“Until that day, I will continue to push for reforms so I can hand over a strong nation to the next leader,” she said in Filipino.
The President made the statement before signing into law the Civil Aviation Authority Act (CAAA) of the Philippines of 2008, in simple rites held at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang.

“I will be true to the Constitution and to myself who has been mandated to leave the post when my term ends in 2010,” she said.
The President assured her audience that included Vice President Noli de Castro, legislators and the diplomatic community, that “in the Philippines, there is and there shall continue to be due process, rule of law, and utmost respect for the Constitution. This is my pledge to you as your President and commander-in-chief.”

She added that she agrees with her critics that the law and the country should be above politics and personal popularity.

She pointed out that she would “adhere to the law because this was what every elected official has promised to do even if my critics refuse to understand and give political color to it.”

“That is why we uphold the principle of due process in investigating and adjudicating criminal allegations against any citizen, whatever the political cost. No one’s rights must be sacrificed just to spare government from the ire of protesters and the fire of politicians,” the President said.

After the CAAA signing ceremonies, a Cabinet meeting was held at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room to discuss the International Law of the Sea and the Philippine claim over resource areas within the country’s territory, including the Spratley group of islands.

“Through this claim, we shall advance the rights and interests of our nation in harnessing these rich resources,” the President said.

She also thanked former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza for extending his “unrivaled expertise to help strengthen the Philippine claim on this very valuable portion of our national patrimony.”

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“Dahil sa ating masusing pagpapasunod sa programa para sa karapatan ng kababaihan, pinarangalan tayo ng UN nung nakaraang taon bilang bansang may malaking pinagbabawas sa diskriminasyon sa kababaihan,” the President said.

She added that because of her administration’s accomplishments in the field of women’s rights, “inimbita rin tayo sa World Economic Forum (WEF) at binigyan ng parangal bilang tanging bansa sa Asia na nasa Top Ten sa buong daigdig sa Gender Parity.”

She explained that the UN has duly recognized the country’s efforts to end discrimination against women “kasi on schedule tayo sa pagtataguyod ng UN Millennium Development Goal na umabot sa Gender Equality by 2015.”

“Kasama yung ibang mga layuning eradicate extreme hunger and poverty; achieve universal primary education; reduce child mortality; combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; at magbuo ng global partnership para sa kaunlaran,” she added.

The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), which adheres to the UN’s MDG, has been cited by leading development guru Jeffrey Sacks as the best development plan that he had seen so far.

“Itong mga (UN) Millennium Development Goals, ito ang laman ng ating (Philippines) Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP). Kaya sabi ng development guru na si Jeffrey Sachs, ang plano ng Pilipinas sa ating ekonomiya ang pinakamagandang nakita niyang development plan sa lahat,” the President said.

The Chief Executive had declared that the “basic task of the Medium Term Philippine Development plan for the period 2004-2010 is to fight poverty and building prosperity for the greatest number of the Filipino people.”

“At kaya dito, pang-anim tayo sa buong mundo sa Gender Parity. Alam niyo, ang nauuna lamang sa atin yung New Zealand at saka yung apat na Scandinavian countries, tapos tayo na ang pinakamagaling sa karapatan ng kababaihan,” she added.

The President pointed out that in Asia, “tayo lamang ang nakasarado na ng gender gap kapwa sa edukasyon at sa kalusugan. At isa lang tayo sa anim sa buong mundo na nasarado na ang gender gap sa kalusugan at sa edukasyon.”

In education, the Philippines leads in gender parity “sa kapantayan ng gender sa literacy rate at sa enrollment rate, maging primary, secondary at tertiary. Sa katunayan, yung mga babae… ang mga babae lamang sa mga lalaki sa simple literacy rate at functional literacy,” she said.

“Lamang rin ang mga babaeng Pilipina sa enrollment rate at lamang din ang mga babae sa net enrollment rate dahil mas maganda ang participation rate, at yung drop-out rate ng mga babae ay mas mababa kaysa sa mga lalaki. At kaya mas maraming babaeng nabubuo ang pag-eskuwela kaysa sa mga lalaki,” she pointed out.

The President also paid tribute to the scholastic achievements of Filipino women, saying “lamang rin ang mga babae. At habang umaakyat sa higher grade, sa primary school, mas lumalamang ang babae sa achievement rate. Sa kalusugan naman at haba ng buhay, nangunguna rin ang Pilipinas sa kapantayan. Mas mahaba ang buhay ng mga Pilipina kaysa sa mga lalaking Pilipino.”

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