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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tells the Philippine Military Academy Siklab-Laya Class of 2025 that amid ‘battles that are invisible to radar,’ the country needs ‘mental sharpness and compassion’ from its new military officers
BAGUIO, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday, May 17, challenged the graduating cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Siklab-Laya Class of 2025 to embrace the complexities of modern warfare with not only strength and strategy but also compassion and love of country.
“You cadets are now full-fledged officers,” the President said during Saturday’s commencement ceremony at Fort Del Pilar. “And as your Commander-in-Chief, I am impressed by your perseverance, strength of will, and dedication to reach this point.”
The President highlighted that warfare today is no longer confined to land, sea, and air, but extends to cyberspace, environmental defense, and community response.
“So, physical strength and agility are no longer enough,” he said. “What we need just as much are your mental sharpness and your compassion.”
Marcos commended the PMA for incorporating courses on artificial intelligence, drone operations, and ethical leadership into its curriculum, calling them “once unseen” but essential for future-ready officers.
“An officer who knows how to love his or her country despite its flaws — in the most sincere way — is what we need,” the President said. “Men and women who put others above themselves, who overcome odds because they believe in the bright future ahead.”
The President singled out class valedictorian Cadet First Class Jessie Ticar Jr., who graduated summa cum laude and recorded the highest grade point average in PMA history.
Coming from a humble background, Ticar was raised by a mother, who sold ballpens, and a father, a former taxi driver, who suffered a stroke before his son entered the academy.
“In spite of hardship, despite poverty, and in the face of longing for his family, he managed to obtain the highest honors,” the President said in Filipino. “Now, Cadet Ticar begins a new chapter of life.”
Of the 266 graduates, 54 are women — a milestone the President lauded: “Ang mga kababaihang kadete ng PMA ang patunay na ang tapang, talino, at galing ay hindi nakaayon sa kasarian (The female cadets of the PMA are proof that courage, intelligence, and skill know no gender).“
‘Future-ready defenders’
PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia also addressed the ceremony, reporting the academy’s curricular shift toward a more tech-savvy and globally aligned education.
“We will introduce new subjects such as cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, asymmetric warfare, and unmanned systems,” Valencia said. “We will no longer be producing traditional officers of the past. Rather, we will have future-ready defenders.”
Valencia also cited cadets like Ticar and cum laude graduate Jethron Nazareno, the son of a solo parent and vulcanizer, as living proof that “the past does not define you but prepares you for the future.”
Though Vice President Sara Duterte was absent from the ceremony, she extended her congratulations through a Facebook message.
“You have chosen the life of selfless service that only the brave, the courageous, and the real patriot would choose,” she wrote.
In a pointed message, Duterte reminded the cadets, “Huwag sana kayong maging kasangkapan ng pagmamalabis, pagtatraydor, at pagpapahirap ng mga nasa kapangyarihan (May you never be a tool of abuse, betrayal, and oppression by those in power).” She urged them to remain “instruments of truth, justice, and real change.”
The event was marked by full military honors, including the symbolic signing of the “pardon of punishment” by the Commander-in-Chief — a time-honored PMA tradition — and the commissioning of all 266 graduates into the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Kayo ang Bagong Pilipino — may disiplina, may husay, at may pagmamahal sa ating inang bayan (You are New Filipinos — with discipline, skill, and love for our country),” Marcos told the cadets. “Go forth and serve with dignity, with honor, and with love.” – Rappler.com
