Teodoro to PMAers: Reject defeatism, pursue ambitious defense plans

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has urged future military leaders at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to pursue more ambitious defense plans and “defeat defeatism,” saying the Philippines cannot afford complacency when its sovereignty and territory are at stake.

Speaking at the PMA’s founding anniversary on Saturday, Teodoro said the country must accelerate efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities and respond to evolving security threats.

“We need to be ambitious in order to have the right motivation to deal with these challenges, and to defeat defeatism, and to show an example to the public that we are ready, willing, and able to stand firmly and proudly for the core values of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.

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“The Philippines cannot afford to be laid-back and non-ambitious and conservative, particularly when its territory and sovereignty are concerned,” he added.

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Teodoro said the country must make up for lost time in preparing for national security challenges, noting that defense plans should have been laid out years ago.

“When national security is concerned, ambitious plans needed to have been laid down on the ground years ago. But we cannot recoup the past, we can only make the present faster,” he said.

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He cited emerging technologies, new operational domains and the growing weaponization of information as challenges requiring the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PMA to continuously adapt and develop leaders capable of anticipating and managing future threats.

“We are in a race and a struggle to increase our capabilities and increase our footprint, and increase our ability to enforce our laws within a vast maritime domain that we have and we are fighting for,” Teodoro said.

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He described the PMA as a specialized institution tasked with providing world-class education while preparing cadets for deployment as junior officers in the AFP and, in the future, the Philippine Coast Guard.

Teodoro also emphasized the distinction between education, which builds knowledge, and training, which develops the practical skills needed for military service.

He reaffirmed the need for a professional, knowledgeable, and highly trained armed force capable of protecting the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity.

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During the anniversary celebration, Teodoro and PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael Logico recognized distinguished officers, personnel, and individual and institutional partners of the Academy.