Kapihan with the Media in Japan

OPENING STATEMENT:

Allow me to first read the statement concerning the visit that we just had here in Japan.

Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat mga minamahal na kababayan.

The First Lady and I, together with the Philippine delegation composed of government officials and business leaders, are pleased to have had this very important trip to Japan as a state visit, to visit to the Emperor and the government officials of Japan.

It has been a very constructive and highly productive visit, considering that we are actually in Japan — we were actually in Japan for just about three days, almost exactly. And yet in that little time, we were able to do a great deal.

It is particularly meaningful for us to have come at this time as we are marking the 70^th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations with Japan this year.

It was an opportune moment not only to reflect on seven decades of friendship, but more importantly, to chart the future of our partnership.

I have the honor of an Imperial Audience with Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Our meeting reaffirmed the enduring friendship and goodwill between the Filipino and Japanese people.

I also had very fruitful meetings with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae.

Bound by shared values and common aspirations, we agreed to elevate our relationship from a Strengthened Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

This reflects how our cooperation has grown not only stronger but deeper and broader, not only across the traditional areas of security, maritime and defense cooperation, trade and investment, but also across new frontiers critical to our future such as energy security, supply chain resilience, decarbonization, artificial intelligence, and space cooperation.

It sets the stage for ensuring that our productive partnership is fit for the future and will redound to even more meaningful benefits for our two countries and our two peoples.

Prime Minister Takaichi and I also exchanged views on pressing regional and global issues including developments in the South China Sea and as well in the Middle East and the latter’s impact on energy security.

We reaffirmed our shared commitment to ASEAN unity and centrality as I conveyed the Philippines’ priorities of the ASEAN Chair this year.

Japan likewise expressed its support for our candidature to the United Nations Security Council.

We also reaffirmed the importance of working closely with like-minded partners.

During the visit, the governments of the Philippines and Japan signed a new agreement on the avoidance of double taxation which will enhance the business environment, encourage greater investments.

We also signed agreements in agriculture and fisheries, improving equitable access to quality health services and human resource development.

Our two countries will explore further cooperation in space development and application, AI, and energy security, supply chain facilities.

In addition, Prime Minister Takaichi and I formally announced the commencement of negotiations for a General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, and for maritime boundary delimitation.

These initiatives will support our shared goals of security, economic growth, and resilience.

The state visit to Japan has proved to be very valuable through the meetings I had with business leaders in strategic sectors such as energy and agriculture, as well as forward-looking industries, including automotive, ICT, robotics, and AI.

Through a newly developed strategic engagement format, an unprecedented gathering of Japan’s most influential business leaders was convened across the fields of banking, infrastructure, aviation, manufacturing, telecommunications, mobility, e-mobility, renewable energy, healthcare and wellness, AI, fintech, digital technology, retail, finance, and tourism.

During those meetings, we secured US$3.4 billion in combined investment pledges, pipeline opportunities, financial support facilities, and tourism enabling flagship investment prospects.

I also held business meetings with the executives of Furukawa Electric Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries, MinebeaMitsumi  Inc., and Tsuneishi Group Corporation.

These four businesses have pledged another – had proposed and briefed me on the approximately PhP56.3 billion additional investment that they are bringing to the Philippines for the expansion plans across semiconductor, advanced electronics, precision manufacturing, and shipbuilding industries.

These investments are expected to create around 10,300 additional direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos.

These engagements reaffirmed strong confidence in the Philippine economy and opened new opportunities for investments that will benefit our people.

Last but not least, I had the pleasure of engaging with our Filipino community here in Japan.

We have more or less about 330,000 Filipinos living and working here in Japan.

I commended their invaluable contributions to nation building and assured them that their welfare remains an enormous and a high priority of the government.

Their hard work and dedication continue to strengthen the bond between our two countries.

Ang Japan ay isang tunay na kasangga ng ating bansa. Laging handang tumulong at makiramay. Sa State Visit na ito, siniguro natin na ang pagyabong ng pagkakaibigan ng Pilipinas at Japan ay tahasang maihahatid at madarama ng ating mga mamamayan.

As our relations with Japan reached new heights under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, I am confident that our cooperation will continue to deepen and broaden and will open new frontiers for the benefit of both our peoples.

Maraming salamat. Magandang araw po.

Q&A:

Q: Good morning, Mr. President. You have secured billions worth of investment while you are here in Japan. May we ask which specific sectors will benefit the most and how will ordinary Filipinos back home — how will they feel the effects of these landmark deals?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, the very first – I suppose the way we could describe it is that we have aspirations to become a hub in Asia.

Because as I keep reminding our potential investors, the Philippines is only four hours away from every major capital in Asia, and that puts us geographically at the center of Asia.

So we are, what we have – the agreements that we signed were  generally in the semiconductor industry and the shipbuilding industry, and some of the other high-tech industries. And then also with between Mitsubishi, Toyota, vehicle automotive manufacturing and parts manufacturing also in the Philippines.

We also spoke about battery production, AI, even power generation because of the advent of the demands on power for the data centers that we are starting to put up, and of course, with the use of AI.

So it’s very much that.. But of course shipbuilding has become important. It’s Tsuneishi with their investments will continue to produce the number of vessels that they do.

They will bring us again to one of the top shipbuilding countries in the world.

We used to be, I think, number two. I think we’ve fallen back down that ranking. But this will bring us at least to the fourth or third largest shipbuilding country in the world, which is a natural for the Philippines.

So most of what we were talking about were really to look forward to the future and try to engage partners so that we are ready, we are able to be trained, and we are ready with the infrastructure and the ecosystem that will support these new high-tech industries.

So I suppose the biggest areas will be semiconductor, high-tech industries, and shipbuilding are the biggest areas.

But that does not preclude so many other things, agriculture, smart cities – high-tech marami because as we know, Japan is a world leader when it comes to these technologies and to these strategies, andwe have a lot to learn from them.

So that’s what we have made arrangements and agreements for.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Mr. President, may we know po kung ano ang mga pangunahing napag-usapan ninyo with Emperor Naruhito at sa inyong naging pagpupulong po. And ano po naman ang naging mensahe ni Emperor kung mayroon po sa inyo at sa mga Pilipino?

THE PRESIDENT: Ganoon din at pinag-usapan namin ang pagpapaganda, pagpapalago, pagpapalapad, at pagpapalalim ng relasyon ng Pilipinas at saka ng Japan.

Napag-usapan din namin kung ano ‘yung mga maaari pang gawin upang maging mas malapit pa ang ating dalawang bansa. Noong dinner – noong state dinner kasama His Majesty The Emperor at saka Her Majesty Empress ay ano naman iba naman ‘yung pinag-usapan namin.

We talked about our shared experiences in Oxford University and it turns out mga music lover din pala ‘yung Emperor at Empress. Kaya ‘yun din ang pinag-usapan namin dahil talagang pare-pareho ang mga pinagdaanan din namin.

It was a very, shall we say, warm conversation. And we were very flattered that although we, of course, the Japanese are very strict about formality and ritual. But once we did that, The Emperor and The Empress were very, very warm and treated us like long-lost friends, for which we are very grateful to The Emperor and The Empress.

Their Majesties were as gracious and as hospitable as any other host that we have had.

Q: Good afternoon po, Mr. President. Can you tell us more about the Philippines’ deal with Japan regarding weapon exchange and intelligence sharing? How will this be utilized in asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea, especially since China continues to ignore the 2016 Arbitral Award of the South China Sea?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think in terms of those items, we reinforced our continued commitment to the rule of law, to international law, to the UNCLOS for freedom of navigation in South China Sea. And that is something that we have based all of our dealings with Japan on,

especially in the defense and security aspect of it.

The sharing of information is not necessarily military or intelligence information. We’re talking about the weather, we’re talking about smart cities, we are talking about the satellite information that they have that we might not have for increased agricultural productivity.

So it really covers a great many – marami, hindi lamang, hindi lamang kung ‘pag sinasabing intelligence sharing. Hindi naman talaga just intelligence — ang katotohan na diyan, information sharing. Dahil marami silang mga gamit, marami silang satellite, marami silang mga systems na tayo ay wala, ay tutulungan tayo para doon sa information.

Pinaka-importante din ‘yung weather sharing para weather forecasting kasi napakagaling na ng Japan tungkol sa meteorology.

Kaya malaking bagay para sa atin ‘yun na makapag-forecast tayo ng mga bagyo o saka ng ulan, ng El Niño, lahat ‘yun.

Napaka-importante para sa ating mga magsasaka at saka para sa ating food supply.

Q: Sir, magandang tanghali po. Sir, on local issues po, sir. Sir, after the gun-related incident in the Senate and there’s the walkout of the minority bloc and the alleged another Senate coup, as the President and former member of the upper chamber, how concerning is this, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Very. I watched with horror that the Senate has become this. I looked at my other fellow senators. Madalas kaming natitinginan ni ES Ralph. Ganyan ba tayo noong senador tayo? Mayroon ba tayong ganyan na ginagawa? Hindi tayo ganyan. Paano nangyari? Iyong Senado hindi na kagaya noong panahon natin. Dahilnagpe-personalan na eh.

Naging personal. Ang babaw na nang usapan. Dahil ang kuwento ko nga, iyon na nga kuwento ng… Mayroong mga senador na pagka mayroon kaming pinag-uusapan na sa trabaho, hindi kami naga-agree talaga. At saka tatayo, mag-interpolate. At saka ‘yung interpolation talagang mabigat. At saka well-studied and no-holds-barred interpolation.

Pero after pag-upo namin, magkakape naman kami. Kakain kami nang magkasabay. Hindi personal.

It’s about work. It’s not about personalities. Nagbago eh. Tapos narating pa tayo sa putukan. Tapos fake pala ‘yung putukan. Tapos… Hindi ko maintindihan.

Eh walang nangyayaring kagaya niyan noong panahon ko sa Senado. Of course, the only basis for comparison that I have is the time that I was in the Senate.

And I never imagined that the Senate would descend into this kind of what’s happening right now.

And then, I was watching the comments of former SP, another colleague of ours, Senator Frank Drilon. Sabi niya, papa – ano na ang nangyari dito?

The Senate is now sheltering fugitives from justice. How did that happen? I don’t understand how a Senate is supposed to function if those are the kind of things that the Senate is embroiled in.

I hope they figure it out soon. I really do.

Q: Just one quick follow-up. Kasi, sir, there are also concerns na because of the series of cases filed to some of the senators that are part of the majority bloc, well, including Senator Imee, she said that, well, maybe the majority 13 is being targeted? Are they?

THE PRESIDENT: Is being?

Q: Targeted?

THE PRESIDENT: Look, almost a year ago, ang sinabi ko sa taong- bayan, kailangan malaman ng buong taong-bayan ang buong katotohanan.

At noong kami ay – pinag-aaralan ng Ombudsman, ng Department of Justice, lahat ng mga alegasyon na dumating dahil sa flood control, maraming nagsasabi, bakit wala pang nangyayari? Bakit wala pang nangyayari? Bakit ang tagal ninyo? Namimili lang yata kayo kung sino ‘yung i-prosecute ninyo.

Ngayon, nandito na at dahan-dahan lumalabas na ang katotohanan. At dahan-dahan na. At ang pinakamaganda, kung talagang may kaso, kung sila ba naman ay walang ginawang mali, ay lalabas naman ‘yan sa pagsusuri ng paghusga.

At kaya naman, ito na. Ito na ‘yung mga – ang hinihingi sa amin ng tao. Alamin ninyo, ilabas ninyo lahat ng katotohanan.

Ito ang aking ngayong ginagawa. Hindi pa tapos ito. Patuloy pa ang investigasyon. Patuloy pa ang mga pag-imbestiga at pag-aaral, at sa intelligence and information gathering tungkol sa mga iba’t ibang alegasyon kung kani-kanino pa.

Hindi ko alam kung paano napunta na sinasabi na ‘yung majority ngayon ang tina-target. Dahil kung tutuusin ninyo, hindi sila majority noon. So, that does not apply.

It was because of the allegations that were made and the investigations that were conducted upon learning of those allegations against kung sino man.

And kung ano man ang naging alignment sa Senado, walang kinalaman ‘yun. Ito pa rin ang mga tao na lumabas ang mga pangalan doon sa… Kung titingnan ninyo, ano ang… Kung saan pinagbabasehan lahat itong mga ito ay doon sa testimonya sa Blue Ribbon Committee. Doon naman lumabas lahat ito.

So, binigay ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa Ombudsman at saka sa DOJ ang mga findings sila, ito ang naging resulta ngayon. So, it has nothing to do with the alignment.

Kung magbago ‘yan, the alignment is different again tomorrow… I’m not saying it will be, but if the alignments are different again in terms of the majority, eh papaano mo sasabihin ‘pag nagbago na naman ‘yan?

So hindi — walang kinalaman ‘yung majority, minority sa Senado. Ito ang dahil sa resulta ng mga imbestigasyon ng Blue Ribbon Committee at ng iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President. As a former senator, what are your thoughts on the proposal to amend the Senate rules to allow online voting?

THE PRESIDENT: All right, as a former senator, I suppose I’m reasonably qualified.

I disagree with that. I understand that we had to do it in COVID because there was a health risk. But I do not see any particularly good reason for us to allow it now.

It seems to only be applicable to Senator Bato, para makaboto si Senator Bato dahil nagtatago siya.

Now, for someone who is actually a fugitive from justice, na hinahanap ng pulis, na hinahanap ng Interpol at may arrest warrant galing sa ICC, palagay ko hindi siya dapat bumoto. Hanggat dumating siya doon sa Senado.

Kung he’s willing to take the risk like he did the last time, eh ibang usapan ‘yun. Basta’t nandiyan siya.

So, it has been – the long-standing tradition of the Senate is that if you are not physically present on the floor when a vote is taken, that you cannot in fact vote.

Again, COVID gave us a different outlook because we were concerned about health and safety at that point. We do not have those concerns now about health and safety.

Q: Okay. Follow up lang, Mr. President. You touched on it slightly na, but I will ask it anyway. There are notions that the electronic voting will enable senators facing charges to evade accountability or even arrest. Do you share the same concern?

THE PRESIDENT: I never really thought about it in those terms. Ang para sa akin is that, simple lang ang question, dapat bang bumoto ang senador kung hindi siya sumipot?

Sa aking palagay, hindi dapat. Kung talagang importante sa iyong makaboto, dumating ka sa Senado.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Your critics, particularly your sister, Senator Imee Marcos, are accusing you of conniving with the House of Representatives and Senate for a constitutional assembly that would extend your term via no-election scenario. You already addressed this earlier, Mr. President, by means of a facial expression only. May we officially get an explanation or comment on this issue?

And can you elaborate on that eye-roll?

THE PRESIDENT: I don’t know. She should fire her staffer who gave her that information.

Because, you know, fake news hurts everyone. Not only those that fake news is attacking, but also those who are purveying that fake news.

The purveyors of fake news are also damaged by this kind of…So she should choose her sources of information that…

Because the truth of the matter is we have never at any point even spoken about this anywhere with anyone at any time. So I don’t know.

It is, well, that’s… Kayo, nasa media kayo, alam naman ninyo ang nagiging epekto ng fake news. ‘Yan, that’s a perfect example.

Fake news is a corrosive influence in all sectors of society, in political, in economics, in actual human relations, et cetera. And if you are not part of the solution, you become part of the problem.

And that is a perfect example of that.

Q: Hi, Mr. President, good afternoon. Sir, are you still satisfied with Secretary Jonvic Remulla as DILG chief given the strings of fugitives of justice being able to go past law enforcement?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I don’t know why that rumor went around. I think somebody wants his job. Kaya kinakalat na matatanggal na siya para siguro ang inaasahan nila sila ‘yung mailagay. Pero wala kaming pinaplano na ganyan.

The only latest change in the Cabinet was in DOLE. Because Secretary Benny has asked to take a step back. He has some issues that he has to deal with. And so, we have appointed a new Cabinet secretary for DOLE, which is former Senator Francis Tolentino.

Q: Sir, just on the Senate matters po, Senator Rodante Marcoleta said that the Senate presidency of Alan Peter Cayetano is the only one without Malacañang’s blessing. What do you say about that?

THE PRESIDENT: Malacañang doesn’t give a rubber stamp to the Senate president.

The Senate president is decided by the senators themselves. I mean, of course, we are aware of the goings-on in the Senate because it’s important to us to be well-informed.

But is he implying that I somehow choose the Senate President? I think, you ask any senator. Me, as a former senator, I will laugh in your face because that’s simply not true.

Uutusan mo ‘yung senador na ito ‘yung iboboto mo? Parang out of this world ‘yata ‘yung mga usapang ganoon.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Nag-lapse na po ‘yung one-year ban on losing candidates. Mayroon pa po ba tayong ine-expect na ibang appointments in the coming days?

THE PRESIDENT: Possibly, oossibly. Kasi nga nag-lapse na ‘yung one-year ban for candidates that did not make it in the last election.

Marami namang magagaling diyan. I’m not talking just the senatorial candidates. Maraming iba na tumakbo for whatever position na sa palagay ko magagaling at makakapag-contribute sa pamahalaan.

So, don’t be surprised if we start – we get more appointments from those candidates who ran in the last election who didn’t make it.

Sayang naman. We have to get the best talent that we can.

So yes, that’s a natural progression.

Q: Mr. President, next month you will be marking your fourth year in office at a time that many may consider a tumultuous phase in your presidency. Are you going to take steps and how to turn down the political heat so that you may accomplish whatever is left in your term?

THE PRESIDENT: The only persons who can turn down the political heat are the people who turn up the political heat in the first place.

I have never turned up the political heat. I have never attacked anyone. I have never put down anyone.

I have never declared war on any political group whatsoever. All I do is work. So, those who have raised the heat, those who are making all kinds of preposterous allegations, they have increased the heat, the political heat. Only they can turn it down.

Not those of us who are just working and trying to do the best job for the Filipino people.

It is the people who have indulged themselves in politics for their own benefit, not for the benefit of the people, not for the benefit of the system, not for the benefit of anybody but themselves.

Sila lamang ang puwedeng magbaba ng gulo na nangyayari. Hindi galing sa amin ang gulo na ‘yan.

Q: Might you address them directly, Mr. President? Who are you referring to?

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, come on, yours… There are many. There are many.

But that’s the nature of politics. That’s the nature of politics.

It is like a legal process, it is an adversarial process in many ways. And that’s what happens.

However, different politicians choose to exercise or to work their politics in different ways.

There are two kinds of politicians in my view. Those who are actually helping and those who are doing nothing but obstruction.

‘Yung mga – mayroon diyan obstructionist. Walang ginawa kung hindi gustong manggulo. Lahat nang sabihin ng administrasyon, mali.

Walang tama.

Kahit anong sabihin mo, kahit marami kang tinulungan, kahit maganda ‘yung nagawa mo, mali lahat ‘yan dahil kalaban kita.

Those are the obstructionist. And they are not working for the Filipino people. They are working for themselves.

And that’s why, again, they are the ones who need to decide to lower the political temperature.

Because although, I don’t know. I don’t know if they will actually do that.

But, if you are desirous of lowering the political temperature,

you have to look at who raised the political temperature in the first place. They are the ones who can lower the political temperature.

Okay. Maraming salamat. Thank you.

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