President Benigno Aquino III on Friday challenged newly installed military chief Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. to bring the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) closer to the people.
In a speech during the AFP change of command ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Aquino, the military's commander-in-chief, recalled how he first met Catapang as a junior military officer during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Catapang was a former member of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), a group instrumental in the popular mass uprising which toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and catapulted Aquino's late mother, Corazon, to the presidency.
"Nandoon ka, nakibahagi, at tiwala akong hindi pa nawawala ang maalab na ideyalismong nakita ko sa iyo noon. Ngayong ikaw na ang nasa pinakamataas na posisyon sa AFP, mapaigting mo pa sana ang ugnayang napasimulan na sa pagitan ng ating mga unipormadong hanay at ng ating mga mamamayan," Aquino told the new military chief.
The President urged Catapang to continue reforming the AFP through honest leadership.
"Ngayon ngang nagbago na ang mukha ng Sandatahang Lakas, nawa’y sagarin mo ang bawat pagkakataon sa iyong liderato upang lalo pang tumibay at lumakas ang ating institusyon, sa ngalan ng makabuluhang paglilingkod sa ating kapwa at bandila," Aquino said.
Aquino also enumerated his administration's efforts to improve the military, such as the P40-billion AFP modernization program, the provision of housing and financial assistance to soldiers, and reforms in the military pension scheme.
Strengthen the AFP
The President likewise committed to further strengthening the military, in the face of regional tensions and the threat of climate change.
"Patibayin pa natin ang puwersa ng Sandatahang Lakas, at ang ating pagkakaisa sa tuwid na landas. Itutok lang natin ang serbisyo sa mas nakakarami, at pihadong makikinabang sa benepisyo nito maging ang susunod na henerasyon ng Pilipino," he said.
"Gaano man kahirap ang mga pagsubok na ating pinagdaanan sa nakalipas na apat na taon, ipinamalas ng ating mga pinuno, ng mga kawal ng bayan, na nasa parehong panig sila ng sambayanan," he added
On Thursday, Aquino said the Philippines is not shifting to a more militaristic position in its territorial dispute with China over portions of the South China Sea, which Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines has already brought its territorial dispute with China before the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. Beijing, however, has rejected the arbitration proceedings, repeatedly insisting on bilateral talks to settle to issue.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.