PRIVILEGE SPEECH

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Maria Annabelle S. de Guzman

January 14, 2020

I am supposed to deliver this message during the 1st session of the year but
God willing I am now to deliver my first Privilege Speech for the year today.

It is so nice and heartwarming to see you all complete this session….yes I

wish you all good health, more on fire with God this year and more of committed
and dedicated public service this year.

I am not only sure, Mr. Presiding Officer but I am 100% certain that
everybody is also excited to begin this year 2020. Although isang araw na lang
makakalahati nanaman natin ang buwan ng Enero…ang bilis talaga ng
panahon….permit me to give a little remind of what happened last year…….

Actually, 2019 did not quite end well to some. We had typhoon Tisoy that
hit some provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, leaving most of our
brothers and sisters in that part of the country to celebrate a gloomy Christmas.
Then there is this accident in Singapore that instanteously killed one of our OFW
kababayan, Arlyn Nocus who actually is from Caba, La Union. And then there is
this brewing war between the US and Iran after the death of the latter’s top
general Soleimani. What is the effect on the Philippines? There 1600 Filipinos in
Iraq, and about a quarter of the total 2.3 million OFWs are in Saudi, while Kuwait
hosts 262,000 Filipinos, according to government data. There is a need for the
repatriation of the Filipinos in these war torn lands…..but most of them will go
home empty handed, unsure of their family’s source of living, unsure on how they
are going to pay debts incurred…so much uncertain of their future. Then suddenly
in the midst of long slumber, Taal Volcano erupted….forcing the declaration of
state of calamity on certain areas near the volcano. Ashes even reached Metro
Manila and nearby provinces. What is the effect on us? Livelihoods will be
affected. Farms and plants destroyed due to heavy volume of ashfall. Accidents.
Of course respiratory diseases. Also to mention the still ongoing forest fires in
Australia…..na almost 2 months na…..True enough our resiliency as a nation, as
one people is being put to a test.
 But despite and inspite of these, a survey conducted by PULSE ASIA
published in December last year said 93% of Filipinos will face the new year with
hope; 7% were undecided and only 0.2% will face the new year with no hope.
And this is not just the trend in NCR but all across geographical areas including
Luzon…..My prayer….wala sana sa atin dito ang nasa .2%. Because…habang
may buhay may pag asa…..so keep on believing.

Despite our problems and challenges last year, nakakalubag loob na

almost all Filipinos are positive and looking forward to a greater year in 2020. Some
are so much excited, so much so that this year could be this year as they are born
under zodiac sign metal rat….that their stars have aligned in their favor and that
the feng shui master predicted that this year is a bountiful year……with no offense
meant Mr. Presiding Officer…..

I believe Mr. Presiding Officer, our favor does not rest on any animal nor the
alignment of the stars nor from the fengshui masters. Our greatest favor came
2000 plus years ago when Jesus came. It is written in Luke 4:18-19
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR.”[a]

Yes Mr. Presiding Officer, this year is the year of the LORD and the Year of
the Lord’s Favor….we declare it and we claim it for our beloved province of La
Union and our people. Hindi ako naniniwala na may malas na araw o may malas
na taon…..because this is the day, everyday is the day that the Lord has
made….and that everyday is our opportunity to live in faith and in the favor of
God.

That no matter how scary, how gloomy or how desperate are the effects of
these natural disasters, wars, accidents, diseases, and even our personal
circumstances….in Psalm 46:10, He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be
exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." So relax, kalma lang.
No matter what situation you are in last year…no matter how big and giants your
problems are…..my God, your God and our God is still bigger than any problem
that we have and will come along…..tiwala lang.

I have made this speech every start of the year since 2018 after the
enactment of the Bible Week Ordinance…..always making a gentle reminder for
its implementation even to the point that “nakukulitan” na sila sa akin, parang
sirang CD kunada…” But you see God never stops reminding us that He loves us
and that He is waiting for us to have a relationship with Him.

I have pointed this out before and I still personaly believe so, that
establishing a relationship with our God is not only manifested by attending
“Sunday or Worship Services.” It goes beyond singing of hymns, prostrating on the
ground, or devoting ourselves in perilous religious activities or even clapping or
raising our hands as we close our eyes in adoration to the Creator…..our
relationship with God should be a lifestyle, a way of life, one that honor God in
every aspect of one’s life, boiling down to the condition of one’s heart…..One
does not only have faith….one does not only believe but acts on his faith…as faith
without action is useless….one who claims what God has proclaimed and fights
for God’s favor in his life.

Why do I keep on speaking about this…..because only God can protect us,
only God can calm our hearts and minds amidst these disasters, only God is the
strongest weapon we can ever have….only God can give is true and genuine
happiness and peace and order both in our own individual lives and in our
province…..

If we were listening intently to the message of the Honorable Governor

during our Annual SP Christmas and Recognition Program, I think this is the gist of
what he was trying to convey to us. He respects any religion we belong….but
encourages us to acknowledge God to be in the center of our lives and live truly
in a relationship with our God.

I believe Mr. Presiding Officer that when we are already in a relationship

with our God, negativities will automatically be deleted and that our lives will be
filled with love and not hate and that in every situation, we always see the
brightest side and not engulfed with anger and/or desperation. So easy to say,
you might say….no, no, no…relasyon nga natin sa kapwa natin, even kapamilya,
sometimes we fail…or there are people na when it comes to intellectual prowess,
ang galling galling pero pag sa relasyon, failure…..Ganyan din ang
pakikipagrelasyon sa Diyos but one thing, we are assured that God never cease
in loving us….willing to forgive if we only sincerely ask. If we only stop lording our
own lives and trust in His ways….In Proverbs 3:5-6, 5 Trust in the LORD with all your
heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

In the province of La Union we institutionalized our 4 core values in the

transformative governance…God-Fearing, Accountable, Peace-loving and
Committed….these are further strengthened through the Moral Recovery
Program as decreed into Ordinance, 168-2019. According to my staff there are
already two values discussed to employees starting last first Monday and
yesterday; that is the values of patriotism and commitment and dedication……
but we need to be more aggressive…to check if these values are being practiced
truthfully in the work place….

Points, Mr. Presiding Officer….1st, I am using this platform, this very privilege
to honor and exalt God and convey, with a sincere prayer in my heart, to you Mr.
Presiding Officer and my dear colleagues, our employees and visitors that there
is God and that there is hope….2nd that we have policies, very nice policies, well
thought of policies…. waiting to be given heart and life and be implemented by
committed public servants so our people….our communities will be more resilient
and thus our province will be spared from any harm or negative effects of
disasters, man-made or natural. 3rd, renew our faith in God and establish a
relationship and a way of life, a lifestyle with God.

Requests, Mr. Presiding Officer, It is my ardent request that the Resiliency

Sector be convened as soon as possible so we can plan out how to deliver our
commitment as regards our L.A. and E.L.A. May I likewise request a hard copy of
the L.A. and E.L.A. as I was requesting my staff but failed to give me one.
 For now, that would be all Mr. Presiding Officer…again I pray everyone that
this year be the Year of the Lord’s Favor in your lives and that we pray for
breakthroughs to happen in our lives and in our province. Thank you very much
for the privilege and a pleasant day to all.