His father resisted the dictatorship, his mother nurtured democracy,
and now Philippine President Benigno Aquino is tasked to restore
decency in government that is capable of empowering the people –
a continuing narrative of the unfinished story of People Power 25
years ago.
The inaugural Freedom Speech delivered by Department
of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio
“Butch” Abad on 06 December 2011 at the Filipinas
Heritage Library, Makati City talked about how President Aquino’s
Social Contract is also a commitment to empowerment. It is to
free the poor from the shackles of political blood debt and by
consolidating all forces of reform where government can redistribute
power back to the people. “He knows that the task at hand
is rebuilding the people’s trust not only
on government but on their own capability to chart their and their
nation’s future,” said Abad.
Abad begged the question: Are we free enough?
when there are “23 million Filipinos who are poor,”
when the “free market is a market that only a few who already
control wealth can access,” and when “poor suspects
languish in jail while those with wealth and influence get to
choose the detention cell that suits them best.” He defended
the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of
the government and explained that this gives “the poor access
to key social services that build their capacity: education and
healthcare.” Abad also discussed DBM’s “bottom-up”
approach to development planning and budgeting that promotes transparency,
accountability and citizen engagement. “By next year, grassroots
communities in some 100 poor municipalities will be crafting their
community poverty reduction and empowerment plans, and these will
be considered as inputs to the 2013 National Budget,” he
announced.
Abad’s Freedom Speech also recounted his days as an activist
against Martial Law. He recalled the time when he and his wife,
Congresswoman Dina Abad, were always on the run to evade arrest.
When his wife became pregnant with their first child, Abad experienced
his greatest horror, “I feared that Julia will be born and
raised as a prisoner, and will never know how it is to be free,”
shared Abad. But fortunately, Julia was born in a normal hospital
in Manila and almost three decades later bore Abad’s first
grand daughter. “Today, we continue to be on the run: this
time, rushing to Julia’s home at every possible opportunity
we have, to see our first granddaughter, Emma. I can never tell
who she will become twenty-five years from now. What matters is
this: she is free.”
The Freedom Speech coincides with the awarding of the Outstanding
Liberal Projects that were selected based on the impact of
the initiatives on promoting freedom and empowerment. Ako’y
Malaya (I am free) by singer-song writer Noel Cabangon,
launched at the Freedom
Run on 27 November 2011, was also played during the event.
The activities are part of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for
Freedom (FNF)
It’s All About Freedom campaign. FNF is a German political
foundation that is celebration its 25 years in the Philippines
this year.
