Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City
13 March 2016

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Military Academy “Gabay-Laya” Class of 2016 held in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City.

Speaking before the 63 new members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), President Aquino shared a few of the administration’s modernization accomplishments for the country’s uniformed men, including the acquisition of two pairs of FA-50 aircrafts and the building of 61,378 housing units through the AFP-Philippine National Police (PNP) Housing Program.

He also mentioned the approval of Executive Order No. 201, which indicates an increase in the Armed Forces’ monthly hazard pay, provisional allowance and the officers’ allowance starting 2016 until 2019. Likewise written was the provision of monthly combat pay and subsistence allowance.

“…Mula sa suporta sa inyong kagamitan, kakayahan, at maging sa inyong kinabukasan at kapakanan, talagang ginawa natin ang ating makakaya, at lampas-lampas pa,” he said.

At the end of his speech, the Commander-in-Chief told the cadets, headed by their Class Valedictorian and now Ensign Kristian Daeve Abiqui from the Philippine Navy, to be proud of their accomplishments despite being known as one of the smallest batch in decades.

“Sinukat nga kayo at tinimbang, at talaga namang pumasa kayo sa pamantayan… Tiwala naman akong ang mga ‘Gintong Anak ng Bayan Alay ay Buhay para sa Kalayaan’ ang magsisilbing panibagong patunay na ang mga graduate ng PMA, talagang may paninindigan, propesyunalismo, at kadakilaang tatak ng kawal na Pilipino,” said the President.

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