Allow me to extend my warmest congratulations to your distinguished organization as you celebrate your 75th anniversary. Congratulations as well to the outstanding civil engineers that we honor in tonight’s gala.

            You have gone through a lot in your three quarters of a century as an organization. You have seen your own peaks and valleys over this time and I am sure the crests of triumph overwhelm whatever ebbs the tides have thrown at you. In celebrating your diamond anniversary, we look not just at the sparkle that you clearly exude, but the trials that forged a simple piece of coal into the gem that it is today. 

            My friends,

            Your trade is the oldest of all the engineering fields, and in the study of history and antiquity, its influence is indelibly stamped on the world. Indeed, the cradles of civilization and the modern marvels we admire today were nurtured and rocked by an engineer’s hand.

            This past year, I had the fortune of visiting Rome. First, to celebrate my 40th wedding anniversary and then to represent President Aquino during the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod. During my time there, I was able to see the many remnants of the old Empire, including the Colosseum and the Pantheon, which still stand as testament to the engineering talents of the Romans.

            The engineer was a critical tool of the Caesars, much in the way a centurion relied on his shield. Roads like the Appian Way and bridges of various magnitudes connected their vast empire. Innovations like aqueducts and sewer systems prompted communities to grow. All of these permitted education, trade and scientific discovery to flourish at a steady and unprecedented pace.

            Rome was not the only place where engineering turned the world on its axis. To this day, the vital role of engineering in the life of the average person remains unimpeachable. While business can now be done via airwave and fiber optics, the movement of people and goods, and the measure of progress is still seen in the infrastructure of a nation.

            Roads, rail, ports and powerplants, dams and irrigation are strategic investments that reap dividends far greater than their costs suggest. And in places where land area is limited, governments and the private sector have developed added real estate by creating subterranean commercial spaces build around transport hubs. It is no surprise that in such cities, the middle class is strong and the life of the average citizen is dignified and productive.

            My friends,

            This government’s basic mission is to improve the quality of life of all Filipinos. This is the pledge that we made early on and this is the goal that we seek to achieve before our terms end.

            In the year that will soon close, we have all been affected in varying degrees by the floods caused by the storms that ravaged our country. Many of us are disheartened and even angered by this recurring situation that affects millions nationwide. But this does not diminish our resolve to live up to our duty. On the contrary, it only drives us harder.  In my capacity as Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, it is these realities that drive us to attack the problem with renewed vigor so that more Filipinos can access suitable homes, especially the underprivileged.

            The most urgent need is to relocate the affected families not only to safe locations but also to areas which provide basic services and a sustainable environment. Informal settler families (ISFs) must be uprooted from danger areas and we call on PICE’s support as we fast-track the creation of sustainable communities for these purposes.

            In solving the housing gap in the country, the spirit of innovation must be accompanied by the highest levels of skill. In seeking to build sustainable communities, we must do so responding to the cold realities of global warming and climate change.

            To achieve this, the private sector developers, the LGUs, and urban planners must work together like an elegant symphony. I am thankful that the PICE contributes its technical expertise in hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness and once again, I call on you to join us in this endeavor, to join heads and hands with other local and international organizations who understand urban development and housing in the light of climate change.

            I am also pleased to announce that the government housing sector has started promoting the use of indigenous and green technology in our construction through the Accreditation of Indigenous Technologies for housing, or AITECH. An AITECH center will be formed to showcase green technology in building housing structures and urban development. It will also showcase Filipino ingenuity and promote the acceptability of new housing technology to the Filipino market.

            I am certain that the members of PICE are one with us, not only in utilizing new technologies, but also in helping us discover more of these innovations that suit our local conditions. This model of public-private partnership will not only make urban planning and housing eco-friendly, it will lower our costs and create other industries that generate jobs.

            We are also crafting policies at the local level that will encourage the use of green technology to reduce climate risks. We hope to engage communities and transform them into climate-resilient ones.

            Moreover, we are currently exploring a program called The Working People’s Shelter Program, which applies a more intensive public-private partnership to create sustainable communities. This scheme enables the convergence of efforts from national and local government agencies to provide the basic requirements of a community. These requirements are both infrastructure such as school buildings and health centers, and human resources such as teachers and health personnel. The Working People’s Shelter Program is an example of how our partnerships should be, where all stakeholders work together inclusively and seamlessly, while mutually benefitting from the program.

            I understand that PICE volunteers also extend their expertise to organizations such as Gawad Kalinga and Habitat for Humanity. The Working People’s Shelter Program is forged in the same spirit as these other noble endeavors, and so I am extending the invitation to all of you to join us in giving this program life and momentum.

            Your members devote serious effort to using knowledge and skills for the enhancement of Filipino welfare and the environment. Through timely and committed public-private partnerships, we can see the housing gap close once and for all, and in the process hit other targets such as employment and the creation of new and strong industries.[1]

            I can think of no better partners in this endeavor than the members of PICE.

            Congratulations on your Diamond Anniversary! I am sure your sparkle will grow even brighter as you approach your centenary.

            Mabuhay kayong lahat!