INTRODUCTION
The two bills that I sign into law today establish our continuity with the past and the future, insofar as the defense of the country is concerned.

Republic Act No. 8220, which creates additional ranks for enlisted personnel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), acknowledges the importance of the frontline soldiers by widening their opportunities for professional and career advancement and thereby promoting their morale and welfare.

Republic Act No. 8221, an act to develop the Capas National Shrine, preserves the memory of those who died or were incarcerated in Capas after the Fall of Bataan during the Second World War by transforming that hallowed ground into a perpetual symbol of the Filipino soldier’s indomitable courage and willingness to offer his life, if need be, for our homeland and freedom.
A SITE WITH PATRIOTS’ BLOOD
It is most appropriate that we consecrate the concentration camp for Filipino and American prisoners of war in Capas, Tarlac, into a memorial in this centennial year of the Filipino heroes.

Although the ongoing observance is in commemoration of the heroes of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, we must similarly remind our people that thousands more suffered and died for our beloved country in this century.

The underlying message is clear and simple: heroism runs in our blood and we of the present generation must prove worthy of that legacy by pursuing noble intentions for our country’s greater peace and prosperity.

Pursuant to this new law (RA 8221), the land which had been drenched with the blood and sweat of our World War II heroes and the tears of their families shall be developed into a shrine where veterans, veterans’ families and younger Filipinos can pay homage to their heroism.

Camp O’Donnell, as it was known then, was the destination of the infamous Death March. During the 105-kilometer march from Bataan to Pampanga to Tarlac, thousands were killed or fell dead along the way. Thousands more survived the marathon march only to die of hunger and illness at the camp which subsequently became their burial ground.

The defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, have erected a marker on the site which had been declared a National Shrine in 1989. But it is only fitting that we now develop and maintain the Capas National Shrine to be worthy of veneration by a grateful nation.

The law mandates that the shrine shall be developed as a memorial, with a monument and auxiliary facilities, including a chapel, administrative and service buildings, and a multipurpose hall. It will be under the administration of the Military Shrines Service (MSS) of the Department of National Defense (DND).

The whole area shall also be planted with trees, one tree each for the 25,000 Filipino and 6,000 American soldiers who died in the camp. In doing so, we create a living, growing shrine and memorial to impress upon us, especially the young, that the ideals of our heroes should continue to live within us and inspire us to achieve more for our country and people.

Thus, this occasion is a cause for joy among our country’s veterans.
WIDENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL
Time and again, we have said that our development efforts are geared towards improving the quality of life of our people. Our modernization would be less than meaningful if its benefits are not shared by those who serve in the uniform.

The AFP Modernization Act passed last year, more than developing capabilities through the procurement of updated armaments and equipment, calls for the rational restructuring and judicious streamlining of the existing organization.

Although it seeks to establish a lean and compact but effective fighting force, it also envisions the development of career soldiers by providing them new opportunities for promotion and enhancing their morale and welfare.

Last June 11 of this year, an Act Restructuring the Officer Ranks was passed into law. Now, it is the turn of the enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces.

Our enlisted personnel are considered as the backbone of the military organization. They are the ones who man the frontlines in cases of conflict. For these reasons, we have taken steps to promote their morale and welfare to see to it that their efforts are recognized and justly compensated.

Today, there are more than 100,000 enlisted personnel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Under the present system, the highest rank the enlisted personnel can ever hope to reach is Master Sergeant. The minimum time-in-grade for an enlisted personnel to attain the rank of Master Sergeant is 20 years.

Thus, a soldier entering the service at the age of 18 may only be 38 years old when he reaches the rank of master sergeant. This means that, if he stays in the service for the next 18 years until the date of his compulsory retirement at age 56, he occupies the same rank without any opportunity for professional advancement.

There used to be seven steps in the ladder of the enlisted ranks — from private to master sergeant — while there are now ten steps in the hierarchy of the commissioned officers’ ranks — from second lieutenant to four-star general.

The inequality in this arrangement is what this new law seeks to rectify. By creating two higher ranks for enlisted personnel, we provide additional goals for the master sergeants and chief petty officers and give them — and the enlisted personnel as a whole — greater motivations to strive for higher positions.

This law, likewise, provides for the maximum tenure-in-grade of the enlisted personnel in the grades of master sergeant, senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant. This hastens the attrition at the top echelons of the enlisted ranks and create more opportunities for the promotion of deserving and younger enlisted personnel.

The enactment of this important piece of legislation, therefore, is not only a step towards the streamlining program of the AFP, as required by its modernization. It also enhances the performance of every soldier as it encourages him to excel further, instead of just waiting for compulsory retirement.
CLOSING
These two new laws are laudable outputs of the Tenth Congress.

I commend all the legislators behind these two landmark laws, Speaker Jose de Venecia of the House of Representatives, Senate President Neptali Gonzales, and particularly their authors and sponsors — Congressmen Jose Yap, Eduardo Ermita, Plaridel Abaya and Rolando Andaya, and Senators Orlando Mercado, Ernesto Maceda, Gregorio Honasan, Alberto Romulo and Leticia Ramos-Shahani for RA No. 8220; and Congressmen Mariano Badelles, Sr. and Bonifacio Gillego and Senators Alberto Romulo, Raul Roco and Ernesto Maceda for RA No. 8221. Likewise, our appreciation goes to the conferees and members of the various committees of both chambers who pushed the various bills leading to these two new laws. In closing, let me express my confidence that the ongoing session will still produce more of the laws in support of our shared vision of enduring peace, social reform and sustainable development.

Thank you and mabuhay!