To Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, Vice Admiral Arnaldo Lim, Rear Admiral Christopher Meniado, and other flag officers of the Philippine Coast Guard, fellow officials of the Department of Budget and Management, fellow members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, friends from the Philippine Coast Guard, distinguished guests, and last but definitely not the least, to my wife, Jore Annie—magandang hapon sa ating lahat.
I am honored to wear this uniform once more, carrying a new rank with a renewed sense of duty and responsibility.
I have worn several uniforms in my life. The first, outside of a school uniform, was a Boy Scout uniform.
I was a child from Navotas, a fishing community right on the shores of Manila Bay. At that age, I did not fully understand the significance of that uniform. But I understood that it came with a promise: “On my honor, I will do my best. To do my duty to God and my country. To help other people at all times.”
I have been saying those words since I was a boy. And I have never stopped meaning them.
If you had told that young Scout from Navotas that he would one day wear different uniforms in the service of the Republic, he probably would not have believed you. And yet here we are.
The Scout uniform taught me one lesson that has remained constant throughout my life: Be Prepared.
For Scouts, it means preparing before the emergency comes. For public servants, it means building institutions that work before they are tested. For government, it means anticipating problems before they become crises. And for the Philippine Coast Guard, it means being ready long before the distress call is received.
The discipline of preparation that I learned as a Scout eventually became the discipline of governance.
Ang “Be Prepared” ng Scout ay naging procurement readiness, budget execution, at institutional preparedness ng ating pamahalaan.
Magkaibang salita. Ngunit iisa ang diwa.
Growing up in Navotas, the sea was never just part of the landscape. It was life itself. It fed families, it sent children to school, and it provided livelihoods to fathers who left home before sunrise and returned only after sunset.
But I also learned very early that the sea could be unforgiving. Every approaching storm carried uncertainty. Every strong wave reminded us how fragile life can be. That is why, in communities like ours, the sight of a Coast Guard vessel brings reassurance. It tells ordinary Filipinos that someone is watching over them, that someone is ready to respond when danger comes, and that is why standing here today is deeply personal.
This is because for me, the Philippine Coast Guard has never been an abstract institution. It has always represented something profoundly human: the promise that no Filipino will face danger alone.
Ang dagat ay hindi lamang bahagi ng ating heograpiya. Bahagi ito ng ating pagkakakilanlan bilang bansa. Tayo ay isang bansang binuo at pinagdurugtong ng karagatan.
It is through our waters that communities remain connected, commerce continues to move, and livelihoods are sustained.
When we protect our seas, we are not just protecting territory. We are protecting Filipino lives, Filipino livelihoods, and the future of our nation.
That is why the mission of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, more than a maritime mission, is a nation-building mission.
Today, as Acting Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management, that connection between this uniform and my daily work has become even more direct.
The needs of the Philippine Coast Guard—more vessels, stronger capabilities, better equipment, improved operational readiness, and expanded human resource—are also matters that pass through the work of the DBM.
Allow me to share another meaning of the acronym DBM for this occasion: “Dito, Bawat Mandaragat Mahalaga.”
Marami po sa aming hanay ang bahagi ng Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary dahil naniniwala kami sa misyon ng Philippine Coast Guard—ang pangangalaga sa ating mga karagatan, ang pagtugon sa oras ng pangangailangan, at ang paglilingkod sa bawat Pilipinong umaasa sa kaligtasan ng ating mga baybayin at katubigan.
For us in the DBM, supporting this mission means ensuring that our Coast Guardians are equipped, prepared, and empowered to perform their duties effectively.
In 2026, the Philippine Coast Guard received Php 42.51 billion in new appropriations—its largest budget to date. Additional support was likewise provided to strengthen the fleet, expand rescue capabilities, and improve operational readiness. But beyond the numbers, this reflects something more important. It reflects a national commitment.
After all, budgets have never been about numbers alone. Budgets are about people. Every appropriation is a statement of national priorities. Every peso allocated reflects what we value as a country. And every budget decision ultimately affects a Filipino family somewhere.
We know that when we support the Coast Guard, we are not simply funding vessels, facilities, or equipment. We are helping protect the fisherman who braves rough seas to provide for his family. We are helping safeguard the mother waiting for her loved ones to arrive safely at port. We are helping strengthen rescue capabilities that save lives during disasters and emergencies.
In other words, we are investing in security, preparedness, and peace of mind for millions of Filipinos.
As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has emphasized, incidents in the West Philippine Sea continue to endanger the lives of Filipinos and the safety of our vessels and aircraft. That reality makes our task even clearer. Maritime security must be matched with real support. A stronger Philippine Coast Guard means a safer Philippines. A more prepared and a more resilient Philippines.
I have often said that public service is stewardship. The resources entrusted to government do not belong to us. The institutions we oversee do not belong to us. The authority vested in us is not ours. We are merely temporary stewards of something far greater than ourselves. And stewardship demands competence, integrity, accountability, humility, and urgency.
Sa DBM, madalas kong sabihin: “Dito Bawal ang Mabagal.”
Not because speed alone matters, but because every delayed project, every delayed procurement, and every delayed intervention affects real people.
Integrity and urgency are not competing values. They are complementary obligations of public service. The Filipino people deserve both. And nowhere is that more evident than in the work of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Because emergencies do not wait. Disasters do not wait. Lives do not wait. And therefore, government must not wait either.
In scouting, a higher rank was never a reward for past performance, but a call to greater service.
Every badge earned represented a new responsibility accepted.
Noong bata pa ako, natutunan ko na ang badge ay hindi palamuti. Patunay ito ng aksyon. Hindi ito tropeo. Ito ay paalala ng karagdagang tungkulin.
I carry that same understanding today.
I have taken many oaths throughout my life — the Scout Oath, the oath of office before the President, my first oath to the PCGA, and now this renewed oath.
What strikes me is how consistent the lesson has remained — every uniform, every institution, every oath — they all point in the same direction. Toward service. Toward country. Toward other people. Because at the end of the day, public service is never about us. It is about the Filipino people.
And so today, I think of the countless Filipinos whose lives are connected to our seas.
There’s the fisherman who leaves home before dawn, the sailor navigating uncertain waters, the family crossing islands to reunite with loved ones, the rescue swimmer who enters dangerous waters so that someone else may return home alive.
Most of them will never know our names. Most of them will never know our ranks. But they are the reason we wear these uniforms. They are the reason we take these oaths, and they are the reason we continue to serve.
Sa bawat Pilipinong umaasa sa kaligtasan ng ating mga karagatan, nais kong ipaabot ang isang simpleng pangako: Hindi kayo nag-iisa. Nandito kami, handa kami, at patuloy kaming maglilingkod.
Para sa bayan. Para sa bawat Pilipino. At para sa kinabukasan ng ating bansang minamahal.
Maraming salamat po, Admiral Gavan. Maraming salamat sa Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Karangalan ko pong manatili sa inyong hanay at pagtibayin ang aking pangako sa misyong ito.
Mabuhay ang Philippine Coast Guard. Mabuhay ang Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. At mabuhay ang Republika ng Pilipinas.
[END]
