DUTERTE TRANSCRIPTS: Air Traffic Management. 16 January 2018
(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 THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS,
NAVIGATION, SURVEILLANCE / AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
[Delivered at Philippine Air Traffic Management Center, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Compound, Old MIA Road, Pasay City | 16 January 2018]
Kindly sit down. Salamat po. Salamat sa courtesy ninyo.
I have a prepared speech. Part really of the things that I’d want to talk about this moment. But meron lang po akong gustong idagdag. I want to add something.
You know, I was a frequent traveler early on because I was studying in — here sa Manila. I am from the province but I am taking up my AB and Law in the City of Manila. And I remember that every time a big somebody takes off or lands using the airports, flights are suspended, sometimes up to three hours. Then during Ramos his time, it took only one.
And every time there’s a delay, I must admit, it pisses me off because, you know, you’d never know there is no previous advice that there is going to be somebody who would be using the airport and you have to stop traffic altogether.
So when I was campaigning, I also made a queue in the airports sometimes for almost one hour. And so I said that if ever God-willing, I was then campaigning, this thing would be a thing of the past. Because ngayon, ang ibinibigay lang sa akin, I never asked for it. But CAAP gave me just the privilege if I’m around to — makasingit lang ako.
I am just an ordinary there citizen of which I am really just a worker of government and should be enjoying no special favors. Ako ‘yung parang pinapauna lang nila.
But as you might want to know, there’s no such thing as a waiting period if I go in and out of airports. I am a worker of government and I do not see why I should be, and everybody else in this government working for the people, to have special privileges. Their life is as important as yours.
And mabuti pa sila, tayo — kasi kung matumba ka diyan, meron mang Vice President. Eh ‘yung ordinaryong tao diyan, wala eh. He’s maybe just the sole breadwinner of the family and if he goes, he goes.
But the thing is, I want to people realize that everybody of us here are workers of government and we serve the people and we are paid to do that.
Second is, there was also a time when I was around, when there was a breakdown in the radar system and the flights were given a little bit of a leeway and elbow room almost every five minutes because of — well, to prevent accidents.
And I thought when I first — during the first few meetings in the Cabinet, I told Secretary Tugade na “baka kailangan mo…” I like the things that are — as they are now. But kung ito, I’m sure it’s a huge leap in the improvement of the services regarding security and surveillance. Very good.
But I would want you to just — or if it is there already then just let it pass by your ears na may reserba kayo. So there has to be a reserve something to things really breakdown. You know, the Murphy’s law. A thing can go wrong — if things can go wrong, it will go wrong. And one day sa — or everyday, it happens everywhere. And an airport is no exception.
When there’s a breakdown, it’s almost mechanical. It moves and there’s always a time for breakdown. That it will not be repeated the last time that you have to make a queue or have to endlessly circle the skies or go to Pampanga to find the relief. ‘Yun ang importante ho doon. And, of course, it will one improve security and the safety, or the safety and security of the people.
I’m also reminded of the serious threat now. But I hope that you have to raise the awareness not only the senses of — and maybe just it’s good to anticipate that there’s gonna be one in the coming days about terrorism.
They’d like to blow up our people convergence and also converge in airports, pantalan, park because of what happened in the Mindanao provinces today.
As I have said, we have the threat remaining. And martial law improves the whole, entire gamut of the movement of people in Mindanao because it’s a little bit safe. And my guidance to the security forces of government, the AFP and PNP, is that in this matter of security against terrorism, it’s will be no quarters asked, no quarters given.
And so that’s the thing that I used to fly when I was young but I discontinued it but I had the good number of hours enjoying the skies in Davao when I was young.
So all of these things, I’d like to be — you guys are sharp on the [inaudible] of terrorism and security. And the maybe a continuous service even with a breakdown staring at your face eyeball to eyeball. So you must have something back — to back you up just to do the service that we are now delivering to the people.
I do not want government personnel to enjoy — workers in government — not officials. We are all workers in government. I do not want workers of government including me to enjoy special privileges, at least during my time. I do not want to put that veil of which separates a president from the people and even in the services.
Were it not for the fact tht I have to honor so many commitments a day, I have to use the helicopters. Why? Because it’s cheaper.
At the end of the day, when you compute the gasoline, the diesel consumed while waiting for the presidential convoy to pass, it disturbs the normal or that’s already convoluted traffic of Manila.
So ayaw kong — I… The least to a disturbance that is caused by my movement. So I take the helicopter. ‘Yung helicopter naman, hindi masyado. Kung i-compute mo doon sa lahat ng gasolina na ‘yung nag-aandar ng mga machines, you’d find out that we are on — maybe on the right decision to at least, the very least inconvenience that’s caused to the people.
Then again, I don’t know if it’s the proper venue to be talking about it. But I am on a purging spree. And I will continue to do this, I suppose, I’ll do it tomorrow. I’ll be firing more people from government.
And those who are into the wanderlust or are itchy for travel and wasting the many — the many, many things that you do there without necessarily an impact on the lives of the people, better think of resigning.
Those who made trips more than 20 a year, that’s too much. So I will be asking almost all of them to maybe just step down, unless, of course, I have this commissioned for you to do something for the country and for the people.
So ganun ho ‘yung takbo ng ating gobyerno ngayon. I am not… I do not pretend to be a — the most honest or clean, hypocritical stand before the… I have many faults, too. Plenty but money has never been an issue even during the years of my service as mayor of my city for almost 23 years.
Counting it all, it could reach about 40 — from the time when I was a congressman and a vice mayor.
All of these things are… Alam mo gusto kong kausapin kasi… Sa Davao pinag-iisipan ko talaga ‘to… All of these things that are really — including media and everything.
You know, nandito sila, si Ranada, si Pia. Listen very carefully. ‘Yung, ‘yung release ninyo.
We never had a hand and I don’t give a s*** if you continue or not continue with your network.
We never had a hand of — except those people who have been attacking us below the belt and almost [inaudible].
You were around during the last elections.
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. If you are trying to, you know, throw garbage at us, then the least that we can do to explain is how about you? Are you also clean?
And that’s [inaudible] during the many issues about Inquirer and — sumobra kayo eh, talagang hindi lang garbage, pati the spoils in the toilet bowl na eh.
Kaya nung nakita ko ganun pala kayo at hindi naman pala kayo santo, pati kayo have been plundering government with your non-payment of taxes and hanging on to the property of government way beyond the years of the contract you’re supposed to relinquish the property, ‘yung mga ganun. So you use media as your cover, as your influence and all along, ganun pala kayo, you have not paid your taxes. And your taxes from billions it’s reduced to just millions.
Eh akala mo kasi lahat kami dito mga taga-gobyerno magnanakaw at kayong ‘yung mga oligarchs, mga p***** i** ninyo, akala ninyo malinis kayo.
So kung magmakalinis ka sa mundong ito, whether you are a family, an elite of the society, the ‘400 of society,’ they say, kung makalinis lang kayo, kaya mag-sige kayo depensa ng mga amo ninyo, eh puro corrupt rin.
And I remember DBP. It used to be a very — and after a group of companies got the loans and had the loans condoned because of power.
Tapos tayo dito, magmumurahan, kayong mga media diyan pati dito, tayo ang kawawa.
‘Yung mga amo ninyo, ‘yun ang — they are the ones who benefit at the end of the day.
Kayong mga… Gamitin ninyo ang konsensya ninyo. Just also be circumspect about using easily words… Wala kaming pakialam diyan. Neither a hint.
‘Yung sinabi ko lang, totoo ‘yun, it was the first time but we never followed anything.
Remember that the composition of SEC ngayon is puro Aquino ‘yan. There are about five, I only appointed one. So how could it be political?
Basta kayo, walang — wala akong pakialam diyan. I mean, you have been throwing trash and s*** all along but pinabayaan ko. Wala naman ako nakialam. But then, may nasilip kayo. ‘Yan nga ang mahirap eh.
Pag nasilip kayo na meron pala kayong but of the matter is, sabihin naman ninyong harassment. Kalokohan.
Kung kami ang magmura, masama. Kung kayo ang gumawa ng kalokohan ninyo, okay kayo.
It’s not — in this country, the issue is not press freedom, the issue is abuse of the elite and those in power.
‘Yan ang issue diyan.
You can go to the radio station and I’ll even pay your time and you can say what you want.
Mile Long, 50 years, another 50 years, taxes not paid until now. Doughnut from billions reduced by Henares to just millions, ayaw ninyong tanggapin and then you keep on defending the…
Kayo? So ano, tatanungin ko, where’s your sense of value? Kami ganun man rin. Let us be very, very [inaudible] about these things.
Now, I’d like to apologize for the outrage with our guest here.
I know that this structure that we have now is a good one and with or without batting an eyelash, I would say that JICA had played a very important role, the government of the Japan and the people, I’d like to thank you. [applause]
And yesterday, I was also in Davao City to preside over the turnover of almost… The JICA gave us about 26 Montero. Mabuti pa ang pulis, luxury car pa. [laughter]
Tingnan mo ‘yung — kayong taga-Davao. I still use the pickup. Pero sabi ko itong mga pulis na ito… But the secret there is really maintenance.
If you are strict with maintenance, then the things that you buy… I do not go for — let me make this announcement again.
There are a lot of things that I have to change and face the challenge of the moment.
Itong corruption ng gobyerno. Itong public bidding na lowest bid, I don’t know why all of us, thinking Filipinos, millions of us has or have until now tolerated this source of corruption everyday.
Alam mo ‘pag ano, they just — I said there’s a cartel there of idiots na they just go from one city to another or province and play golf and wait for the news about a bidding that’s being conducted somewhere.
They just congregate there then pretend to be bidders at ibabagsak nila ‘yung presyo.
So pagbaba nila, they have to pay the — the mayor, the governor, the barangay captain, the engineers, ayun na nga, then you get the product that’s not really even worth a third of what government really has. ‘Yan ang problema diyan.
Sa Davao, maraming completed projects. The highways in the Philippines are clogged with unfinished products and accidents multiply because of the sheer negligence also of the people handling the project. This insanity must stop.
Either COA and Congress must realize that or we will never, never — kung ayaw nila, ako na lang ang mag-alis dito kung ganun.
Because everyday that a certain contract is bidded out, it’s always tainted with corruption, 90 percent.
You could hardly find a transaction there that’s almost clean. So what I propose to do is the turnkey phases. We will come up with the specifications, the projected cost and everything and we will — just like the Swiss challenge.
We will present it to you. I’ll give you 10 percent for mobilization. But you must be a company with a track record. You must have the equipment. And I will not allow subcontracts, which means to say that those who — a few people that have also improved their lives maybe have reached the middle-income state because of that. But I’m sorry, I have to stop it because we are suffering.
May isang project sa Davao that has been there, ‘yung sa Sta. Cruz pati itong sa North Diversion. Hindi pa ako Presidente nandiyan na ‘yang p* — hanggang ngayon. Sabi ko, if you have the contract and you incur a delay of 30 days, I’ll take over. I’ll give it to another contractor which has the money to continue and I will not pay you, you go to court, then we will fight it out.
Anyway, you can drag the case here for 20 years. By that time, patay na ako. And so with the others, a delay of 30 days, if you are not on time, it is automatically cancelled and we will give it to another.
So ang yayaman nito, those who will really benefit are those who have the equipment and the money now to start it. Well, that’s a privilege which I have to give because there’s nothing else to offer.
Wala eh, kung continue itong bidding-bidding na ano, it’s all cluttered, even in Manila, look at Quezon City. Even the local governments, tignan mo ‘yung mga drainage nila, ‘yung mga manholes nila na no early warning devices, no safety measures taken and everybody’s falling down and no one gets the blame and everything charges it to experience.
I have about four years, sabihin ko na lang sa’yo, a simple statement, I said, do not do it during my watch, pabor lang. I plead to everybody, do not do it during my watch, ‘wag sa panahon ko. Wait for another four years then you can go back to your [inaudible].
But not sa aking panahon, parang mainsulto ako niyan. Because then, all the promises that I made and a lot of saliva has been wasted for that, tapos I will just end up just like any son of a b**** who once administered the affairs of the country for nothing.
Not during my watch. ‘Wag sa panahon ko. Talagang maghahabulan tayo and you can — sabi ninyo marami akong [inaudible], go ahead. That’s what I said. You can dig. I do not mind… Eh puro naman ‘yan — what you got really — but there’s no order yet in court. It will come out someday. But I will not give you that pleasure now because you will distract me.
Sinabi ko sa inyo, wala akong ganung kalaki. Wala akong ganung kalaki. Well, of course, the Central Bank said you made a computation but you never got any written legal authority to extract something from mine and I will not give it to you for your pleasure.
You want me to get evidence from my mouth? You must be awfully stupid to do that. And I will be an idiot as a lawyer also to give you the pleasure of wasting my time.
So I will review with the Cabinet this one. All public works projects, which have been delayed for years, you get out immediately and I can maybe look for the money.
We’re doing good in the field of taxation. I’m sure Tugade and Dominguez can look for the money. Umalis kayo diyan, ‘yung lahat ng butas, ‘yung may manhole diyan, I’ll give you…
And may I warn also the… I’m warning the local government officials. I do not want to threaten you but you just do your duty also because remember I can always suspend or dismiss you if I want to.
I’ve been sparing. I’m not the Ombudsman. But administratively I can hang you. So do it, those governors and mayors who are deadwoods or who do nothing at hinayaan mo na lang kami ditong mga pulis pati the Armed Forces to take care of everything and you are not doing anything to serve your constituents including dying for your people, umalis kayo diyan.
Iyong takot na mamatay, takot na magkasakit, ayaw — you get out.
I said not during my time. Huwag sa panahon ko.
So may I just read the — to do service also to the guy who made — prepared this speech.
I am happy to join you today as we launch our new Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management or CNS/ATM Systems.
This is the answer to the calls for a much-needed upgrade in our country’s inadequate and aging air navigation systems which lags behind those of our neighbors in the regions.
On behalf of the Filipino people, we thank our Japanese partners at JICA for funding this very important project which will enhance the safety, reliability and efficiency of the air traffic service in the country.
I said I was there with the Ambassador, 26 and they equipped the crime laboratory. Mayroon ng DNA doon so we need not to go to Manila. Ayan si Secretary and he was with me. The DILG was with me and the other police officers.
We’re doing good now at kung hindi lang i-corrupt ‘yung pera na ‘yan, mapupunta talaga sa tao ‘yan. The building is stupendous. It’s P50-billion given by Cayetano. Hindi naman siya lugi sa Davao, he won there overwhelmingly. I hope that next time he will win together with the adviser on sa… [laughter] Baka gusto.
Through the efforts of the Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, we were able to complete this project by end of last year and we expect it to be fully operational this year.
This is an important milestone in the modernization and expansion of our aviation program, and will complement the Build, Build, Build program that will usher in an unprecedented Golden Age of Infrastructure Development in the country.
Pati pati kita mo ‘yung mga the choice of words ng mga ano ng rah rah boys ng — or any government mayroon ‘yan sila. That will usher the unprecedented Golden Age. Biro mo gagamit ka ng “golden age” tapos butas-butas ‘yung mga p***** i**. Para kang g*** dito.
So I would just also assure my staff na if you are not really sure of harvesting a golden age product by the end of the year, do not use that word again. Baka gawin mong copper.
As we roll out more big ticket infrastructure initiatives in the next months, I ask for our people’s patience, understanding and support. Through the cooperation of our people and our private sector partners, we can soon ease our transportation woes and pave the way for a more industrialized Philippines.
‘Yung sa tanim-bala, it’s a very complicated — it seems to be na mayroong just a select few there.
Ako basta sinabi ko. Hindi ako nagyayabang. P***** i** ‘pag nahuli kita doon na ano — ‘pag nasa camera ka, ipapakain ko talaga saiyo ‘yan.
I’ll bring you somewhere in the Pasig River doon sa lantsa ko na karag-karag papiliin kita kung saan ka… t*** i** Kainin mo ‘yan o…
I ask for — through the cooperation of our people and our private sector partners, we can soon ease our transportation woes and pave the way for a more industrialized Philippines.
As we regain the people’s trust in government through our anti-criminality and anti-corruption initiatives, we can now look forward to the implementation and completion of major infrastructure projects that will bring us closer as a people and enhance the quality of life of all Filipinos.
This week I will fire about 49 policemen and three generals. And if you want to — kung gusto mong sumali doon, sige kayo.
I said please not during my time. Huwag ho sa panahon ko kasi magkakahiyaan tayo.
