Moving Forward

Today, I accept the invitation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to run under a unity ticket.

This decision I have made after consultations with leaders and members of the LDP across the nation, who gave their overwhelming support.

I am joining the unity coalition on clear understanding that we shall concentrate state resource to social expenditures, principally education, health, infrastructure, agricultural modernization, job-creation, environmental protection.

A commitment to secure lasting national peace, promote micro-finance and take the lead in forming a larger East Asian Economic Group was also forged.

The coalition will adhere to good governance and a stepped-up effort to combat corruption.

The foregoing commitment is in accordance with the program of government of LDP.

I did not switch political affiliation. I shall continue to be and remain in LDP, the only political party I have been with during my entire political career. I am joining a unity ticket where people of different opinions come together for the sake of national progress and unity.

This unity for a common purpose is critical at this time for the country's future.

The economy is moving and we must consolidate those gains. It is about time politicians of whatever persuasion come together to push this momentum, for the time of divisive politics has reduced our nation to unexplainable poverty.

Politics is deteriorating, stuck in hate, negativism, which I reject. Politics should be relevant to the lives of people and not be seen as a destructive force.

What we need are serious and meaningful legislation which can only be achieved through consensus; lawmakers mature enough to strike productive bipartisanship.

During the time of former President Ramos, I was the Opposition leader and Senate President, and through critical collaboration, produced several landmark legislation that laid the foundation of our near-tiger economic status.

All my years in politics I have successfully pushed for reforms that are both structural and far ranging, positively affecting lives of literally millions of Filipinos: education (restructuring the DepEd, creating CHED, TESDA, GASTPE, Science scholarship, Free High School); health (National Health Insurance Program of PhilHealth, Magna Carta for Public Health Workers, Generics Law, Breast Feeding Law); food and rural development (AFMA, DA Fulbright Scholarship Program, Phil Rice, Bio-technology); arts and culture (National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Natatanging Manlilikha Award, National Museum, National Heritage); social welfare (Senior Citizens Law); good governance (Ombudsman Law, E-Procurement Law, UNCAC, Absentee Voting, Political Party Development Act); economic & financial (Credit Info System, PERA, Lending Company Act).

All these I was able to accomplish because of my consensual, rather than confrontational, constructive rather than destructive brand of politics.

I am committed to pursuing more initiatives of these nature in the next Congress.

The one lesson I learned early on was that of Manuel Luis Quezon, the star of Baler, a great nationalist and patriot who always placed country above personal and partisan interest.

They were true during Quezon's time, and remain true and relevant today.