LIVE: PBBM attends the 125th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City
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His sincerity in transforming Philippine agriculture into a leading sector of the economy
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is reflected in his steadfast leadership of this Department and the Filipino nation.
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It is my distinct honor and privilege to introduce to you our keynote speaker today,
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on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of this Department.
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Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the Republic of the Philippines,
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and concurrently, Secretary of Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture,
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His Excellency, President Romuald S. Marcos Jr.
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Thank you very much to our Senior Usec, Usec DingPanganiban.
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Also with us here is Senator Cinta Villar, na ipinaglalaban,
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matagal nang ipinaglalaban ng agrikultura dito sa Pilipinas.
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And of course, yung hinahanap nila sa…
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Akala ko naghihiyaw na naman, parang rally na naman ito eh.
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Humihiyaw sila, takala ako, ako na naman yung sikat.
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But of course, it is actually Congressman Sandro Marcos.
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The UN Representative of the FAO, Lionel Dabadie.
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My fellow workers in government, our distinguished guests,
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ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
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It is with immense pride and honor…
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Nakangiti lahat dahil may ulan ano.
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Hinalala natin ng matagal kung anong mangyayari dun sa El Niño.
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Sinerte naman tayo na embis na tayo ipagyuhin,
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ay tayo hinila, hindi naman tayo binagyo, pero hinihila yung ulan dito.
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So, kukontrolin na lang natin yung flooding,
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make sure that the Irrigation Association is taking full advantage of all of this rain,
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na ma-direct sa tamang lugar,
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at baka naman masabi natin, sineswerte pa rin ang Pilipinas,
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mahal talaga ng Diyos ang mga Pilipino.
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It's with very great pride that I join all of you here today
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to commemorate the 125th founding anniversary of the Department of Agriculture.
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As we look back to the long and storied past of this institution,
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it is crucial that we remember the development of the Department
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over the past 125 years,
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and we must also recognize its impact on the lives of farmers, fisherfolk, and Filipino people.
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Starting as the Department of Agriculture and Manufacturing 125 years ago,
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the Department of Agriculture has seen the realization of many milestones,
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such as the implementation of the Masagana 99 program,
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which made the country self-sufficient and a rice-exporting country,
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the implementation of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Modernization Act of 1997,
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this mobilized rural development and modernization of the country's agriculture and fisheries sector,
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and the promotion of urban agriculture to address concerns on food supply during COVID-19 pandemic.
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So first of all, let me recognize kayo,
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ang ating mga kasamahan, fellow officials, and employees of the Department of Agriculture,
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and all the attached bureaus and agencies for your lifelong dedication
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to serving and shaping our society into what it is today.
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If there is one thing that I have always recognized,
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I really came to realize this when I was governor of Ilocos Norte,
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and I was trying to promote some of the agricultural sectors,
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yung fisher, aquaculture namin, yung aming rice expansion,
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lahat nung ating ginawa na pati na sa pag-provide ng mga inputs,
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if there is one thing I learned at that time,
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ang dami talagang magaling na tao sa Department of Agriculture,
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at marami talaga na wala talagang iniisip at wala nang ibang ginagawa,
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kundi makahanap ng paraan para pagandahin ang buhay ng ating mga magsasaka,
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para patibayin ang ating tinatawag na food supply.
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And that is why I am sure that the goals that we have set for ourselves
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in the next few years, that we have set for the Department of Agriculture
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in the next few years are goals that we can achieve
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because we have all the different elements that are required.
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We have the expertise, we have the experience, we have the knowledge,
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we have the motivation to make things work.
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And so that is why, that is what we are trying to do,
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to put all your efforts into a single plan that everyone can follow.
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Kaya naman para magkaroon tayo ng madalas na marinig,
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na sinasabi na tayo ay magcoordinate,
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and there will be a symbiosis of our work,
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and we will come to see that these far-reaching goals
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that we have put before us can actually be achieved,
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that they will come.
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But I cannot say that we can do it without any of you.
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We have to be together, we have to work together.
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I know that it is something that all of you want.
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Marami na sa inyong nakausap ko.
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Alam ko naman ang motivation talaga ninyo,
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pagandahin ang agrikultura.
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At kaya naman, malakas ang noob ko na masasabi
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na yung ating mga pinapangarap na sinasabi ng mga goals natin sa DA
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ay maaabot natin.
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Because with your help, we have harnessed the transformative potential
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of the agricultural sector in ensuring food sustainability,
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generating employment opportunities, mitigating poverty.
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Agriculture is and will always be an important contributor
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to our national economy.
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In the first quarter of 2023, the sector grew by 2.2%,
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contributing 9.1% to our GDP.
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Despite some modest gains, marami pa tayong kailangan gawin.
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Kaya kailangan natin pagmasdan, pag-aralan, at bantayan
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yung mga iba't ibang puwersa na nararamdaman natin
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na kuminsan, nagiging sagabal sa ating performance.
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Yan ang mga decreasing productivity, climate change,
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diminishing natural resources, at nagbabago rin ang ating market.
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But through the years, the DA PANOR program and projects
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have continuously provided farm inputs, credit assistance,
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equipment, machinery, production, and post-harvest facilities.
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Kasama na rin dyan ang farm-to-market roads at ang ating mga irrigation
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para padandahin ang ating productivity.
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We must continue to adapt and utilize the latest technologies
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and practices that will not only enhance our productivity
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and our quality of life, but will also open more doors
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to investment and market opportunities for our friends
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from outside of the Philippines.
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Moving forward, the DA will continue to devise interventions
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to advance our agri-fishery practices, improve the competitiveness
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of our agri-fishery products, further boost the income
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of our farmers and fisherfolk.
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In addition, we will expand access to our markets and related enterprises
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by enhancing our physical and our digital infrastructure,
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leveraging on private sector investment.
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As I have mentioned, there is still a great deal of work to do.
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But it is on this note I enjoin each of you
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to continue to exert all efforts to address the concerns of our sector
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so that we can achieve the goals we have set for ourselves,
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our sector, and for our country.
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Let us continue to engage in collaborative dialogue
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with experts, researchers, rural workers to solve the roots
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of the lingering problems, learn and adopt climate-resilient
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and cutting-edge agricultural technologies
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so that we can be prepared for prospective contingencies.
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Through this, we can motivate more people,
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especially younger Filipinos, to toil to nourish our land and our seas,
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propelling the Philippines towards greater heights of security,
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prosperity, progress, and sustainability.
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So, as one department, let us continue to champion
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the well-being of our farmers, fisherfolk, and rural communities.
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Let us promote agricultural productivity and resilience
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while also maintaining environmental stability,
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and let us nurture inclusivity and pride
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in the noble work of feeding our people.
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We must realize how important the agri-sector is to the Philippines,
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not only to our economy but also to every single Filipino.
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We have all heard the issues of food supply, of food prices,
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of supply chain problems, and these are all of the things
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that we have to overcome if we are going to be able to say
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that the Department of Agriculture has achieved its ultimate goal
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in that we are able to provide to Filipinos all of the food supply
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and we are also able to provide the nutrition that we need to give to our people
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so we can say that the Philippines is a healthy country.
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Beyond that, beyond just the problems that we are facing,
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in terms of providing adequate agricultural commodities to our people
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at the price that they can afford,
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is if you, as you know, one of the great priorities of this administration
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is to pull out of the pandemic economy.
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And every analysis, even if the analysis will not be productive,
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even if it will be done by the banks, even by the World Bank, the ADB,
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they always say that your economy will not thrive if your agriculture is not good
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because everything that we do in the economy is based on a strong and active agricultural sector.
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That is how important your work is.
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That is how important it is, not only in providing food to the people,
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but also in the development of the Philippines after the pandemic.
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Let us always keep that in the back of our mind.
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So we will always remember that this work is not just something that you do
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because you cannot find another job, you cannot find another work.
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Okay, fine, we will go in.
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Let us always remember that the agricultural sector plays a very big and important role.
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And the improvement of the agricultural sector is already included,
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it is equivalent to the improvement of the Philippines.
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So long live the development of agriculture.
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Long live to all of us.
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Thank you very much.
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Thank you, Mr. President.
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At this juncture, ladies and gentlemen,
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may we request His Excellency the President to kindly grant us a photo opportunity, sir.
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May we now call on stage all the executive committee members of the department on stage.
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And our DA guest.
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May we request all regional executive directors to please prepare.
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Please exit to your right.
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May we invite on stage all the regional executive directors.
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Service directors and heads of bureaus, please prepare.
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Please exit to your right.
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May we request all service directors and heads of bureaus to please proceed on stage.
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All heads of attached agencies and corporations as well as banner program directors, please prepare.
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Please exit to your right.
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All heads of attached agencies, corporations, and banner program directors,
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Please exit to your right.
