President Marcos urged the government’s uniformed forces to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to fight new forms of warfare, particularly in the digital space.

Marcos said this during his Talk to the Troops of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) in Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City on Thursday, May 16.

In his remarks, the President cited the need to level up the military’s capability due to the new threats that the country is facing.

“Times are changing and we are facing new threats now to our nation’s security. The battlefield is changing, it will go beyond traditional warfighting as we have known it,” he said.

“I call on you to develop the skills that are going to be required to combat these new forms of warfare, including those that extend up to the digital realm," he added.

According to Marcos, the military must be prepared to fight false narratives, disinformation, and digital operations “that seek to sow conflict against us and amongst us.”

He likewise warned that the country’s enemies will discretely infiltrate the very communities and institutions the government and security institutions seek to protect.

Despite this, the Commander-in-Chief said that the government is ready to fend off the threats to the country’s security.

“We will be ready to fight back and implement countermeasures to thwart any of their nefarious schemes and attempts,” he said.

President Marcos said the intensifying geopolitical tension in the Indo-Pacific region resulted in hostile efforts by or with the substantial support of a foreign government to influence the domestic narrative and discourse, including the use of disinformation and propaganda spread by nefarious actors.

At the domestic front, Marcos urged the military to “keep up the momentum” of their operations until their jurisdictions are completely cleared of terrorist influence.

He also highlighted government programs aimed at defeating insurgency in the countryside.

These will be done by offering initiatives to achieve more positive outcomes, and by demonstrating that on the government side, “there are greener pastures and a better life that they can be part of."