Speech of

SECRETARY GILBERTO C. TEODORO, JR.

 

(Turn-Over Ceremony for the Commanding

General of the Philippine Army, HPA Grandstand

Fort Andres Bonifacio, Metro Manila

August 24, 2007, Friday )  

(APPROPRIATE GREETINGS)

   

          A PLEASANT DAY TO EVERYONE!

 

          I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF THE FIRST GENTLEMAN,  HONORABLE JOSE MIGUEL ARROYO;  THE AFP CHIEF OF STAFF, GENERAL HERMOGENES C. ESPERON, JR.;  THE OUTGOING COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, LT. GEN. ROMEO P. TOLENTINO; THE INCOMING COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, LT. GEN. ALEXANDER B. YANO;  THE DEFENSE ATTACHES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES,   DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

            WE ARE HERE THIS MORNING FOR THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD IN THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, AT A TIME WHEN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES IS  FACING A   SERIOUS CHALLENGE.

          TODAY,  WE ARE FIGHTING A DEADLY ENEMY, A TERRORIST GROUP WITH LINKS TO THE  AL-QAIDA WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING UNPRECEDENTED DESTRUCTION TO LIVES AND PROPERTY, NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT ALSO  THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

            IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT PRIDE AND DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE HEROIC DEEDS OF OUR SOLDIERS THAT I COMMEND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR ITS UNWAVERING RESOLVE TO STAMP OUT THE FORCES OF TERRORISM IN OUR COUNTRY, MORE ESPECIALLY IN SULU AND BASILAN.

            BUT THE WAR ON TERRORISM IS NOT A WALK IN THE PARK.  THE FORTE OF TERRORISTS IS TO INFLICT AS MUCH DAMAGE AS THEY CAN TO HELPLESS CIVILIANS AND INNOCENT PEOPLE.  AND THE ENEMY  DESPERATE AS THEY ARE, WILL SURELY FIGHT BACK WITH ALL THE RESOLVE AND ENMITY THEY CAN MUSTER IN THE FACE OF RELENTLESS AND SUSTAINED COMBAT OPERATIONS FROM OUR SOLDIERS WHO ARE HUNTING THEM DOWN DEEP IN THEIR SANCTUARIES.

            I AM CONFIDENT THAT DESPITE A NUMBER OF LIVES LOST BY  OUR HEROIC SOLDIERS,  THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION WILL NOT BE DETERRED IN ITS MISSION TO CRUSH THE TERRORISTS IN SULU AND BASILAN  AT ALL COSTS, AND THUS BRING PEACE AND PROGRESS IN THE AREA.  

          I KNOW THAT THE ARMED FORCES, ESPECIALLY THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, IS DETERMINED TO DEFEAT THE TERRORISTS AND YOU  REMAIN RESOLUTE IN YOUR MISSION TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PEOPLE FROM THE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM. 

            THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES FOR THE MILITARY  LEADERSHIP WHICH HAS TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS FROM AN ARRAY OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. OUR SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING AN ENEMY WHO IS FACELESS AND EMPLOYS ASYMMETRIC WARFARE. AN ENEMY WHO REFUSES TO FIGHT SQUARELY, BUT INSTEAD CHOOSES TREACHERY AND DECEIT.

            IN THIS REGARD, IT IS MY FOREMOST CONSIDERATION AS THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE TO SEE TO IT THAT THE AFP IS ABLE TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND SECURITY OF THE REPUBLIC.  HENCE MY ORDER OF THE DAY IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO LET UP OR CHANGE IN TEMPO IN PURSUING THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP AND OTHER LAWLESS ELEMENTS IN SULU AND BASILAN.  WE MUST BE UNCOMPROMISING TO THOSE WHO SEEK TO DISOBEY THE LAW, ESPECIALLY THE TERRORIST ELEMENTS.

            AT THE OUTSET, I WILL GIVE TOP PRIORITY FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE REFORM PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE CAPABILITY UPGRADE PROGRAM.  THUS, THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON FOR THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT TO INSTITUTE MEASURES OR TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS BETWEEN STRIKING THE BALANCE ON HOW TO EXPEDITE THE PROCUREMENT OF THE EQUIPMENT AND ARMAMENTS, BUT WITHOUT SACRIFICING TRANSPARENCY. 

            SIMILARLY, I AM COMMITTED TO CONTINUE PLANT THE SEEDS TO ENSURE THAT THE ARMED FORCES WILL EVOLVE INTO A TRULY CAPABLE FORCE.  THUS, THERE IS A NEED TO INTRODUCE NEW SYSTEMS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A SYSTEM OF DECISION-MAKING, WHICH WILL BE RATIONAL, STRATEGY-BASED, AND ABLE TO ADAPT TO EXIGENCIES OF THE TIMES.  

          IT IS IN THIS ASPECT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY VISION TO  ENHANCE THE DEFENSE’ MULTI-FACETED CAPABILITIES AS THE IMPETUS TO SHIFT RAPIDLY TO ADDRESSING SECURITY CHALLENGES AS WELL AS PROVIDING IMMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN  CARE DURING CALAMITIES AND DISASTERS.  

          ASIDE FROM ITS MAIN MISSION OF SECURING THE COUNTRY AND PROTECTING THE NATION, THE ARMED FORCES HAS A BIG ROLE TO PLAY IN ASSISTING THE NATIONAL DISASTER COORDINATING COUNCIL, OR NDCC, DURING DISASTERS AND CALAMITIES.  THE AFP, IN COORDINATION WITH NDCC, IS A FRONTLINER  IN PROVIDING IMMEDIATE DISASTER, RELIEF AND RESCUE OPERATIONS DURING EMERGENCIES AND CRUCIAL SITUATIONS.

            I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT DURING THE CHALLENGING TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING CRISES, GREAT LEADERS  ARE BORN, AND LEAVE THEIR INDELIBLE MARK IN THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT MOST OF THE PRESENT CROP OF MILITARY LEADERS HAVE SERVED IN MINDANAO AND ARE COMBAT VETERANS IN THE WAR AGAINST THE SECESSIONISTS AND TERRORISTS.

            IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT LT. GEN. TOLENTINO JOINED THE ARMY IN 1974 AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS GRADUATION FROM THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY AND HAD HIS BAPTISM OF FIRE AS A PLATOON LEADER IN COMBAT OPERATIONS AGAINST SECESSIONIST REBELS. HE ROSE FROM THE RANKS, SO TO SPEAK, AS COMPANY COMMANDER, BATTALION COMMANDER,  BRIGADE COMMANDER, DIVISION COMMANDER, AREA COMMANDER, AND REACHED THE APEX OF HIS MILITARY CAREER AS THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY.  HE IS KNOWN FOR FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL, FOR UPHOLDING THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND THE RULE OF LAW AND CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.  SIMILARLY,  HE IS AN ADMIRABLE LEADER  AND COMMANDER WHO INSTITUTED REFORMS IN THE ARMY THAT REDOUND TO THE WELFARE OF THE SOLDIERS AND ENHANCED THE CAPABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATION.

            HIS SUCCESSOR, LT. GEN. YANO,  IS A  GRADUATE OF THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY. HE IS ALSO A BEMEDALLED COMBAT OFFICER,  WHO STEERED TO EXCELLENCE ALL THE UNITS THAT HE HAS COMMANDED.  A SOLDIER’S SOLDIER,  LT. GEN. YANO EMBODIES THE SENTIMENTS OF THE TROOPS IN THE FOXHOLES.  HE DESERVES THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE ENTRUSTED TO HIM BY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HER EXCELLENCY GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, IN APPOINTING HIM AS THE 49TH COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY.          

          TO LT. GEN. TOLENTINO,  I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY, ON BEHALF OF THE DEFENSE AND MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT, OUR DEEP APPRECIATION FOR GUIDING THE PHILIPPINE ARMY TOWARDS GREATER HEIGHTS IN TRANSFORMING THE FORCES TO BE PASSIONATE IN THEIR WORK, DISCIPLINED, AND MOST OF ALL, A MISSION-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION.  

          TO LT. GEN. YANO,  THE REIN OF THE ARMY LIES IN YOUR HANDS AND I CHALLENGE YOU TO EQUAL, IF NOT  SURPASS, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LT. GEN. TOLENTINO, WHICH IS INDEED A DIFFICULT FEAT.  BUT I AM HIGHLY OPTIMISTIC OF YOUR   OWN VISION OF WHAT THE PHILIPPINE ARMY SHOULD BE, A BRANCH OF SERVICE OF THE ARMED FORCES,  A CONTINUING SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.      

          FINALLY,  I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE WISDOM OF THE US GENERAL OF THE ARMY, OMAR N. BRADLEY, AND I QUOTE:

            “BATTLES ARE WON BY THE INFANTRY, THE ARMOR, THE ARTILLERY, AND AIR TEAMS, BY SOLDIERS LIVING IN THE RAIN AND HUDDLING IN THE MUD.  BUT WARS ARE WON BY THE GREAT STRENGTH OF A NATION – THE SOLDIER AND THE CIVILIAN WORKING TOGETHER.”  UNQUOTE.  

          AT THE HELM OF THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, IT IS MY INTENT THAT WE SHOULD ADVOCATE THE WHOLE DND TEAM CONCEPT, DND-AFP AS ONE, MUTUALLY REINFORCING EACH OTHER  TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION WITH GREATER SYNERGY AND EFFICIENCY.  

           IN CLOSING,  LET ME ASSURE THE PHILIPPINE ARMY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT  ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS WHICH WILL REDOUND TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.  

 

          MARAMING SALAMAT.

   

 

[Prepared by the Office for Public and Legislative Affairs, DND,  22 Aug 07]

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