Before September 11, we were fighting terrorism in our southwestern Philippines, and it was a lonely fight. However, we were able to contain it now in one island in that part of the Philippines. But after September 11, and after the creation of the global coalition against terrorism, now we have allies, and I believe now it will easier with allies.

The military is very constitutionalist, and I have my faith in them and in the cooler heads of the people.

In the time one is given, the steward must make the most of the talents one is given by the Lord.

We have the hardest working people in the world, the most adaptable and the most congenial to employ.

The Philippines and the U.S. have had a strong relationship with each other for a very long time now. We have a shared history. We have shared values, democracy, freedom, and we have been in all the wars together in modern history, the World War, Second World War, Cold War, Vietnam, Korea, now the war on terrorism.

I'm not worried. I'm in control.

The Philippines has no policy that demands sacrifice of human lives.