Thank you to Vice President Sara Duterte for your kind introduction.
But before we proceed, the Troop Commander will give the order of tikas pahinga.
Thank you.
[Please take your seats]
The Interior and Local Government secretary, Secretary Benjamin Abalos; and other Cabinet members who are here with us present; Philippine National Police Chief, Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil; Silang Municipal Mayor Alston Kevin Anarna; Philippine National Police Academy Director, Police Major General Samuel Nacion; Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Chief Jail Director Ruel S. Rivera; Bureau of Fire Protection Chief, Fire Director Louie P. Puracan; the officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian employees of the Philippine National Police Academy; and the most important present here today, the Cadet Corps of the National Police Academy led by Layag-Diwa Class of 2024; my fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
Congratulations first of all to the members of the PNPA “Layag-Diwa” Class of 2024.
We proudly see you today as you parade as students for the last time.
Tomorrow, it is the people’s turn to welcome you on your first duty and patrol.
Make them proud as you have made your parents, your loved ones, and friends proud of you today.
Impress them as you have impressed your mentors when you hurdled every challenge and passed every test that prepared you for the hard work ahead.
Earn their respect the way you have earned the respect of your classmates during your four crucible years in this academy.
You could not have chosen a more fitting name than “Layag-Diwa” in capturing your class’ ethos and energy.
It means the Spirit to Sail, or to Venture, which I take as your manifesto to bravely go where you are needed, carry out your mission that your duty requires, and bear any sacrifice your country demands of you.
For each one of you, let “Layag-Diwa” be your chart, your compass, in reaching your destiny. Let what you have learned in this school take you as fast and as far as your talent will.
Let me remind you that your career should not be measured by the speed you have moved up the ranks alone, but by the quality of the service that you have given to our people.
The service you are about to consecrate your life to is not a race to collect insignia nor accumulate prized assignments.
It is to do as much good as often to as many without expecting any reward in return, because service itself is our reward.
Believe me, in the galaxy of brave men and women in the PNP, the BFP, the BJMP, there is no shortage of exemplars.
To Cadets, you are joining the nation’s police, fire, and jail services at a crucial time in this nation’s history.
We have made great strides in the crusade against crime and advanced the cause of peace and order. Tread a better path and remember to build on what your predecessors have started.
To the members of the “Layag-Diwa” Class: let your school’s core values of Justice, Integrity, Service, and nothing else, be the wind that propels you on.
Most of you were born when the internet was no longer in its infancy, and you were shaped to be tech savvy, digital natives.
I challenge you to leverage that technology that you are familiar with as aids in protecting and serving our people, especially in battling cybercrime.
I ask you to embrace smart policing, fire prevention, and penology. There is still no substitute for pounding the streets. When it comes to assuring the people, analog will always beat digital.
But there is now a need to patrol the information highway for robbers lurk there too.
The fight against crime is now a potent mix of gadgets and war rooms, and old-fashioned grunt work, by gritty police officers.
To those who will join the BFP and the BJMP, I expect you to maximize IT to improve your service deliveries, while minimizing cost.
We should not be content with current fire response time, but instead strive to make it faster.
We should not crow about jail improvements, but we should push the envelope further, lessening congestion. And most of those in uniform have kept the values and principles that define who public servants truly are.
They put the nation above themselves. “Taumbayan bago ang sarili”.
Yan din ang mithiin ng Bagong Pilipinas. Isang lipunang patas. Isang bayang bawat mamamayan ay ligtas.
Sa mga kasapi ng “Layag-Diwa”, isang makabuluhang paglalakbay.
Dalhin nyo hindi lamang ang inyong mga sarili, ngunit kasama na rin ang bayan sa isang masaganang bukas na ating lahat ay hinahangad.
Mabuhay ang PNPA! Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas!
Maraming salamat sa inyo at magandang tanghali po sa inyong lahat!
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