00:00We're going to leave.
00:10I've been telling him that, uh...
00:26I will bring the wine.
00:41You have brought a bit of charm to the proceedings.
00:47Executive Secretary Lucas Persimine, the Honourable Members of the Capital,
00:53Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Charles Jose,
00:56and, of course, First Lady Luisa Renata Marcos,
01:01my fellow workers in government,
01:04Honourable guests, ladies and gentlemen, good evening.
01:09It is always a joy that I once again welcome all of you today as we join the entire nation in this proud occasion of celebrating the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence.
01:22From the birth of our statehood to this day, the country has forged a path to developing its national identity that is guided by the values of freedom and of democracy as inspired by our own struggles.
01:37The bravery of our ancestors is certainly not lost to us.
01:41The virtue continues to flow in the veins of all Filipinos as a proud race that is known to have stood against my dear folks both in times of peace and in conflict.
01:52Today, we muster once again that same courage in the face of new challenges confronting the nation and the world.
02:00When I first took office three years ago, my marching orders to our Department of Foreign Affairs and our Foreign Services were clear.
02:09We introduced the Philippines to the world and formed a global community that the Philippines is open for business and that we seek mutually beneficial cooperation with countries around the world who share our values and our aspirations.
02:25In a manner of speaking, these marching orders are similar to the government to untask a revolutionary government had to accomplish when the Philippines declared independence on this day in 1898, when our envoys had to secure international recognition of our nascent republic.
02:45One hundred and twenty-seven years later, our diplomats are tasked to secure international support for the Philippines' national development agenda and the global recognition of our role as a reliable partner, a trusted peacemaker, and an innovative pathmaker.
03:04I am pleased that we have made such great strides in this endeavor.
03:08Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, with the indomitable spirit and resilience of the Filipino people, we have kept the torch of hard-won freedom lit and ablaze to this very day.
03:21And we have unremittingly defended our sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of all in person.
03:28Our country has since gone a long way from a fledgling republic to an active and responsible member of a community of nations.
03:37Our growth as a country has allowed us to play significant roles in the global discourse on climate change, human rights, migration, regional stability and freedom in the seas, and most other issues.
03:50More than that, we have also expanded our diplomacy to include serving as consensus builders between and amongst nations on issues of international significance.
04:02We have positioned ourselves on the world stage so we can participate in international dialogue, safeguard our national interests, and contribute to the common good.
04:13Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, since taking the mantle of the presidency three years ago, I have made several pronouncements about charting an independent foreign policy as a constitutional mandate.
04:27Our independent foreign policy is informed by our development goals and reflects our national priorities.
04:34Ours is a proactive policy that is true to ourselves, responsive to the needs and aspirations of our people.
04:41Our engagements in the world are geared towards building peace and cooperation and to foster enduring partnerships.
04:49We build bridges, we build bridges, not walls, we forge alliances that are based on mutual respect, reciprocity and shared goals.
04:58Given our own domestic priorities for socio-economic transformation, our foreign policy promotes development through the strategic conduct of diplomacy.
05:08Our foreign policy strategic outlook is anchored in a long-term vision in Ambition Latin 2014 and the agenda of the Baro Filipinas for the New Philippines.
05:21At this juncture, allow me to share some of the highlights of the stake in play in the Philippine economy.
05:28I am pleased to know that the Philippine economy grew 5.4% in the first quarter of 2035.
05:58the Philippine economy grew 6.24.
05:59While leaving both of the
06:02edorMercoret
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