President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Sunday called on the 310 new graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Madasigon’ Class of 2023 to fuel their commitment to the country and urged them to uphold the rule of law.

Marcos, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), made the call in his speech during the PMA ‘Madasigon’ Class commencement exercises held in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio.

“To the graduates, your courage, your strength, and skills have made you fit and qualified for admission into the Armed Forces and for deployment into the actual theaters of operations. As you join the military’s ranks, continue to fuel your undying commitment to genuine love for country and for public service in all your tasks,” he said.

The chief executive then urged military officers to “diligently work for unity, respect democratic ideals, institutions and mechanisms and the rule of law in all their tasks.”

Marcos emphasized that graduates should remain humble and honor those who supported them as they join the military ranks.

The President also underscored his commitment to the AFP Modernization Program through important military asset acquisitions and upgrades, and that the government is also working on improving the social protection for the military and uniformed personnel.

He mentioned that he recently signed into law the amendment to Republic Act No. 11709 which aims to further strengthen the professionalization and merit system of the armed forces.

“As your commander-in-chief, I closely work with all of you, the future leaders of the armed forces in our collective public service and building a stronger and more resilient republic,” he told the graduates.

"As you encounter challenges along the way, apply the hard-won lessons that you have learned while in the halls of the academy, clinging to the values of courage, integrity, and patriotism. That way, you will never lose your way,” Marcos further said.

Written By Ailah Francisco, DZRH News Online Intern