New Year's Message

Each New Year is a symbol of hope and a herald for new beginnings. The year 2010 is especially significant for our nation because we are to elect the next leaders of our country, which will go down in history as the Philippines' first ever nationwide automated elections.
But while the new system gives us hope of finally having clean, honest, speedy and credible elections, there is a greater challenge ahead of us, that is, the careful and wise selection of our next leaders--from the President down to the local officials.

The fate of our nation lies in our own hands, in our own decisions, because we have the duty to elect the people who would lead us to the development and progress that our country truly deserves.

With the dawn of the New Year, let us initiate the process of transformation by changing the standards we use to choose the country's next leaders. Money, popularity and pedigree are not important. We must choose leaders who have proven track record, a record of leadership and integrity; leaders who are capable of walking us over walls to get us to a new and better Philippines, the Bagumbayan envisioned by our forefathers where everyone is enabled, ennobled and free.

I wish everyone a prosperous and safe New Year! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang mamamayang Pilipino!