These notes are taken from this video:
https://www.facebook.com/presidentialcom/videos/1492223000807356/
Opening Prayer
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Welcome remarks by Mayor Roberto Arcinue
He was teary-eyed in expressing his joy that they were
visited by President Duterte despite his busy schedule. Mayor Arcine said that people came to see
President Duterte and they want to go near him because he was their idol. Furthermore, he said that the gesture shows
that the diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Vietnam will become closer.
Unlike other towns that are named after saints, the town of
Sual is named after the Arabic word that meant “seaport”. The Arabs docked
there and traded with the islands before it was named Philippines. It was a sub-port of Manila and in 1856, the
Spanish government declared it as an international seaport.
Sual in was a 4th class municipality until 2004;
and 3 years ago became first class. Sual is fortunate. It hosts the biggest power plant (1218
MW) in the Philippines operated by Team Sual-Tokyo Electric and Marubeni.
Sual just had a MOA with TransAsia and PhinMa Corporation to
construct another 900MW plant in Sual that will supply the Luzon grid, bringing
the total capacity to 2118 MW.
To protect and preserve the environment in Sual, a MOA was
signed with the San Miguel Energy Corporation and the Philippine Coconut
Authority to plant 1 million trees; another MOA with the DENR to plant 150,000
trees this year to be completed in December.
The send-off ceremonies are being conducted on the newly
constructed causeway 280 meters long x 11 meters wide. The dream of the people
of Sual in the future is to have an international seaport. But due to lack of funds Sual only managed to
construct a causeway. There is a plan to
extend this to 300 meters so that big ships can dock here. When this will be realized, I am already
inviting you to inaugurate it.
(PRRD responded: Inshah Allah. God willing.)
We wish you good health; we pray to God that he will always
protect and guide you in all your undertakings.
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18:10 SecJudy, DSWD
Greets every one and the servants of the people.
DSWD is tasked to initiate acts of compassion. The fishermen were forced to enter our shores
to escape the storm. We hope that the
assistance will be accepted in the spirit that they are being given; with
friendship.
In our politically charged times, it is important for us to
unite and show solidarity over issues and concerns concerning humanity.
Vietnam is our kapitbahay (neighbor). Vietnam and the
Philippines share common histories of colonial oppression and anti-colonial revolutions.
We were able to survive the horrors of war through unity and
determination. We hope we can look back to this shared history and work
together to build strong ties of unity that will benefit our peoples especially
the poor.
21:42 Our message today must be one of diplomacy, unity and
solidarity. Let us always exercise compassion even as we implement our laws.
Let us stand united as members of ASEAN and as Asians. The Philippines and Vietnam are sovereign countries. We deal with each other on the principles of
mutual respect, mutual benefit and non-interference in our internal
affairs.
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Background Briefing from BI Commissioner Jaime Morente:
On September 8, 17 Vietnamese nationals (16 adults 1 minor)
on board 3 vessels were intercepted and apprehended by the Philippine Coast
Guard on alleged poaching offshore Sta Catalina, Ilocos Sur, a violation of Sec
21 of Republic Act 8550. They were charged with poaching under the BFAR; and
was for deportation under the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID).
During the investigation, it was found out that they got
lost and by necessity had to save themselves from the incoming storm Ferdie and
Habagat.
They have been certified to have no legal impediments. For humanitarian considerations the Department
of Justice issued a memo allowing them to go back to their countries without
being blacklisted.
The original plan was to fly them to Vietnam, but they
requested that they go home on board their fishing vessels. We wish our brothers well, who sought refuge
in our shores in time of imminent danger.
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Vietnamese Ambassador Truong Trieu Duong was deeply moved
with what he saw. He said that when PRRD
visited Viet Nam, he was requested by the Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang
to let the fishermen return home safely (voice breaks).
The Vietnamese President conveys his profound gratitude for
the swift fulfilment of his promise; the kind and humanitarian gesture by President
Duterte and the Filipino people; the concerted efforts of the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation (BID); Department of Justice (DOJ); Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); the authorities of Ilocos Sur and Sual;
to the people of Sual for allowing them to stay in your houses.
All of you are true reflections of compassion.
Wish you all the best and great success / noble cause and prosperity for your
people.
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PRRD Speech
Greets everyone. Bureau
of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente used to be the City Police Director
of Davao City. He was also charged with
Extrajudicial Killings. He is Ilocano –
soldiers are mostly either Ilonggo or Ilocano because they have no qualms in
going to war. There’s only a few
Boholanos and Cebuanos.
Notes how the World Trade Organizations (WTO) imposition on
smaller countries. One thing we should
not forget, self-respect and dignity is very important. Our respect for other human beings is very
strong. When we talk we do it almost in
whispers. We are not prone to tigbasay
(hacking each other); we talk first.
Although we sort of forgot that a bit in Mindanao.
When you hear about a child being raped, your blood boils.
Were it not for the laws of god and and the laws of man we would have killed
the rapists ourselves.
PRRD tells the fishermen that the next time they encounter a
storm they are welcome to Mindanao and take a vacation there. He even shared that one fisherman who was
said to have found a sweetheart in Sual.
Vietnam drove the Americans away in humiliation. The
Americans stayed in the Philippines for 50 years; cut all the trees; got all
the minerals and the gold veins (pinaka-nanay “mother” ng gold).
If you reprimand me now, be careful with your tongue because
you are insulting my own country. You
treat us like we are patay-gutom
(dead or dying from hunger); like dogs on a leash.
If somebody could tell me that what the US did to Syria is
good, I will resign. They [the US] are
destroying our country. If we will not
act now the next generation will be destroyed.
So the sale of the 26,000 rifles is canceled? Who cares? We have a lot of airguns here. (Puts tongue
in cheek).
The 17 fishermen will be accompanied by the coast guard up
to the boundary of the territorial waters.
So that they will reach their homeland safely.
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Distribution of Tokens:
From the Office of the President: 123 kgs of vegetables, 10
kgs beef, 3 gals oil, 3 tanks LPG, 20 bottles drinking water, 2 tons fresh
water, 3 cavans rice, (x) blocks of ice and diesel fuel.
From the DSWD:
Hygiene Kits – Tissue paper, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, alcohol,
shave, toothbrush, bath soap, comb, laundry soap.
Coffee, rice, mineral water, cooking oil, malong noodles
water repellant jacket
The emcee shares that it is a Filipino custom to give
send-off gifts to visitors. He even
joked that those who want to go to Viet Nam may join the queue.
(The sight of the boat leaving is heart-rending).
1:04:00 you can hear PRRD’s voice in the background saying: “Kawawa naman (My
heart feels for them).”
Maawain si Tatay Digong. Kitang-kita naman ng karamihan yan.
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