Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. challenged public servants to be agile and prepare for future challenges as the world adapts to rapid technological advancement.
Teodoro led the awarding of 13 outstanding civil servants of the DND and its bureaus on Monday, Sept. 25, in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City in commemoration of the 123rd Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA).
Honored for their outstanding public service were Rudelyn S. Yaon and Louise Patricia Marie V. Jison from the DND Proper; Emeterio A. Ornedo Jr. and Engr. Remy C. Antipoc from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); Mark Gabriel C. Solis and Cinderella S. Wayyas from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO); Gee Lyn M. Basa and Joshua Carl E. Bidaure from the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP); Engr. Jeffrey T. Lavina and Joemhel V. Barlongo from the Government Arsenal (GA); Nadjesda S. Gragasin and Vilma C. Cabino from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC); and Richard C. Santos from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).
In his speech, the defense chief called on the public servants to take stock of technological progress but cautioned them against "complacency" and "relying on the status quo."
"With these developments, the government is in a race against time," Teodoro said.
"I want you to win that race. This is the kind of situation we are faced with today. Will we have an agile government that will take advantage of advances in technology for better public service?" he added.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) led some sectors to believe that robots may soon replace humans in the workforce, threatening job cuts in a multitude of industries.
But Teodoro emphasized that "there is still no substitute for hardwork and dedication."
"That is what I'm proud of today. Hard work and dedication. Our job is to channel that hard work into something sustainable, productive, and foundational," he said.
The 123rd PCSA commemoration carried the theme "Transforming Public Service in the Next Decade: Honing Agile and Future-ready Servant-Heroes".