(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
SPEECH
OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING HIS ATTENDANCE TO THE
SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES MEDICAL CENTER (SPMC) CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION GALA NIGHT
[Delivered at SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier, Davao City | 11 August 2017]
Kindly sit down. Thank you for your courtesy. Salamat po.
You know, I went down the house, I thought that ‘yung mga gatherings na ganito, especially reunions, anniversaries, is always a night of fun. And I’m used to that, in that kind of ambiance, so I calibrate my attire. [laughter]
I went down wearing a black t-shirt and I — I do not like socks, so wala akong medyas talaga. [laughter & applause]
Ang problema was the — pasakay na ako ng chopper, hinabol ako ng security, sinabi, it has to be formal. So, ‘yung mga barong ko — maliit lang kasi ‘yung bahay ko talaga — andiyan lang rin sa kabilang kanto ‘yung bagong plantsa. Eh, iilan lang rin ang barong ko, apat lang siguro, pabalik-balik. Sabi ko, “Kunan mo ako ng isa.”
Ayun nga, sa — nagmamadali ako, I have to be formal. I don’t know if wearing of socks sa lalaki is formal or not. But I do not have it actually. [laughter]
So, sorry if it does not reflect the — the environment now.
May I acknowledge the — ang mga bisita natin. We have Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial. Ang haba naman ng pangalan mo, ma’am; Secretary Jesus Dureza, who is the adviser for Peace Process; Congresswoman Mylene Garcia-Albano; Congressman Jericho Jonas Nograles, [inaudible] for Davao City [applause]; Councilor Mary Jodel Villafuerte, she’s my —; Dr. Leopoldo Vega, ‘yung pinaka-hero dito. Ayan, mahusay talaga, totoo ‘yan.
And, I’d like you to be — to be just frank. Eh kasi pulitiko ako, and you were advised — you’re the mayor — that we are undergoing a process of retention, transfer, hindi talaga ako nakikialam — — lalo na ‘yang mga positions of, you know… It should be commensurate to the quality of the person also. And he has that, but hindi ako nag-ano, nag-neutral ako. The other SPMC officials and staff.
Though, nung nalaman ko na — nalaman ko na lang na instead of Davao Medical Center, it was renamed SPMC, hindi ko naabutan ‘yun. Sabi ko, “Sino nagsabi sa inyo magpalit-palit kayo ng pangalan? Nawala na tuloy ‘yung Davao.” [laughter]
Well, of course, anyway, it’s the money of the people, the service is for the people, and we all work as workers in government.
So, my fellow workers and mga kababayan.
You know, for grandiose occasions like this, I have only two pages for you. [laughter]
[Ayan, ito o.]
And, I would not be doing really justice to the occasion if — kung basahin ko lang ito. Of course, with my apologies to the one who prepared this in the office, hindi ko alam kung sino. But I know that he is not a doctor.
Well, anyway. Let me just — nakita naman ninyo. I hope that you had been there. I was there last night. Sabi ko nga, “Anong okasyon ba ito?” because I thought that — well not really that I’m lazy, but akala ko tapos na ‘yung kagabi.
Pumunta ako doon for the — just for an ocular inspection from a distance. Sabi ko, “Okay na ako.” And ‘yun pala, na — marami pala kasing kayong nagsi-uwian, ‘yung mga dating nurses noon, tsaka visitors. So, sabi ko, “Well, okay. I’ll be there.”
But I will not read the speech. I will not do justice — ‘yung dalawang… You know, I can finish this in half a minute. Then, I say, “Babye.” [laughter] Parang it’s a bit discourteous actually, discourteous. Half a minute, I will be through with this.
I’d like just to share with you — tutal nakita niyo man — you’re all doctors, you all know about everything about medical, medical science and all. But I’d like to stick to a very simple story.
As mayor of city of Davao, I make the rounds of all hospitals during Christmas day. And, magdala ako ng pagkain, with mga regalo for the — for the kids, and on that day, lahat ng riseta — all the, ang tawag lang nila riseta eh — so, sagot ko ‘yan. Talagang every patient who — who holds that… binibili ko, libre.
But I was walking dito sa ano — [is Ms. Dolendo, is she here? Mae, are you here?] [applause] May your tribe increase, actually. Ang bait mo.
So, lahat ‘yan. From doon, ano, ‘yung — ang hindi ko lang binibisita ‘yung victims of — nagbarilan sila diyan, sabihin ko, “Mamatay na lang kayo para menos-menos ‘yung gastos namin. Sayang ‘yung oxygen pati antibiotic. Wala naman kayong silbi sa…”
Lalo na ‘yung mga victims ng extrajudicial na not completed. Sometimes, I did — “Doc,” I say, “Doc, injekan (inject) mo ng hangin ‘yan para tapos ‘yang mga yawa na ‘yan.” [laughter]
Totoo. I am a Christian with a half-cooked… Basta kalaban ko, ‘yung mga bad boys. So, I make the rounds. So nung pagdating ko doon sa children’s ward — Pediatric Cancer Ward — so, isa-isahin ko ‘yan. Tapos, I talk to the parents, I talk to the child. Hindi na ako magpa-corny. Partly really is my job as mayor, and mamulitika.
Ganun talaga eh, pulitika. Mayor ka, ‘di pulitiko ka. So, huwag na natin ‘yan bola-bolahin ‘yang sarili natin. So, ayan. Pero, I don’t know if you — whether it is a pretended sense of… Ayaw ko ng ano diyan. Bahala na kayo mag-interpret.
So, nung dumaan ako sa isang kama, so this boy was dying, he was bald. Sabi ko, “Adre.” I address them as ano. “Anong sabi ng girlfriend mo ‘yan na walang buhok?” Sabi niya na — tawa siya, sabi niya, “Wala po akong girlfriend.” He was about 14.
Nung dadaan na ako, hinawakan niya ‘yung pantalon ko. Sabi niya na, “Mayor, sa Monday, operahan na ako. Sabi ng doktor, putulin daw ‘yung paa ko. Tapos, at — maghingi sana ako ng pabor.” Sabi ko, “Ano ‘yun, anak?” Sabi niya, “Palitan mo ako ng… Bilihan mo.” — “palitan”, Bisaya. Bisaya, ang “palitan” is you buy. “Palitan mo ako ng paa.”
Then, na-ano ako, sabi ko, “‘Nak, tandaan mo ‘to. Pag naputol na ‘yang paa mo ng doktor at wala siyang ipalit, hanapin ‘yang doktor na ‘yan.” [laughter] “At sabihin natin sa kanya” — totoo ‘yun — “na itong paa ko, putulin niya at ilagay niya sa katawan mo. ‘Yan ang pangako ko sa iyo. Kung hindi, bigyan kita ng paa na maganda — prosthetics.” Sabi niya, “Salamat.”
So, ano — but, tinamaan ako. Maya’t maya, sabi ko na, “‘Yung washroom?” Dumeretso ako doon, sabi ko mag-ihi ako. Actually, I cried. Wala naman na mayayabang, pagkatapos ganun kaagad ng panyo. Para ‘yung hangin, matutuyo, hindi mahalata. Eh, ‘pag macho-macho eh. Pero talagang umiyak, humagulgol ako doon ng sandali. Buhay na ‘to.
Anyway, after that, bumalik ako sa ospital. Sabi ko doon sa aid ko — itong si Bong Go, “I-follow up mo.” Kasi papalitan ko talaga ‘yung paa niya. So, sabi ko, “’Yung titanium.” Siguro mga 78,000. Sabi ko, “Bilhin mo. Ito ang pera. So, ilagay natin.”
So, one day, nag-usap kami ni Dra. Domingo, nag — nag-rehab na siya, nag-te- training na, ‘yung therapy.
Sabi ni Doktora na naghahanap ng happy house kasi maraming dumating nang pasyente, mostly also, makaawa naman talaga from Cotabato. Most ‘yung ano diyan, mga Maguindanao, may mga Maranao rin. It really bleeds your heart.
Pero ‘tong — itong isa, Ilonggo ‘to, taga-M’lang, Cotabato. Sabi ko sa kanya, “Merong training ka na. Pagsabi ni Doktora nangangailangan ka ng bahay, may naisip ako, may bahay ako na maliit. It’s really a small house, two small bedrooms, it’s about 80 square meters.
Kasi ‘yung paghiwalay ko sa asawa ko, alam ko talaga paalisin ako ng bahay. [laughter]So, maghanap na ako. Sabi ko sa kanya, “Kung hanap kayo ng ano…”
May nakita siya diyan sa Magdalena. That’s a subdivision there just beside — almost beside the DMC. Tawag ko diyan, DMC eh. So, binili ko ‘yun in preparation that… Along the way, in my life also as it — as I travel the — the highways of life at that time, may nakilala rin ako na doktora sa mata.
Kasi malabo na ang paningin ko. Hindi ko na — I could not distinguish anymore kung sino ‘yung maganda o ‘yung hindi. Sabi ko, “Doc, delikado ako dito.” [laughter] Paglagay niya doon sa eyeglass, nagtinginan kami ng ganun. T*** i****, maganda ito ah. [laughter]
Nilapitan niya. Sabi niya, “Paki-move ng, ganun ganun.” Gusto ko, ilusot ko ‘yung mukha ko doon sa… [laughter] Nakita ko maganda ang mukha eh.
Pagtindig ko, tiningnan ko ‘yung katawan. Sabi ko, “Ma’am, may — may asawa ka na?” Sabi niya, “Wala pa.” Sabi ko, “Girlfriend, may girlfriend — ah, may boyfriend ka na?” Sabi niya, “Wala rin.” Sabi ko na, “Pwede tayo mag — mag-hapunan?” [laughter]
Sabi niya, “Bakit?” Sabi ko, “Sabi mo wala kang boyfriend.” “Wala nga.” “Eh kaya nga kita yina…” G****… “Kaya kita yinayaya para ligawan kita.” Sabi niya, “Wait.” Sabi ko, “Relax ka lang.”
So, nagkatuluyan kami, may bahay siya. Eh ‘di doon ako tumira. Maganda ‘yung bahay niya eh. Sabi ng doktora, “Dito ka na lang magtira.” So, stay and live in. Iyan ang —
O, balik tayo doon sa ano… Binigay ko. I donated that house. Sabi ko, para sa cancer patients ‘yung… Ano, pinadagdagan ko ng bamboo. Mga parang [inaudible] houses, dalawa, tatlo ba ‘yan? Binigay ko na out of my — ‘yung paghinakit ko doon sa bata. Inalayan ko ‘yan.
Alam mo minsan, nilalabas ko. Tapos, ‘yung isang babae, ganun rin, leukemia. Apat ‘yan sila, walang — walang paa. Tapos, sabi nila, magpasyal daw sila sa Abreeza, hindi raw nila nakita ‘yang mall. Sabi ko, “Sige.”
You know, sabi ko doon sa isang girlfriend ko, “Samahan mo ‘yan doon sa ano, at i-shopping mo. ‘Yung medyo huwag naman mahal. ‘Yung mga t-shirt, t-shirt.” Alam mo, tumawag ‘yung girlfriend ko, sabi niya, “Alam mo, may hinihingi sila, matatawa ka.” “Ano?” Sabi niya, “Sapatos.” [laughter]
Kulang ‘yung isang paa. Totoo. Totoo ‘yan. Alam ni doktora ‘yan. Sabi ko, “Bilihan mo na lang.” Lalo na ‘yung babae. ‘Yung babae, pati isa doon, ‘yung sabi ko taga M’lang, namatay. But the two others, sabi ko kay ano, kay doktora, “Susuportahan ko ‘yan. Diyan mo na lang patirahin sa [inaudible]. Nag-graduate na ata.
Sa may University of Immaculate Concepcion. Just beside the… malapit lang. ‘Yung dalawa, okay na. Mga college na ata. Ako rin ang nagpapa-aral.
No big deal. Pero ako ang nagpapa-aral. And the [inaudible]. Itong taga-M’lang, kasi ‘yung hindi ko — talagang hinawakan ‘yung paa ko. Ayaw niya akong… Sabi niya, “Biihan mo ako ng — Palitan mo ako ng ano.” “Palit” sa Tagalog is “exchange.” Sa Bisaya, “palit” is “buy.”
Sabi niya, “motor.” Sabi ko, “Naku. Mag-konsulta tayo sa doctor niyan.” Sabi ko, “Baka mabangga ka, maalis ‘yung isang paa mo. Doble tirada na tayo dito.” [laughter]
Worried ako kay doktora. Sabi ko, “Kunsitidor ka kasi eh.” [inaudible] Pero gusto talaga niya. So may mga ‘yung made in China na bagong pasok noon. There’s no need for a gear. Wala nang first gear, second gear. Basta i-ganon mo na lang, tatakbo. You stop pressing the accelerator, then it also stops.
Binilihan ko. So all the while… ano kasi bumabalik siya from time to time para mag… ‘yung paa niya. Prosthetic.
One day, tinawag ako ni… sabi niya, “Alam mo, may nakita kaming maliit. But I think,” sabi niya, “He will not survive. Six months.” So nandiyan na rin ‘yung puso ko.
Sabi ko, “Kung gagaling ka, i-de-deliver kita kita doon sa inyo. Ihatid kita by helicopter.” Para lang ma-ano ko ‘yung bata. Kasi lumaki eh. Talagang lumaki, lumaki pa sa akin eh. Nagkaroon ng katawan. He was on his way to recovery. But I really do not know what is the formula of God in this universe.
Lalo na tuloy, ‘yung mga ganon pa ang namatay. Maraming drug pusher, drug addicts, mga y*** na mga ‘yan. Hindi pa Niya inuna. Noong namatay, tinamaan talaga ako.
Kaya I think si doktora, nahalata niya ‘yan. Nag-ano ako. Kasi… para… between the few months or year, talagang sinuportahan ko. Sabi ko, “Pagalingin na ninyo dito.” By sheer will.
Pero namatay rin. Pati sabi ko, “Ayaw ko na.” I was really… then… sometimes, you question God. What kind of an entity are You? You create in this universe the poor and rich. Eh kung magaling Ka talaga, sabi ko, eh bakit…
I’m talking to you now, I’m not making a speech. I do not make speeches. I just dialogue with my… my audience. You begin to question na religion and itong how life is never fair. ‘Yung mga ganon.
Kaya ako, hindi masyado… kasi I grew up… parang itong ano, lalo na sa katandaan kong ito. ‘Di mo ako mapabilib diyang Adam and Eve, ‘yung ganon. All those garbage there. They are not really true. I mean, this planet Earth is five billion years old. How can it be — or when was the time… ‘di mo malaman kung kailan na si Adam and Eve na…
Sa… maglayo ako. Alam ni doktora ano ‘yan. But sometimes, magkikita kami.
One time, kailangan nila ‘yung isang building dun, repair. Sabi ko, “malamok.” Sabi ko, “Pa-screen mo.” Then I worked hard for, itong sa… itong Cancer ngayon Center.
Nag-donate rin ako ng… ito nga. Itong sa gobyerno talaga. I mean, there’s really something serious about how government operates. It’s still a mystery to me. So nagawa ko after the longest time pati ‘yung mga bata…
Kasi kung hindi kami… si Nograles, naging Speaker o ako, naging mayor, tapos Presidente. Medyo tagilid talaga. And I would like also to tell you one story, and then I’ll go.
Pumunta ako ng Jolo. I was there. I learned ‘yung ospital ng mga… diyan mismo, sa Jolo, mga tinamaan na sundalo. Sabi ko sa kanila, “Ano ‘yung equipment ninyo?” So they started to rattle off the things that they badly needed.
So sabi ko, “May MRI kayo?” “Wala.” “How about the CT scan? Or the high-tech…” Wala. Sabi ko, “Sige, bilihin natin ‘to.” And ‘yung mga interns sa UP, mga kilala ko. Mga bata. Sabi nila, “Mayor, ‘yung… kung may magawa ka.” Kasi ‘yung mga pasyente doon sa PGH, ang mga intern pa ang magbigay ng pera kasi wala talagang —
Kaya sabi ko, there’s something really wrong here. Noong nag-presidency ako, nakita ko na.
So last December, I gave Secretary Ubial 1 billion. So Social… binigyan ko rin 1 billion. All for medicines. Kung sinong magpunta sa inyong walang pera.
Pagkatapos, binigyan ko ang PGH ng 100 million. Sabi ko, “Para ito sa medisina sa mga pasyente niyo. “Pag naubos na,” sabi ko, “sabihin mo na lang, maghanap ako.” ‘Yan ang ano.
Dito sa mga sundalo, I visited the A… I became President. Tignan mo ang takbo ng panahon ha.
I became President, June last year. So June 30, oath taking. So July ako.
Mga July 6, I went to the V. Luna AFP Medical Center. So kasama ko ‘yung… tinanong ko ‘yung doctor. “What’s the building there?” The original building was still being used. ‘Yun, the drainage was really bad as it can be. Bumabalik na ‘yung clog.
Sabi ko, “Paano itong pasyente na ito, mamamatay itong lahat ng bacteria.” Sabi ko, “I-condemn mo ‘yan, you wait for a new building.”
So MRI, wala sila. Sabi ko, “Do you have the… itong baric?” Hyper-baric. Kasi alam mo kung ano, nagkaroon ako ng problem sa circulation, actually. Very late. Very late.
I used to smoke. Nagkaroon ako ng Buerger’s disease. Kaya alam ko ‘yan eh. Kaya sabi nila, may baric. Tapos sabi ng doctor ko, hindi pa naman ganon ka-ano Just wait.
So huwag ka lang masugatan kasi it’s just like diabetes. It gets infected and you’ll have a hard time coping up. So alam ko ‘yan. Tinanong ko, wala lahat.
So right that night, I gave them half a billion. Approved lahat ni Diokno. Would you believe it? Three… two months ago. Was it two months ago sa amin, sa Malacañan?
Itong mga sundalo, nagpagawa ng ‘yung dispensary lang. A mini-hospital. May isang doctor, eh puro military doctor, tinanong ko. Eh July, August na. Sabi ko, “Nabili na ba ninyo ‘yung mga ano?”
Alam mo ang sagot ng, “ “Wala pa.” Sabi ko, “Ha?” Sabi ko, “What?” “Wala pa.” Then… I’m apologizing now. Kayo kasing… the DOH has a final say also of what to spend and how. What the military’s budget but it has to go a procurement process.
And you know, maniwala kayo’t hindi, one year ago. Ang p****** i**. Kaya ako nag… kaya doon sa SONA, I specifically ordered her to do something about it. Not really because she is responsible, or she is not at all. But siya kasi ang Secretary ko. But sabi ko… pero sabi mag-apologize ako.
But binull s*** ko ‘yung lahat eh. Sabi ko, either you change the process, or I will change you. Sabi ko, “Anong klaseng procurement itong p***** i***** ‘to?” Kaya sabi ko in my speech, if you were listening, sabi ko, “If this is how you treat your soldiers, then, can’t a military coup d’etat be far behind.”
Kung ganon din… kung ganon na lang naman, mapuputol na [inaudible] because that can really be arrested with hyper-baric. ‘Yung mga ganon sa gobyerno.
Kaya sinabi ko sa mga congressman that night, marami kami, sinabi ko na, right after the [inaudible] Sabi ko, “Look. Ang Pilipinas talaga, I don’t know if something is wrong with us. Definitely, ang tingin ko sa atin…” I did not want to excuse myself. I’m part of the machinery.
Sabi ko, “Palitan niyo ito.” At tsaka ‘yang be careful, ‘yung mga taga-gobyerno. ‘Yang lowest bid na ‘yan. ‘Yan talaga. Believe me. At one time, I was… wala pa ‘yang Ombudsman noon. Ang tawag noon niyan was the Tanod Bayan. Panahon ni Marcos.
I was a prosecutor here in the city of Davao. But I was appointed one of the two only Special Prosecutors of the Tanod Bayan. So alam ko, mahusay ako diyan sa papel, audit, ganon.
‘Yang lowest bid na ‘yan is the source of all corruption. Because the the guy who goes down, really down, gets the award. The bid. And so, in the process, he has to compromise. “Sige, doc. Bigyan kita ng ganon. ‘Yung procurement, bigyan kita ng…” So out of the 100 million project, whatever it is, it gets down to about 60, which is actually the… ‘yun na.
And that would be the actual amount that will be used in the implementation. If at all it is implemented. Kaya sabi ko, “Be careful ‘yang ano…” Lahat ng lowest bid and that is why there is a lousy service here. Pati sa mga highway. Ibigay mo sa lowest bid. ‘Yung sila Consunji and sila Ayala, they would go for the highest bid. Ramon Ang. Because they have the equipment, they have the expertise and all.
Itong mga run-of-the-mill, ito ‘yung laway lang. Nanalo ako rito, then he goes to a sub-contractor, o ikaw na. Babayaran niya. “Give me a certain amount.” So ‘yung sub-contractor, they’ll have something, 40, 30 percent.
And during the campaign, I toured the whole of the country. Meron akong lima na probinsya and siyudad na ‘pag… you have to use the chopper. Pag-landing ko, sabi ko, “Ano ‘to?” Akala ko basketball court kasi [inaudible] it’s sobra… “Airport ‘yan, Mayor. Hindi lang natapos.” [laughter]
Kaya ako, hindi ako nagpapa-corny sa inyo. Puro tayo Pilipino, huwag tayong magbolahan. We all have feet of clay. We’re just human beings. Pero ako talaga, mahiya rin kasi ako. Kasi prosecutor ako, tapos ikulong mo ako diyan sa corruption. I really stress the value of honesty.
Talaga. In my time, makakalusot ka. You might be able to squeeze in if you… things that are really right or maybe outright wrong. I can catch up with you. I will hound you to…
Kaya ako, I made a solemn promise, a vow to the nation and to the Filipino people that there will never be a time that I will condone graft.
At sino sa mga Cabinet ko and I’ve fired two already, ‘yung isa. Pero walang portfolio. And it’s not the main line with agency.
Pinatalsik ko. And they were with me during the campaign. And one was when I was yet the vice mayor many, many years ago. Thirty-five years ago. Kasi mga kaibigan mo, this trusted one, and they work for you hard.
But nung sinabi ko sa kanila, huwag lagyan ng graft and corruption. Please, sabi ko. And that was during the campaign, during my proclamation. And recently, itong ruckus diyan sa Customs.
Alam ko, every now and then, my name, my son’s name — Sabi ‘yung mag-mention.
Tapos sinabi ko na ‘yan sa kanila. The mere mention of our names means corruption.
Eh sino ‘yung taong magdala ng pangalan ko, ng anak ko, o ni Mayor Inday. Sinabi ko talaga.
So lumabas ‘yung pangalan ni… ‘Yung si Paolo, ‘yung Vice Mayor ngayon. Sinabi ko talaga, this would be — Last night…
Kasi nasa gobyerno kami lahat so whenever I’m facing government people, I never really fail to stress the point that ayaw ko.
And if my son was really into it or in is in there, all you have to do is to produce the paper — because there are two ways of evidence — oral pati documentary or [inaudible] the things that…
Sabi ko, “Just give me an affidavit and I will step down as President of this Republic.” And that is my commitment to you now. That is my word.
Hindi talaga ako papaya niyan. Tutal, nabuhay lang rin ako sa ganito-ganito, ‘yung tamang-tama lang. Maliit lang talaga ‘yung sweldo ng prosecutor. Eh ‘di kung nakalusot ako doon, why would I not be contented now of a bigger salary?
Kailangan ko ngayon ng… Tama rin, good riddance that I found this job of being President. Malaki ‘yung sweldo kasi dalawa ang pamilya ko na. ‘Di ba sinabi ko, naghiwalay ako. So, I got another new family. So I have two.
During the inauguration, since I still love both women, the first and the second, nandoon sila. Sa right siya, ang isa doon sa left. [laughter]
Tapos ‘yung mga anak ko, when they made the grand entrance, ‘yung tatlo, tapos ‘yung sa huli nila kasi kasama ‘yung… nag-martsa.
Sabi ko, “Mga anak ko ‘yan.” ‘Yun ang anak ko, ‘yung mga mestizo, ‘yung anak ko ‘yan sa Amerikano na Zimmerman. Itong isa ko, taga-Bulacan ‘to. Marunong rin ‘to.
That is how I run my life. Hindi mo naman masabi na just because iniwan mo, iwanan mo talaga. Papatayin ka ni Inday eh [laughter]. Alam mo sino ‘yun si Inday? Yayariin ka talaga niyan. Maniwala ka. Babarilin ako niyan. Kaya ako, iwas-iwas lang. [laughter]
And all the years that we were separated because the big girl went back to America. Eh Zimmerman nga eh. May mga half-half pa doon na relatives and so she went back there.
And for a time, I was managing a family. And it was really Inday who was running the show. “This is our allowance, this is the… for gasoline, ganon.”
Maswerte na lang rin ako. Pero— Maski nung maliit pa ‘yan sila, alpha na talaga ‘yan si Inday. Walang kumakasa diyan. Eh kita mo pati ‘yung sheriff, binugbog. [laughter] Hindi lang isang suntok ‘yun, mga lima.
Eh pagong-pagong na, naubos talaga kasi hinawakan niya ‘yung ulo eh. Ayun ang istorya diyan. There’s a little bit of fear and discipline, and all but that’s life.
Balik tayo dito sa— You know, huwag na ako mag-ano ng iba. Alam na ninyo ‘yan eh. We are all professionals. You know… You can talk even a thousand times better than what I can dish out.
Ako, the simple stories of life and that what ails — Those are just one of the few na parang may impact sa akin.
One was a personal experience with the boy and dito sa sundalo.
Now, itong ano… I am quite extra-sensitive. I’d like to explain to you kasi alam ko naman na hindi na kayo lahat para sa akin.
Si Noynoy when asked how do you find, how do you see the anti-drug campaign. Sabi niya, “walang pagbabago.”
Under ordinary times… It’s just a very simple statement. It cannot be the source of ‘yung — Sabihin mo ‘yung, a viral or virulent retort.
Alam mo kasi sensitive ako diyan kasi… Huwag na muna ‘yung sa Marawi. I have lost to date 92 soldiers, patay and about 67 policemen.
Here in Mindanao, when they make a raid, an operation to seize or — Ang entry niyan, hindi pulis, sundalo because dito machine guns pati mortar ang harapin mo.
Not only… Not only the… Not the Moro people but the — Kita mo si Parojinog, ‘yung Mayor na…
Sinabi ko na sa kanila, pati ‘yung Albuera Mayor, si Espinosa. Sabi nila na pinatay diyan sa loob ng jail, it was a rubout. If you want to call it that way, so be it.
But I will believe my policemen because I am… The President is the Commander-in-Chief of all Armed Forces.
Pati ‘yung mga pulis, tauhan ko ‘yan. I’m the head of the police and the head of the military.
So kung anong sabihin nila sa akin na ‘yan ang nangyari, que se joda kung tama ‘yan o mali, dito ako sa mga tao ko. Kaya sabi ko, I will protect them.
‘Yung si Albuera — And even my Justice Secretary, and in the Cabinet meetings, sabi niya sa amin, “So Mayor, we have conducted ‘yung sa, ‘yung pinatay nila ‘yung Mayor ng Leyte, sa Albuera, inside the prison cell.”
Sabi niya, “It’s like a murder.” “Go ahead. Go file a case.” Hindi ako nakikiusap. Si Dureza—
And for everybody, for the entire nation, hindi ko alam ang mga cellphone nila. And I never, never, never talk over the phone for important, for… sa intelligence.
I always call them sa Malacañan at harapan ‘yan. I do not convey or transmit messages or and— Babae. ‘Yung ano, sige ganon. ‘Yan ang makuha ko, binasos, o sige.
Pero kung makuha nila… Wala kang makuha sa akin. Hindi ako tumatawag sa kanila. Ayaw ko rin tawagan ako. If you want something, tell me about it diyan sa Cabinet meeting. Always official.
I do not… ‘Yung mga businessmen, magpunta-punta— Doon kayo sa… If you want a train, then go to Tugade. If you want to make peace, nandiyan si Dureza. ‘Yan, ganon ako.
So there’ll never be a time na mahuli mo ako na I was overheard. I’m too bright for that actually. Eh kung hindi ako—
Anyway, sinabi ko sa kanya na— I mentioned… Bastos talaga ako. I have a very lousy mouth. And I agree with you and with the rest of the humanity.
Nagp*-p**** i** talaga ako sa publiko ‘pag galit ako. At hindi ako— Even in the State of the Nation Address o maski sino ‘yang bisita ko diyan. Que se joda—
‘Pag ako ang nag— Cuss and epithets and all. Talagang bastos ang bunganga ko. Magsabi ka na parang walang nangyari. How about the lives lost?
Sabi ko, ang America na America, naging America na ‘yan. Hindi nga niya makontrol ‘yung drugs, tayo pa kaya?
We do not have the equipment. Kulang man. And you know the coastline. How… it’s 37,000 ‘yung— It is not a contiguous place na at least one border lang.
Ito island… that’s 7,000 islands comprising the Philippine… the Republic of the Philippines. Hindi makaya ng iba, tayo pa kaya?
‘Yung drugs na ‘yan, we can control it. That’s why when I was mayor, sinabi ko talaga, “Do not destroy my city.”
Eh prosecutor… eh prosecutor son of a b**** diyan sa korte. So sabi ko, “Huwag, stop it and do not f*** with our children.”
Kasi hindi tayo puro milyonaryo dito. At the end of our earthly life or nearing the end, we cannot afford ‘yung mga houses for the aged. But I have one. And you should see one diyan sa harap ng airport.
Just a few minutes on to the left. There’s a beautiful home for the aged. Ako lang meron. Ako lang ang may rehab, nauna. It was about 20 years ago. Rehab na.
At ako… Meron akong bahay — that was where I started — for victims of incest. ‘Yung nanganak ng tatay sa kapatid nila, meron ‘yan sila because may anak sila eh. ‘Yung kapatid niya, anak rin niya. And it’s a beautiful house. Siguro mga 10 million na istraktura ‘yan.
Tingnan ninyo diyan sa ano… Find time to be there. Tsaka ‘yung mga sa home for the aged, I allow everything except gambling.
Pero itong, ‘yung tatlong lalaki, sabi ko, patay na ‘yung isa. Minsan, ano ‘yan si doktora. Kasi alam kong mamamatay na ‘yung isa.
Sabi ko, “Nakahalik ka na ba?” Sabi niya, sabi nung dalawa, “‘yung buhay pa ‘yung “ G***. “Kayo, kayong dalawa. Naka-lips to lips ka na ng babae?” Sabi niya, “Sir, wala mang papayag sa amin kay wala man kaming paa.” “Sige, gawan natin.”
So, tinext ko si Bong. Sabi ko, “Bong aregluhin mo.” [laughter]
Sabi niya, “Papaano ‘yan? May sakit ‘yan.” “Mamatay na ‘yan.” Ayan o, nandiyan si Mae, tanungin niyo. They’re about to leave the… for the universe. It’s a long trip. It’s for eternity. Give them the pleasures of the planet before they go. Sabi ko kay Bong, “Bong, dream come true.”
After mga one week, tumawag kay Bong. “Bong, pwede bang sabihin kay Mayor na maglabas tayo ulit?” [laughter] Sabi ko, “Magkasakit ka na.” Mga safe ano—
Ganon ako ka-ano, ‘yung istorya ko sa… about life. ‘Yung funny part talaga, sabi nila na — Kasi alam ko mamamatay na talaga eh. Last stages na eh.
Sabi ko, “Ikaw, nakayakap ka na ng…?” “Hindi, sir. Wala mang akong pansinin doon sa amin sir, kay wala man akong paa.” “Ikaw?” “Wala rin, sir. Bata pa man kami sir.” 17 years old. ‘Yung 18 years old ako, nakapabuntis na ako. Ito 17 lang… Eldest ko kasing edad ko lang at she’s in the States. I have not seen her, ever.
Let us talk about the pleasures of the… And you will have a taste of it before you go. Ha-happy ‘yun. Happy ‘yun sigurado ako. Namatay. But you know, ‘yung last moment. I’m about to end, gutom na rin ako. Alas-nueve na eh. Eh kayo rin kasi nakikinig diyan parang… [applause]
‘Yung malapit na mamamatay, doon ‘yung agonizing moments ko rin. Sinabi ni doktora na he’s about to go. So in the few hours, in between ‘yung final moments, nilapitan ko talaga.
Sabi ko, “Anak, ganito ang buhay.” Ganon, pinatikim ko ng — Lahat. Pakain. Gusto ko painumin pa eh. Sabi ko, “Pero lahat ito may katapusan. Ako may katapusan rin. Bukas, baka wala akong swerte. Magkasunod lang tayo sa punerarya.”
So, there’s really nothing… When you are born, you start to die. The day that you — paglabas mo sa ano, you start to die. When? God will answer that. Pero, the process starts the day you are born. Wala ‘yung mga ano. It’s all God’s call kung hanggang saan lang. At sinabi ko rin, itong gyera ngayon, balikan ko.
May gusto akong sabihin sa inyo. You still have about seven minutes? Ah, okay. Importante ‘to para maintindihan ninyo, lalo kayong nasa abroad na or if you have not learned it here. You better listen to me.
Long before Magellan arrived in Leyte, 1521, bringing with him the swords, the cannons, and religion, and the crucifix, Mindanao — dito — was already Islam, way ahead by about 70 years. So, nung pumunta siya dito, he introduced religion.
And they did it the way — the way they used to do it in all of their colonies. Lahat — they enforced their government, their race, and forced us to embrace religion. Ayun nga, ngayon, wala na ‘yan. But if you go to these — mga historians ng Catholic Church, and the Spanish inquisition, ang pinaka-brutal was the Roman Catholics.
So, ‘yung — pinwersa talaga ng Español itong Mindanao, noon pa nagkagulo na. At bakit hindi nila na-subdue? Why? Why until now, andiyan pa rin? You know why? Islam was already here.
Kaya pati Amerikano… the Moro fought everybody. And they see this government — some — as an extension of the original Magellan government. And it is really true, and remember me because I may be not around anymore.
But remember me, if you do not conf — reconfigure the structure of government in this Republic, you will never find peace in Mindanao, and maybe expose this Republic to a fissure. Baka magkaroon ng…
Hindi talaga sila papayag because when the — when the missionaries of Islam came, ‘yung mga tribes dito — Maguindanao, Maranao, Iranon, Sama, Yakan, Tausug — sila ‘yung… The Visayas — ang tribe ng Visayas —- Hiligaynon, ‘yang — ‘yang Cebu, it’s not Cebu, that’s a Spanish word. Cebu is “Sugbu.” And the tribe of the Cebuano, Sugbuanon. ‘Yan ang native tribe namin — tatay ko. My mother is a half-Maranao. Lola ko, Maranao. Lolo ko, Chinese.
Ganun ‘yan. So, hanggang ngayon… Now, kami ni… For example, Secretary Dureza, we are not extra-learned. But kami, taga-Mindanao kami. And we know the history. Nauna talaga ito. It’s a matter of religion only.
Pero kasi sila, they were deprived of the so many… especially during the time of the Americans, because they introduced the Torrens title. They subdivided the country by cadastral lots. At binigyan nila ng mga titulo. Wala masyado ang Moro.
So, like the Indians of America, they were into enclaves. Meron na dito. Anywhere, meron talaga. Except Marawi, which is basically a — a — Islam city. Kaya maski ‘yung 45, ‘yung canons ng Amerikano, until…
So, we have to talk. And you know, we are talking to the main line — itong led by Misuari — the MNLF, and kay Murad, MI. These groups are really just asking that they — they be given specific — kagaya ng American-Indian — a territory of their own where they are left to govern themselves and to enjoy the blessings of the fat of the land.
Eh, Assalamu Alaikum. Ganun ‘yan eh. So that’s why we have this fighting. Pero itong… I’m about to end now. Terrorism. Anak ng…
No compromise, no questions asked, no questions given. I will simply return to you what you give to us.
I am capable of doing your work 10 times over. ‘Yung mga ganon-ganon ninyo. But we are not into it because the government has to be a civilized entity. Remember, we are the nation…
Barilin mo lang sa ulo. But sabi ko, “If you shoot, you shoot him dead.” Galit pa ang Human Rights sa akin. Kasi akala nila ‘yung dead… kasi mga bobo rin itong mga p*** pati ‘yung mga EU diyan.
You know, when the President talks or if you are — when I say, “Shoot him dead,” that means to say that you finish him off. That’s another phrase. Meaning to say, if he’s dying, or the guy has surrendered, or defenseless, papatayin mo. I do not do that. That’s a very… ‘pag… alam mo ‘yung… you might really be skinny…
If you always try to be a warrior… that’s a warrior and all that, you have to be very fair. Pero itong mga droga pati itong mga terorista, they will hit the same thing.
I told them when I was mayor, “Do not destroy this country.” Sabi ko, “Do not deprive us.”
Alam mo bakit? Kayo sigurong majority dito na well-off. Kami, wala kaming pera. Wala akong negosyo. I do not have any business, I do not have anything except my salary. So I save a little. Meron ako. I can afford hospitalization, maybe even treatment in America or Singapore.
Eh bakit ka pupunta doon, pareho lang, mamatay ka. Amerikano pati Instik ang kaharap mo. Dito ka na lang kay Vega. [laughter and applause]
Sabi ko sa pamilya ko, sabi ko sa mga anak ko, second stage, do not bother. I am 72. When am I supposed to die? You want me to live until 90 years old? What will I do in this g**d****…
Anong gawin ko dito? Matter of fact, 72 ako. By the time I finish this job, or earlier, I’d be privileged to… I will thank God. Tama na, I have done so much for my country and for my fellow.
Good na ako. I do not need the clappings anymore. I do not need the applause. Why? I’ve been in politics for 40 years almost. I never lost an election. The first time I ran in 1988 until I became President. What more can I ask from God? Why spoil it by staying here when you are no longer needed? [applause]
Kaya makita ko, I have this park. I made a beautiful park. One of the best dito sa country, for the children. Because we lack space. But morning time, a lot of those retirees are propelled there. Tapos sunning, and para mag-exercise.
But one time, I went there, kasi may nag-complain na walang wheelchair. So sabi ko sa… sa health center, “You buy.” So everyone who needs a wheelchair when he has to go to the park, one nurse, one… maraming nurse, sobra-sobra tayong nurse eh.
So one patient. Nurse talaga ‘yung mag-bantay. But one time, just to find out whether my orders were followed or not, I went there early morning, but I was using… nag-ano ako eh, hindi lang night, but I’m a night person. Tinitignan ko ‘yung mga buang doon, nakaupo.
Lahat ng tao sa Davao, those who are the health buff there, are making the rounds there, kumakanta. Pati, including the young girls, nagsho-shorts ‘yan.
Itong matatanda sa Davao, mga retirees, may blanket ‘yan sila diyan sa lap nila. Tapos nakatingin. Pagkadating ng mga babae, maingay. Sabayan nila ng tingin ganun. Minsan naiwan pa ‘yung mga buang kasi mas malakas pa ‘yung takbo ng mga babae eh. [laughter]
Pagkatapos ganon. Tulog. Maghintay na naman maingay na naman. ‘Yung iba, itutulak pa ng yaya nila ‘yung mukha kasi hindi makahabol eh. Tapos ibalik. [laughter]
Please. I don’t need that kind of life.
God bless us all and the doctors of our country. [applause]
—END—
