State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2nd Regular Session
of the 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines 28 July 2008

Thank you, Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar. Senators and Representatives. Vice President de Castro, President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen:

I address you today at a crucial moment in world history.

Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to a better, brighter future.

Because tough choices were made, kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas. Malapit na sana tayo sa pagbalanse ng budget. We were retiring debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our country’s development, habang namumuhunan sa taong bayan.

Biglang-bigla, nabaligtad ang ekonomiya ng mundo. Ang pagtalon ng presyo ng langis at pagkain ay nagbunsod ng pandaigdigan krisis, the worst since the Great Depression and the end of World War II. Some blame speculators moving billions of dollars from subprime mortgages to commodities like fuel and food. Others point of the very real surge in demand as millions of Chinese and Indians move up to the middle class.

Whatever the reasons, we are on a roller coaster ride of oil price hikes, high food prices and looming economic recession in the US and other markets. Uncertainty has moved like a terrible tsunami around the globe, wiping away gains, erasing progress.
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The 180 Degrees Professionals will launch this year, from May 2 to 4,
Operation: Arm and Deploy, the latest installment of the Past Forward
series of personal excellence trainings.

The theme revolves around military concepts to highlight the fact that
there is a war going on everyday. The battlefield is our workplaces,
schools, communities, and our homes.

Our mission in Past Forward ?08: ARM and DEPLOY is to arm the
participants with the values of excellence, passion and purpose as
they wield these weapons against mediocrity, complacency, indifference
and purposelessness often undetected in the workplaces, thus helping
them accomplish  personal and organizational victories.

The course will touch on:

• Knowing and mastering oneself
• Scouting the terrain
• Understanding the nature and schemes of the enemy
• Discerning strategy  to overcome the enemy
• Defining mission tactics and launching combat to attain mission objectives

Stationed for 3 days in the scenic, multi-faceted yet very comfortable
terrains of Pinamungajan's Hidden Valley Training Center and Resort, our trainees, with the help of our speakers,

• Mr. Rex Resurreccion (President of Passion for Perfection and author of "Called to Excel"),
• Mr. BJ Sebastian (Senior Vice President & Chief Strategist of JG Summit Holdings,Inc.),
• Mr. Cito Beltran (former ANC talk show host and one of the country's most renowned motivational speakers)

 
and other speakers, both new and from previous years? camps, will be equipped with
the values of excellence, passion and purpose as foundations for personal and
organizational success.

For inquiries contact:
Sistaine (0916)342-5540
Jenny (0922)331-8866
Gian (0921)323-6661
Celeste or Jenny (032) 516-4326

Venue:
HIDDEN VALLEY MOUNTAIN RESORT, LAMAC, PINAMUNGAJAN,
TOLEDO CITY, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

Ticket Prices:
P 2,000 per person           10 Dorm rooms
P 1,800 per person           2 Family barkada rooms
P 1,800 per person           Big dorm type rooms
[ All rates inclusive of all meals, accommodations, transportation, camp materials and modules ]

Date/Time:
MAY 2 – 4, 2008