ERAP VISITS DIGOS FOR 8TH ANNIVERSARY

Didn’t go with the team today to Davao del Sur but heard from Rez Cortez that the reception was very warm.

They landed yesterday in Davao City where PJEE was met by Mayor Duterte. Then proceeded to Tagum then back to Davao. Today they went to Digos for the 8th Anniversary of the City.

Sent out this press release quoting from PJEE’s speech:

ESTRADA VISITS DAVAO FOR DIGOS ANNIVERSARY

Former President Joseph Estrada was very well received today as guest speaker of the 8th Anniversary of Digos City in Davao del Sur. Estrada was invited by Digos Mayor Arsenio Latasa  for the occasion. It was during Estrada’s term that the Municipality of Digos was converted into a component city by virtue of Republic Act No. 8798.

Estrada began by expressing sorrow for the victims of the bomb explosion at the bus passenger terminal in Digos last week. “(Ako ay) nakikiramay sa mga namatayan at napinsala ng insidente ng pagsabog ng isang bomba…”

He then shared with his audience why Mindanao is special to him: “Ang buong Mindanao ay malapit sa aking puso dahil ang Mindanao ang nagbigay sa akin ng mga pinaka malaking boto noong ako ay tumakbo bilang Senador, Vice President at bilang Pangulo.”

He then explained why he maintains that only an all-out war against secessionists will bring peace to Mindanao. Estrada recalled that he was determined to make Mindanao the food basket of the Philippines when he was President – “Ang pangarap ko ay hindi lamang palakasin ang Digos bilang ‘food bowl’ ng Davao del Sur kundi gawin ang buong Mindanao na tunay na food basket ng buong bansang Pilipinas“. As such, he made peace in Mindanao a priority, negotiating with the MILF early on in his administration. However, within three weeks of achieving an agreement, the MILF began attacks again. Estrada recalled, “We were negotiating in good faith but they were not. Napansin ko noon, ginagamit lang ang negosasyon para magpalakas ng puwersa ng MILF. The negotiations, ceasefires and peace talks were used only as opportunities and occasions for regrouping, repositioning of troops, mobilization of resources, arms and personnel and strategic planning for future attacks.”

Estrada said that these tactics are being employed once again by the MILF against the present government and that the government should know better. “(The government is trying) to appease a rebel group that cannot be appeased by any compromise unless they have full control of the territory they claim to belongs to them,” Estrada said in his speech.

Estrada blamed the present government for the absence of peace and the corresponding lack of progress in Mindanao: “Tapos na sana ang giyerang ito noong ako ang Pangulo, at kontrolado na ng gobyerno natin ang mga kampo at mga teritoryong sinakop ng MILF. Kung natuloy ito, sana hindi na peace process ang pinag-uusapan natin ngayon kundi negosyo, trabaho, livelihood, food production at infrastructure development.“

Estrada stressed his opposition to the Arroyo administration’s entertaining the possibility of the dismemberment of Mindanao. “We are all Filipinos, whatever faith we profess, whatever dialect we speak, or whatever tribe, ethnic or regional grouping we represent…. (Therefore) we must all submit to only one flag, one nation and one government under one President and Commander-in-Chief who has command over one armed forces….Ang nagmamay-ari ng Mindanao ay ang sambayanang Pilipino. Ang Mindanao ay para sa lahat ng Pilipino…. (It is) the ancestral domain of all who live here, of all who make it their home, of all the coming generations of Filipinos who deserve ownership of this land and make it a true land of promise.” He reiterated the duty of the president as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect and defend the territorial integrity of the country at all costs”.

Estrada ended by pointing out that the war against poverty cannot be won if violence continues in the region: “The real enemy of the Filipino people today is poverty; and the real cause of poverty in Mindanao is the peace and order situation…Poverty cannot be defeated if there is violence … We must unite to fight this menace that has condemned our people to inhuman and impoverished lives.”

Estrada was joined in Digos by former Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio ‘Boy’ Morales, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former Senate President Ernesto Maceda.

ERAP DISTRIBUTES RELIEF GOODS IN NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

Former President Joseph Estrada today, Friday, 18 July 2008, made a trip to Negros Occidental to distribute relief goods to victims of Typhoon Frank.

His first stop was at the Cadiz City covered gym where he distributed 1,500 relief bags each filled with 3 kilos of rice, noodles, cans of sardines and milk. He was assisted by Mayor Salvador Escalante. The former president then proceeded to the M. Escalante Elementary School where almost a thousand school kits were distributed to students of the said school.

The next stop was at Sagay City. At Brgy. Vito, where residents of Brgy Molacaboc, reportedly one of the hardest hit by Typhoon Frank in Negros Occidental, also gathered, victims received almost a thousand relief bags. At the same time, students of the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School received almost 1,000 school kits.

Estrada also stopped at the Old Sagay Museo Pambata where almost a thousand residents from the shoreline baranggays gathered to receive relief goods as well, with the assistance of Mayor Freddie Maranon.

Estrada’s last stop was at Manapla, where the relief goods were distributed with the assistance of Mayor Manolet Escalante.

This is the fourth city that Estrada has visited since the country was hit by Typhoon Frank. He has also distributed relief goods to Iloilo, Aklan and Romblon. “This is only our response to the mayors who have personally called on me for help. We need to stop politics for the moment and just focus on helping each other. So we’re just doing everything we can to help those who were hardest hit by Typhoon Frank.”

Estrada also reiterated his call to the top one hundred corporations in the country to likewise raise funds to help buy construction materials, medicine and food for those afflicted by Typhoon Frank. “I am appealing to the country’s top corporations to act on their corporate social responsibility and help raise funds to assist victims of Typhoon Frank,” Estrada said.

Asked what his message was to the government, Estrada replied, “I am not here to propose long term or even short term solutions. That is the government’s job. I am a private citizen. I am only here to help in any way I can as Citizen Erap. And I will continue to help the masses who need me as much as I can in my private capacity.”

Estrada was accompanied on this trip by former Senate President Ernesto Maceda and Makati Mayor Jojo Binay, who donated the rice.

Inquirer
Star and Yahoo
Manila Times and Yehey
Visayan Daily Star