Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Quotations

We must weed out corruption and build a strong system of justice that the people can trust.

The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable, but the power of many working together is better.

We have to be bold in our national ambitions. First, we must win the fight against poverty within the next decade. Second, we must improve moral standards in government and society to provide a strong foundation for good governance. Third, we must change the character of our politics to promote fertile ground for reforms.

Filipino businessmen must have the ability to compete freely in the global economy.

Central Philippines has the competitive edge in tourism in its natural wonders and the extraordinary hospitality of its people.

We may disagree among ourselves, but let us never lose sight of that greater battle for one people, one country, one Philippines.

I will follow my father's footsteps by doing what is right, and God will take care of the rest. My father is my role model. My living role model is Cory Aquino.

Optimism is infectious, and opportunity irresistible. Progress follows progress. Someone, even government, just has to get it started.

We must promote solid traits such as work ethics, a dignified lifestyle, matching actions to rhetoric, performance rather than grandstanding.

The roof cannot collapse when the value pillars of government and society are sound and strong.

In 1995, we had evidence of the brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden being in the Philippines, living in the Philippines. We had evidence of front organizations set up in the Philippines. And we uncovered evidence about, which would help the U.S. with - about the perpetuators of the World Trade Center bombing.

I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime.

We have the hardest working people in the world, the most adaptable and the most congenial to employ.

As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible, to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not.

The military is faithful to the constitution. They will come in only to protect the people from the enemies of the state.

Nature did not gift us with a mighty Mekong like Thailand and Vietnam, with their vast and naturally fertile plains. Nature instead put our islands ahead of our neighbours in the path of typhoons from the Pacific.

You have 60 countries in the world with a terrorist problem. That's two-thirds of the world. We have this group in Basilan, which is a small island in the far south of the Philippines, and the island itself has a population of - what? - 300,000.

Our educational system should make the Filipino fit not just for whatever jobs happen to be on offer today, but also for whatever economic challenge life will throw in their way.

I feel that if I am freed of the burden of politics, then I can do more and I can take more unpopular decisions. I can have as my guidance for decision whatever is right, not whatever is popular.

I stand in the way of no one's ambition. I only ask that no one stand in the way of the people's well being and the nation's progress.

The Constitution says that troops can be in the Philippines if there's a treaty that provides for it, and we have two treaties with the United States.

The Iraqi regime was supporting terrorist cells all over the world. We had to expel three Iraqi diplomats from the Philippines because of evidence that they were either in touch with Abu Sayyaf or doing their own espionage.

In all the things I've gone through as a politician, I have seen that in this system it is really very difficult to make any headway without being somehow tainted. And let me say, 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.'

Our children are our most cherished possession. In their early years, we must make sure they get a healthy start in life. They must receive the right food for a healthy body, the right education for a bright and inquiring mind - and the equal opportunity for a meaningful job.

It is simply the truth that the political system that I am part of has degenerated to the point that it needs fundamental change.

I can't do everything alone. I need all Filipinos to unify.

I did not become president to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became president.

I want justice to be so pervasive that it will be taken for granted, just as injustice is taken for granted today.

I sow; my successor reaps. This is the majesty of democracy.

As the leader of the nation, I say in behalf of the Filipino people to the world: we are strong and principled believers in democracy.

Now I ask you to make your sacrifice. Take a gamble. I took the plunge and I'm glad of it.

I was at Ground Zero, and it was, to me, such a graphic illustration of what terrorism has done to our world.

I want ordinary people to enjoy a decent standard of living, with ever increasing security, comfort and joy.

In my presidency I've been guided by what's right, not what's popular.

In the time one is given, the steward must make the most of the talents one is given by the Lord.

I follow my father's philosphy; 'Do what is good, do what is right, and God will take care of the rest.'

I feel that if I am freed of the burden of politics, then I can do more, and I can take more unpopular decisions.

It is the civilian part of the politics that is very, very bad, and we have to change that.

By and large, our political system has betrayed its promise to each new generation of Filipinos, not a few of whom are voting with their feet, going abroad and leaving that system behind.

The military is very constitutionalist, and I have my faith in them and in the cooler heads of the people.

We look at the world and analyze the world, and see what we can do that is in line of our mutual interest and also in line with, you know, what the whole world needs, because this is a world where we really have to all work together.

Real government is about looking beyond the vested to the national interest, setting up the necessary conditions to enable the next, more enabled and more empowered generation to achieve a country as prosperous, a people as content, as ours deserve to be.

I can say that I have not done any culpable violation of the constitution.

Agrarian reform should not merely subdivide misery, it must raise living standards. Ownership raises the farmer from his, but productivity will keep him on his feet.

In a global arena, what our businessmen need in order to be competitive is transparency and a level playing-field.

As I have shown, I will defend democracy with arms when it is threatened by violence; with firmness when it is weakened by division; with law and order when it is subverted by anarchy; and always, I will try to sustain it by wise policies of economic progress so that a democracy means not just an empty liberty, but a full life for all.

I am very grateful to our Muslim population. One of the things we've been doing is stepping up our inter-faith dialogue with the Muslim population. And I think that helped very much in their support for me.

I believe that the war against terrorism and the war against poverty in these times of turmoil go together. So you - when you fight one, you have to fight the other.

Our political system needs changing. It needs to move away from personalities and patronage to a system of party programs and consultation with the people.

The contracts for Iraqi rebuilding are commercial contracts. I think being in the coalition of the willing puts us in the radar screen, but we also have to compete with other countries that are in the coalition of the willing, but the Philippines is a country that has produced world-class skilled workers that we have seen all over the world.

We have our own home-grown terrorism, and to the extent that we can obliterate terrorism all over the world, then our own terrorism will be much easier to neutralize.

While there's been much progress on terrorism, there's still much work to do and it is very important that the countries work together in order to address this threat together.

To our men and women in the armed services, the huge and deep core of your loyalty has earned the nation's accolade.

We have scaled the heights of Mount Everest, dominated the Southeast Asian games, we have won international beauty titles, and of course punched our way to triumph in the boxing world. Our people compete and win every day in every imaginable job throughout the world.

We've supported the U.S. every step of the way. The Philippines was the first government in Asia after September 11, in fact, the night of September 11; it was nighttime for us then. It was daytime here. We were the first government in Asia to come out and say that we're supporting the U.S.

On the economy, the U.S. cumulatively is our most important investor, most important trading partner, most important sort of tourists, and we have now a tie that will... a link that will be here for many, many years to come, and that is the big Philippine-American community in the United States - three million of them.

For those who want to pick up old fights, we're game, but what a waste of time. Why not join hands instead? Join hands in the biggest challenge of all, where we all win, or we all lose: the battle for the survival and progress of our one and only country.

The people want government that works for them at every level.

I will not stand idly when anyone gets in the way of the national interest and tries to block the national vision. From where I sit, I can tell you, a president is always as strong as she wants to be.

Our investments in social justice and basic needs are as vital to our future as fiscal and macroeconomic reforms. A nation deeply divided will not stand. And it certainly will not move forward.

My responsibility as president is to take care to solve the problems we are facing now and to provide a vision and direction for how our nation should advance in the future.

We're working with our neighbors Indonesia and Malaysia to fight terrorism in our own common seas.

We will downsize the government, motivate excess employees to become entrepreneurs, and increase the pay of a lean and mean bureaucracy.

The Philippines was with the U.S. in the Second World War, in the Korean War, in the Vietnam War, and now in the war against terrorism.

The Philippines ranks among top off-shoring hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness and, more importantly, our highly trainable, English proficient, IT-enabled management and manpower.

The Philippines and the U.S. have had a strong relationship with each other for a very long time now. We have a shared history. We have shared values, democracy, freedom, and we have been in all the wars together in modern history, the World War, Second World War, Cold War, Vietnam, Korea, now the war on terrorism.

We fight terrorism. It threatens our sovereign, democratic, compassionate and decent way of life.

Better talk than fight, if nothing of sovereign value is anyway lost. Dialogue has achieved more than confrontation in many parts of the world.

Even before 9/11, the Philippines was already fighting terrorism in southwestern Philippines. That's why when 9/11 happened, we could understand the pain.

I shall work with Congress, civil society groups and local government executives who are convinced that charter changes are needed to enable the country to surmount the unprecedented challenges of the 21st century.

A president must be on the job 24/7, ready for any contingency, any crisis, anywhere, anytime.

There isn't a day I do not work at my job, or a waking moment when I do not think through a work-related problem. Even my critics cannot begrudge the long hours I put in. Our people deserve a government that works just as hard as they do.

I want to create economic opportunity at home and abroad. I don't want just one or the other. I want both.

As your president, I care too much about this nation to let anyone stand in the way of our people's wellbeing.

I know the pain of having to deal with terrorism. And that's why, after 9-11, I was one of the first to join the international coalition to fight terrorism.

Individually, we've taken the world on and won; together, we must take on the challenge of creating a new, peaceful, humane and competitive nation and prevail.

In the area of national security, I urge the swift passage of an anti-terrorism law that will protect rather than subvert, enhance rather than weaken, the rights and liberties that terrorism precisely threatens with extinction.

Chronic deficits drastically reduce government's ability to make those infrastructure investments that business needs to grow and create jobs.

Camiguin, Romblon and Camarines Norte got out of the list of poorest provinces in 2003. With tourism, these provinces can become rich.

I ask the educational system, the parents, the church, and pillars of the community to help shape a new culture of honesty, patriotism, respect, discipline and service for young Filipinos.

However much a president wishes it, a national problem cannot be knocked out with a single punch. A president must work with the problem as much as against it, turn it into a solution if she can.

College education is the great Filipino dream. But in a world of rapid technological change, getting a job or keeping it depends as much on how well one reasons as how well one uses his hands.

In the harshest possible terms, I condemn political killings.

I was invited by President Bush to come to the United States on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the mutual defense treaty.

A president can be as strong as she wants to be.

The people want government that works for them at every level. They want good government that begins at their doorstep in the barangay, and does not end before the closed door of a bureaucrat in Metro Manila.

Before September 11, we were fighting terrorism in our southwestern Philippines, and it was a lonely fight. However, we were able to contain it now in one island in that part of the Philippines. But after September 11, and after the creation of the global coalition against terrorism, now we have allies, and I believe now it will easier with allies.

The Philippines was with the U.S. in the Second World War, in the Korean War, in the Vietnam War, and now in the war against terrorism.

Over the years, our political system has degenerated to the extent that it is difficult for anyone to make any headway yet keep his hands clean.

The Philippines and the U.S. have had a strong relationship with each other for a very long time now. We have a shared history. We have shared values, democracy, freedom, and we have been in all the wars together in modern history, the World War, Second World War, Cold War, Vietnam, Korea, now the war on terrorism.

The Philippines has no policy that demands sacrifice of human lives.

I'm not worried. I'm in control.

On the economy, the U.S. cumulatively is our most important investor, most important trading partner, most important sort of tourists, and we have now a tie that will... a link that will be here for many, many years to come, and that is the big Philippine-American community in the United States - three million of them.

Its never right to fight terror with terror.