Good evening. As always, I am happy to be in the company of the press, having spent some of the most fulfilling and exciting years of my life in the media.
I am one with the Manila Overseas Press Club in the belief that journalism can become an instrument of social change and good government, and of promoting democratic principles, international understanding and national welfare. I would like to commend the MOPC for carrying on the legacy of freedom of […]

9th Philippine Society for the Study of Nature
I think we all agree that after Ondoy and Pepeng, Filipinos are not the same anymore. The people are more than ever conscious of the impact of climate change. We all have our own stories from our families, if not from our own experience with Ondoy or Pepeng. The lesson is simple. If we do not do protect the environment, our lives will just get harder and harder as weather conditions get […]

Today, I officially declare my candidacy as vice president in the May 2010 elections.
I am running in tandem with Nacionalista Party’s Sen. Manny Villar as the presidential standard-bearer.
While I remain a loyal member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and I thank them for their solid and generous support, I have decided to team up with Manny Villar and the Nacionalista Party because we share many things in common.
We share the same vision of a nation where there […]

I am honored to be with you once again. I had several occasions before to express my gratitude to our country’s leading doctors, nurses, paramedical workers, private and public health officials, NGOs, media and other health workers for you are the ones in the forefront in defending our people against sicknesses and death.
Preventive rather than curative: that has always been my preference when we speak about health. And I am glad that the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, a leading […]

Her Excellency President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
Distinguished participants and guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Climate Change Act of 2009
Three days ago, President Arroyo signed into law the Climate Change Act of 2009. On this, I wish to convey my grateful appreciation to the President for her immediate action on this landmark legislation.
Thank you, Mrs. President.
I feel a sense of relief and fulfilment now that the arduous process of legislation that I went through for the past […]

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to thank you for your invitation for me to deliver the keynote speech for this important conference and for your warm welcome as well. Let me also congratulate you for your service to the Filipino people and to humanity.
I have always been eager and relentless in pursuing the role and responsibility of interacting with various stakeholders who work for the environment long before my appointment as the chairperson of the Senate Oversight Committee on […]