Allow me to greet some of the officials that are here. [Please take your seats.]

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin; the national Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro; the other members of the Cabinet present; the AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. and the major service commanders; the newly promoted officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen and of course I should add, the families of our newly promoted officers.

Good afternoon.

Allow me to extend first of all my warmest congratulations to all the newly promoted senior [officials] of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including our AFP Chief of Staff, General Romeo
Brawner.

I wish all of you the best as you embark on this new chapter in your respective careers.

As you now prepare yourselves for the myriad challenges that lie ahead, let us all take pause and be reminded that coupled with these promotions are greater responsibilities and duties. These will strain and test the mettle of your character, integrity, loyalty, and professionalism

in the fulfillment of your sacred duty of protecting and defending our people and our nation.

I, along with the nation, expect all of you to perform your duty with strength of character and utmost integrity, loyalty, and professionalism—qualities fundamental and core to the service as officers in our nation’s armed service.

I place emphasis on this at the outset, in light of the continuing changes and emerging developments in our nation’s evolving security landscape. Your new positions and ranks shall place you at the forefront, both familiar and new and novel defense and security challenges that we now face.

You must not only anticipate but you must also be ready to adapt and respond to emerging national security and defense realities that exist in our country and in our region.

While it is noteworthy that we see positive and encouraging developments in terms of our internal security situation, there remains much to be done. We must maintain our vigilance and guard against those actors—whatever nature or form they may take—-who would threaten and jeopardize the peace we have striven and fought for all these many years.

So, I enjoin you to help ensure that the communities once beset by conflict are benefiting—and continue to benefit—from the gains of peace and our numerous development interventions.

For the progress of our nation and the welfare of our people are underpinned by the peace and the stability, the security of our communities.

As the new leaders of our AFP, you are expected to help ensure that the Armed Forces will be more agile, flexible, and responsive to better address emerging issues confronting our nation. We must be ready. Our Armed Forces must be capable, of securing and defending the archipelago from emerging threats.

I urge you to further enhance joint planning and operations to ensure interoperability across all AFP units and platforms.

Sustain and foster greater collaboration with other government agencies and civil society groups, harnessing their respective knowledge, specializations, and technical expertise in coming up with innovative, effective, efficient solutions to the challenges that stand in the way of achieving peace and unity.

As I acknowledge your well-deserved promotions and patriotic service, I also express my gratitude, on behalf of our people and the nation, to your families and loved ones who have shared [in] the burden of your service. I am grateful for their selflessness and sacrifice to support you in your career and the performance of your duty for the Philippines.

Be assured of this administration’s unshakable commitment to their protection and their welfare, just as we in turn commit to ensure that all of you are provided with the necessary tools to perform your tasks and duties in the fulfillment of your service to our nation and our people.

Join me now and our nation as we, together, march forward in unison towards that future that is filled with hope and pride and unbound opportunities for all Filipinos.

Once again, congratulations to the newly promoted generals and flag officers of our Armed Forces.

Mabuhay ang Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas!

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas!

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat at magandang hapon po sa inyo. [applause]

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