Thank you very much, General Brawner.

[Please take your seats.]

General Patrimonio, kindly order the troops to tikas pahinga.

[Tikas pahinga!]

Thank you very much to our Chief of Staff, General Romeo S. Brawner; our host for today, Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido and Mrs. Rina Galido; my colleagues, Secretary Antonio Ernesto F. Lagdameo Jr., Special Assistant to the President; Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs; Secretary Andy Centino, Presidential Adviser on Maritime Concerns; the Executive Secretary, the Honorable Lucas Bersamin represented by Assistant Secretary Adrian Bersamin; fellow workers in government; of course the Chief of the Philippine National Police, General Benjie Acorda; and Admiral Gavan of Philippine Coast Guard; fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, pleasant good morning to each and everyone of you.

It is an honor to represent President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. as we celebrate the Philippine Army’s 127th Founding Anniversary.

The President extends his greetings to everyone, especially to all the men and women of the Philippine Army on the occasion of this anniversary.

He likewise conveys his deep regrets for not being able to join us today.

Nonetheless, he wishes that we all have a memorable event.

With your indulgence, I shall now read His Excellency’s speech:

“I extend my warmest greetings to the officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian human resource of the Philippine Army on the occasion of your Founding Anniversary.

Since your foundation 127 years ago, the Philippine Army has endured the test of time, prevailed over battles, and evolved into a force that we can all be proud of.

Not only has the organization been successful in its internal security operations, but it also exerted efforts in shifting to external defense.

Equally noteworthy are your peacetime endeavors, which put you at the forefront of rescue and recovery missions aimed at ensuring the safety of our citizens.

Our soldiers have become a reliable and calming presence amidst the loss and destruction that come in the wake of disasters and calamities.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I give my snappiest salute to the Philippine Army’s officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, as well as our partners and force multipliers in our communities, for the significant roles you play in the accomplishment of the Army’s mission.

Thank you for your service to our country, which you have enthusiastically rendered without expecting any prize or reward in return.

I also recognize the commanding general of the Philippine Army—Lieutenant General Roy Galido—for continuing to raise the morale of our troops through your exemplary leadership.

[applause]

Our brave men and women look up to you for inspiration and guidance, and I hope that you will continue to show them your selfless and dedicated service to the nation.

The incredible movement of large-scale forces and the total show of force you have and will see shown today is just a glimpse of the tremendous pace that our Army is progressing in terms of capabilities. So carry on, Lieutenant General Galido.

As we march onward to the Bagong Pilipinas that we aspire for, we need to transform our Army into a multi-mission-ready, cross-domain, and capable force that can effectively thwart emerging threats to our country’s stability and sovereignty.

That is why we continue to boost our Army’s morale, efficiency, and responsiveness through continuous capacity-building initiatives, rigorous training and education activities, and other meritorious pursuits.

Our ability to counter cyber threats is also of great importance. Given this emerging threat, I urge the Philippine Army to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities to keep up with the rapid technological advancements and help maintain the country’s security and stability.

I hope that you will also adopt the lessons you have learned, the best practices you have gained from joint operations, and interactions with other major services of the AFP and our foreign defense counterparts.

Let the time-honored creed of honor, patriotism, and duty be your guidepost—in marching towards total victory—as we create a Bagong Pilipinas that prioritizes peace, progress, and stability.

Again, I wish the Philippine Army a happy 127th Founding Anniversary!

Mabuhay ang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas!

[Crowd: Mabuhay!]

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas!”

[Crowd: Mabuhay!]

Ladies and Gentlemen, those are the words of the Commander-in-Chief.

Let us remain steadfast in the fulfillment of our duties and support the Administration’s goal of a Bagong Pilipinas.

Maraming Salamat, Philippine Army at mabuhay.

-END-