Extemporaneous Message of

SECRETARY GILBERTO C TEODORO, JR

[Send Off Ceremony, September 5, 2007, Philippine Navy Headquarters, Roxas Blvd., Manila]

  

May I first request the respective group commanders to order the troops to tikas pahinga. 

To our beloved Chief of Staff, Gen Hermogenes C Esperon, Jr.  Thank you very much, Sir, for the kind introduction.  To our host this morning, Vice Admiral Rogelio I Calunsag, as well as the officers and men of the Philippine Navy here today.  To the Commanding General of the Philippine Army, LtGen Alexander Yano and the Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force, LtGen Horacio S Tolentino. 

 To the Wing Commanders as well as their equivalents, BGen Regala, BGen Gamad, BGen Flores and all the officers, men and women present this morning.  I would like to acknowledge also the presence of Undersecretary, former Admiral Ariston delos Reyes and Assistant Secretary Lamberto Sillona, former Air Force Brigadier General.

 Members of the media, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant morning to each and every one of you.

  We are here today in compliance with the order of Her Excellency, the President, to deploy engineering brigades, bring engineering battalions to Basilan and Sulu.  In accordance with her strategy of combining vigorous operations against lawless elements, while fast tracking, concomitant with that operation, the development of the areas affected.

 She ordered the deployment just a few days ago and I am happy that under the leadership of the Chief of Staff, this concrete example of rapid deployment and joint operations is going underway.  And I give you a big hand for that.  Congratulations.

 It is not easy to round up units. It is not easy to prepare for a deployment in an area, which is some distance away from the headquarters. And I hope this deployment will serve as an example for future operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in terms of speed and in terms of the quality of coordination between and amongst the units of the armed forces. Keep it up.

 We are going to Basilan for two missions, as ordered by the President, and I shall expound: The first is to help and assist the Department of Public Works and Highways build circumferential road. And given the situation, security wise in the island affected, you are there to build the road and to fight to build the road, if necessary. And that is your role. That is why combat engineers were tasked to undertake this noble and groundbreaking mission.

 Whereas you must use all your skills in judgment and diplomacy (inaudible) and ingenuity in performing your mission, I reiterate once again that it is likewise the policy of the Department of National Defense and the Chief of Staff not to sacrifice the personal security of any one of you. And so, you will have to combine restraint and gallantry, heroism and patience, vigor and judgment on the other hand.

 But I am proud to tell each and every one of you that I have been visited by no less than envoys of foreign governments and they are one in claiming, and I proclaim, that they are proud of the professionalism of the Filipino soldiers with their behavior in the South and throughout the Philippines. Likewise, the whole Filipino nation is proud of you, men and women of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. To the combat engineers casting off today, I bid you God speed.  We have here units of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force. I trust, ladies and gentlemen of the Philippine Navy that you take care of your Air Force counterpart very well. And I understand that the Flag Officer in Command has prepared a Dramamine for you, and I trust that the ship captains will make the voyage very smooth for you as the Philippine Air Force officers also make air strips of our navy personnel very smooth and calm.

 So link up, join up and perform the mission. Once again, I reiterate, the President and I, as well as the whole Filipino nation, are proud of you. We are here to work together to mutually reinforce each other. Let us perform the mission together. 

Thank you and good morning.

 

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