Butch Meily: Keynote Speech at E-2010's Isang Diwa Gala Night on Nov. 20, 2010
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Butch Meily’s Keynote Speech at Isang Diwa Gala Event on November 20, 2010 ~ PLDT-Smart Foundation_I. INTRODUCTIONONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS YOU CAN GET IS BEING THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AFTER DINNER THIS LATE AT NIGHT. SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU BEFORE – IN SEATTLE IN 2008, IN HAWAII IN 2007. I WAS AT YOUR CONVENTION IN CEBU IN 2005 WHEN MY BOSS, MANNY PANGILINAN, SPOKE. I WAS EVEN THERE TOGETHER WITH LOIDA LEWIS AT THE FOUNDING OF NAFFAA IN WASHINGTON IN 1997 WHEN SOME OF YOU CHAINED YOURSELVES TO THE WHITE HOUSE FENCE TO PROTEST FOR FILIPINO VETERANS RIGHTS, A FIGHT THAT YOU RECENTLY WON. CONGRATULATIONS!SO I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AS AN OLD FRIEND. AND IT IS AS AN OLD FRIEND THAT I ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE IMAGE OF THE PHILIPPINES IN THE U.S. TODAY?II. POWERPOINTIII. CONCLUSIONIN THE TEN YEARS SINCE I LEFT THE U.S. TO RETURN HOME, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BEST AND THE WORST IN THE PHILIPPINES. THERE IS POVERTY AND THERE IS CORRUPTION. BUT THERE IS ALSO LAUGHTER, FAMILY AND HOPE. JUST YESTERDAY, I ATTENDED THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN MANILA. AND I FOUND A NEW SENSE OF OPTIMISM. BUT IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED IN CHANGING THE IMAGE OF THE PHILIPPINES IN THE U.S., WE MUST WORK TOGETHER. IT IS ONLY BY WORKING TOGETHER THAT WE CAN BECOME A STRONG AND POWERFUL VOICE FOR FILIPINOS EVERYWHERE IN THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. IN FACT, IT IS TO YOUR BENEFIT TO BE UNITED BECAUSE COMPANIES SUCH AS OURS AND EVEN OUR COMPETITOR,WHOSE NAME I WON’T MENTION, WILL SPONSOR YOUR ACTIVITIES IF YOU SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SPONSOR YOU IF YOU ARE DIVIDED.EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS BOUND TOGETHER BY A COMMON HERITAGE AND EXPERIENCE. WE LEFT THE PHILIPPINES TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES. SO THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT UNITES US THAN DIVIDES US. WE ARE NOT ILOCANOS OR BICOLANOS OR ZAMBOANGUENOS. WE ARE ALL FILIPINOS AND AMERICANS. WE ARE A BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO NATIONS. THAT IS OUR SHARED IDENTITY. THAT IS OUR SHARED DESTINY.LET ME END THE SAME WAY I DID IN 2007. ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES COMES FROM THE BIBLE, AND THIS IS THE SOURCE THAT I KNOW LOIDA OFTEN TURNS TO FOR QUOTES, AND IT SAYS, “MEN DO NOT LIGHT A CANDLE AND PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL, BUT SET IT ON A CANDLESTICK SO THAT IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL THAT ARE IN THE HOUSE.” LET OUR LIGHT, THE LIGHT THAT IS THE PHILIPPINES, SO SHINE THAT EVERYONE IN THE WORLD MAY KNOW THE COUNTRY AND ITS BEAUTY. BY OUR LIVES AND THROUGH OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, LET US AS FILIPINO-AMERICANS SHOW THE WORLD THAT THE COUNTRY OF OUR BIRTH IS TRULY A LAND OF HOPE, PEACE AND GOOD AND HAPPY PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
Transcript of Butch Meily: Keynote Speech at E-2010's Isang Diwa Gala Night on Nov. 20, 2010
The Philippines’ image in the United
States
Gunman and 8 Hostages Dead in the Philippines
9 killed on hijacked Philippine tourist bus
Filipino-Americans have positive image and reputation in the US…
…but does their homeland?
The Travel Advisories
In 2010, six countries issued travel advisories regarding travel to the Philippines.
United States
France
United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
Our response
Building a case for the Philippines…it’s not as hard as one may think…
“Palawan underground river tops New 7 Wonders Poll”
“Boracay beach and Manila Bay sunset rank amongst the world’s best”
The good news…
• Filipino stories of heroism and achievement are also on the airwaves
• Economy is the strongest it has been in decades– Dollar reserve continues to climb: now US$ 55 billion– Fuelled by OFW remittances: estimated US$ 21 billion in 2010– 500,000 jobs created by the BPO industry
• Philippines receives Millennium Challenge grant of $434 million
Ondoy and the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation
• The PDRF brings together private companies, NGOs, and government agencies
• Achievements• Facilitate a master flood plan for Metro Manila• Improve government early warning system• Rebuild schools destroyed during Ondoy• Replant 50 hectares of denuded watershed area in Antipolo – towards
preventing future floods
What can NAFFAA do?What can we do as Filipino Americans?
Filipinos are a formidable force on the internet2 million Filipino Tweeters16.9 million Filipinos on Facebook…and countingTogether we can help raise the profile of the Philippines on the web
Businesses back home benefit from US investments and expertise.We also see the growth in Social Enterprise.Livelihood opportunities lift people out of poverty.
Approximately 60% of Gawad Kalinga’s donations are from abroad.Mostly from Filipinos in the U.S
And finally…
Let u
s begin!
![Voith DIWA Transmission Type D506[2]](https://static.fdocuments.in/doc/165x107/55cf9806550346d0339515b8/voith-diwa-transmission-type-d5062.jpg)
