Message of

SECRETARY GILBERTO C TEODORO, JR

 

 

[Awarding of Prizes to the Winners of Lente 2

Memoirs of Heroes: A Collection of Heroic Moments

Captured in Timeless Frames, AFP Commissioned Officer Country,

Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City,

August 15, 2007, Wednesday, 10 AM]

 

   

IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR AND DISTINCT PRIVILEGE THAT I AM HERE THIS MORNING FOR THE AWARDING OF THE WINNERS TO LENTE 2, MEMOIRS OF HEROES: A COLLECTION OF HEROIC MOMENTS CAPTURED IN TIMELESS FRAMES.  I AM DEEPLY TOUCHED BY THE VARIOUS PHOTOS DISPLAYED AROUND AND I CANNOT HELP- BUT EXPRESS AT ONCE MY APPRECIATION TO THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS PROJECT, SPECIFICALLY MR FRANCISCO “KIKO” CALADO AND MR VERLIN RUIZ.  CONGRATULATIONS, KIKO AND VERLIN!  THIS PROJECT IS REALLY ONE OF A KIND AND I COULD NOT SIMPLY FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY FEELING OVER SUCH MARVELOUS PROJECT YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN.  I COULD JUST IMAGINE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU HAVE SPENT TO PUT ALL THESE PHOTOS TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF.  I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK AT ALL.  

IT MUST BE FOR A NOBLE CAUSE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE DID NOT HESITATE AT ALL TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THIS LENTE 2 PROJECT.  AS THE NEWLY INSTALLED SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, I TAKE PRIDE TO AWARD THE TOP PRIZE OF P50,000.00 FOR THE PHOTO OF THE YEAR, AS WELL AS THE TROPHIES FOR THE HUMAN INTEREST CATEGORY, MILITARY CATEGORY.  IF EVER, I ASSURE EACH AND EVERY ONE IN THE DEFENSE PRESS CROPS, THAT SHOULD A SIMILAR PROJECT IS LAUNCHED IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO SUPPORT IT AGAIN IN MY CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE.  

INDEED, I AM QUITE IMPRESSED WITH THE HIGH QUALITY ENTRIES IN THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES.  AND MOST OF ALL, I AM OVERWHLEMED BY THE HEROISM OF OUR SOLDIERS AS CAPTURED IN TIMELESS FRAMES BY OUR PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO JOINED THIS CONTEST.  

IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT PRIDE AND DEEP APPRECIATION THAT I CONGRATULATE THE DPC FOR PROJECTING THE HEROIC DEEDS OF OUR SOLDIERS

          BUT BEYOND THE GIVING OF AWARDS TO THE CREATIVITY AND INTERPRETATIVE TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOGRAPHY OF OUR CONTESTANTS IS THE COROLLARY OBJECTIVE OF LENTE, WHICH IS, TO MAKE THE PROJECT A GOOD VEHICLE FOR PRESENTING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE UNSUNG HEROES IN THE AFP.  THERE IS A STRONG-FELT NEED TO DISSEMINATE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT OUR SOLDIERS ARE DOING FOR OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE IN THE LIGHT OF THE CONTINUING EFFORTS BY SOME SECTORS IN OUR SOCIETY TO DISCREDIT THE AFP.  

I UNDERSTAND THAT LENTE WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED BY A SERIES OF PHOTO EXHIBITS FEATURING ALL THE ENTRIES, AT THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY IN BAGUIO CITY, VARIOUS MILITARY CAMPS IN THE COUNTRY, SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE.  

ONCE AGAIN, IN BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES, I THEREFORE CONVEY MY DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE DEFENSE PRESS CORPS, ESPECIALLY TO MR VERLIN RUIZ, DPC PRESIDENT, AND MR FRANCISCO “KIKO” CALADO, PROJECT DIRECTOR, LENTE 2, FOR UNDERTAKING THIS NOTEWORTHY ENDEAVOR.  

AS I HAVE STATED EARLIER, I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPORT ANOTHER LENTE PROJECT, OR ANY OTHER UNDERTAKING OF THE DPC FOR THAT MATTER, THAT WILL REDOUND TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.  

YOUR DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND TO THIS COUNTRY, PROTECT THE NATION AND BUILD THE COMMUNITY!

 

MARAMING SALAMAT!

 

 

[Prepared by the Office for Public and Legislative Affairs, DND, 14 August ‘07]

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