The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) must fast-track its transformation into a “future-ready” institution capable of producing leaders for a modernized defense force.

In a news release over the weekend, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. underscored the role of the country’s premier military school in adapting to rapid technological shifts and regional security challenges.

“We heard the initiatives that the PMA is undertaking to keep in step with the needs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the defense establishment, with due regard to advances in technology and the evolving geopolitical landscape,” he said in his keynote address during the PMA’S 127th founding anniversary celebration on Friday.

Teodoro said the Academy’s reforms are aligned with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, the Marcos administration’s strategic blueprint for building a credible and adaptive deterrence posture.

He said the PMA must close the gap between “generalist” officer training and the specialized skills required for a 21st-century military.

“The challenge is how to mitigate the gap between generalists who graduate here and the specialized skills that are needed for a 21st or 22nd century AFP,” he added.

Teodoro also announced a new collaboration with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), allowing a limited number of PMA cadets to be commissioned as Coast Guard officers upon graduation — a move aimed at deepening interoperability in the country’s maritime domain.

“Interoperability is essential,” he said. “Knowledge of each other’s skills is sine qua non for seamless operations at sea.”

Teodoro reaffirmed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “marching order” to strengthen the welfare, career development, and readiness of AFP personnel and veterans.

“We are relying on you to raise the flag as a mark of Filipino pride and distinction throughout the world,” he said, urging PMA cadets to uphold professionalism and global competitiveness as “the best deterrent against any oppressor that wants to take advantage of this country.”

The ceremony also recognized outstanding PMA personnel, civilian employees, and institutional partners for their service and support to the Academy’s mission of molding ethical and capable military leaders. (PNA)