FULL TEXT: Chiz Escudero announces 2016 vice presidential bid

SENATOR FRANCIS “Chiz” ESCUDERO’S SPEECH
On his declaration to run for vice president in the 2016 national elections
Kalayaan Hall, Club Filipino | September 17, 2015
(English translation)

Thank you, Senator Grace.

To my wife and family; to Ninang Susan; to my in-laws; to my friends and colleagues present today; to my fellow Bicolanos who will soon celebrate the Peñafrancia; to my fellow Filipinos, a good morning to you all!

I once said that I would support any decision that Senator Grace makes regarding her role in the 2016 elections. As a candidate or ordinary supporter, I’m prepared to stand by her, just as I did for FPJ over 11 years ago.

In truth, I am more than content with my current life. I have only ever dreamed of a simple, honorable, happy, and peaceful life for myself and my beloved family.

On the other hand, some people say: “Who is this Chiz Escudero? So young, and living in just a humble townhouse in Quezon City. Who does he think he is to dream so boldly, to have such grand ambitions?!”

In a way, these people have a point. My family name is only Escudero. I don’t have the same pedigree of Quezon, Roxas, or Osmeña families, of those who have become presidents, heroes or wealthy philanthropists. The Senate is the highest elected position that someone from my family has ever reached, and even this, I never imagined I might achieve.

And yet, I refuse to agree with those who say I have no right to have dreams or ambitions, especially if those dreams or ambitions are not for myself, but for our country and my fellow countrymen.

I believe that every Filipino—rich or poor, young or old, man or woman, educated or not, good-looking or not, pedigreed or not, whether they live in Makati or in the provinces—has the ability, capacity, and right to devote his or her life to serving our country. Because no single person or family has a monopoly over the talent, intelligence, skill, and good intentions for our country.

This is why I have decided to accept, with wholehearted will and humility, Senator Grace’s challenge to accompany her on her journey, and to run as her vice president.

I accept this challenge wholeheartedly because I believe in the character and ability of Senator Grace. Like her father FPJ, Senator Poe’s heart is in the right place. I believe that, as president, Senator Grace Poe or “GP” will lead a “GP”—Gobyernong may Puso or a Government with Heart.

A Government with Heart for the poor, the needy; a Government with Heart for the farmers, the fishermen, the laborers, and Overseas Filipino Workers. A Government with Heart for the differently-abled, the elderly, and the youth, including even children yet unborn.

A Government with Heart for public servants, teachers, police, soldiers, and even ordinary employees. A Government with Heart to protect victims of corruption, crime, and abuse.

A Government with Heart who will find ways to reduce the cost of electricity, basic goods, and taxes.

A Government with Heart who will protect our environment and heed the cries of Mother Nature.

And a Government with Heart to ensure our country progresses without leaving anyone behind.

In the pursuit of wealth and development, education and opportunities, security and peace, and freedom and health, not a single Filipino or corner of the Philippines should be left behind.

Here in Manila, how can we worry about the traffic going to work or school, while some remote villages in our country don’t even have schools or jobs? We can’t keep complaining about potholes and floods in Metro Manila while the Cordillera lacks roads or Tawi-Tawi lacks water. We have to move forward together, and as Senator Grace says, our most neglected and vulnerable citizens must come first.

Senator Grace and I will establish a Government with Heart through a detailed platform for each agency, which will be based on their yearly budget.

The next president will appoint and delegate over 5,000 people in government who will fill positions in 500 agencies, and will spend 18 trillion pesos over a six-year term.

Starting from the first day in office, this is the only way to urgently address the most pressing problems of every sector of the Philippines. In governing this country, we cannot afford to dawdle or hold ourselves hostage to analysis paralysis. We should hit the ground running from the first day until the last. We cannot afford to do otherwise.

At the same time, through the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill and a crackdown on anomalies, we will fight corruption by ensuring that the government will be run on a simple principle—that discretion equals corruption. Minimize discretion and we will be able to minimize corruption; eliminate it and we will be able to eliminate corruption.

Senator Grace and I cannot do this alone. We need the help of every one of you, of every Filipino!

As we devote ourselves to the higher calling of serving our country as president and vice-president, this is the reason we will choose to remain independent, or without party. We believe that whoever runs and serves as president or vice-president should not be member of a single party (LP, NPC, NUP, NP, UNA or others). Our party should be the Filipino people. And we should be loyal not only to liberals, nationalists, or other party members, but to every Filipino.

Our party is the Philippines, and the members of our party are the Filipino people.

We will work together and unite in our mission, and this is the only way for us to equally serve and listen to every Filipino, whether they voted for us or not, whether they support us or not.

The book of Philippine history is far from finished. However, does every sentence in our country’s story need to be finished with a period?

For me, every sentence in our history should end, not with a period, but with an exclamation mark. Nowadays, “good enough” is not good enough! If we truly desire progress, we cannot be lazy. We cannot have a slow government.

We must raise the quality of government service. We must work together and help one another to forge into reality our collective dream of a progressive, developed, orderly, and happy nation, where justice prevails and peace reigns! A country where every Filipino is treated equally, where no one is left behind.

I am Chiz Escudero, a Filipino, a son, husband, father, and a Bicolano public servant. With the grace of God and the Blessed Mother, I humbly offer myself to the mission of serving as your vice president … as the vice president of our country.

Again, good morning, thank you, and long live the Filipino people!

Original Filipino text

Maraming salamat, Senator Grace.

Sa aking asawa at pamilya; kay Ninang Susan; sa aking biyenan; sa mga kaibigan at kapanalig na naririto ngayon; sa mga kapwa kong Bicolano na magdiriwang ng Penafrancia; sa ating mga kababayan, isa pong maganda at pinagpalang umaga sa inyong lahat! Dios marhay na aga sa indo gabos!

Minsan ko na pong sinabi na susuporta lamang ako sa anumang magiging pasya ni Senator Grace kaugnay ng papel na gagampanan niya, kung meron man, sa darating na halalan sa 2016. Bilang kandidato o ordinaryong taga-suporta, nakahanda ako na umantabay sa kanya tulad  ng ginawa ko noon para kay FPJ mahigit 11 taon na ang nakakalipas.

Sa totoo lang, kuntento na ako sa kasalukuyang kinakalagyan ng aking buhay… simple, marangal, masaya at mapayapang buhay lang naman ang hangad ko para sa aking sarili at mahal na pamilya.

Sa kabila nito, may nakapag-sabi pa din na: “Sino ba yang Chiz Escudero na napaka-bata pa at  naka-tira lamang naman sa isang townhouse sa Quezon City eh ganun na lamang kung mangarap at mag-ambisyon?!”

Marahil po ay tama siya sa isang banda dahil Escudero lamang naman po ang aking pangalan at di kasing bantog ng ibang mga pangalan tulad ng Quezon, Roxas o Osmena na naging pangulo, bayani o mayamang pilantropo. Ang pagka-senador na po ang pinaka-mataas na halal na pwesto na narating ng aking apelyido na ni hindi ko po inakala na mararating ko.

Subalit, hindi po ako sang-ayon sa sinabi niyang wala akong karapatan mangarap o magkaroon ng ambisyon lalo na kung ang pangarap at ambisyon ay di pansarili kundi para sa ating bansa at sa ating mga kababayan.

Naniniwala po ako na ang bawat Pilipino – mayaman o mahirap, bata o matanda, babae o lalaki, nakapagtapos o hindi, may hitsura o wala, bantog man ang pangalan o hindi, nakatira sa Makati o sa probinsya – ay may kakayahan, kapasidad at karapatan na i-alay ang kanyang sarili para sa paninilbihan sa bayan- dahil wala pong iisang tao o apelyido ang may prankisa o monopoliya na bukod tanging magtataglay ng lahat ng talento, talino, galing at magandang intensyon para sa ating bansa.

Ito po ang dahilan kung bakit tinatanggap ko, ng may buong tapang at pagpapa-kumbaba ang hamon ni Senator Grace na maging katuwang niya sa landas niyang tatahakin bilang kanyang ikalawang pangulo.

Ito po ay tinatanggap ko dahil buo ang tiwala at paniniwala ko sa mga katangian at kakayahan ni Senator Grace. Tulad ng kanyang ama na si FPJ, nasa tamang lugar ang puso ni Senator Poe. Naniniwala po ako na, bilang pangulo, si Senator Grace Poe o “GP” ay magtatatag ng isang “GP” o Gobyernong may Puso.

Gobyernong may Puso para sa mahihirap, nangangailangan;

Gobyernong may Puso para sa magsasaka, mangingisda at manggagawa kabilang ang mga OFW’s.

Gobyernong may Puso para sa may kapansanan, sa mas nakatatanda at sa kabataan, kabilang ang mga sanggol sa sinapupunan.

Gobyernong may Puso para sa mga lingkod bayan, teacher, pulis, sundalo o ordinaryong kawani man.

Gobyernong may Puso para ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng naaapi laban sa tiwali, kriminal at mapang-abuso.

Gobyernong may puso para maghanap ng mga pamamaraan kung paano mapababa ang presyo ng kuryente, bilihin at buwis na ating binabayaran.

Gobyernong may Puso para pangalagaan ang ating kapaligiran at dinggin ang hinaing inang kalikasan

At gobyernong may Puso para tiyakin na sa pag-unlad ng bayan at bansa natin dapat walang maiiwan.

Sa pagyaman o pag-asenso, sa eduksayon o pagkakataon, sa seguridad o kapayapaan, sa kalayaan at kalusugan, walang dapat maiwan na Pilipino o sulok ng Pilipinas.

Hindi na pwede na pinuproblema natin sa kamaynilaan ang trapik papunta sa trabaho o eskwelahan habang kulang o walang trabaho at paaralan sa kanayunan; Hindi na pwede na  nagrereklamo tayo sa lubak-lubak at  binabahang kalye sa Metro Manila habang walang kalsada sa Cordillera o tubig sa Tawi-Tawi. Dapat sama-sama, dapat sabay-sabay at kung may uunahin man, ika nga ni Senator Grace,  dapat yung matagal nang napabayaan at mas nangangailangan.

Ipagtitibay po namin ni Senator Grace ang isang gobyernong may puso sa pamamagitan ng isang detalyadong plataporma para sa kada ahensya ng pamahalaan gamit ang taunang budget bilang balangkas.

Ang susunod na pangulo po kasi ay maghihirang at magtatalaga ng mahigit 5,000 tao sa gobyerno na pupuno sa mahigit kumulang 500 ahensya ng pamahalaan at siya ay gagastos ng mahigit 18 trilyong piso sa loob ng anim na taon.

Ito lamang ang paraan upang agarang matugunan ang mga pangunahing problema ng kada sektor at bawat sulok ng bansa simula sa unang araw pa lamang ng kanyang termino. Hindi pwede ang teka-teka o analysis paralysis sa pamamahala ng bansa. We should hit the ground running from the first day until the last. We cannot afford to do otherwise.

Samantala, kasabay ng pagpasa ng FOI at pag-gamit ng kamay na bakal laban sa tiwali, amin ding ipagtitibay ang pag-sugpo sa katiwalian sa pamamagitan ng pagsasa-ayos ng pagpa-pasya sa pamahalaan gamit ang simpleng prinsipyo—discretion equals corruption. Minimize discretion and we will be able to minimize corruption; eliminate it and we will be able to eliminate corruption.

Hindi namin ito kakayanin ni Senator Grace ng kami lamang. Kailangan po namin ang tulong ng bawat isa sa inyo… ng bawat Pilipino!

Ito po ang dahilan kung bakit sa aming pag-alay sa aming mga sarili sa mas mataas na paninilbihan bilang pangulo at ikalawang-pangulo ay mananatili kaming independent o walang partido. Naniniwala po kami na ang sinumang tumatakbo o maninilbihan bilang pangulo o ikalawang-pangulo, hindi dapat miyembro ng iisang partido (LP, NPC, NUP, NP, UNA o ano pa man). Ang dapat na partido ay Pilipinas! At di lamang liberal, nacionalista o sino pa mang kapartido ang hahanapin o kakausapin kundi lahat ng Pilipino!

Pilipinas ang aming partido at mga Pilipino ang aming kapartido!

Pagtutulungan at pagkakaisa ang aming layunin at ito lamang po ang paraan upang pantay naming mapag-silbihan at pakinggan ang  bawat Pilipino binoto man kami o hindi,  gusto man kami o ayaw.

Ang libro ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas ay malayo pang tuldukan. Subalit, sa totoo lang, kailangan bang ang bawat pangugusap sa kwento ng ating bayan ay palagi na lamang tinatapos ng isang  tuldok o period?

Para sa akin, ang bawat pangungusap ng ating kasaysayan ay dapat magwakas hindi sa lamang tuldok, kundi sa isang takdang padamdam o exclamation mark.  Sa panahon kasi ngayon, hindi na pwede ang pwede na! Kung talagang ayaw nating mapag-iwanan, bawal na dapat ang tamad! Bawal na dapat ang mabagal sa pamahalaan!

Dapat itaas na natin ang antas ng paninilbihan sa gobyerno! Sama-sama at tulong-tulong nating pandayin ang pinapangarap at inaambisyon nating bansa na maunlad, maayos, malinis at masaya kung saan nananaig ang hustisya at ganap na kapayapaan! Isang bansa kung saan pantay ang pag-trato sa bawat Pilipino at kung saan wala tayong maiiwan at wala tayong iiwanan.

Ako po si Chiz Escudero, isang Pilipino, anak, asawa, ama at Bicolanong lingkod bayan.  Buong pagpapakumbaba ko pong inaalay sa tulong ng mahal na Diyos at ni Ina ang aking sarili sa mas mataas na paninilbihan bilang inyong ikalawang pangulo… bilang ikalawang pangulo ng ating bansa.

Sa muli, magandang umaga, maraming maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

Salamatunon asin Dios mabalos!