It was a trip down memory lane for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as he relived his time with the marines during the 72nd anniversary celebration of the Philippine Marine Corps on Monday, November 7.
In his speech during the event, the President said it was a "pleasant surprise" to see his old photos. The Philippine Marine Corps prepared an audio-visual presentation containing pictures of Marcos when he was with the group.
"It was a very pleasant surprise to relive the time that I spent with the Marines, and it was really the beginning of my time in the military. And it was a time that I had found that I was a little intimidated to go," he said.
"The Marines taught me that even if you think you cannot manage it, if you dig deep, you will be able to. And that is one — just one of the many, many lessons that I learned when I spent time with the Philippine Marine Corps and in the military," he added.
In one of his previous vlogs, Marcos said he started his military career at the Marines Basic Officers Course in Fort Bonifacio.
According to President Marcos, he also learned the invaluable lesson of camaraderie in the Marines.
"That form of camaraderie and brotherhood that is formed between people who live together, who fight together, who bleed together is a different kind of camaraderie; it is a different form of brotherhood," he said.
"It is something that is more valuable than anything else, especially for those in the military," he added.
After reminiscing about his past, President Marcos lauded the Philippine Marine Corps for securing and fostering peace and order in the country and helping out during calamities and emergencies.
"It began when you fought the communist armed forces in the 1950s. You have also defended the nation from terrorist and separatist groups in the succeeding years," he said.
"During disasters and emergencies, they can always be counted on to respond to the call of duty. So despite the challenges that you have endured and surpassed, you still proved to be courageous and resilient in helping our countrymen in times of emergencies and calamities," he added.