161 quotes found
"To the greatest fans and the greatest sport in the world, thank you! Thank you for all the wonderful memories. This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I’m at peace with it. Chase your dreams, work hard, and watch what happens. Good bye boxing."
"I want to be the best fighter. I would like to fight in the biggest fights."
"Only God knows that. He is the only one who knows. He is only one who will know. And he is the only one who does know."
"Boxing is not for killing."
"As a Christian, same-sex marriage is not allowed. Woman was made for man, man was made for woman. For me, it’s common sense. Will you see any animals where male is to male and female is to female? The animals are better. They know how to distinguish, male or female. If we approve male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animal. Right? Even among animals… those of the same sex are not allowed to lie together. But I’m not condemning them. Just the marriage, the committing of sin against God."
"Those who get infected (by COVID-19 Omicron variant despite being already vaccinated) are either wearing their (face) mask wrongly or with their nose sticking out. That's useless. That is what we call token compliance, but it's the wrong way of doing things."
"We have seen the names, we knew who Mary Grace Piattos is, we saw that there were peculiar names which do not exist in our Philippine Statistics Office database, no birth certificate, no marriage certificate, no death certificate."
"There is no place in a democracy for humiliating people as a policy instrument."
"Transparency is the way to fight graft and corruption."
"In Filipino: Sa kaunting aral, kaunting sipag, kaunting dasal, walang hindi magagawa kahit mayroong hadlang. Sa kaunting aral, kaunting sipag, kaunting dasal, walang hindi magagawa ang taong may pagkukusa. (With a little education, a little hard work, a little prayer, there is nothing that cannot be done even if there are obstacles. With a little education, a little hard work, a little prayer, there is nothing that a person with initiative cannot do.)"
"The people is the final arbiter. Politics is won in one day."
"I think the three people here tonight can end the elections today – if they just agree with each other."
"The Greeks tell us that the law should not be like a spider’s web that can catch only flies. Instead the law should be a chain of words strong enough to imprison even the powerful."
"I have developed a healthy suspicion of power. We want dispersal of power, dispersal of participation, and dispersal of development and human resources."
"Leadership today should be like the leadership of an orchestra conductor. The conductor may not know how to play the piano, but with a wave of a hand, he or she can tell the piano player to play pianissimo. The conductor may not know how to play the violin, but with the wave of a hand, he or she can tell the violin player to play fortissimo. The conductor may not know how to play a clarinet, but he or she can bring out the best from the clarinet player. The leader, like the conductor, draws out talent from everybody and creates a symphony out of everybody’s best efforts."
"If I must err, I prefer to err on the side of action and decision, not on the side of inaction and indecision."
"If we are good teachers, our students will not need us anymore when they learn to fly away on their wings. Our success as teachers is measured precisely by the independence that our students have learned from us."
"The problem with lies is they do not only quarrel with the truth. They also quarrel among themselves."
"Two brothers lived in a town beset by a capre (monster). The older brother went off to fight the monster, but he never came back. A year later, the younger brother found the monster and killed it. As it lay on the ground, the monster transformed into his older brother. The lesson here is that we must not become the enemy that we fight."
"We cannot criticize the Emperor for having no clothes if we ourselves are naked."
"What is the most precious commodity in the world? It is neither gold nor diamond, but water. Try doing without water for three days. But notice that we can hold water only with an open palm. If we close our hands, water will flow out. The same thing can be said of knowledge. To be of any real value, knowledge must be shared."
"At some point in our lives, we are forced by circumstances to see ourselves as we really are. The Greeks said it best: ‘Know thyself.’ It is only through a confrontation with the self that expiation is possible. We cannot keep running away from ourselves forever."
"Winning comes from self-knowledge."
"Filipinos are undoubtedly one of the most talented people in the whole world. We have the roots in the Madjapahit and Srivijayan empires. We benefited from the cosmopolitan traditions of Spain, the Napoleonic Code and the theories of European law. We inherited the Judeo-Christian tradition and Anglo-Saxon ideas of political freedom. We have benefitted from different sources of civilization. We must harness this intellectual capital so that the Philippines will grow as fast as it can."
"When the spark of greatness leads to an act of self-giving, we cross the threshold of heroism."
"Consider the candle. When it spreads its light, it does not diminish. Makisindi man tayo sa kandila, hindi mawawala ang ilaw ng pinagsindihan natin. Nakadaragdag ang ilaw. (Even if we light a second candle from another, the light from the first candle is not lost. The light shines even brighter.) Light is one of the few things we can give away and yet still always have."
"Once, I traveled to Palawan, and I was given a parrot to take home. We put the parrot in a cage. It was supposed to talk after two years. But my children, who were brought up valuing freedom, wanted to release the bird. So one fine morning, we opened the cage door for the parrot to fly free. On the first day, the parrot refused to leave the cage. On the second day, the parrot approached the open door, but still refused to leave. On the third day, the parrot finally went out, but it soon returned to the safety of the cage again. It was only on the fourth day that the parrot flew away. We never saw the parrot again. In the same way, when we are encumbered with too much centralized authority and too many rules, we succumb to learned helplessness. Only after trying hard can we learn to fly and to use our wings again."
"Women are capable of a higher ethical standard than men. While 65% of the Filipino bureaucracy is composed of women, only 20% of graft and corruption cases involve women. Men, who comprise 35% of the bureaucracy, are involved in 80% of graft and corruption cases. The higher ethical standard of women should be a source of societal transformation."
"Read, read and read for when you read, you stand on the shoulders of giants, you see farther than the rest."
"Never lie. Lying never pays. Don’t make your life difficult by lying. When you lie, you have to create different versions of the story to different people. Make your life easier by seeking and telling the truth."
"Equal opportunity should be given to all and special privileges for none."
"A strong republic does not make a strong nation. Strong people make a strong nation. It’s not the strong republic that makes strong people."
"We often forget that it is people who are important. Political pragmatism cannot replace the caring for and nurturing of people. Money and influence cannot replace truth or principle."
"I have said this before, and I will say it again: All things work for good to those who love God."
"I may not be a genius, but my opponents are certifiable idiots."
"I eat death threats for breakfast."
"Maybe they will be happy because on one hand I might die and then they could get rid of me. But on the other hand, I might survive and then I will get rid of them."
"This is goodbye. I shall not importune you any longer. I shall fade into the night like Batman."
"Stop molesting me, you mongoloids!"
"Eat, blank, and die.”"
"I will never quit! I will never stop! I will never withdraw!""
"This man, contrary to logic and common sense, hopes to evade criminal prosecution and public outrage over his plunder, by resurrecting campaign dirt against me which are over 21 years old!”"
"Discombobulated moral retardates!"
"No, I don’t want to watch these clowns. I die a thousand deaths every time a corrupt politician appears”"
"Entering politics is a fate worse than death."
"Why are we so poor? Everybody wants to have the money of the government in his own pocket."
"We are rich in natural resources, we are rich in people resources. And yet we hear from analysts and economists we are the poorest in Asia."
"What our country needs is a sense of shared destiny."
"My only purpose is to serve out the rest of my life."
"Sometimes a joke is much better than a punch line because it illumines the situation, gives you a worldview of the situation taking place in our country."
"You have to communicate in a certain way. You don't just enter social media for your own benefit."
"They destroyed my life. That’s why I’m going to rebuild my life now. They destroyed or ruined my name, my reputation. Now that I’m free, I’m going to work hard to redeem my name, and complete vindication is the key."
"You failed to break me. I’m still standing, standing firm. I hope you will realize that what you did to me was a big mistake."
"While I know that I am a strong person, I never realized that I could still turn out to be stronger."
"I really needed to do the daily routines to keep me strong and hindi ako mawalan ng pag-asa (for me not to lose hope). I needed to survive this."
"Would people still remember me?"
"This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course."
"This is how justice should work—those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else,"
"Poetic justice and also vindication"
"Today, more than ever, I am convinced that I did the right thing of sacrificing my personal liberty and even my political career."
"I will stand my ground. For when they come after me and try to silence me, they are actually coming after those who cannot speak for themselves and defend themselves. I cannot, in good conscience, let that happen."
"You can never crucify Truth. You cannot permanently stall Justice."
"No high concrete walls, barbed wires, or caged environment can silence me. I remain free in spirit and unbroken. I’m not giving up on my causes for truth, justice and human rights."
"Their perpetual innocence and purity in spirit insulate them from the cruelty and irrationality of humankind."
"I’m no longer in a hurry. I don’t rush anymore."
"It lies in the pen I hold in my hands."
"You have hurdled your law studies under challenging circumstances—as a family man, as a father to two very young children, the elder of whom has autism, as a very patient and loving younger brother to a special brother… the silently suffering son to a controversial mother, who is now a victim of persecution."
"Democracy is the power of choice; and that power belongs to the Filipino people. The true value of that power of choice is its ability to address and solve the real conditions, problems and challenges that are facing our people."
"Every lie, every piece of fake news, every form of propaganda that is manufactured and shared by people is like a disease or a poison that will kill everything that is good and just about our beautiful nation."
"Blood money is what that is. Some people might not think that there is anything wrong about making money by making up stories, but they cannot be more wrong."
"Nations are weakened by false information."
"Remember, fake news is like a drug: it makes you feel good by making you see or hear things that you badly want to believe are real; but, in reality, it is a form of poison that will destroy from within."
"It doesn’t end with one campaign. But this win—this hard-earned, against-the-odds win—proves that even in a system built to discourage idealism, idealism can still break through,"
"We made space where there was none. We proved that truth, even when battered, can still make its way forward"
"But it had something more powerful—people like you"
"I lost my freedom, but I held on to my voice,"
"Irresponsibility must not become a culture."
"Hold accountable those who must be held accountable no matter how high the power so that corruption, violence and poverty no longer become a cycle in our country."
"I am a symbol of past injustice, hoping for a future where accountability reigns."
"There have also been many opportunities for cooperation in the field of cultural and heritage preservation; but nothing can be more pronounced than our joint initiative on climate action,”"
"Seize the moment? No. Create it."
"Culture is not mere adornment; it is a vital engine of livelihood and economic growth."
"Culture is what binds us as a nation."
"What we choose to preserve today—our knowledge, our traditions, our stories—will ripple through time, shaping lives long after we are gone."
"These terraces endure because of the quiet brilliance of a people who, long before the world had the language for it, understood sustainability, engineering, and balance."
"We need to invest in blue carbon initiatives that will help protect our coral reefs, seagrass beds, lush mangrove forests, and other coastal and marine sources. Let us implement Philippine environmental laws in our efforts to bring back the bounty and restore the ecological integrity of our bodies of water."
"The risks are rapidly growing not only for those in coastal communities, as climate change drives rising sea levels, warmer oceans and increasingly ferocious cyclones. We need to recalibrate our strategies on climate change adaptation, invest in blue carbon initiatives, and embrace the available solutions that nature presents to us."
"This has always been one of the challenges of the department. It's already the 2023 budget and it's still a challenge. My question is, will there be a time when we will no longer have backlog?"
"Let it be a lesson to those doing the budget — whether you’re a big department or a small bureau or commission — you present it to the DBM. You think about it for one year."
"The Supreme Court has now spoken with clarity on the matter of the ₱60 billion withdrawn from PhilHealth pursuant to Special Provision 1(d), Chapter XLIII of the 2024 General Appropriations Act, and Department of Finance Circular No. 003-2024. The Court declared the provision unconstitutional and directed, and I quote: As a consequence of the unconstitutional transfer of the subject PhilHealth fund to the National Treasury pursuant to Special Provision 1(d) of the 2024 GAA and DOF Circular 003-2024, the remitted funds amounting to ₱60 billion to PhilHealth must be returned to the coffers of PhilHealth."
"The bicameral conference must confront the question of whether this satisfies the Court’s directive to ‘return’ the full amount to PhilHealth."
"These practices—though indirect—operate in effect as fund diversions similar to what transpired in 2024. I will file a bill to ensure that sin tax earmarks and the statutory shares from PAGCOR and PCSO are automatically appropriated and released to PhilHealth, strengthening the integrity of its funding streams,"
"I’m not lecturing. No, it’s true because I was there for five years and sometimes hanggang last minute, they submit in the bicam. Why should they submit in the bicam? Pag-isipan nila ang kanilang NEP. National Expenditure Program, the President’s budget. That’s why ayaw na ayaw namin may insertions sa bicam."
"This is a gift of safety for our families and a gift of care for nature. Let’s search and clean drainages, let this be our collective offering as we close 2025."
"Every flood reminds us of what we failed to do. Let us not wait for another disaster to act. This should be our responsibility, starting at the barangay level."
"Barangay leaders and residents must work together to map canals and waterways, conduct regular clean-ups, strictly enforce the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and mobilize monitoring teams to check drainage before and after heavy rains"
"I also call for community education campaigns to remind households that throwing trash into canals is both illegal and dangerous."
"This confirms the urgency of my appeal. Barangays are our frontlines of disaster prevention. No national plan will succeed if canals at the community level remain clogged with plastic, household waste, and construction debris."
"As principal author of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Climate Change Act, I have always said that laws are only effective when implemented at the grassroots level. Every barangay that cleans and protects its drainage system is enforcing these laws in the most direct, life-saving way."
"This role is about securing lives, livelihoods, and our future. We must build a force that protects and empowers,”"
"With the PDUS, we can build a new generation of national security leaders who are ready not only for today’s problems, but also for the challenges of the future."
"Security goes beyond arms; it is about trust, preparedness, and shared responsibility."
"We will continue to foster a transparent and responsible work environment, grounded in the public trust that we are privileged to serve."
"Let us work continuously, conscientiously, and collectively - moving and transforming our nation and society from a state of fragility to one of agility."
"I would be doing Filipinos injustice if I did not work hard to be able to address their concerns, respond to their needs and protect their rights and welfare."
"To unsettle the comfortable who can look upon suffering and remain unmoved. And to reach those who hold fast to their humanity, that they may know they do not stand alone in defending what gives life its worth: dignity and justice."
"We are a nation that tells its children: Ang edukasyon ang pinakadakilang daan tungo sa pagkakapantay-pantay (Education is the greatest path toward equality)."
"Kung patas ang talino, dapat patas din ang pagkakataon (If talent is equal, opportunity should be equal as well)."
"Ang tunay na tagumpay ay ang makita ang ating mga kabataan na nakapagtapos, at nakahanap ng landas tungo sa isang marangal na buhay (The true measure of success is seeing our youth complete their education and build a path toward a dignified future)."
"Kung walang pondo, walang pagbabago. At ang katumbas na halaga ng tamang pagpopondo nito ay higit na mas mababa sa kabayarang dulot ng kakulangan—hindi lamang sa mga pangarap na naudlot, kundi sa kinabukasan ng ating inang bayan (No reform is possible without funding. And the cost of adequate financing is far less than the burden imposed by neglect—not only in the loss of dreams, but in the erosion of our nation’s future)."
"The State must strengthen the educational and developmental foundations of children from birth through Grade 3, as this is considered a critical period in learning and development of cognitive skills."
"When students fall behind in the early years, they face mounting difficulties in grasping more complex lessons in higher grades, and many never fully catch up."
"The measure directly responds to the urgent need to strengthen literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional development during the critical years of Kindergarten to Grade 3, so that no child is left behind at the very start of their educational journey and early deficits do not turn into lifelong disadvantages."
"Let us act with urgency. Let us act with resolve. We cannot allow this crisis to persist."
"We cannot allow another generation to be lost. Every year of delay means more children reach higher grades carrying gaps that could have been prevented in their earliest years."
"The learning crisis already affects productivity, employability, and social cohesion; addressing it at its roots is a matter of justice and national interest."
"Times are changing, and our defense institutions must be able to keep pace. The threats we face today are no longer confined to land and sea, but now include cyber intrusions, disinformation operations, and other ‘gray zone’ tactics that test our cohesion and national resolve."
"The harassment experienced by Filipino fisher folks in the West Philippine Sea and the shadowing of Philippine vessels signifies the fact that national security concerns have entered everyday conversations among ordinary Filipinos."
"We need a Department of National Defense that can respond to the future, with the professional civilian capability, legal authority, and funding tools to do its job well"
"We also need an Armed Forces of the Philippines that is not burdened by outdated planning cycles and bureaucratic constraints, but is able to adapt swiftly to rapidly evolving technologies"
"I rise today to sponsor a measure that seeks to give long-overdue recognition, protection, and dignity to the individuals who form the most accessible arm of our public health system"
"Barangay health workers are the first to knock on doors, the first to identify health risks, the first to guide mothers and children, and the first to respond to emergencies in communities where formal health facilities remain distant or limited."
"This vital workforce deserves a law that recognizes both its history and its future. It is for this reason that as early as the 14th Congress, I filed a Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers, grounded in the belief that Universal Health Care cannot succeed without those who make health care work at the grassroots."
"In every community I visit, I meet BHWs who serve out of commitment rather than compensation. They monitor pregnancies, track immunizations, care for the elderly, and mobilize whole barangays in times of disaster. Yet many continue to work without clear tenure, standardized benefits, or adequate institutional support"
"The minimum wage should be a living wage. It must not only cover food and shelter but also provide access to education, health care, and social participation."
"Our cultural heritage is not a commodity to be traded or exploited. It is a shared legacy that defines who we are and gives tangible expression to the historical experiences, ideas, and exchanges that have shaped our communities."
"It demands our collective effort to protect, preserve, and pass on to future generations."
"When the very law meant to protect our heritage becomes an instrument for its exploitation, we must act decisively to repeal it."
"Every artifact, every historical site, every archaeological find tells the story of who we are as a people. When these are destroyed or taken for profit, we lose more than objects; we lose our identity, our history, and our shared heritage."
"You cannot defend cultural heritage with one hand and sign off on treasure hunting permits with the other. This bill closes that contradiction and asserts that our laws stand firmly on the side of protection, not extraction for profit."
"The preservation of our nation’s built heritage is not merely a matter of aesthetics or nostalgia. It is a duty to safeguard the tangible expressions of our collective memory, identity, and history,"
"Our built heritage is often lost not to neglect, but to unaffordable upkeep. This bill eases the tax and cost burden on owners who meet conservation standards, making restoration feasible."
"The bill recognizes that heritage protection cannot rest solely on regulation and enforcement. It must be supported by positive incentives that mobilize both public and private stakeholders toward a common goal: the preservation of our built heritage for future generations."
"When farmers lose, the entire nation suffers."
"Why allow importation at the height of harvest? The result is farm gate prices collapsing while market prices remain high. Traders profit, but farmers are left behind."
"If we do not dismantle the monopoly over cold storage and import permits, this crisis will repeat every year. Government must buy directly from farmers and build farmer-managed storage facilities so they can compete fairly."
"Relief must be responsible. We can ease the burden on ordinary families without draining government funds. This reform lowers VAT where it matters most, on everyday consumption, while ensuring that those who can afford luxury and premium goods continue to contribute fairly"
"Why should basic goods and luxury items pay the same VAT?"
"Poor households spend a much larger share of their income on food and essential needs. When we tax survival and luxury at the same rate, the burden falls disproportionately on those with the least capacity to absorb it"
"Electricity for basic household use is not a luxury; it is a daily necessity that keeps our homes functioning and our children studying"
"If we are serious about easing the burden on Filipino families, we must ensure that the tax system does not unnecessarily inflate their power bills"
"These amounts are already contributions of our citizens to good public causes, missionary electrification, cleaner energy, and lifeline rates for the poor. Let us not increase the burden by taxing these contributions again"
"Lower VAT for ordinary Filipinos, stable revenues for government, that is the balance we are striking…In a time of rising costs, we must cushion families wisely and sustainably"
"This year’s Women’s Month calls us to move beyond recognition into integration, to ensure that equality defines how our institutions, schools, and workplaces function every day"
"When women are economically empowered, families thrive and communities become more resilient. Supporting women’s enterprises means investing in the future of sustainable development"
"Women are frontliners of climate action and guardians of resilience. When we invest in women’s capacity to lead, from barangay councils to national policymaking, we fortify the nation’s defense against climate and environmental risks"
"Our women preserve our culture, nurture our youth, and ensure harmony in communities. They are the teachers who shape values, the culture-bearers who keep our heritage alive, and the community leaders who bridge differences and nurture unity."
"Recognizing their leadership is not only an act of equality, but it is also an affirmation of the nation’s strength and identity."
"The strength of our nation lies in the empowerment of every Filipina. When women are protected, supported, and given equal opportunities, progress becomes stronger and inclusive."
"What are we doing differently from before, and what concrete steps can we take now to improve literacy and numeracy?"
"How do we take out the load, administrative duties of teachers, not totally, just so that they could focus on teaching and not the admin stuff."
"Why shouldn’t our rich literary heritage and diverse voices be celebrated alongside the world’s best?"
"This opportunity allows us to shed the constraints of colonial frames and celebrate our rich heritage on a global platform. By reclaiming our heritage and sharing it with the international community, we can showcase our vibrant and authentic narratives to foster greater understanding and appreciation."
"Receiving this Guest-of-Honour scroll is more than symbolic — it represents our stories, transcending borders through the universal language of literature."
"Our presence here (at the Frankfurt Book Fair) is a testament to the collaborative efforts of passionate individuals, institutions and government agencies."
"The Philippines is a nation of storytellers just like Rizal. This is where the oral traditions of our ancestors seamlessly blend with the written works of our contemporary authors."
"To speak of foresight in this context is not an academic exercise. It is the most practical expression of survival and the most strategic expression of leadership."
"Environmental diplomacy and cultural diplomacy are not separate pursuits. They are converging forces that give nations both the strength to endure and the power to inspire"
"You are the torchbearers of foresight. You bear the responsibility of anticipating change, of preparing with discipline, of envisioning with courage, and of listening with humility"
"The 12 percent VAT on basic food items, the ones low-income families and the poorest households actually consume, is a levy on the poor"
"Corruption in government always presents itself as normal and regular. Corruption always wants to hide in plain sight."