Philippines, 2010

Allow me to convey the

greetings of the Filipino people to the President of the

General Assembly and the representatives gathered

here for the sixty-fifth session of the Assembly.

The United Nations was founded on the belief

that in collective action lies collective security. It is

when nations reach across their borders that the

immense problems of our age begin to be manageable.

In a world that has become increasingly globalized, the

challenges that we face have become globalized as

well. Climate change; pandemics; terrorism and

weapons of mass destruction; transnational organized

crime such as human trafficking and the illicit drug

trade; the continuing vulnerability of migrants, women,

persons with disabilities and the poor; and the

challenges posed by increasingly interconnected

economies — all call for a further strengthening of

international cooperation.

All of us here, representing our respective

nations, are stewards entrusted with the well-being of

our respective peoples. We are also required to be

responsible and responsive members of the community

of nations. Clearly, we are already aware that the

problem of one poses a problem for all. Any solution,

then, depends on us recognizing that each one of our

nations exists, not in a vacuum, but rather in an

increasingly interdependent global milieu.

The central revelation here is that for humanity to

progress, all nations must progress as one. The quest

for universal human dignity should not be defined by

geographical, racial or cultural boundaries, nor should

it be set back by our desires to move our own nations

forward. Global progress means equitable progress.

The industrialized nations of the world can look with

pride on the living standards their peoples enjoy. But,

as one of my distinguished predecessors once said:

“Those who have less in life should have more in law”.

This basic principle of social justice is also the

most basic humanitarian challenge of our times. The

wealth of nations must become an instrument to move

the world further along the straight and righteous path

of compassion and communal responsibility. The

message is clear: there are those who need help, and

acting with compassion towards those who need help is

a response that is both humane and necessary. This idea

has been trumpeted for decades, and yet combating

inequality remains one of the greatest challenges of our

times. The chasm between the powerful and the

powerless, the haves and the have-nots remains to be

bridged. The past century has demonstrated, in terms

so stark that it inspired the creation of this

Organization, that when the mighty clash, those who

have less end up trampled. This is true where conflict

exists and true where markets exist; true in our nation

and true in an international context.

The concept of vulnerability and inequality is all

too clear in the global effort to address climate change.

Those who stand to lose much, if not everything, from

the effects of man-induced climatic conditions are

those who did little to cause it. There is an enormous

need to ensure, as a matter of justice, that countries,

particularly those that are vulnerable, are assisted in

their adaptation and disaster risk-reduction efforts and

are provided the necessary resources to build climate-

resilient communities. This should go hand in hand

with ambitious commitments by major economies to

significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Many of you may say that you have already given

mightily of your resources. But surely we do not need

flood and famine to remind us that there is so much

more that must be given, because there are so many

more who deserve the hope of a better life.

The most immediate focus of cooperation

demanded of us today is to collectively ensure that the

eight Millennium Development Goals will be achieved

by all in the remaining five years. That is a daunting

task, and we are all aware that national resolve has to

be complemented by bilateral, regional and multilateral

cooperation.

Rising to the challenges of our era requires,

within each of our countries, a strengthened regulatory

system. This does not mean a cumbersome, intrusive

Government, but rather a Government that allows

private enterprise to thrive, while ensuring that it

remains cognizant of its social responsibilities and

empowers it, in turn, to fulfil those responsibilities.

Many Governments are tackling this challenge,

including the Government of the Philippines. Our

Administration pledges to channel any gains we reap

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from public-private partnerships into social services,

like those in health, education and poverty alleviation.

Across boundaries, the battle against inequality

requires a balanced approach from those in authority.

We should be conscious of our responsibilities to our

own people and of our duties to regions and the globe.

Already we are witnessing a rethinking of traditional

paradigms, a shifting of our focus towards ensuring

that the global system does not leave anyone behind.

And while my nation continues to benefit from

the compassion of those who are able to help, this does

not mean that we or our friends in the developing

world will be entirely dependent on the largesse of the

developed world. We will not be passive players in our

quest for development. My nation remains active in the

Group of 77 and in other efforts aimed at enhancing

South-South cooperation and articulating and

promoting our collective economic interests.

This is what our people put us in power for. This

is what the world expects of us as leaders — to be

exemplars of what it is to be compassionate human

beings and vanguards of hope for our common

humanity. For is not this hope also the hope that unites

us as human beings? It is the same hope that allows us

to break down walls of mistrust, which may take the

form of intolerance, fear or violence. It is the same

hope that leads us to gather in this Hall as our

predecessors did. It is the same hope that will give our

generation of leaders the strength to elevate this global

Assembly to a place where, collectively, the nations of

the world are able to find ways to make a better life

possible for all.

There have been many times in our history when

my people have shown that, united, nothing is

impossible. We call it “people power”. It is my earnest

hope and in the greatest interests of humanity that we

harness the energies of dialogue, solidarity and

communal responsibility so that a global “people

power” towards equitable progress may be achieved.