Thank you for the historic commendation: A new agenda awaits

[i]Mga kaibigan, kababayan, kasamahan[/i]

First of all, I would like to thank our esteemed proposal authors, the honorable World Assembly Secretary General [nation]Kuriko[/nation] and our voting representative to the alliance [nation]Lanaograd[/nation], for taking their valuable time, energy, and resources for actually crafting a commendation involving myself. This was an unexpected development of 2020, if I may say so myself. I have been in NS for a decade or so. The last thing I would expect is someone noticing my work here.

And they did. It was a beautifully crafted proposal, despite the various comments on it by well-meaning nations in the forums.

Yes, the proposal was eventually defeated. But rather than look at the downside, I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for a delegate of a relatively unknown region like the [region]Philippines[/region]. Of the 14,432 votes, 4,576 or 31.7 percent manifested their support. This is a victory in itself, as far as I am concerned. The last five commendation proposals that made it into Security Council resolutions had an average total vote of 14,000. For us to go over and above that expected turnout is good news. Interest in the process remains strong, and my hope is more World Assembly members get out their vote as well. Every vote counts.

I also would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to those who voted in favor of my commendation. Some of you we have official relations with, while others historical friendly relations, yet others have been newly introduced to our longstanding existence. Among the significant ones who have cast their favorable vote, I express my gratitude to the following nations:

[nation]Amerion[/nation] of [region]the South Pacific[/region]
[nation]HumanSanity[/nation] of [region]10000 Islands[/region]
[nation]Enlais[/nation] of [region]The Glorious Nations of Iwaku[/region]
[nation]The Salaxalans[/nation] of [region]Spiritus[/region]
[nation]Vancouvia[/nation] of [region]The Western Isles[/region]
[nation]Dabberwocky[/nation] of [region]The United Federations[/region]
[nation]WonGya[/nation] of [region]Cape of Good Hope[/region]
[nation]Thembria SSR[/nation] of [region]Yggdrasil[/region]
[nation]Indusse[/nation] of [region]India[/region]
[nation]Candensia[/nation] of [region]The Hole To Hide In[/region]
[nation]Tostandia[/nation] of [region]Eientei Gensokyo[/region]
[nation]NewTexas[/nation] of [region]Texas[/region]

And I also express many thanks to the thousands of nations and regions, while not listed, but have nonetheless supported and saw ample reason in the commendation. I may not be able to mention everybody, but please know that you are all appreciated in my heart.

My overflowing thankfulness also goes to our friends in the alliance, [region]URA[/region], headed by Founder [nation]Free Azell[/nation] and Alliance President [nation]Suvmia[/nation]. The 30 plus region alliance has been behind us all the way, and we are also committed in alliance initiatives with our representative as the Head of Public Affairs, as well as myself as consultant.

Ultimately, daghang salamat sa inyong tanan, mga kapwa kasapi ng minamahal nating Pilipinas. I hope I did not disappoint my first and only home region through the years. I have witnessed first-hand how all of you have solidly supported my commendation, and even before that giving me an unprecedented 100 percent approval rating, the highest in our regional history. I am also glad that despite the loss, you have welcomed me still with open arms, and have allowed me to continue my service. It has been 3,215 days since my unexpected assumption of office as your delegate, and still it never ceases to amaze. Hopefully more days to come with all of you, at sana padayon tayo sa pagtataguyod ng bagong rehiyon, bagong bansa.

That goes for here and in real life.

I know not if there will be a commendation for me or any member of the region anytime soon, but I believe dedicated, stable, and medium-sized regions like us who are vulnerable to defender-invader operations need more attention than we usually receive from the international arena. What makes the Philippines, one of the largest founderless (21st) and non-English (8th) regions in the world, cut above our peers?

When I saw a comment that the Philippines has not faced any major threat in the past two years, that is probably because we shifted our strategy from crisis response to crisis prevention. With this commitment to anticipatory governance, we have implemented consensus building among our key allies and coalitions for extended deterrence. We have also maintained vigilance, especially in the expanded regional government.

Some may have observed that the Philippine Defense Force (PDF) was only established 200 days ago, in May 2020, and has since doubled its membership. However, our organizational structure goes way back before the formal institution. Ever since my delegacy began, I have campaigned for a ready power for peace, a force in being, which is always prepared to counter any threat as a deterrent. Some of my peers in the past, the Old Guard, have usually opposed key measures which I attempt to establish. The proposed predecessor of the PDF was one of the casualties of our early years. Refounded in 2011, I was the 4th delegate to assume the position within a year. Imagine the instability and the political atmosphere. To mend the impasse, I created a defense ministry, one of the first four ministries established in the Philippines. This has become the foundation of our stellar defenses of past, four of them involving more than 40 invader nations, and of course, our now famous 2017 Christmas defense operation involving more than 70 invader nations, which was in the words of some critical observers, "One of the most successful organizations of defenders." That is, even before the formality, there is already the reality. Remember also, the Philippines has never been subject to a liberation proposal, nor have we been password locked (despite intense debates during my early years that we do lock the region). The region is open to all nations, after all. What are the lessons?

One is cross-endorsement and networks mapping. It was a concept which began to be popularized during that time, but the Philippines was said to be the first massive demonstration with our regional defense.

Another is early warning system. Always on the lookout for potential threats, our system has been set up to counter them before they even develop. This is also reason why from six to nine invasion attempts a year back then, we have had only two invasion attempts a year recently. Of course, we will never know if we will be targeted again, but that is why we have our own trade secrets.

Prudence suggests that I divulge no more defense strategies and tactics we have been implementing. But raiders also probably had their own lessons as well, and so we have to keep on developing to continually counter ever evolving threats in the future.

But more than our military portfolio, we have also committed ourselves to other noble pursuits such as sustainable and innovative development, upholding rights and freedoms, diplomatic missions, and of course, creating a loving, caring, and sharing community for all. What we have is a shared world, a shared economy, a shared dream. Our collective energies can do so much more when we all work together in one spirit.

And so, from unity, stability, progress, we move towards a new regional agenda to dynamically change the international perception that all our achievements so far are internal success with no real bearing in the world stage. Today, we take hold of a standing in the international arena, a standing we have never fully realized before, but has since been there for us to utilize for the betterment of the region and the world. We can believe the Philippines is, and has always been, a key figure in the NS world. There is nowhere to go but up. Therefore...

Member nations, let us join our efforts towards this new, yet not-so-new, agenda that will propel us as we enter another decade in our region's rich history. New, because we are introducing this to the world, and not-so-new, because our trajectory has been there in the first place.

Solidarity, sustainability, anticipatory.

[i]Pakikipagkapwa, pagpapanatiling kaunlaran, pangunguna sa kinabukasan.[/i]

Maraming maraming salamat sa lahat! Sa inyong walang pagmamaliw na pagtitiwala sa isang [nation]Ariusgrad[/nation] administration, sisiguruhin nating walang maiiwan sa sama-samang pag-angat. Ang tagumpay natin, tagumpay ng lahat.

Mabuhay Pilipinas!

Lagi't lagi, inyong lingkod
[nation]Ariusgrad[/nation]
World Assembly Delegate
President of the Philippines