SOCIAL SERVICES

TESTIMONIAL DINNER FOR CHAIRPERSON HAYDEE YORAC, September 9, 2004

Good evening ladies and gentlemen! It is indeed my pleasure to join you in this SPECIAL occasion HONORING THE EVER ENERGETIC CHAIRPERSON OF Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) ATTY. Haydee Yorac, the pride of our government.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I FELICITATE CHAIRPERSON HAYDEE YORAC FOR RECEIVING THE 2004 RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICE. TRULY, HER PERFORMANCE RECORD, BEING OUTSPOKEN, INCORRUPTIBLE, FEARLESS, PRINCIPLED AND A WOMAN OF INTEGRITY, IN SERVING OUR PEOPLE IS WORTHY NOT JUST OF RECOGNITION BUT OF EMULATION BY OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS.

MS. YORAC IS A LIVING FIGHTER OF PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY AS SHOWN IN HER CONTRIBUTIONS IN GOVERNMENT TRANSFORMATION. SHE IS A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT… SACRIFICING THE LUXURY OF A GREENER PASTEUR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BY HEEDING THE CALL OF PUBLIC SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND UNDER VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS (CHR) AND COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (COMELEC) DURING THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION, AS CHAIR OF THEN NATIONAL UNIFICATION COMMISSION (NUC) DURING fVR’S TIME AND CO-CHAIR OF NATIONAL PEACE FORUM (NPF) DURING THE LEADERSHIP OF ERAP.

UNDAUNTEDLY, MS. YORAC’S EXPERIENCES IN THE OTHER OFFICES SHOW HER UNWAIVERING AND TIRELESS EFFORTS TO SERVE THE COUNTRY…IN TIMES OF CRISIS AND POLITICAL UPHEAVALS, NO MATTER WHAT WILL IT COST HER.

Despite enjoying THE COMFORTS OF her private life as Ms. Yorac did not refuse to accept the mandate AND GARGANTUAN TASK accompanying her position as the 11th chair of PCGG in 2001… TO RESTORE TO THE PHILIPPINE COFFER THE VAST AMOUNTS OF WEALTH STOLEN BY MARCOS, HIS FAMILY AND CRONIES.

FROM THE BIRTH OF PCGG IN 1986 UNTIL 2001, THE COMMISSION STRUGGLED IN ITS EFFORTS OF RECOVERY AND INSTEAD FACED A TOUGH LEGAL BATTLE REACHING THE SUPREME COURT EVEN BEFORE A CASE FINALLY RESOLVED BY THE LOWER COURT. NOTEWORTHY OF THESE ARE: COCONUT LEVY AND PLDT CASES.

WHEN MS. YORAC CAME IN, WE HAVE GRADUALLY WITNESSED OUR HOPES TRANSFORMING INTO A REALITY. SHE DEALT THE PROBLEMS STRONGLY BY STRENGTHENING THE OFFICE PERSONNEL, BUILDING GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES AND REORGANIZING CHAOTIC FILES.

CONSEQUENTLY, THE COMMISSION HAS RECENTLY GAINED SUCCESS WITH SOME FAVORABLE COURT DECISION LIKE THE RECOVERY OF 683 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE MARCOS’ SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS.

I AM INFORMED THAT THE MONEY IS NOW WITH THE NATIONAL TREASURY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM (CARP). WE ARE NOW WAITING LEGISLATION FROM CONGRESS PERTAINING TO THE 200 MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING MARTIAL RULE.

THE COMMISSION LIKEWISE SUCCESFULLY OBTAINED IN DECEMBER 2001 A DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT DECLARING THE COCONUT LEVY FUNDS AS PRIMA FACIE PUBLIC FUNDS. AT PRESENT, THERE IS ALREADY A DECISION FROM SANDIGANBAYAN THAT THE FUNDS USED TO PURCHASE THE UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS’ BANK WERE PUBLIC FUNDS AND THAT THE FUNDS USED TO PURCHASE 27 PERCENT OF THE STOCKS OF SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION ARE TRACEABLE TO THE COCONUT LEVY FUNDS. THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT OWNS ALL THESE FUNDS.

WE HOPE THAT WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF CHAIRPERSON YORAC, PCGG WOULD BE ABLE TO RESOLVE OTHER PENDING CASES EXPEDITIOUSLY AND FAVORABLY.

HAVING SAID THAT, THE AWARDING OF 2004 RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICE TO MS. YORAC IS A FITTING RECOGNITION OF EXEMPLARY AND OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN GOOD GOVERNANCE. ALSO IT PERPETUATES THE IDEAL LEADERSHIP EXEMPLIFIED BY THE LATE PRESIDENT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, AS A MAN OF INTEGRITY IN THE GOVERNMENT AND PRAGMATIC IDEALISM WITHIN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.

I HOPE AND ENJOIN EVERYONE ATTENDING THIS TESTIMONIAL DINNER TO EMULATE MS. YORAC AND CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN PUBLIC SERVICE. LET US MAKE THE BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR OWN RESPECTIVE OFFICES AND RESTORE PEOPLE’S TRUST IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

THANK YOU!

home   |   Speeches main page   |