Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro has challenged the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to take part in the global race to produce world-class soldiers equipped with advanced skills for the challenges of the 21st and 22nd centuries.
Speaking at the PMA’s 127th founding anniversary in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City, Teodoro said the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are working closely with the academy to modernize its curriculum and training systems.
According to Teodoro, the initiative includes optimizing the use of PMA’s land assets in Fort Del Pilar and developing new specialized training fields that would allow cadets to gain multiple areas of expertise.
As part of this modernization, Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia, PMA superintendent, launched the PMA Growth Plan — a comprehensive roadmap to revamp the academy’s curriculum, strengthen faculty capabilities, and establish a warfare laboratory equipped with advanced simulation technology. The plan also aims to double the cadet population from 1,000 to 2,000 by 2040.
Teodoro said these reforms are aligned with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to produce officers with multidisciplinary skills capable of handling the complex, unpredictable situations the Philippines may face in the coming decades.
In line with this, Teodoro also announced plans to deploy PMA graduates to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to strengthen coordination and interoperability between the military and maritime sectors amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
“We will need to network with other organizations… I have instructed the chief of staff to enter into arrangements with the Philippine Coast Guard to accept a limited number of cadets who, upon graduation, will be assigned there,” Teodoro said.
The defense chief noted that the traditional military career path may no longer be sufficient in the modern era.
“Today, increasing specialization is the name of the game… new situations constantly evolve and the learning curve is always steep for the armed forces,” he explained.
Teodoro emphasized that developing future-ready soldiers is a demanding and costly endeavor, but one the PMA must embrace to keep the Philippines relevant, secure, and respected as a sovereign nation.
In an earlier speech during the 80th commemoration of the end of World War II in Baguio City, Teodoro also reminded Filipinos to reflect on their willingness to defend and preserve peace in an increasingly uncertain world.
“We must not be complacent in an increasingly volatile world… If we do not have resolve, purpose, and unity in action, then we have no business honoring those who shed their blood — our distinguished veterans,” Teodoro said.