Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City
May 18, 2024

“Sa pagbaba ninyo sa kanila, alam kong daladala ninyo ang tanglaw ng Bagong Sinag na akma ninyong ipinangalan sa inyong hanay. The rays will not only blaze the path of your careers, but will illuminate the good, defeat the darkness and be the source of enlightenment,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored as he led the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Bagong Sinag’ Class of 2024 where he recognized the invaluable commitment of the new breed of military officers in keeping the sovereignty and peace of the whole Filipino nation.

The President, as CommanderinChief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), reminded the cadets to always keep in mind the lessons inculcated by the premiere military institution as they join the ranks of gallant Filipino soldiers in securing the country and upholding the safety of the Filipino people.

“This academy has not only trained you to be proficient in warfare, but to be champions of the welfare of the people. Because soldiering is no longer limited to defending territories, but improving the lives of the people who live there,” he said.

“This is what you have signed up for in your military career, for which you have given up the simplicity and safety of civilian life. Discipline and honor code are your nonnegotiables,” he added.

President Marcos Jr. encouraged the graduating class to always adhere to the demands of public trust amidst attempts of destabilization and threats to national security as they are now considered new inductees to the efforts in attaining the vision of a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’.

Likewise, he reiterated his strong stance in supporting the PMA as a reliable institution in nationbuilding, urging the AFP and the Department of National Defense (DND) to review and strengthen the Academy’s curriculum to harness future cadets with the skills necessary to counter conventional and asymmetric threats.

“Our future cadets will have to be ready… the PMA needs to step up and take on the task of ensuring that the next generation of leaders in the country are ready for the emerging and future challenges… In the digital battlefields, a clear vision for truth, integrity and patriotism are necessary tools to combat attempts of disinformation and infiltration,” the CommanderinChief said.

“Kaisa ang lakas ng Bagong Sinag, samasama tayong maglalakbay tungo sa inaasam na mas mapayapa at maunlad na ‘Bagong Pilipinas,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his speech.

The graduating class, which stands for ‘Bagong Henerasyong Gagampanan ang Tama: Serbisyo, Integridad at Nasyonalismo ang Aming Gabay,” is composed of 278 cadets. Cadet 1st Class Jeneth Elumba is this year’s class valedictorian and is the 7th female to graduate at the top of a graduating class in the history of the PMA.

***

Connect with RTVM

Website: http://rtvm.gov.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/presidentialcom and www.facebook.com/rtvmalacanang
YouTube: @RTVMalacanang
Tiktok: @RTVMalacanang