By Francis Wakefield
The Philippine Army (PA) will celebrate on Thursday (March 21, 2019) its 122nd Founding Anniversary at the Army Headquarters at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, with President Rodrigo R. Duterte gracing the activity.
Philippine Army (MANILA BULLETIN)
President Duterte will first visit the Defense Exhibit and Capability Demonstration which will grant the Commander-in-Chief a look into the Army’s current capabilities and modernization plan.
After the exhibit, President Duterte will lead the anniversary program as Guest of Honor and Speaker at the Ricarte Hall, Philippine Army Officers Clubhouse.
As part of the anniversary program, deserving personnel who displayed conspicuous courage and gallantry in battle will be given due recognition as well as the best performing civilian personnel, CAFGU Active Auxiliary, and Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., will be accompanying the President during the anniversary program.
The Philippine Army was founded in Mar. 22, 1897 after the signing of the Tejeros Convention with Captain General Artemio Ricarte as its first Commanding General.
In its 122 years, the Army has been instrumental in the defense of South Korea in the 1950s and in rebuilding war-torn Vietnam in 1966. It also successfully defended that state’s territorial integrity and sovereignty against terrorists during the Zamboanga Siege in 2013 and in Marawi in 2017.
Prior to the anniversary celebration, senior leaders of the Army will gather at the headquarters for an annual conference to discuss the rise of different emerging threats to security and how to best address them as well as develop new leadership strategies in order to equip the Army senior leaders with the right knowledge, and attitude towards the institutional growth of the organization.