Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday called on the newest officers of the Philippine Army to uphold their sacred duty to the Republic.

During the Joint Graduation Ceremony of the Officer Candidate Course (OCC) “Gundaway” Class 64-2026 and the OCC-Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (OCC-ROTC) “Talagilab” Class 03-2026 on 4 July 2026 at the Officer Candidate School (OCS), Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Philippine Army, Camp O’Donnell in Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac, Teodoro represented President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is on an official visit to Canada.

Teodoro conveyed the President’s congratulations and expressed confidence in the graduates as they begin their careers as commissioned officers of the Philippine Army.

Addressing the graduates, the defense chief commended them for choosing a life of service despite the personal, financial, and social challenges they had overcome at a young age.

“I would just like to say that it is indeed a great honor. Malaking karangalan sa akin na maging panauhing pandangal ninyo. Bakit? Unang una, nakapagpapakumbaba ng loob, it is humbling to hear that at your young age, ka bata-bata nyo pa, kumpara sa akin, napakadami nyo nang dinaanan na hamon sa buhay,” Teodoro said.

“You struggled and you overcame. And you chose a path not easy to get to where you are. So, what does it give us, the leadership? For me, it gives me a sense of purpose and a sense of responsibility to reassert myself, to reassert all efforts, more than my best, in order to build a credible deterrent posture for the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.

Describing military service as a sacred calling, Teodoro emphasized that the Republic of the Philippines and its future must remain the highest purpose of every soldier.

He said the graduates’ sacrifices and determination strengthen the nation’s resolve to build a credible defense posture capable of deterring both internal and external threats while ensuring a secure future for generations of Filipinos.

The defense secretary also highlighted the Philippine Army’s role in maintaining internal peace and stability, stressing that lasting internal security is essential to building a robust external defense posture.

Drawing from the heroism of Conrado Yap and Jose Arciaga during the Korean War, Teodoro likened the graduates’ journeys of overcoming personal hardships and enduring the rigors of military training to the courage, resilience, and fortitude demonstrated by the two Filipino heroes.

He said the same qualities that enabled them to persevere through adversity would be essential as they formally assume the responsibilities of commissioned Army officers in service of the nation.

The joint graduation ceremony marked the successful completion of officer candidate training by 362 graduates of OCC “Gundaway” Class 64-2026 and 190 graduates of OCC-ROTC “Talagilab” Class 03-2026.

The 552 newly commissioned officers formally joined the ranks of the Philippine Army and were welcomed by Teodoro into the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) family during the ceremony.