“TOWARDS A STRONG, CAPABLE  AND RESPONSIVE DND-AFP”

         

Speech of

SECRETARY GILBERTO C. TEODORO, JR.

 

(57th Philippine Marine Corps Anniversary, Philippine Marine Barracks,

Taguig City,  071700H November 2007)

 

           

(APPROPRIATE GREETINGS)

 

  A PLEASANT AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE!

           

            ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT HER EXCELLENCY GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO AND THE REST OF OUR COUNTRYMEN, MAY I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE OCCASION OF YOUR 57TH ANNIVERSARY AND CONVEY MY SINCERE THANKS FOR AN APPRECIATIVE PEOPLE.     

            I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY YOU HAVE SHOWN ME TONIGHT. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THE PHILIPPINE MARINES AND TO EXTEND TO YOU ALL MY WARMEST GREETINGS. YOUR THEME, “PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS… MAKATAO… MATATAG… AT MAASAHAN …” SPEAKS OF THE TRACK RECORD OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN YOUR RANKS  WHO HAVE SERVED THE COUNTRY WITH STEADFASTNESS, RESOLUTE DEDICATION, COURAGE AND HONOR.  

I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE HIGHEST RESPECT FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINE MARINES WHOSE EXPLOITS IN COMBAT ARE NOW LEGENDARY.  AND IF THEY SUFFERED CASUALTIES, AS THEY HAVE  DONE IN BASILAN, IT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS IN FINDING THE ENEMY,  LOCATING  THEM,  AND NEUTRALIZING THEM WHILE KEEPING IN MIND THEIR  CORRESPONDING DUTY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF NON-COMBATANTS AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS. 

WE CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON THE PHILIPPINE MARINES WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS AND THE MISSION SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.  THE BATTLECRY  IS ‘SEND IN THE MARINES!’  AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WE GET SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. 

            I AM PROUD TO POINT OUT THE WAY YOU HAVE RISEN TO FACE CHALLENGES AND HOW YOU HAVE OVERCOME ADVERSITY, ESPECIALLY IN BASILAN WHERE YOU SUFFERED CONSIDERABLE LOSS OF LIVES & I STATE, ONCE AGAIN, THAT THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE MADE BY YOUR BROTHER SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN.  YOU HAVE PROVEN TO ALL AND SUNDRY THAT YOU ARE THE DEPENDABLE PHILIPPINE MARINES, EVEN ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.  DURING AN INCIDENT LAST NOVEMBER 3, 2007, WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT IN ONE OF THE BARANGAYS IN SIASI, SULU, PFC. NORILLY O. GARCIA PN AND PFC. EMERSON C. PENIYRA PN, RISKED THEIR LIVES WHEN THEY TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE IN ONE OF THE BURNING HOUSES.  UNFORTUNATELY,  I BELIEVE, GASOLINE INSIDE THE HOUSE SUDDENLY EXPLODED AND THEY SUFFERED SERIOUS BURNS.  AND ONCE GAIN, I REQUEST THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY TRAUMA TREATMENT AND/OR BEEN TREATMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT  THEY ARE EVACUATED AT ONE. 

            THE CONFLICTS THAT OUR MARINES, AS WELL AS OTHER UNITS OF OUR ARMED FORCES, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED TO CHANGE IN CHARACTER ADDING TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.  ON THE OTHER HAND, LEGAL AND PERCEPTION- ROOTED RESTRICTIONS ON OUR METHODS.  TOGETHER WITH THE FOREGOING REALITY, THE CONTINUOUS CONSTRAINTS ON OUR METHOD AND MOVEMENTS, IS THE REITERATION OF THE NEED TO UNDERSCORE RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.  I THEREFORE ENJOIN THE MARINE LEADERSHIP AND THE REST OF OUR SOLDIERS TO EVOLVE DOCTRINALLY AND TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING SECURITY THREATS IN ASSYMETRIC WARFARE BECAUSE OF THE TACTICS EMPLOYED BY THE ENEMY AS WELL AS THE LEGAL RESTRAINTS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. 

            PLEASE BEAR IN MIND, WE ARE FIGHTING A FACELESS ENEMY WHOSWE IDENTITIES ARE DIFFICULT TO UNCOVER.  WE ARE FIGHTING TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH HAVE NO REGARD FOR INNOCENT LIVES AND THEY HAVE NO REMORSE. 

            WE MUST THEREFORE FINE-TUNE OUR DOCTRINE AND TACTICS TO ENSURE THAT OUR SOLDIERS SHALL BE TRULY RESPONSIVE THAT O THE VARIOUS THREATS FACING OUR COUNTRY TODAY.  WE MAY ACQUIRE THE LATEST WEAPONRY.  HOWEVER, * IF OUR SOLDIRES CANNOT FIND, FIX AND WIN DECISIVELY USING CONFIDENCE AND CREDIBILITY INSPIRING METHODS AGAINST THE THREATS TO SOCIETY, THEN OUR EFFORTS AND SACRFICE WILL BE IN VAIN. 

            ENHANCEMENT OF MORALE IS ONE OF OUR THRUSTS.  I AM AWARE THAT A HIGH STATE OF MORALE OF THE TROOPS WOULD REDOUND INTO THE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE MISSION. 

            OUR PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HER EXCELLENCY, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, HAS INITIATED THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING THE MORALE OF OUR PRESONNEL PROVIDING THEM DECENT HOUSING; ENHANCING THE CAPABILITIES OF OUR MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH, AND ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 611 FOR THE ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL PAY FOR COMBAT DUTIES FOR GROUNDS TROOPS. AS FOR THE LATTER, THE PRESIDENT HAS RELEASED THE AMOUNT OF 73 MILLION PESOS FOR THIS. 

            IN THE SAME MANNER, WE IN THE DND-AFP ARE SERIOUSLY CONTINUING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE REFORM (PDR) PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES THE DEFENSE TRANSFORMATION FRAMEWORK THAT ADDRESSES SYSTEMATIC, STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCES IN THE DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT. 

            BASED ON THE PDR STRATEGIC ROAD MAP, THE END STATE OF THE REFORMS BEING UNDERTAKEN IS A STRONG, CAPABLE AND RESPONSIVE DND-AFP, A TRANSFORMED ORGANIZATION THAT IS PROFESSIONAL, COMPETENT, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND A RESPECTED MEMBER IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY COMMUNITY. 

            WITH THESE END-RESULTS IN MIND, I APPRECIATE MAJOR GENERAL BEN DOLORFINO’S EFFORTS IN ALIGNING THE PHILIPPINE MARINES THRUSTS AND PRIORITIES WITH THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE REFORM PROGRAM. 

            ALONG THIS LINE, I REITERATE THIS ONCE AGAIN, MY INTENT TO ADVOCATE THE WHOLE DND TEAM CONCEPT, DND-AFP AS ONE, MUTUALLY REINFORCING EACH OTHER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION. 

            THERE IS A NEED FOR CLOSER COORDINATION AND COOPERATION AMONG THE BUREAUS AND AGENCIES OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE THREE MAJOR SERVICES OF THE ARMED FORCES DOWN TO THE VARIOUS MILITARY UNITS, IN CONFRONTING THE VARIOUS NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNTRY TODAY.  WE MUST MARCH IN ONE DIRECTION AND SYNCHRONIZE ALL OUR EFFORTS FOR GREATER EFFECTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY IN OUR WORK AND IN OUR ADVOCACY FOR A MORE STABLE AND SECURE NATION. 

            IN THIS ASPECT, I HAVE HIGH REGARD FOR YOUR COHESIVENESS AND UNITY ANCHORED ON YOUR MOTTO,  “THE   FEW…   THE   PROUD… THE   MARINES.”   HOWEVER, WE SHOULD NOT BE AN ISLAND OF OUR OWN.  WE MUST EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF JOINTLESS WITH THE OTHER SERVICES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE OUR INTEROPERABILITY WITH THE OVERARCHING AIM OF ACHIEVING OUR ENTRUSTED MISSION.  LET US BE ONE TEAM, DND-AFP. 

I HAVE FULL TRUST IN THE PHILIPPINE MARINES, IN PARTICULAR AND OUR SOLDIERY IN GENERAL, IN THE PROFESSIONALISM WITH WHICH YOU DISCHARGE YOUR SWORN DUTY TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE, TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, AND TO OBEY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. 

IN CLOSING, LET ME ASURE THE LEADERSHIP AND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS THAT THE DND-AFP WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR ENDEAVORS WHICH WILL NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRENGTHENING OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES, BUT WILL REDOUND ALSO TO THEULTIMATE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.

MARAMING SALAMAT.

 

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