN THE RURAL AREAS, AND ASSISTANCE TO THE TINDAHAN NG BAYAN, IS EXPECTED TO CREATE 3 MILLION JOBS IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS; GENERATE US$ 4 BILLION WORTH OF PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS; OPEN 10,000 NEW BUSINESS ENTERPRISES; AND PROVIDE PHP 12 BILLION WORTH OF SOCIAL INVESTMENTS IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND PROVINCES.

THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR, AND CIVIL SOCIETY IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT GIVEN OUR RAPIDLY GROWING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, TRADE, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN OUR BORDERLESS WORLD. THIS HAS STRENGTHENED LOCAL AND GLOBAL TIES AMONG DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS COMING FROM DIVERSE NATIONS. BY ADAPTING TO THESE NEW CHANGES AND BY ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF ITS PEOPLE, EACH AND EVERY COUNTRY MAY ENGAGE IN A HEALTHY COMPETITION THAT IS VITAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE NATION.

YOUR THEME, “AFFIRMING A LEGACY: STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF THE FFW AS A TRADE UNION AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT”, IS A REMINDER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FFW THAT EVEN IF THEIR ENVIRONMENT IS RAPIDLY CHANGING, THEY MUST CONTINUALLY ADHERE TO THEIR PRINCIPLES AND MOVE TOWARDS A PATH OF INNOVATION. THROUGH THE HARD WORK, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE WORKERS, EVERY COMPANY HAS AN ADVANTAGE IN THE GLOBAL ARENA.

A WORKER’S ENTHUSIASM TRANSLATES TO BETTER WORK PERFORMANCE, WHICH IN TURN TRANSLATES TO MORE PRODUCTIVITY. AND THIS MEANS GROWTH FOR THE COMPANY. THIS IS WHY PCCI HAS NEVER WAVERED IN ITS ADVOCACY OF CREATING MORE JOBS AND CREATION OF MORE HUMANE AND FAVORABLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES. INDEED, WORKERS ARE MOVERS OF THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH EVERY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE STANDS. THEY ARE EVERY BUSINESS MAN’S PARTNER IN SUCCESS.

THIS IS WHY WE HOLD EVERY WORKER WITH HIGH ESTEEM. THE PCCI WILL ALWAYS BE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND LISTEN TO YOU. LET US FIND NEW AVENUES OF COOPERATION. HELP US TO KNOW HOW WE COULD BE OF BETTER ASSISTANCE TO YOUR ASSOCIATION. WE BELBIEVE THAT IT IS ONLY THROUGH A MORE IMPROVED COOPERATION THAT WE COULD ENHANCE OUR PARTNERSHIP IN NATION-BUILDING. DEFINITELY, YOUR ASSOCIATION’S CONTINUED AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR IS THE KEY TO STRENGTHENING YOUR CAPACITY AS A TRADE UNION SOCIAL MOVEMENT. TOGETHER, WE COULD MOVE FORWARD AND FACE THE CHALLENGES TOGETHER.

THE FFW HAS DONE WELL, YES, BUT THE TIME HAS COME TO DO EVEN BETTER. THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO LEAD.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO STRENGTHENING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU. THE FFW GIVES A VOICE TO ALL THE WORKERS, AND HELPS BUILD A SOCIETY THAT IS BASED ON FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND PEACE. THIS, I BELIEVE IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS SIGNIFICANT ORGANIZATION, AND I WISH MORE POWER TO ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS.

WE ARE FACING AN EXCITING PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE WILL BE FACING THESE TOGETHER.

THANK YOU AND MABUHAY KAYONG LAHAT.