Departure for Peru

The President delivered a speech before leaving for the 24th Meeting of the Economic Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Lima, Peru to be held 19–20 November 2016.

DEPARTURE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

FOR THE 24TH MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC LEADERS OF APEC IN LIMA, PERU

Davao International Airport, Davao City

November 17, 2016

Maupo po kayo.

You know, whenever you go out, you spend money of the people and so you must have a good reason to spend the money of the people.

It’s a long trip. It would cost a lot. And I hope that we will harvest something out of this trip. Eh tutal, marami naman tayo naghati-hati sa Pacific Ocean.

I leave today for Lima, Peru to join 200 (20) other leaders of the Asia Pacific region for the 24th Meeting of the Economic Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC.

This will be an important opportunity for the Philippines to work closely with our economic partners in the region, to take stock of the efforts to facilitate economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific, and to determine ways of moving forward to achieve our shared goals.

The theme of this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is “Quality Growth and Human Capital Development: A Foundation for Sustainable Growth in the Asia-Pacific.”

In the meetings, I will bring to the fore key components of my 10-point Socio-Economic Program, particularly improvements in doing business through more efficient and responsive governance, massive investments in new infrastructure, a new focus on the rural development, and increased investments in human capital.

My message to APEC will be clear: The Philippines is open for business. We will do everything to make sure that business, particularly our MSMEs, will thrive and flourish— small and medium.

I will highlight government policy support as well as efforts to address corruption and criminality as building blocks of a strong and resilient economy aimed at inclusive and continued growth.

As I have said before, your government is working very hard to make sure that our economy will finally take flight. I really hope so. Nasa runway lang tayo hanggang ngayon.

We must harness the potentials of this huge region to ensure that no one, especially our citizens are left behind in the march to greater progress and prosperity.

Our people are at the core of our program on inclusive growth and sustainable development. We will spare no effort to realize this in the context of APEC.

This will be my first official visit to South America, with whom we share a meaningful history and centuries-old affinity.

As we look to expand our horizons and pursue an independent foreign policy, the Philippines and the Filipino businesses must be ready to further deepen and broaden our engagement with South America, especially those that straddle the Pacific as economic partners.

Maraming salamat po.

I just would like—may mga briefer kasi ako every—lahat ito, it’s almost drugs. All over the country, drug-related cases. On the rise, itong ano—child abuse, sexual of battery and itong crime against women. Medyo tumataas, I think we need to talk to the DSWD. I might really overlook this thing when I come back. Marami kasi dito yung minors na, patay dito na hinayaan lang sa magpipinsan. The mother is working in the Middle East, 2 year old na bata, battered and this is really very disturbing.

For human being, how can not defend himself to die in a brutal manner through negligence. We’ll have to do something about this. Alam mo, marami yan. Yung mga anak nila, iniiwan lang sa kapatid, pinsan and they work their ass to death. You know, pagdating dito, napurnada yung pagod nila, either because the children are not at par with expectations, nakatapos yung iba; yung iba, malulong sa droga.

These are the things that we need to balance. Sayang naman yung pagod ng tao, nagpapakamatay doon sa Middle East and I must be really frank with you, they are quire brutal in treating foreigners there, not all, not all countries. But in some, hindi nila pinapansin.

And let me just say once again, in connection with this, I feel this is very important. Years ago, I went to Saudi Arabia because three of the Davaoeños and two from Gen San were caught by the religious police giving out rosaries.

So they were imprisoned and the father and mother of those families were at the gate of my house everyday crying.

That’s why, I was forced to make the trip together with the Dilangalens, Salapuddins. I asked the Moro politicians to go with me, so that I can explain better to King Fahd, at, I was a bit— matanda na but he could still grasp what was being talked about.

Ayaw ko talagang sabihin ito pero you must understand that we have to improve our country to accommodate of these people because we want them to come home.

In some countries, not all, no condemnation in particular government, but sinabi sa akin noon ng counterpart ko noon sa Congress, because I was a member of the law and order.

Sabi niya, sabi ‘nong adviser ni King Fahd, you better talk to your counterpart. And sinabi sa akin, you know in the Arab culture, if you’re paid to do your work, where you are bought from the slaves market of Africa and you work there, the treatment is the same. You are a slave and your own body is open for use also.

Ayoko lang ‘yan sabihin kasi kung nandito, but hindi naman lahat. ‘Yun lang ‘yung mga ulol siguro na torpe.

Well, that is really the naked truth that I want to say to you now. We have to improve on our— However, we do it, we have to improve the country and I hope patapos na ang fight against drugs.

There’s now a lesser supply. Problem is, bumalik sila doon sa kidnapping pati hold-up. And the other common crimes not related to drugs because it is easy really itong sa shabu, less danger.

Problem is, you really cannot stop people from—even in progressive countries, they are at it. And so we are of no exception.

‘Yun lang ang ano, but—Bong, ito ‘yung, ano ba yun dito?

I do notwant to pull my own chair, hindi ko na kailangan magyabang, presidente na ako. What—of all the people, because sinasadya ko talaga ‘yan eh. I purposely do it; bad manners, para makuha ko ‘yung ano talaga. What would be the worst reaction of the nation, of my style.

Pero, sinasadya ko ‘yan. Actually, kung galit ako, talagang ganon lang. Because all the while, when I was trying to explain that the 300 to 3,000 people who died in the fight against drugs, especially at the beginning of the first two months, hindi atin ‘yun.

They were there maybe the … of the involvement of the police. No offended to the audience there. They were cleansing and purging the ranks. Hindi atin ‘yun.

‘Yung engkwentro talaga na sinasabing engkwentro,’ yun ang atin. But they kept on hammering on the 3,000 as if it was mine and I said — they are—they think that I enjoy killing my own countrymen.

But nabasa ko kasi ito dito, and this is what is it all about. Nakuha ng gago eh. He was able to read my mind. And he said: The Philippine President knows the strategic value of his country very well and has been playing high-octane power politics—something that has been absent in Southeast Asia for decades.

After the President’s visit to China, Philippine relations with China have improved dramatically with the Filipino fishermen able to return and fish in Scarborough Shoal. The President has also been able to espouse ASEAN’s long-held position that conflicting parties over territorial sovereignty issues must be settled bilaterally and that other aspects of joint cooperation can be done under the framework of ASEAN-China cooperation.

By reducing tensions with China, the President has contributed to the strengthening of China-ASEAN cooperation paving the way for other claimants to work on the settlement of their own disputes with China, for example Malaysia, ‘yung sumunod sa atin.

With lesser tension in the South China Sea, the US will have difficulties in finding reasons to enhance its presence and monitoring in this water.

‘Yun talaga ang gusto ko at nakuha ako. You know, ‘yung— alam ko man,you know, when you say if epithets, slur, curses; I know that the world was listening, I know that they would get a lot of flak but nobody was listening because I was trying to explain to them of the hugeness of the problem and the challenges before us.

But itong humanrights including President Obama, unfortunately, trivialized. Minamaliit nila ‘yung problema.

Alam nila wala tayong pera that we’re in the middle of this budget, we spend what the budget says for today and that budget was prepared last year by Aquino, not mine.

And we would not have really thought that it would be this big until I squeezed everybody when I became President.

So, masakit sa akin kasi about four million Filipinos are addicted at ganunin mo lang, ako pa ang— and mind you, sabi ng Russia: We will protect you.

And ang problema, ang Russia withdrew from the International Court, Criminal Court. What could be the reason? I really do not know. Maybe to protect what they are doing in Syria, the incessant bombing and the killing of civilians.

‘Yan ang leksyon ng ano eh, ng UN. UN is dominated by the US at tsaka ‘yung climate change.

We were debating that particular issue with the rest of the Cabinet for about an hour. Ang akin kasi, there is no sanction for a violation.

‘Yung money na 200 billion na pinagyayabang nila would come from the industrialized countries. Here comes now Obama says, putsa, bakit ako maggastos sa mga— Dapat you should worry of your own problems. Do not let America spend for you.

And second is the absence of a sanction. And the treaty is binding, but if you choose to ignore, there is no sanction. Nobody goes to prison. Does not even—not say there that you’ll be reprimanded. Wala. Nothing. And the money? Sabi manggaling sa industrialized countries, wala namang sinabi kung sino.

Kaya si Trump, hindi ako gagastos ng problema ninyo. You want to improve your climate there above your sky, do it yourself. Bakit kami?

So sinabayan niya ‘yung, maybe sabi niya, wala, inutil ‘yang International Criminal—

Nag-withdraw sila sa membership.I might follow. Why? Tayo lang malilit ang binugbog ng mga walanghiya. Nagpatayan— it’s by thethousands bombing children, women, for five years now, Aleppo, Mosul.Walang pahinga ang mga tao doon sa bombing. And they have come to terms by just by saying, it’s the will of Allah. ‘Yan ang sinasabi ko. Now you know, sinadya ko talaga ‘yan.

If you ask anybody from Davao, hindi naman ako ganoon. Pag mag-bullshit ako ng lider, kasi hindi sila nakikinig. Everybody was going back and forth everyday on the same issue of extrajudicial killing.

They didn’t listen to my— I tried to explain that hindi amin ‘yan. Meron ‘nong ayaw makinig. Eh ‘di sinabi kong putang-ina niyong mga hindot kayo.Nakinig sila sa akin. Sino itong nagmumura? O ako, bakit?

See? Kabastusan nila ‘yan, hindi akin. They forced me into it. Ngayon, nagmura ako, talagang binastos, binaboy ko sila, o naghilog, wala na. Tarantado ang—

You know, if China and Russia would decide to create a new order, I would be the first to join. Aalis ako diyan sa— they’re used to be, they call League of Nations before. It was in Hague, something. Itong predecessor ng United Nations. It used to be called League of Nations.

Nothing happened, just the war. United Nations, walang nagawa. Series of war. Vietnam, Taliban; ngayon, dito.

The killing is endless. The mouth is flattering. Kaya ayan ang leksyon natin. Just because it is America it does not mean that it is good.

Lahat naman. Just because it comes from Russia or China, it is an ex cathedra thing for us na mag-amen, amen.

But I will be guided only by the best interest of the people. I don’t know kung anong pag-usapan namin dito. Pero pag nagkamali na naman silang, gusto nila makaisa, nagpraktis na ako. Makatikim talaga sila sa akin. And I will lecture on them the finer points of civilization.

Huwag niyong solohin ‘yung ano. Kayo lang parating tigas eh, kayo nang— you threaten us as if we are your laborers.

Sabihin ipakulong ako. Ano? Pakulong? Isama ko kayong lahat. That’s the lesson. I’m reading it because nakuha niya eh. Nakuha niya ‘yung laro ko.

Pero ‘nong una lahat, lahat sa Cabinet, they were sullen, ganon sila lahat.

Sonny said that, you know you’re the most unpopular leader in Europe.

Sabi ko, never mind, Son. I’m the President of the Philippines. I’m not their President. I don’t care. I don’t give a shit. Basta ako, dito.

O ngayon, kaibigan ko na ang China. Now here comes, eh sinasabi ko, here comes an ex-general. Walang sikreto-sikreto, basta sila.

I have an appointment to talk to him. The theme of our talk? To reset relations. Solohin mo.

Thank you.

END OF SPEECH

The President departed from Davao International Airport on a chartered plane at 1:40 PM bound for Lima, Peru.

The President will also participate in the APEC-Business Advisory Council (ABAC) composed of three chief executives of each of the APEC member-economies. The Philippines will be represented by Doris Magsaysay Ho, chair of ABAC 2015, and Guillermo Luz of the Competitiveness Council.

After ABAC, the President will be meeting with Pacific Alliance leaders, which includes Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

The President and other economic leaders will also have a dialogue with Facebook chief executive officer and founder Mark Zuckerberg.

The first day will be ended with a gala dinner to be hosted by Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

On the second day, Duterte will attend an informal dialogue with International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President is looking forward to meeting other world leaders during the summit but meeting US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the APEC summit is not a priority. President Duterte earlier said that he is interested to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin, whom he considers his “idol”. ●