MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang umaga, Malacañang Press Corps, and welcome sa ating press briefing ngayong araw, June 8.

Last Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed a lawyer, Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro Jr. as his administration’s secretary for the Department of National Defense. He previously served as the defense secretary during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Sa kaniyang pagbabalik sa DND, alamin natin mismo kay Secretary Gibo Teodoro kung anu-ano ang mga hakbang o programa na kaniyang inihahanda para sa seguridad ng bansa. Good morning, Secretary Teodoro.

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Good morning, Sec. Daphne. Good morning to our friends sa Malacañang Press Corps. At sa lahat po ng nanunood ngayong umaga, good morning po sa kanilang lahat.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: You may give a few statements.

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Well, unang-una, nagpapasalamat po ulit ako sa ating Pangulo para sa kaniyang tiwala sa akin, at sa lahat po ng nagbigay ng magagandang mensahe, ng encouragement at sa lahat. Sa aking pamilya, nagpapasalamat din ako sa kanilang patuloy na suporta sa akin. At itong trabaho na ito ay hamon na malaki na sana ay magtulungan po tayo nang masinsinan because national security is everybody’s business ‘no, not only a government’s business pero usapin ng lahat po ito.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Would you like to take questions from the press corps?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Sure.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, let’s start. Maricel Halili, TV5.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Hi, sir. Magandang umaga po.

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Magandang umaga, Maricel.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Sir, opo, simulan ko lang po doon sa usapin ng peace talks dahil naglabas po ng pahayag iyong National Democratic Front saying na open daw po ulit sila na makipag-usap sa pamahalaan kung bukas din ang gobyerno tungkol dito. Ano po iyong tugon natin doon? Are we open for another peace talks with NDFP?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: May personal position is ‘no’. Matagal ko nang posisyon iyan, noong araw pa. And I think that is the position of the security cluster as of this time ‘no, dahil unang-una, bukas-loob naman ang gobyerno na magbalik sa fold ng law ang lahat ng mga dating kasapi ng CPP-NPA-NDF; nandiyan na ang OPAPRU na handa na tulungan sila at i-rehabilitate.

Malaki ang naitulong ng NTF-ELCAC na i-dismantle ang mga natitirang mga tinatawag na fronts na natitira sa bansa. At sa tingin ko, ang peace talks ay, sa akin, subversion ng ating proseso demokratiko ‘no. Puwede naman nating pag-usapan iyong mga isyu na iyan sa tamang forum – iyan ay ang Kongreso – at sumanib sila sa legitimate political process, hindi naman bawal ang CPP eh. Republic ACT 1700 has been repealed long ago. Pero iyong indirect at direct support sa armadong pakikibaka, iyan ang problema.

So to me, there’s no such thing as—it’s an oxymoron ‘no, iyong legal front. Walang ligal na front; ang front ay iligal.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: So if that’s the case, sir, how do we intend to deal with the CPP-NPA-NDF?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: I mean, ideologically, to me it’s a farce. So what we intend to do is to convince those that are still continuing, whatever business they’re continuing which is against the law, to come back and join the fold of law and join hands for national development.

And as a political party, they can register as a legitimate political party just as long as there is evidence that there is a total disavowal of resort to subversive means in order to gain political power.

All of these theories, Marxism, etc., these are political theories and the end is to gain political power. Now, at the end of the day, people who run things and so, although, hidden behind theory – nakatago sa likod ng teorya – tao rin iyan eh. So ano ang motivation ng tao na iyan is to gain political power. And behind that, hindi tayo puwedeng mag-define kung ano talaga ang intensiyon. Ngayon, para patas lahat, halalan.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Legitimate party, hindi po all-out war?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Ah, oo. Oo, legitimate party, yeah.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Sir, sorry, po: Mayroon lang po kasing mga random posts sa social media na parang nakakakita raw ng mga fighter jets sa Manila. I don’t know if this is true or not, pero baka lang may detalye kayo?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Hindi, wala, wala. Wala akong nababalitaan na ganoon. Baka naman may ensayo lang for Independence Day ‘no. Baka lang. Wala akong natatanggap na report na ganiyang ‘no.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, Maricel. Nestor Corrales, Inquirer.

NESTOR CORRALES/PDI: Sir, you mentioned, it was your personal position. Is this also the position of the president? And what was his directive?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: I have to consult regarding that because the only consultation I had with the president, first and foremost, is to speed up the MUP of which I will receive total briefings in the coming days as to what progress has already been done. And I understand, significant progress has already been done towards getting a consensus. And I have to commend Secretary Galvez and the economic team for the stellar work that they have done.

I will put in, definitely, my two cents’ worth regarding my views on the sustainability of whatever scheme is given, giving due regard also to the invaluable contributions of those who served our country selflessly ‘no.

However, we must also look at the big picture that the financial sustainability of any government-funded enterprise must not result to the detriment of the financial position of government. So we’ll have to find a healthy balance.

And I believe that our men, women in uniform are not averse to the fact that they have to contribute to national government just as long as they see that at the end of their tours of duty, number one, they will be taken care of; number two, that the fund or whatever they have to participate in is transparently, professionally and competently managed and not mismanaged.

Also, the military is still a very attractive proposition for a young person to have a career because there are non-monetary benefits that you can get, like free medical care, continuous skills training, educational opportunities and the like. As a matter of fact, what we want to make sure also is that, they are re-employable because of their specific skill sets in the private sector after. Thus, one of, really my program as you may have heard yesterday, I start first with my old agency, the Department of National Defense, that we need to upgrade our skill sets in the organization. I learned yesterday, we only have a plantilla of about 320 or so and the fill up rate is quite low because of the unattractive salary rates. Can you imagine, we’re managing a stakeholder base of almost a million pesos and a hundred twenty-five billion or so assets under management, can’t do that with three hundred twenty people without capital outlay.

So I really would want to focus on organizational development on a sustainable basis to motivate our people, both in all agencies under my watch, and to develop specific educational and skill sets. Because as you know, you’re journalists, a lot of things are evolving and a lot of challenges are evolving, we have to create a security structure that does not only mean the armed forces but also the civilian managers – the resource managers, the program managers, the lawyers that will be able to address the unforeseen challenges that we may face in the future.

JOB MANAHAN/ABS-CBN NEWS ONLINE: Good morning, sir. Sir, you are an alumnus of the University of the Philippines po.

DND SEC. TEODORO: Yes.

JOB MANAHAN/ABS-CBN NEWS ONLINE: Sir, are you open to reviewing iyong DND and UP accord?

DND SEC. TEODORO: No, I am not anymore. That has been a policy already done by my predecessor and I don’t want to reverse the policy. But that does not mean to say that I am not mindful of the autonomy of the University of the Philippines. And I urged everybody to be respectful of that without the need for any MOA. Actually, when I was Secretary of Defense, I did not also agree to a lot of zones of peace entered into by my own local government actually in the Province of Tarlac because, I mean, these are used as safe havens. That being said, I admonished also and I encouraged all law enforcement officers to be really mindful of the balance between freedom of expression and protecting the peace. I mean, look what happened in the change of chancellorship, there was some ruckus there, the military didn’t get involved or the police didn’t get involved.

JOB MANAHAN/ABS-CBN: Pero, sir, ngayon parang last year, parang the Senate—sabi po dito sa isang press release: Senate is set to institutionalize the agreement between UP and DND. So, wala po kayong plano na suportahan iyon?

DND SEC. TEODORO: Wala. Ngayon kung isabatas iyan ng ating legislators at pinirmahan ng presidente, ‘di susunod tayo; pero hindi ko susuportahan. Kasi hindi lang naman UP, bakit bukod-tangi ang ating, iyong unibersidad? Nandiyan din naman ang ibang unibersidad na public institutions din. At ito naman ang, for fairness sake, hindi lang naman ang UP ang pinagrirekrutan ng mga insurgents, marami pang unibersidad, napo-focus lamang ang UP sapagkat it’s the most prominent university of the Philippines, actually.

CATHERINE VALENTE/MLA. TIMES: Yes, sir. Good morning. Sir, the president yesterday instructed po Filipino Ambassadors to look for non-traditional partners daw po, in terms of trade security and defense. Anu-ano pa pong mga bansa ang ating tinitingnan para mas mapalakas pa po ang ating defense capabilities?

DND SEC. TEODORO: Sa ngayon, aside from ang ating treaty ally now, Estados Unidos, natural nakikipag-usap tayo, alam naman natin iyan, sa Israel, sa Japan, sa Korea at Sweden recently, nakapirma si Secretary Galvez ng MOU sa Shangri-La dialogue with Sweden. At I think the marching order is to look for a proper fit whatever serves our needs and whatever will jive with our national security, territorial integrity and interoperability with our present complement.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: Secretary, in a previous interview this morning you said that we should de-escalate tension in the West Philippines Sea, not just with China but with all other claimant states. How do you see this happening, sir, and how exactly do we intend to do that?

DND SEC. TEODORO: Hindi de-escalation actually. I meant de-confliction. Oo, kasi ang de-escalation wala sa atin iyon, hindi naman tayo aggressor, bawal tayo maging aggressor under the Constitution. Iyong de-confliction as much as possible, iyan ay balanse ng pagtatayo sa lahat ng gustong umabuso sa ating territorial integrity coupled with de-confliction; kung puwedeng mag-usap, mag-usap. Pero mayroong hindi puwedeng i-cross ang Secretary of National Defense, hindi natin puwedeng i-bargain away ang ating teritoryo sa kahit anumang usapin.

At sa usapin na iyan nasabi ko rin, Ivan, mga kababayan na ang pagtatatag ng ating credible deterrence, ang pagtatatag ng ating kakayahan na ipagtanggol ang ating sarili ay sarili nating usapin. Kung sinuman ang i-partner natin natin, wala nang pakialam iyong ibang mga tao diyan dahil ito ay paulit-ulit na sinasabi ng ating Pangulo ay for purely defensive purposes at deterrent purposes. Walang malakas na bansa sa mundo na hindi malakas ang kaniyang Sandatahang Lakas at civil defense din ‘no, kakakayahan na ipagtanggol ang kaniyang sarili. Kaya kung tayo ay sasabihan na kaya tayo ay nagpapatatag ng national defense dahil polisiya ito ng ibang bansa, bigyan naman tayo ng karampatang respeto na kaya nating mag-isip para sa ating sarili.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL STAR: Secretary, Alexis Romero of the Philippine Star. May concerns dati regarding iyong sa pension reforms that there might be early retirement ng maraming mga enlisted personnel, because they are concerned about iyong reforms and they want to benefit from the old system, they want to ensure na iyong dating benefits na nakukuha nila, eh makukuha pa rin nila bago pa mag-implement ng reporma. Are you confident that you will be able to avert iyong ganoong concern na maraming magri-retire over the proposed pension reforms?

DND SEC. TEODORO: Sa tingin ko. I mean, it’s a matter of getting an amount now without the continuing non-monetary benefits that you will enjoy in your career path, in your career pattern. Kung mag-i-invest nga tayo sa skills upgrading, sa health care, hindi lamang ng ating kasundaluhan, kung hindi pamilya and other non-monetary opportunities, palagay ko maiiwan sila, maiiwan sila. At lalo na kung makikita nila na ang sakripisyo nating lahat ay magiging sa kabutihan ng lahat, kasi, okay, huwag nating resolbahin ang problema, alright, anong mangyayari? Magkakaroon tayo ng mas malaking deficit, magkakaroon ng inflation, bababa ang balor ng ating pera, tataas ang bilihin. So, tama rin lahat eh.

So I think, it’s a matter of explaining the necessity of introducing. Sa aking palagay, dahil galing din naman ako sa financial sector, hindi naman biglaang mangyayari ito mababawasan lamang ang dapat na pagdudugo, ‘ika nga, ng ating gobyerno hanggang sa sa ma-self sustain na itong sistema na ito. At alam din natin, katulad din ng pagtatanim ng halaman, aalagaan mo ito, palalakihin mo ito bago ka umani. So hindi naman bingi ang gobyerno sa ganoon na ito ay hindi biglaan na ipapataw, tapos biglaan na lang, babawasan ka ng ganito kung hindi mayroon ding transitioning ito dapat.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL STAR: Follow-up lang, Secretary. Kasi previous administrations have tried to pass or push for bills reforming the pension system. I remember panahon ni President Noynoy Aquino, mayroon iyan, panahon ni Presidente Duterte, even naging priority bills na iyan, ngayon priority bill uli siya ng Marcos administration. Ano po kaya iyong mayroon ngayon na sa tingin ninyo ay maiiba at maipu-push ito kasi marami na pong nagtangkang gawin ito, pero hindi naman po naipasa sa Kongreso?

DND SEC. TEODORO: Palagay ko ang naiiba ay ang unang marching order na nga ng Pangulo sa akin na dapat makipag-ugnayan na nga sa economic cluster na makapas ng bill sa lalong, sa agad na panahon upang matigil ang paghi-hemorrhage, hindi mapapara bigla-bigla, pero mababawasan. So we can use the funds for other things and we can also build a stable and sustainable retirement plan for our men and women in uniform.

May dalawang prinsipyo lang na gusto kung idagdag doon, kailangan ang pondo ay naturally, para palakihin mo ito, magri-risk ka – risk reward iyan eh. Kung hindi ka mag-risk hindi lalaki, walang growth. Ngunit kinakailangan i-observe nito ang prudential standards ‘ika nga sa banking. Ang financial sector alam ito, na kailangan may governance standards, prudential standards, tamang risk management, tamang audit, transparency at ang mga nagpapatakbo nito kailangan ay sasailalim sa fit and proper rule ‘ika nga ng BSP; kailangan may requisite, experience and responsibility ito. And it goes also ha, ito sasabihin ko na, hindi gagawin ito ng mga tao na libre. You have to pay for experience, you have to pay for integrity. At the end of the day, you get professional managers. You compensate and motivate them properly and you’ll get good result, but you make their pay with due watch, standard ‘no, in conformity—they’re paid commensurate to performance ‘no.

Ngayon ang gusto kong pag-aralan at maitanong, kung magtatatag tayo nitong ganitong pondo, puwede ba nating patakbuhin base on mga standard, na istrikto, ng Insurance Commission, ng BSP at other financial institutions. At ito ba ay sasalungat sa audit code ng COA? Kasi sa pag-experience ko, kung susunod tayo sa COA, makaluma iyong audit code maraming ipagbabawal at baka may mangyari. Kaya ito’y dapat i-deconflict ‘ika-nga.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, Mervin Vince Lopez, Manila Standard.

MERVIN VINCE LOPEZ/ MANILA STANDARD: Sir, ibalik ko lang doon sa South China Sea. May mga reports po na recently may mga foreign ships na namamataan sa may Pag-asa Islands. Are you willing, sir, to position more gray ships in our West Philippine Sea boundary sir, or [unclear]?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR.: I can’t give you an answer now, kasi whole-of-government approach nga iyan. I have to consult with the National Security Adviser, with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and we have to come out with a concerted plan of action with this. Hindi ko masasagot sa sarali kong opinyon ito kasi napakaimportanteng bagay ng national security.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, we have time for few more questions. Mela Lesmoras, PTV 4

MELA LESMORAS /PTV 4: Hi, Secretary Gibo. I’m Mela from PTV4. Sir, speaking of priorities lang na nababanggit ninyo po kanina, kailan po ba iyong target ninyo or schedule ng susunod na pulong kay Pangulong Marcos? At mula sa mga unang araw ninyo sa serbisyo, ano po iyong mga naobserbahan ninyo na gusto ninyo ring isulong kapag nagkita kayo ni President Marcos para maging prayoridad din ng DND?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Ang prayoridad ko talaga i-reform iyong DND proper nga. Tulad ng nasabi ko ‘no, na kailangang ito ay makabagong organisasyon, kasi sa bigat ng kaniyang responsibilidad; gumawa nga tayo ng Department of Migrant Workers at nireporma ang BSP, its high time na iyong Department of National Defense as the civilian agency which resource manages and provide services to its five agencies be reformed already. Kasi ito’y nalilibing sa ilalim ng mga modernization bills, amendment to the National Defense Act. Ito ang unang-unang importante na gawin kasi you cannot manage properly – hindi tayo makakaplano, hindi tayo makakagawa ng magagandang assessments kapag hindi tayo makakuha ng tamang tao.

So ang susunod na pagpulong kay pangulo, at pasalamat ako, he’s allowing me time to settle in, pero may deadline ako sa MUP niya, kaya mamadaliin ko na, with due regard naman ano, hindi naman ako magmamadali just for the sake of magmamadali; mabuti ang sigurado at dekalidad na trabaho.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, Nestor Corrales.

NESTOR CORRALES/ PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: Sir, Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Jay Tarriela raised this question over the weekend during a security dialogue in Singapore that China has been talking about peace and security in the South China Sea, its action show confrontation. As the new defense secretary, what is your message to Beijing with their actions knowing that in the past we have been filing diplomatic protest but apparently it has been, it had fell to deaf ears or China has not been responding to the call for peace and stability in the region?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: As a stronger country, it has the bigger obligation to be magnanimous and show trust, and to earn the trust of the Filipino people by conforming its activities to recognized norms of international law, which in our case is UNCLOS, you know. We are talking about the arbitral award it has already been stated by our two past presidents that our rights and territory are defined by UNCLOS and it has been stated too that this cannot be frittered away or bargained away by passages of administration or passage of time.

Now, what I’d like to point out is, and I wrote an article before, it’s published so I can’t take back what I said: It is not only important to take into consideration what the specifics of the arbitral tribunal said, but the process by which it was done. It was done by an independent arbitral tribunal of expert in International Law, where had China participated would have had a chance to demonstrate its legal position in a fair and impartial proceeding.

So in that same vain, we have to follow transparent procedures and that is the best way to build trust, that being said, relations between two countries are not mono-dimensional; there other relationship that we need to build up. China is a big market for this country and we realize that and, I think the United States realizes it too. We live in a more conflicted world were we hope that even in the Ukraine-Russia problem our supply chain are affected ‘no, being a net importer country ‘no. So, really hope that the benefit of everybody as world citizens will outweigh other interest.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, Celine Dorado, Net25.

CELINE RADO/NET 25: Sir, question lang po other issues. Dati po kayo naging chairman ng National Disaster Coordinating Council and ngayon po ay NDRRMC, ano naman po ang magiging papel ninyo as new DND secretary sa pagtugon po ng gobyerno sa El Niño phenomenon at sa inaasahang matindi pong epekto nito sa bansa?

DND. SEC TEODORO JR: I think, I will just continue the work done; there’s still a task force on the El Niño which is headed still by Secretary Galvez as far as I know. And I will just continue to support the work done and to support him if he continues on that task force.

And iyong NDRRMC, I want to study also, kasi malaki ang pagbabago ng NDCC noong araw sa NDRRMC. Tapos noong pandemic nagpalit din ng anyo kasi nagkaroon ng mga task forces para mas mabilis nga makakilos; so, iyong istruktura ng OCD at ng NDRRMC ay nagbago. So, kailangan kong pag-aralan batay na rin sa mga pronouncement dati ng OP na gusto yata ang OCD na maging agency under the OP, kasi nga—It’s also good that you asked the question, Celine, kasi separate ang civil defense sa military national defense.

Katulad noong World War II, for example sa Britain, kasing importante noong mga air force nila, noong mga sundalo nila ang mga nagpapatay-sunog noong bombing ng London. Ang mga air wardens at marshals na sana i-integrate din ito sa ating mga government processes.

Secondly, minsan may ibang mga bansa na averse sila na tumulong kapag ang civil defense ay nasa ilalim ng national defense ‘no, kasi may international law implication iyan kung combatant o non-combatant or what’s not ‘no. So ito yata ang direksyon ng ating Pangulo, at ako ay susuporta naman dito at kailangan lang, ang importante lang ay huwag maantala ang mga serbisyo.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. More questions? Because we don’t have ambush interviews later on so please ask already. Okay, Gabriel Lalu.

GABRIEL LALU: Hello, sir. Any policy regarding, kasi previously, there have been incidents of military personnel engage in red-tagging na minsan, wala naman talagang link iyong tao at naa-appropriate lang; even journalists, naa-appropriate as members daw ng armed movement. Any policy on red-tagging, sir?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Hindi. Iyong red-tagging is a nomenclature given naman by current events. Pero kung talagang miyembro naman ng armed group at mayroon namang ebidensiya, we call a spade a spade. And I’ll make sure naman, alam naman ng mga nakasama ko noong araw, because institution building is also building trust. Kapag sinobrahan naman ang isang bagay, mawawala ang trust rating. Ang taas nga ng trust rating ng ating Department of Defense at ng gobyerno, we’d like to maintain that kasi tiwala nga ng tao ang importante sa atin. So balanse iyan.

Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin na pababayaan naman natin ang iba na magtago sa likod ng kunwari legitimate exercise of freedom of expression, although all these must be evidence-based at the end of the day. Not only in the AFP but, I think, even Secretary Abalos in the DILG is hard at work for making police work as a matter of prevention and as a matter of example, also a matter of the judicial process working.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, we have Vanz Fernandez of Police Files.

VANZ FERNANDEZ/POLICE FILES: Good morning, sir. I know that you have some commitments in your plans. How about the AFP modernization in order to defend our country’s sovereign?

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Hindi, tuluy-tuloy po iyon. Hindi ko babaguhin iyon hangga’t may matinding pangangailangan at rekomendado rin ng ating armed forces ‘no. Nakakasa na ang mga horizons ng modernization nila; nakaplano ito, mahirap bago-baguhin. Iyan ang dapat maintindihan ng mga tao ‘no, ako ay magpa-facilitate kung anuman ang kailangan ng ating five agencies; at ako ay makikiusap sa ating mga partner legislators na sana mapondohan ito. Iyan ang trabaho ko. At ako ay aasa kung sa ano ang tunay na kinakailangan nila.

Ano ngayon ang trabaho ko? Ang trabaho po natin ay makuha sa lalong madaling panahon itong kinakailangan nila at siguraduhing ito ay pinakamabuting kalidad sa pinakamabuting halaga at nandoon ang resources hindi lamang san pagbibili nito kung hindi sa tamang paggamit nito sa buong buhay nito, iyong tinatawag na life cycle.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. We’re good. Before we go maybe some closing words from you, Secretary Teodoro. You had touched on many issues that were asked by the Malacañang Press Corps here. You were formerly also DND Secretary in another time and the world has changed so much as you mentioned. We have climate change directly affecting our country. Maybe we can have some final words from you in your first presscon here with Malacañang [Press Corps].

DND SEC. TEODORO JR: Thank you very much, Daphne, at sa lahat po ng mga kasama natin dito sa Malacañang Press Corps. It’s nice to see some familiar faces and it’s nice to meet new ones.

I think my essential job to, ang pinakaimportanteng trabaho ko ay i-articulate at i-communicate ang essentials ng national defense sa lengguwahe na klaro, na maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan kasi kailangan po ang isang bansa na mag-uugnayan sa ilalim ng isang mensahe.

So nagpapasalamat po ako sa inyong lahat sa pagkakataon na maipahayag ang aking mga isipin tungkol sa mga katanungan po ninyo. At nabigyan ninyo rin po ako ng pagkakataon na maipaliwanag ang trabaho ng isang secretary of National Defense. Kasi ang common conception po ng ating mga kababayan ay militar kaagad – hindi po. Presidente, chief-of-staff; ang secretary of National Defense ay adviser ng presidente, alter ego ng presidente at service provider po sa limang ahensiya, kaya diyan po tayo tututok.

Salamat po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Maraming salamat po, Secretary Teodoro. And thank you, Malacañang Press Corps. Good afternoon.

 

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News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section