FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. has warned that the Philippines cannot afford to be timid in building its defense capabilities, saying the country risks falling behind.
Speaking at the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) 128th Foundation Anniversary on Saturday, Mr. Teodoro challenged the academy to pursue bolder development plans and strengthen military education to produce combat-ready officers for the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) three service branches and, in three years, the Philippine Coast Guard. Graduates, he said, “must possess the knowledge, military ethics and tactical skills needed for immediate deployment.”
Mr. Teodoro warned that rapid technological advances, shifting security threats and the weaponization of information demand a more adaptable military leadership and stronger institutional capabilities. He stressed that national defense goes beyond combat, relying equally on intelligence, logistics, personnel welfare and other support functions. “Every graduate of this institution is a war fighter,” he said.
He called for faster modernization, better infrastructure, and expanded training facilities to strengthen the military’s ability to operate across the country’s vast maritime domain amid growing regional security challenges. The Philippines, he said, must build the capabilities needed to enforce its laws and protect its national interests.
Mr. Teodoro also pushed for a multidisciplinary, continuously updated PMA curriculum, emphasizing that education builds knowledge while training develops practical skills. He called for merit-based standards in advanced education and research, saying academic excellence must drive professional development once access to educational opportunities is ensured.
He urged the PMA to extend education and training beyond Fort del Pilar to address operational demands and infrastructure gaps affecting logistics, external defense, and disaster response.
Mr. Teodoro also challenged cadets and military leaders to understand the purpose of their missions and communicate it clearly through the chain of command, stressing the AFP’s duty to defend the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. — Artemio A. Dumlao