VIDEO:

TRANSCRIPT:

Speech
of
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
at the opening of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. Manila Hub Second Site

[Delivered at the MDC Building, Eastwood, Quezon City on February 9, 2012]

Please sit down. Good afternoon.

I speak before you in a time of grief. Just recently, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook the southern part of our country. It was among the strongest in recent memory; tremors were felt even in Legazpi, Butuan, and Cagayan de Oro, hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter in Tayasan town in Negros Oriental. As of yesterday afternoon, 26 have been confirmed dead, and scores remain missing.

But as the Filipino people have learned, it is in darkness that the brightest lights can shine. It is in tragedy that hope can find its first, most persistent flickers. Yesterday, I went to the Visayas to inspect the damage and devastation wrought by the earthquake, and more importantly, to give comfort to those who have lost so much but remained calm and dignified at their loss, determined to stand up again. I saw hundreds of government workers and volunteers who have been tirelessly providing much needed onsite relief and rescue operations. It was a great gift to receive on one’s birthday, to bear witness to my countrymen engaging in the spirit of what we call Bayanihan: the unity, the generosity, and the compassion that will keep driving this nation onward. No matter how challenging the situation is, Filipinos will always find a way to come together and help where they are needed.

This culture of solidarity has become evident across many sectors. Many groups and institutions have expressed an eagerness to stand with us in our efforts to move the country forward. In fact, earlier today, I witnessed the Chinese-Filipino Business Club Inc. turnover 30 motorcycles to the PNP in support of our police force’s Integrated Transformation Program. And that is not the first activity to date that they participated in. This afternoon, the opening of this second hub site of ANZ Global Services and Operations in Manila is yet another testament to the commitment of private companies to participate in nation building. This expansion represents more than your enduring tradition of excellence in banking; it also signifies your trust and confidence in the Filipino people. So allow me to say that I am very, very thankful for your confidence in the Philippines, and all of these happened in less than a year. I assure you that my people will live up to the trust you have given them; the more than—is it 1,200 Filipinos you are projected to employ will not let you down? I understand that this number is now in error; it’s closer to two thousand.

The success of our BPO industry is well documented. According to the Global Locations Trend 2010 Report of IBM Global Business Services, we have overtaken India as world leader in terms of jobs for shared and BPO services. The National Outsourcing Association of the United Kingdom, in 2007, 2009, and 2010, has also given the Philippines the distinction of being the Most Outstanding Offshoring Destination in the world. These recognitions, along with your opening today, show that our country is probably the best outsourcing destination in the world. May I strike out word “probably.” [Laughter] For 2010 alone, the industry generated an impressive 8.9 billion dollars in revenue, and produced full-time employment for more than half a million people, over a hundred thousand of which came from back-office or knowledge process outsourcing.

And despite the challenges in the global economy, we are not expecting this industry to slowdown in the foreseeable future. In fact, fulltime employees in the sector are expected to increase to 610,000. As a country that prides itself as having the best customer-oriented and service-driven English-speaking workforce in the world, this opening ceremony further validates the competitive strengths of the Filipino people. It is a vote of confidence in the skill and professionalism of our country, and a welcome boost to our economy.

Suffice to say, we hold in very high regard your contribution to the national economy. This is why we are striving to ensure that those who invest in our people are given more reasons to continue and even expand their business here in the Philippines. To improve human resources for BPOs, the government is offering training programs like the Advanced English Pre-Employment Training Program—with the acronym AdEPT—for teachers from partner universities, and the Training for Work Scholarship Program, which aims to supply highly critical skills and competencies needed by the economy for potential IT-BPO workers. TESDA is also working with the private sector to further enhance English proficiency and the technical capabilities of the Filipino labor force to successfully qualify them for employment. We are doing all these because we are aware that if we want to stay on top of the industry, we need to maintain a workforce of driven, dedicated Filipinos capable of delivering excellent service, anytime, all the time.

And we are doing this because we want companies like you, not just to stay, but expand here—companies which, while providing jobs to our countrymen, also make significant contributions to the communities that they reside in. I am told that ANZ has supported Bahay Tuluyan, a non-profit organization taking care of Filipino children in need of special protection, by donating 40,000 Australian dollars or 1.75 million pesos for the educational programs of street children. Companies like you will always be welcome in the Philippines, and we want good corporate partners like you to stay here for a very, very, very long time.

From day one, this administration has always stood under the banner of good governance, where the quality and delivery of public service meets the highest standards; where government transactions are transparent; and where the bureaucracy is efficient. Transparency and accountability cannot be separated from our efforts to advance the welfare of all; they are the bedrock principles of inclusive growth. They are the foundations of justice: when corruption in public service is eliminated; when those who commit crimes are punished; when those who fall in line, follow the rules, and work hard achieve their dreams—then we will have created a stable system of predictable outcomes. Then people will know that everyone—from the highest officials to the most common folk, from the biggest conglomerates to the corner store—will always get what they rightfully deserve. Then we will have created a just society.

Only through such a system can we sustain the confidence that you are showing my nation as you open this new business-processing hub. More investments means more jobs for my people—it means a more empowered consumer base that can spur growth not only for your industry but also for the many others who are interconnected by the dynamic web of economy. We in government are making sure that the gains in industry redound to the benefit not only of those who pour in capital, but more importantly, of those who are most in need. We have proven our commitment to inclusive growth, which, at the bottom line, means the creation of more opportunities for people to reach their aspirations; more chances to bridge the gap between their situations today, and the tomorrow that they dream of.

This government is here to serve its people. And we are also here to help those who have been helping us. Count on it. Come to us and tell us if there are things that can be done better, to make sure that your decision to invest in the country and its people was the best decision to make. I look forward to your continued partnership as we build a nation where justice and equitability reign, and where public officials genuinely serve the true and only bosses of this country: our people.

Thank you. Good afternoon.