A pool of local and foreign subject matter experts tackled the Army’s pivot from internal security operations to external defense amid the heightening West Philippine Sea tension during the Philippine Army’s 16th Senior Leaders Conference (SLC) held at the Training and Doctrine Command, Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac on March 20, 2024.
Department of National Defense Sec. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. served as the guest of honor and speaker of the annual summit which aims to cultivate the culture of strategic thinking within the organization and introduce effective leadership principles to the Army top brass.
“The Senior Leaders Conference is an integral part of our Exercise Katihan with the Army’s senior leaders as its target audience. Indeed, as we gradually reposture for territorial defense, the Philippine Army’s senior leaders must be the first to keep in cadence with the shift in our strategic orientation so that the institutional response will be quick and widespread,” the Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido said in his welcome remarks.
The PASLC serves as a platform for leadership development with an overarching objective of appraising Senior Leaders of progressive developments, trends in warfare, and contemporary leadership methodologies pertinent to the prevailing socio-political context. This year’s SLC is anchored on the theme “Redefining the Roles of the Land Force: Posturing for Territorial Defense”.
The symposium, which was first held in 2004, is among the series of events which are part of Exercise Katihan. Philippine Army Major Unit commanders and key Headquarters Philippine Army officers attended the event onsite while other senior leaders joined via video teleconferencing.
Photos by Cpl. Rodgen V. Quirante PA/OACPA