Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was the guest of honor in the commemoration of the 88th year of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday, December 21.
Other guests in the ceremony included House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
The parade began with the high-speed pass of a flight of its supersonic FA-50 fighter jets.
During his speech, Marcos announced an increase in the "lifetime monthly gratuity pay" of existing Medal of Valor awardees in gratitude for their service.
The Medal of Valor is the highest Philippine award military personnel can receive. While most recipients were posthumously awarded, a few retired and serving personnel are still alive.
"This will provide our heroes with a tangible and meaningful reward, highlighting our commitment to support and to honor our war heroes," Marcos said in his speech.
Show of Force
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that a division-size parade marched past Marcos and the other guests. Alongside the troops, military personnel also showcased several newly acquired assets to serve as the highlight of the event.
Among the new equipment making its debut was the Israeli-built Sabrah ASCOD light tank and infantry fighting vehicle variants, the first of its kind in the service of any nation in the world. The light tanks could be considered contemporaries of the US Army's M10 Booker, the Chinese Type 15, and the Turkish Kaplan MT.
Military vehicles, aircraft, and equipment were also featured as static displays at the side of the saluting platform.
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Select assets of the Armed Foeces of the Philippines taking part in a practice for the AFP's 88th anniversary parade tomorrow 21 December 2023. Star of the show are the new ASCOD 2 Sabrah tanks and ASCOD 2 Command IFV.
— Max Montero (@MonteroMax) December 20, 2023
📽 MDP Community Member pic.twitter.com/q1H71tGwis
88 Years of Military Service
The 21st of December was the date in 1935 when the Philippines, under the American Commonwealth era, organized the then-Philippine Army into four distinct branches - Constabulary, Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The Philippine Constabulary has since been morphed into the Philippine National Police and relocated as the law enforcement arm of the country's interior ministry.
The remaining three branches are now dealing with incursions by China in the West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea that falls under Manila's exclusive economic zone.
Earlier on Thursday, religious services and simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies were held in bases and installations across the archipelago, followed by an awarding ceremony for valued stakeholders and partners of the military.
