President Ferdinand Marcos attends the 67th anniversary celebration of the Naval Special Operations Command in Cavite. (Jean Mangaluz / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday urged the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to review the deployment of personnel in response to geopolitical realities.
“As we move now from focusing on ensuring internal security for the country, we now have to bolster the country’s external defenses. And I exhort the DND and the AFP to maximize and strategically review the deployment of our forces to ensure that their strategies remain responsive to the current and future geopolitical realities,” Marcos said during the 67th-anniversary rites of the Naval Special Operations Command (NAVSOCOM) in Cavite,
While Marcos did not expound on what these geopolitical realities are, his statement comes amid territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
“I also enjoin the Navy to strengthen the unit’s capabilities by partnering with forces from like-minded states to uphold our shared commitment to freedom of navigation, peace and stability, and the rule of law,” added Marcos.
The NAVSOCOM is a part of the Philippine Navy, acting as an elite unit for counter-terrorism, reconnaissance, close combat, underwater operations and more.
During the anniversary rites, Marcos watched a capability demonstration that showed the different abilities of the NAVSOCOM, which included a display of the Navy’s warfare operations to counter-terrorism.
Marcos also awarded several NAVSOCOM personnel for various achievements in the line of duty, including leader of the year, special boat operator, and diver of the year.