President Marcos has urged the Philippine Army to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities amid emerging threats as he commended the men and women in uniform for enthusiastically rendering their service to the country.

This was Marcos' message for the celebration of the Philippine Army's 127th founding anniversary on Friday, March 22, which he could not attend after falling sick on Wednesday.

In his message, read by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the President cited the need to transform the Philippine Army as the country moves toward the so-called "Bagong Pilipinas."

"We need to transform our Army into a multi-mission-ready, cross-domain, and capable force that can effectively thwart emerging threats to our country’s stability and sovereignty," he said.

"That is why we continue to boost our Army's morale, efficiency, and responsiveness through continuous capacity-building initiatives, rigorous training and education activities, and other meritorious pursuits," he added.

In particular, the President stressed the importance of addressing cyber threats that the Philippines is facing.

"Given this emerging threat, I urge the Philippine Army to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities to keep up with the rapid technological advancements and help maintain the country's security and stability," he said.

"I hope that you will adopt the lessons you have learned, the best practices you have gained from joint operations, and interactions with other major services of the AFP and our foreign defense counterparts," he added.

In his message, President Marcos thanked the Philippine Army's officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, and its partners and force multipliers for their significant roles in accomplishing the Army’s mission.

"Thank you for your service to our country, which you have enthusiastically rendered without expecting any prize or reward in return," he said.

Marcos said the organization has been successful in its internal security operations, but it also exerted efforts in shifting to external defense. He also cited its peacetime endeavors, which put them at the forefront of rescue and recovery missions aimed at ensuring the safety of the citizens.

"The Philippine Army has endured the test of time, prevailed over battles, and evolved into a force that we can all be proud of," he said.

"Our soldiers have become a reliable and calming presence amidst the loss and destruction that come in the wake of disasters and calamities," he added.