General Appropriations Act for 2017

The President signs the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2017 on 26 December 2016 delivering his speech at the Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

DURING THE CEREMONIAL SIGNING OF

GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT (GAA) 2017

Rizal Hall, Malacañan

22 December 2016

Salamat po.

The Senate President Aquilino Pimentel; the members of the Senate; Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and the members of the Cabinet present here; Secretary Benjamin Diokno; excellencies of the diplomatic corps; Senator Loren Legarda; Senator Alan Peter Cayetano; Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri; Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Committee Karlo Alexi Nograles, the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations; Congressman Dakila Carlo Cua; Congressman Federico Salvador; Congressman Antonio Floirendo; Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines; leaders from the business sector of the Philippines; the development partners from the international community and civil society; fellow workers in government; honored guests; my beloved countrymen.

First I would like to commend the leadership of both houses of Congress and Senate led by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Congressman Karlo Nograles and Senate President Koko Pimentel and Senator Loren Legarda, respectively, for ensuring the careful scrutiny and prompt approval of the national budget.

I also acknowledge the dedication of the men and women of the Department of Budget and Management headed by Secretary Benjamin Diokno for putting the budget together, for timely submission to Congress, and for the eventual passage of the 2017 General Appropriations Act.

The General Appropriations Act of 2017 is the embodiment of the Filipinos’ clamor for real change and the call for an honest and compassionate government.

The signing of the GAA affirms the national government commitment to support the needs of our people, to enhance basic social services and project.

As the first budget of my administration, we ensure that it will be pro-people, pro-investment, pro-growth, and pro-development.

Higher than last year’s budget, the 2017 budget of 3.35 trillion pesos, includes the sizeable increase in allocation of infrastructure project, free education for state universities and colleges, universal healthcare, rice allowance for the poor, free irrigations subsistence, allowance for prisoners, pension for war veterans, and centenarians. Mali man spelling nito.

These [unclear] directly benefit our citizens especially the poor, the vulnerable and those in the countryside.

The Department of Education will receive the highest allocation out of all Executive departments with 544.1 billion pesos, an increase of 32.1 percent from 2016.

These funds will be used to improve the quality of education to the provision and maintenance of basic learning facilities, creation of teaching and non-teaching positions, as well as the provisions of learning resources.

Likewise, the allocation for the state universities and colleges will increase by 23.8 of the total of 58.72 billion.

Poverty alleviation is an important aspect of attaining real change. As such, DSWD will get 128.3 billion in 2017, an increase of 15.8 percent from the 2016 budget.

This annual amount includes 78.2 billion for the Conditional Cash Transfer program. CCT beneficiaries will also receive a monthly rice allowance to ensure that there is food on the table for every Filipino family.

Both the young and the old will also be taken care of, of the supplemental feeding program for daycare children and the increased coverage of the social pension for the indigent senior citizens.

Of course, DILG will be allocated with Philippine 148 billion pesos in 2017, which includes support for the country’s serious efforts against drugs, which will also help augment the allowances of prisoners and will be allotted for the construction of jail facilities.

The national intensification and the household electrification program in off-grid areas will also be prioritized. Include in the budget of herein is the 1.1 billion budget, an increase of 38.4 from its 2016 budget is the electrification efforts for remote areas.

This aims to empower our kababayans in provinces so they can efficient and productive stakeholders in revitalizing our communities and industries.

To promote universal healthcare, we will include 1.5 billion pesos for the doctors for the various program; and 2.6 billion pesos for the construction of treatment and rehabilitation centers in rural areas, existing health facilities will be improved through the healthcare facilities enhancement program, while indigent patients will also receive free services from government hospitals.

As we have mentioned earlier, the budget is pro-growth and pro-investment. This is why the Department of Public Works is allocated 454.7 billion and the Department of Transportation with 53.3 billion, increasing the department budget by 0.3 percent and 25, respectively.

Both sectors will help push the economic structure development to increase productivity, generate jobs, and attract more investments into our country.

It is… it will definitely improve the mobility of our people and make our basic social services more acceptable to the public.

Farmers no longer have to pay irrigation fees with the additional [applause] two billion allocated for the National Irrigation Administration.

Tignan mo ‘to. Ang tagal na ako nagtataka nito. Bakit magbayad ang farmers ng tubig na kanila… wala namang may-ari? And you’re supposed to build the canals and irrigation. I’ve been wondering all these years why they have to pay for the water.

That’s one of my election promises, that I will do away with this thing, which about 5,000 per, on the average.

Eh kung hindi makabayad, pag walang tubig—Kalokohan ‘to. Ewan ko sinong nag-imbento nito.

Along with the construction of canal [unclear], pipes, and repair of service roads, the Philippine pesos of 9.8 budget for the Department of Agrarian Reform will also assist farmers through the redistribution of agricultural land and the support of the agrarian reform committees and the non-agrarian committees.

The Department of Agriculture will be given 45.2 billion for market research and development, credit support services, construction of the farm-to-market roads and more micro enterprises will be supported by the Department of Trade and Industry’s establishment of negosyo centers.

The Department of Science and Technology Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program as well as some of the Philippine almost 1 billion for the support of the government-owned and controlled corporations and business corporations.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources — nandito ba si ma’am? Baka magtatanong ‘yun sa [unclear] — aims to support advocacies that accord environmental integrity, climate change mitigation and adoption strategies.

These programs include the National Greening Program, Technological Solid Waste Management Program, and the National Geo-hazard Assessment Program, among others.

And finally, the last but not the least among our priorities is peace and order.

The Department of National Defense will be given 137.2 billion pesos for territorial defense, security and stability services. We will pursue the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Modernization Program for the maintenance of major equipment, aircraft vessels and increase in ammunition capacity as well as the veterans’ hospitalization benefits.

Our men and women in uniform deserve development because they dedicate sweat and blood to protect our beloved Philippines.

We have already taken giant leaps to reform our country. We have established and developed policies that will tremendously change our systems for the common good.

I have said this before and I will reiterate it. The budget is useless if the Filipino is not at its center. This budget is a credible budget where every peso will be spent for the governments, for the gains of the Filipino people.

Let us work together, utilize government budget for the empowerment of our citizens and for the realization of our focus and aspirations for our country.

This is the speech prepared not by me. Nandiyan na ‘yan sa mga opisinang maliit. But what iId like to say is that when I received the PAGCOR money from Andrea Domingo, five billion, right away I released one billion for those people now holding prescription receipts or whatever, ‘yung binibigay ng doctor. All, one billion will be used to buy the medicines for this month. I ordered. [applause] and another one billion for the medication of people who are undergoing rehabilitation treatment but who are not there in rehab houses because we do not — right now.

Just as I have said before, this is not an apology nor an excuse. I went into the presidency midterm. No offense intended but the battlecry of ‘bottoms up’ really ate most of the budget for the year.

Ang naiwan lang sa akin po ay maintenance and operation so that is why ‘yung pumutok, we never expected that the number of addicts would turn out to be hundreds of thousands of surrenderees and I was really helpless. I could not get the money from the other departments and use it for the purpose of another department because I said, that would be paying, stealing from Paul to pay Peter.

So, I endured the…despite or in spite of my explanation, I endured the crucifixion. Sabagay, dalawa lang man kami ni Kristo dito ang dumaan ng ganoon. So, I just swallowed it. Well, I do not have the money. I cannot steal but for one kindred soul actually.

Let me just mention him in passing because he has my endearing love and gratitude. He was a Chinese guy, Huang Rulun. He came here one afternoon. He shook my hands and he said that he’s gonna build us a rehab. But I thought that he would build something like a 200, 300 facility. While it was under construction I was asking people from that area sa Fort Magsaysay and they said that, ‘Mayor, it’s huge…very big.’ So eventually it turned out that it was good for 10,000 people. A beautiful…a beautiful place and a beautiful facility.

So, one after another, Megaworld and the rest of the guys, Chinese Federation and Ramon Ang also promised to put up a 2 billion facility or another one maybe sa Mindanao. Ang Visayas lang ang medyo wala pang…well, it is not really clear to me for somebody really with a determination to build one.

So, and after the construction he passed by here, shook my hand, went out, I never heard from him again. Sabi ko so, the last minute benevolence of one human being in this world really helped us.

Itong budget na next year meron. But ang problema ko is I do not have the time. It was given to us late. I would have wanted also to…ma-spend another billion. I would like to… I hope it can be done. Military naman ‘yan sila eh. General Delfin Lorenzana sa Department of Defense.

I would like to…another one billion to be spent for the food for all during Christmas Season and I have declared unilateral ceasefire beginning today, today until the 27th. So, there will be a ceasefire.

And I am asking all enemies of the state, revolutionaries, except the criminals. They can go down to the urban the areas. They should go home to their families. For I know that they have not seen their children for many years now.

They’re free to move around, go around unhampered, unbridled, no threats of arrest. Even if they are known or unknown. Sabi ko, including the Muslim insurgents—the MI and MN.

I’d like to — sabi ko sa inyo, libre kayong bumaba at may order ako sa aking [panao?] police and the military and the CAFGUs and all shall refrain arresting anybody. We will observe Christmas in peace.

Now for those in the mountains, I’d like to the military again to open their camps on Christmas day. I’m sure there’s enough time. I will not give fresh — because lulutuin pa eh and in the mountains, you know, they have to cook it during overnight and sometimes the danger of the sanitation is sometimes compromised.

‘Yung ano na lang ‘yung mga canned goods na masasarap. Alam mo, this is not really to offend anybody pero ‘yung mga Lumad, ‘yung talagang nasa hinterlands, we seldom see. Ang pinaka masarap sa kanila, maniwala ka, ‘yung odong pati sardinas. ‘Yan ang pinaka lechon nila. ‘Yang lechon na ‘yan hindi masyado pero ‘yung odong mixed with sardines, ‘yun ang hinahabol nila.

So not much really but if I have one billion and I have still time to distribute it pero otherwise, we put off to just before New Year, sa 30.

Pero gusto ko ‘yung — in my city sa Davao, walang problema because there is a lugaw station. There’s a porridge in the corners of the city where you can eat, ‘yung ginagawa nila diyan sa Cubao ganoon.

So, nobody goes hungry really in Davao because there’s always the food—and shredded chicken or fish. Well, it’s food. It’s carbo and protein. So, ‘yan ho ang ano ko sa…I am now urgently requesting the military to just open their camps but of course, they have to be frisked baka magdala ng bomba. And to invite everybody–all pati si Hajeron. You know, yung gustong mag-surrender. Kung gusto niyang surrender magbaba na siya pero yung to be talking to them on a something like a peace talks is absolutely…I do not talk to [unclear].

But for those who are wounded, I’ve heard he is seriously wounded and would like to surrender kasi wala na eh. If he is really that disabled, as government, we have to show the…to have to lead the way on how to do it. So I welcome him and no problem. And he might also want to include his brothers and sisters so that they would have a lesser friction in Jolo. Well we are targeting Jolo as the first development province.

Alam mo kasi sa totoo lang, kung if they feel that they have been left out, I hope you have just heard before but what’s going on in Mindanao is not really a rebellion of sorts. It’s really the Moro nationalism because this is their country.

There’s no original Christian there. Pagdating ng Español 100 years before, Islam was already thriving in Mindanao. At, the Spaniards, the Americans who went after…because of the Spanish-American war, Spaniards lost, ceded the Philippines and other territories of the Imperial Spain—Guam and ‘yung part of Mexico noon.

So Ito yan, it’s a Moro nationalism. Ang problema, it used to be territory. Ang problema nahaluan ng religion ngayon. And the ISIS, the one that we dread most in the coming days.

As fast as they lose the land base in the Middle East. Pag na-corner ‘to at magsibatan, they scatter, they would hunker for that caliphate of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Philippines where there are Muslims. Sana huwag sila maniwala diyan sa…because they do not have any…no specific purpose in waging a war against humanity. They’re not waging a war against America and so the rebels there…the…they’re waging a war against humanity simply by just killing people.

‘Yan ang pinaka-delikad and that is where sometimes they will have a [unclear] sweaty hands kasi kapag ‘yan buto-buto ‘yan eh.

This is not just a shooting war. They will just park a car there and blow up the whole place. Sana ‘wag magdating sa atin. It’s a very cruel, very brutal one, and we just have to continue praying that they will be enlightened.

Ako, kaya ko, hindi ko pwedeng madala ang Pilipinas. They are just a matter of committing suicide also, I also can do it. Pero, ang Pilipinas eh ‘di tayo pwede ng ganun.

The Christians are not really that — It’s not because vis-à-vis with the Islam, it’s not an Islam thing, it is really the people drove to desperation by the dislocated people of Iraq, Libya and Syria. Nawalaan ng hope kaya nagwala, so everybody is their enemy, that we have to watch.

But the, we are in good hands with General Delfin Lorenzana. I was Mayor for 23 years, he was I think assigned there on my, in the seventh year of my, putol-putol no, first term? First term ko na, in the Scout Rangers. And I said we’re okay.

Si, ang mga tao naman ni Liza Masa, nandito lang ‘yan sa Manila, eh, nagsisigaw, wala masyadong armas. But if she goes there in the mountains also, bear a gun, that’s good news, that will be there but ah– sa awa ng Diyos naman, Liza is with government.

Now, mind you, ang gobyerno ko is really mixed, we have the communist there, the leftists: Liza, Taguiwalo – they suffered imprisonment; Mariano went to jail during the martial law years. Ikaw ma’am Leony? Ah, lahat ng mga taga UP, alam niyo ba mga rebelde, kalaban natin. Balak ako itong sa UP eh scrap ko itong funding dito, paaralin mo, pagbalik rebelde na, pati ikaw kasahan ka.

Well, because of their libertarian ambiance there, and we understand, wala akong problema dyan. I’m one of them but ‘yung history ko naman sa buhay ko is another. Labor story telling.

So, I’d like to thank you for your presence and at least you have an idea of how the, and if you would notice, it is really the education, pati agriculture and pinaka marami. So, maliit lang itong sa amin. The highlighted things are the ones that you should hear.

It’s really top-heavy sa social services. I said I even advanced 2 million. Kung walang mabili ‘yan sila ngayon, at least this Christmas, ‘yung riseta, my order to Taguiwalo was to release all.

All you have to do is go to the nearest (inaudible), kasi ‘yan ang ano, eh. Even the doctors of the PGH, ‘yan and kalbaryo nila. Sila na mismo ang mag-shell-out ng pera nila ma’am kasi maawa sila sa pasyente but there is the one billion.

And for as long— mind you, I am ordering the closure of all online gaming, lahat, lahat [applause].

Walang silbi ‘to, I ordered the arrest of Jack Lam, ang lolo ko Lam ha. Ngayon ang problema ko baka pinsan ito ng buwang, my father is Chinese, Lam. From Macau ‘yung lolo ko, hindi from—

Alam mo sinirahan ko because ganito ang ginagawa nila. I have the white paper written by somebody, but I’ll make it public [inaudible]. ‘Yung online sa Pilipinas, pero ‘yung betting outside, wala tayong mechanism and, corruption alone, not government, wala, wala sa gobyerno ‘yan.

‘Yung mapunta lang dyan sa ma-appoint na PEZA, ‘yung PEZA, he gets about 300 billion selling the umbrella type of license na he can do all the — kaya ako, mabuti’t na lang nalaman ko ‘yan. So, I fired these two Deputy Commissioner of sa PEZA, they were my fraternity brothers. Pati ‘yung si Vic, brod namin but sabi ko, they have to go.

But I’m looking for — I’ve been looking for days, and days—bigyan ninyo ako ng tao na — mahirap talagang maghanap ng – and the proverbial Chinese guy holding a lamp going around town, even on daylight, ‘why are you using that lamp?’ and she goes, ‘I’m going to look for an honest man.’ Hanggang ngayon wala akong maisip, sige ako, tingin, kagabi pa ako, sino ba?

Sabi ko, kung wala ng iba, but I ordered that all giving, lahat should be [unclear], either with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes. I placed there military men, si George, pati si Balutan, sa Marine.

Kasi naghanga, naghanap ako ng, ng marunong pumatay talaga, nilagay ko sa Bilibid. When they were about to chop the heads of 20 persons, sabi ko umalis ka na muna dyan, magsabay tayong dalawa sa presohan nyan kung ganun. But I’m really looking for a man until now.

Sonny should know more, ikaw ‘yung Finance eh. Help me. He could be just an ordinary man, maski barangay captain because the temptation I said is just simply too great.

The computation, pati na ‘yung, ‘yung sa PEZA, they received something like 300 billion at the end of the year.

And you know what? Itong droga. Sige tayo hingi, kunwari aid, aid, aid, aid, ito aid, nakakaloko ‘yan, eh, but you know shabu, per hit is 200, the going rate dito sa kuwan.

You know after — that’sabout 6,000 per month, times –’wag ‘yung aking one million, di ko pa sinali. 900 na ako ngayon, it will reach one million by the end of the year, so hindi ko pa sinali. ‘Yung 3 million ito ng PDEA, that was given, that figure was given by Santiago before, so that n200, that’s 6,000 a month times 3 million, that’s about 18? 18 billion. Eighteen billion a month, in one year, that is 216 billion.

Kaya para maintindihan ninyo. Not only the loss of the money for food, family, for schooling of the children, for all the expenses of a poor man, pag tinamaan ang tatay, this becomes a dysfunctional family.

Children hindi na makapag-aral, hindi na nakakakain ng tama, then maybe rape, keep the wife because once you are addicted to shabu, paranoia takes over. Ever suspicious, kinakaliwa siya ng asawa niya, binubugbog, nire-rape and bata, pinapatay ang tatay kasi ang nanay nga nya itsurang demonyo, somebody is whispering to kill them.

Ang, ang rape sa aming unang panahon, ‘yung magaganda, ‘yung talagang babae.

No, no, no, I cannot mention the name. Pero nakita niyo naman ‘yang mga prominent. Ngayon, everyody’s into it. A, B, C, D, E. And the rape in, nitong mga, be careful with your children. Wag — yung age na 16, 17. na high school, college. Magsabi mag party tapos umuwi ng — Bantay ka d’yan ‘yung mag ecstasy. Same. Same diluted lang ‘yan with some other drugs. But it could be a combination of one just like what happened in Pasay.

Four young innocent lives, five. Yung uminom ng shabu mixed with the other — Literally sabihin ng autopsy pumutok ‘yung — yung veins pati arterya. Yung sa puso pumutok.

So it’s not only — it does not only behooves upon me. Kayo dapat talaga bantayan yung mga anak ninyo.

Do not spoil children nowadays. Not because you do not love them. Pero ‘yang outright liberality, very liberal. ‘Ma punta ako.’ Saka yang magtulog-tulog sa —- Uso yan eh.

Sa akin hindi pwede ‘yang matulog ka sa ibang bahay? Eh uso yan na makitulog. Sleep-in, sleep in. Do not allow to do that and do not allow them kasi malamang madidisgrasya yan.

They are very active. They are very active. Everybody is there. Hindi pa ako humirit dyan sa itaas dito muna ako.

You know, let me end here by sayig: Of course, we do not kill our own fellowmen. Of course it hurts to see a Filipino died in front of you. Of course it is despicable. But we are now because if I add, I said I’ll be nearing. I’d breach the million mark to 4 million drug addicts in this country.

It is not a problem of drugs. It is a crisis confronting the nation. And if nothing is done about it, this country will go to the dog just like the Latin American countries.

You must realize that we are now in the narco-politic state and we never realized it. Why? Well in Davao City, as mayor, I was very strict. because I knew the state. But I was not really aware of how widespread it was.

It was only when I became mayor — hindi, President rather. Ayokokasi patawag ng Presidente. Just call me mayor. Nakokornihan ako d’yan sa ‘Presidente, Presidente.’ Totoo. No, really, just address me, pati silang mga Cabinet, I told them that. Do not address me.

It has not sank, it never sink .Kasi yung bunganga ko pang local lang. Walang, maybe my grammar is for local consumption.

But you know, 4 million is P4 million spread all throughout the country. And who are they? Mayors, governors, barangay captains, policemen.

Pag hindi mo ito naagapan — Kaya tama yung decision ko. Sabi ko sa inyo Congress, do not call for an election now because they will win.

If they can corrupt everybody — We have now the money laundering report. But I am warning again Central Bank for the second time. It was not until I burdened at them during the NBI, National Bureau of Investigation anniversary and I was there. And I was told by the director na hangang ngayon, there’s no report of this AMLA.

You know, I’m going to charge all of you there, criminally. I’ll count one to three, and if you don’t resign, I will treat you as a drug addict.

You know, you, you are—you are contributing to the corruption of this country. You have reported to the NBI and submitted it very late. Yet you do not have the assessment report. Kaya, kaya ko nilagay diyan mga—kaya ko kayo nilagay diyan kasi may trabaho kayo.

What about our money? You are paid you to do your job. If you cannot do your job, get out from that office because I’m—I’ll transfer to the Bank of China. Eh mas marami ‘yung pera doon, wala ‘yung pera ninyo. Or Bank of America, when we get, when I get to shake the hands of Trump, I don’t know how I would react to him.

But you know, you guys there are all corrupt, bantay kayo sa akin I will bring you down. Tetangco is about to retire, better prepare there ‘cause I’ll give you a whack. You are all, you are all corrupt and serving master. You are not supposed to engage in politics. Goddamnit.

Kayo diyan, stop corruption. You think that the pay there Central Bank despite of its vault, full of money and you are not still—you’re still hungry? Umalis kayo diyan, I will not allow —

This is my campaign promise, there will be no corrupt and there will be no corruption [applause]. I only made three promises: no corruption, drugs because it is pulling our country down, and criminality.

Economic, maraming economista sa Kongreso, mamili ka man. All, all summa cum laude. Sonny Dominguez, valedictorian. Our Secretary of National Defense was a valedictorian in his high school days. I was told by Pastor Quiboloy, he was classmate of — Notra Dame Cotobato. He was the valedictorian of his class in the PMA, mautak ‘yan.

Kaya sabi ko “walang corruption”, pag walang corruption. Sabi ko, “let this six years of mine pass”. Just give us a respite of a corrupt government for six years, after that you can resume. [laughter] Pero huwag dito because I’m—sabihin ko nalang sa inyo.

I’m the type na ayaw mapahiya. I do not want to be humiliated, when I ask you, ‘stop it,’ you stop it. Because if you humiliate me in front of my countrymen despite of my promise, yayariin kita. I will—so ‘yan.

And that is the story — was about to — I prepared it about corruption but you know, I’ll just bore you also, I’m sure you’d like know where your money went.

So ganoon ‘yan and there will be no corruption. Itong lahat sinasabi ko, itong papel na ito, kung gagastusin na ng lahat. Gambling one peso not the income, the income to drugs into, maybe so many billions. Ito ‘yung estimate na pupunta sa mga ‘yang PESA director ng — so hangang ngayon, wala akong nilagay na tao, since I became President. There was —- I was worried about putting there somebody who is corrupt.

Imagine na — Ganito ‘yan. Ang gambling dito taxable, but they are accepting bets outside of the country which is not. And whatever contrabands or gadget or computer. Malinis iyon.

So walang taxes iyon. Ilang taon na nila ginamit. And Jack Lam was parlaying a permit she got from Cory Aquino’s time. But at the time that has been reasonable. Matagal na iyon. One percent. Ang ano lahat nagbabayad 10, siya one.

And he was talking to the people, to the press, as if everybody was in his pocket. That’s why I ordered his arrest early morning. On a ready newspaper because I get to read it late. Busy in daytime. Nabasa ko. Kaya tinawagan ko ang NBI, sabi ko arrest the idiot.

So what is the charge? Never mind the charge. I will invent. Just arrest him. Sir but warrant? No. Warrant-warrant. Sabihin mo ang warrant mo si Duterte, mayor. I will think of one when he is in front of me. Ah huwag ganon. Do not ano.

If you are a lawbreaker, so I am. Dalawa na tayo. Because if you are a lawmaker, a law enforcer, pretty hard to arrest a lawbreaker. Be a law breaker first. Be in touch with another lawbreaker. Ganyan sa Pilipinas. Ayaw ninyo? O sige, kayo ang bahala.

Maraming salamat po. ●