PGMA's Speech During the Gathering of Retired Generals and Colonels

PGMA's Speech During the Gathering of Retired Generals and Colonels

Heroes Hall, Malacanang (18 Sept 2003)

Thank you very much, retired Navy Captain Roilo Golez, my National Security Adviser.

Secretary Romulo; retired General Ed Ermita, my Presidential Adviser on the peace process; General Gidaya and the other officers and members of AGFO who are here today. And I'm very happy to be with all of you again.

I remember when I was a guest speaker in AGFO, I had said that -- I was a senator then -- I had said that my father having been commander-in-chief of the armed forces maybe could be a member of AGFO. And you were looking for a way to change the bylaws so that ex-commanders-in-chief could be a member, but then my father passed away. So, it became moot and academic. But I thank you for your gesture.

General Abuan and the other officers and members of the Association of Brigadier Generals, chief superintendents, commodore pensioners of the Philippines, thank you also for your expression of support.

General Ocol and the other officers and members of forces, and i do remember forces playing a very important role in EDSA 2, thank you for your continuing support.

Colonel Buenaventura and other officers and members of the last watering hole, let me thank you for being here. In a way it's my return invitation to you, because when I was a senator, you also invited me to be your guest speaker in the last watering hole.

General Victor Mayo, retired General Victor Mayo, thank you for helping to organize this meeting. Indeed, this meeting is providential. It was a meeting decided on, as Roy Golez said, quite sometime ago. But the Lord timed it for today so that after the rumors and headlines that may somehow imply a rift between the retired generals and the Philippine government.

The Lord timed it for today so that the country could hear your strong expressions of support. Thank you very much for this providential meeting. Indeed, I thank you, and I salute you for your unwavering stand for constitutional authority and the chain of command.

You, because you have been there -- been there, done that -- you know the meaning of service and sacrifice. And even now in your retirement, you continue to be a moral force behind our soldiery. In line with the dictum of AGFO, the Association of Generals and Flag Officers, which I put to work for and defend the preservation of the republic so that justice, liberty and democracy will always prevail.

That's why despite the intrigues in the media, I never believed that any retired general worth his salt would ever support an extra-constitutional bid for power.

And as I said earlier, I've met many of you many times before I became president. I've met many of you individually. I've met many of you as my being guest speaker in some of your organization events. And I have been with you individually, organizationally for many, many years now because I have always respected the leadership of the retired generals.

Informally, you continue to be a part of the chain of command. You are valued for your experience and counsel. You show the way of service and sacrifice to the younger officers. You show a long line of loyalty to the flag and the Constitution. And I recognize that we must continually bridge the generations in the officer corps. That's why I continue to count on you. The armed forces must learn to live in the longevity of ideals, not quick fix solutions founded on fleeting adventurism. You, the retired generals provide the example of daring in war and constructive unification in peace. You are indispensable allies in the reform, transformation and modernization of the armed forces.

Even before Oakwood, my administration had already been moving with undeniable will to increase the premium for military service.

And today, we are moving more logistics, funds and financial autonomy to the field at the same time enforcing policy control, sound management of resources and untrammeled command efficiency. For our retirees, the protection and continued viability of the AFP-RSBS is among the important concerns that we are addressing with renewed vigor.

I would like you to help me address the most vital concerns of the armed forces. Your experience is indispensable in the service of our flag and people.

In the Philippine National Police, I have organized or I'm organizing a PNP reform commission based on the core which was made up of the Ordoñez Commission that investigated and gave appropriate recommendations regarding the Al-Ghozi incident. They have now -- because they have already sent me their recommendations which we are carrying out -- they are now transforming themselves into a larger PNP reform commission. And of course, I must enlarge that with members who come from the PNP community, because the three members -- Ordoñez, Varela and Datumanong - while men of probity and good reputation are not from the PNP. I needed somebody from the PNP to help in the insights on the reform commission.

We have already included one incumbent Senior PNP General, General Cataluña who is head of plans. And the PNP hierarchy will nominate a young officer coming from the PNP academy. But I also need a former PNP officer to join in this reform commission, and I hope that from your organizations will come a nominee for this reform commission. That's one way by which the retired generals can help to promote reform in the Philippine government.

With regard to THE AFP. We are also looking at systems, reforms, immediate- term, short-term, medium-term, long-term. And one of your members, Chuck Agustin, in his capacity as the president of the National Defense College of the Philippines is mandated to conduct some of the studies that will lead to those reforms.

Because of your strong support for my government, destabilization plots are now consigned to the rumor mill. And as mentioned by General Gidaya, fueled by partisan quarters that either wish to usurp constitutional power, or to escape the rule of law and justice. Indeed, i thank you for pointing out that it is now time to realign our sights upon the crucial tasks of pushing our country forward, creating more jobs, getting investments on track, fighting crime and terrorism, and consolidating all our efforts along the vision of one nation and one people. The domestic and global landscape is rife with opportunities inspite of the difficulties that the whole world is facing today. Next week, I will leave to address the United Nations, following a trail of strategic gains in our fight against terrorism, and yet, yes, in our long-term fight against poverty even if at the moment the challenges are still daunting.

The seventh Asean Summit comes in October, followed by the OIC Summit in Kuala Lumpur, then the visit of President Bush that will bridge on to the APEC Summit in Thailand.

We have forged a genuinely mutual relationship with the United States that transcends the colonial ties of the past. The United States has been a faithful ally in the modernization of our armed forces.

And so, with all of these things that we can look forward to, I ask you once again, or rather I accept your offer to help us in bringing forth a bandwagon of renewed optimism and enterprise. It's time to shake off lethargy and division and look to a new day.

Kaya sana maging mas madalas ang ating ugnayan. You are the bridge with an experience and youth. And I hope to count on your wisdom and add to it the energy of the youth. So that the combination of wisdom and boundless energy can move forward and indeed help our country to build that strong republic that while it is not yet there is something that we all aspire for.

Maraming salamat sa inyong suporta.

[HOME]