OPENING REMARKS OF PRESIDENT ANICETO SOBREPEÑA

SEARCH FOR THE COUNTRY’S OUTSTANDING POLICEMEN IN SERVICE (COPS) AWARDING CEREMONIES

December 9, 2010, 2:00 p.m. Malacañang Palace

ON BEHALF OF METROBANK GROUP FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN DR. GEORGE S.K. TY, WE EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO PRESIDENT AQUINO FOR RECEIVING THIS YEAR’S WINNERS OF THE SEARCH FOR THE COUNTRY’S OUTSTANDING POLICEMEN IN SERVICE OR COPS. 

THESE TEN (10) MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM HAVE REMAINED COMMITTED TO THE IDEALS OF THEIR PROFESSION AND HAS CONTINUED TO EMBODY THE VISION OF THE INSTITUTION THEY REPRESENT THROUGH THEIR EXEMPLARY ACHIEVEMENTS AND OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. THEY SERVE AS A TESTAMENT OF TRUE SERVANTS AND PROTECTORS TO THE PEOPLE BY DELIVERING THEIR COMMITMENT IN MAINTAINING PEACE & ORDER AND AT THE SAME TIME CONTRIBUTE TO NATION-BUILDING THROUGH VARIOUS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTS. 

YOUR EXCELLENCY, THE METROBANK FOUNDATION, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SEARCH – THE ROTARY CLUB OF NEW MANILA EAST AND PSBANK EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT TO YOUR PROGRAM OF GOOD GOVERNANCE BY ARDOUSLY SEARCHING FOR THE BEST OF THE BEST MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE WHO REPRESENT NOT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BUT THE POLICE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THIS IS OUR HUMBLE WAY OF CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR VISION OF AN IDEAL CIVIL SERVICE. THEY HAVE SELFLESSLY FULFILLED THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THEIR PROFESSION AND SHALL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS INSPIRATION TO THEIR PEERS AND TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SPHERES OF INFLUENCE. 

FOR THIS WE HAVE TO THANK THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WHO HAS SELFLESSLY COMMITTED THEIR TIME TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS OF OUR ALMOST ONE HUNDRED NOMINEES AND HAVE CHOSEN SEVENTEEN FINALISTS. PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 

WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FINAL BOARD OF JUDGES FOR SPENDING THEIR PREVIOUS TIME IN ASSESSING AND RATING THE VOLUMNIOUS DOCUMENTS OF ALL THE FINALISTS, AND LATER FOR INTERVIEWING THE FINALISTS FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS THAT LED TO THE SELECTION OF TEN POLICEMEN AND WOMEN WHOM ARE HONORING TODAY.  

WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION TO THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE FOR THE “MEDALYA NG KATANGI-TANGING GAWA” WHICH WILL BE CONFERRED BY THE PRESIDENT TO OUR AWARDEES. THE BUILDING OF PARTNERSHIPS HAS LONG BEEN THE ROADMAP OF THE FOUNDATION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS PROGRAMS. THE VISIBILITY OF HEIGHTENED SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, BOTH IN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE PRIVATE SECTORS, ARE TO BE CREDITED IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS PROGRAMS. THE FOUNDATION AND ITS ESTEEMED INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS COMPLEMENT WITH EACH OTHER IN BUILDING A POSITIVE IMAGE OF THE POLICE FORCE IN THE EYE OF THE PUBLIC AS A RESPECTABLE AND CREDIBLE PROGRAM.  

ONCE AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS OF METROBANK FOUNDATION AND ALL OUR PARTNERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOUR EXCELLENCY FOR WELCOMING THIS YEAR’S OUTSTANDING POLICEMEN. THE AWARDING HERE IN MALACAÑANG HAS ALWAYS SERVED AS AN INSPIRATION TO OUR AWARDEES, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, AND THEIR INSTITUTION. 

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF OUR AWARDEES. MAY YOU SERVE AS MODELS OF EXCELLENCE IN YOUR RESPECTIVE ASSIGNMENTS AS WE WORK TOWARDS OUR COMMON GOAL OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 

THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON.