Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the 124th Philippine Coast Guard Founding Anniversary Celebration

Maraming salamat. Thank you, Transportation Secretary, Secretary Giovanni Lopez. [Please be seated.]

Senator JV Ejercito; the officers and enlisted personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard led by Admiral Ronnie Gavan; First Lady Vice Admiral Louise Araneta-Marcos [applause]; Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner and the other major service commanders; 2025 PCG awardees; my fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Good afternoon and Happy Anniversary! [applause]

Today, we celebrate the 124th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard.

This year’s theme, “Committed in Service, Relentless in Purpose,” truly captures the things that you have done for our people for more than a century.

Alam na alam kong hindi madali ang inyong trabaho. Kita naman sa lahat ng inyong ginagawa.

In the past two years, you have faced disasters head-on to fulfill your duties. When the worst tropical storms hit, you saved and evacuated over a million Filipinos.

From January to September of this year, you have already ensured the safe passage of almost 10 million passengers. You have confiscated nearly PhP2 billion worth of illegal drugs and smuggled items from perpetrators who prey on our people and on our system.

You have spearheaded coastal protection efforts, checking thousands of ships and planting hundreds of trees to make our communities greener and livelier.

And in the West Philippine Sea, you are our first responders, ensuring the safety, dignity, and livelihood of our fisherfolk.

Alam ko po na hindi madali para sa ating mga mangingisda na maghanap-buhay na walang katiyakan sa kanilang pagbabalik.

And yet, when they see you carrying the flag at sea, they feel hope that the Filipino spirit will never yield and that they are always in the hearts and minds of all Filipinos and our uniformed services.

And recently, when Cebu was hit by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake, you were there to assist our fellow Cebuanos.

Within the first crucial 72 hours, your medical personnel were on the ground, conducting over a hundred medical interventions to affected individuals.

Your ships and personnel brought over 30,000 food relief packages and basic medical kits to the towns of Bogo and Daanbantayan.

This is the PCG that works quietly and effectively.

In these times when our seas face greater challenges, you remain steadfast, proving that courage knows no tides and that service knows no bounds. You stand as guardians of safety and of stability.

And in return, I assure you that this government is solidly behind you.

We will keep investing in new vessels, in aircraft, command posts, [and] communication systems. We will improve training, facilities, and logistics to provide every PCG personnel a sense of dignity in fulfilling their roles.

We are also building facilities such as the PCG General Hospital, the Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center in Misibis, and the First Responder and Nursing Service Facility, among others, to ensure that your welfare, whether at sea or on land, remains a priority.

Ladies and gentlemen, the PCG is one of the government agencies that restores my faith in the dedication of the workers in government. When I see the PCG in action,
I see what the best of government can look like. That is discipline, with integrity, with excellence working as one. [applause]

I know that these are difficult times that we live in. Our people’s trust in government has been shaken; we cannot deny that.

But I am certain that trust can be regained if we remain transparent and true to our mission.

Whenever our people see you during rescue missions or in your day-to-day patrols, what they see is that the government is still working diligently and is worthy of their trust.

Truly, the sea offers no defined path. It shifts and tests your steadiness. But I believe it also rewards those who stay the course and remain true to their mission.

Each time you sail, you remind the world that the Philippines will always protect what is ours. [applause]

Kaya sa ating PCG, naniniwala ako sa patuloy ninyong paglilingkod na may dangal at kahusayan para sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino.

Let us once again congratulate our awardees today who have gone the extra mile in their duty. [applause] Continue to excel. Show that excellence in your work and inspire those among your ranks.

Sa inyong lahat, mga tagapagbantay ng ating karagatan, mabuhay po kayo.

Mabuhay ang ating Coast Guard!

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas!

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. [applause]

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