President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday urged members of the Philippine Air Force to remain professional, disciplined, and faithful to their constitutional mandate amid political noise and continuing allegations of corruption in government.
Speaking at the 79th founding anniversary of the PAF, Marcos called on airmen and women to stay loyal to the Filipino people and protect the democratic institutions that safeguard the country’s freedoms.
“As your Commander-in-Chief, I encourage you to continue upholding the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, and integrity. Above all, remain faithful to your constitutional duty to protect our people and defend the democratic institutions that safeguard our freedoms,” Marcos said.
He also urged the Air Force to “stay the course” and help build a “Bagong Pilipinas that is secure, resilient, and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Marcos said the strength of the Air Force rests not only on its aircraft and equipment, but also on the character of the men and women in uniform, the values that guide their service, and the trust placed in them by the Filipino people.
Since becoming a separate major service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1947, Marcos said the PAF has grown from a modest post-war force into a mission-oriented, capability-driven, and values-based institution.
He said the Air Force has repeatedly proven its role as an indispensable partner in nation-building, from providing humanitarian assistance after destructive typhoons to helping safeguard the country’s territorial integrity.
“At the same time, we have reinforced our territorial defense to sustain patrols and air surveillance operations, strengthening our maritime domain awareness and sovereignty protection,” Marcos said.
The President said the PAF logged more than 50,000 flying hours over the past year, covering internal and external defense missions, pilot and unit training, aircraft maintenance, disaster response, troop deployment, inter-island operations, and the transport of millions of pounds of cargo and tens of thousands of passengers.
He also cited the PAF’s bilateral and multilateral defense engagements, saying these helped deepen cooperation with allies, improve interoperability, and promote regional stability.
“For all these and more, our entire nation could not be more grateful. It is only fitting, therefore, that your government stands steadfast in supporting the Air Force as it fulfills its mandate,” Marcos said.
Marcos reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to provide the PAF with the resources, opportunities, and support needed to carry out its mission with honor and excellence.
He also directed the Air Force to ensure the airworthiness of its aircraft and strictly observe safety protocols in missions and training activities to protect personnel.
“This is particularly important as modern challenges grow increasingly complex, requiring sustained investment in your capabilities so that you can perform your duties more safely and more effectively,” he said.
The PAF, for its part, committed to becoming a modern, dependable, and adaptable force capable of operating across the air, land, sea, cyber, and information domains.
It also underscored the need to maintain mission readiness, enhance capabilities and technology, and uphold values-based service through InSTEP, which stands for Integrity, Service above self, Teamwork, Excellence, and Professionalism.