President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. congratulated the new graduates of the Presidential Security Group’s (PSG) VIP Protection Course (VIPPC), which included Philippine Army (PA) Reservist and actor, 2nd Lieutenant Matteo Guidicelli, as “one of the top elite forces in the country.”
He became the first celebrity reservist of the VIPPC.
The Chief Executive reposted a video from state media Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) that showed the graduates doing drills at the Malacañang Park, Manila on Monday, Oct. 24, and receiving their diplomas from presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III.
“We celebrate today the Joint Closing Ceremony of the Presidential Security Group’s VIP Protection Course of Classes 129-2022 and 130-2022,” the President wrote on Facebook.
“I commend you for your service and dedication in safeguarding not just myself and my family but also other VIPs, being one of the top elite forces in the country,” his message added.
Marcos tagged Guidicelli in his post. The actor-TV host’s message was highlighted in the video posted by RTVM.
He thanked the PSG for welcoming him in the program as he underscored the importance of the lessons he had learned from the course.
“I feel very honored and privileged to be part of the PSG. The men and women here have their own stories of valors, stories of patrotism, and stories of services,” he said, adding that it was a humbling experience for him and he felt blessed for spending time with the rest of his colleagues.
“At (And) I learned so much from each one of them, not just how to protect the VIP, but I learned so much about myself also in this course,” Guidicelli furthered.
He was joined by his wife, Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli, and the rest of his family.
In the video, the younger Marcos was heard recalling how the PSG immediately began its duty of protecting the First Family after his father was proclaimed 17th president of the country after the 2022 national elections.
The neophyte lawmaker expressed his “sincerest gratitude” to the PSG’s elite force for their dedication in ensuring the safety of the First Family, other VIPs, and the Office of the President (OP).
The VIPPC is a highly specialized professional service course conducted for the PSG troopers to ensure a 360-degree protection of the President, First Family and visiting heads of state/government.