Executive Secretary Ralph Recto urged the new members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to reject corruption and “serve the people with respect, dedication and urgency”.
Addressing the Philippine Public Safety Academy’s KADASIGAYON Class of 2026, Recto reminded the graduates that the authority carried by their uniform comes with an obligation to protect— not exploit— the people they have sworn to serve.
“There is no greater betrayal of your oath than enriching yourselves by endangering the public whose safety you have sworn to protect,” Recto said.
He urged them not to remain silent when confronted with misconduct, while stressing that dissent must be exercised responsibly and professionally.
“When you see wrongdoing, speak out—without fanfare, but firmly and professionally.”
“Never allow the pressures of service to tempt you to lock away your principles or silence your conscience. But neither should conviction become a license to burn bridges. When you see wrongdoing, speak out—without fanfare, but firmly and professionally,” Recto added.
“When you see a moral hazard ahead, you have only one option: Do not enter,” he warned.
“When you see a moral hazard ahead, you have only one option: Do not enter.”
Recto stressed that public safety work cannot move at a bureaucratic pace. Whether processing documents or responding to emergencies, officers must act promptly and efficiently to save lives.
“The strength of our nation will not be measured only by the laws we pass or the buildings we construct. It will also be measured by the integrity of the men and women we entrust to protect it,” he said.
Recto described the complementary missions of the two bureaus: the BFP’s duty to protect life and property, and the BJMP’s responsibility to safeguard hope by preparing persons deprived of liberty to reenter society as reformed citizens.
He urged graduates to exercise empathy and compassion when dealing with victims, families, and inmates, noting that humanity in service matters as much as competence.
Framing public safety as a public trust that must not bend to convenience, rank, or circumstance, Recto invoked the KADASIGAYON motto — Kumakatawan sa Adhikain ng Diyos; Alay ay Serbisyong may Integridad; Gagabay sa Ikakaunlad ng Bagong Henerasyon — and urged graduates to let those words guide their decisions and conduct.
“Wear the uniform with honor, protect the people with urgency and compassion, and preserve the public’s trust by serving with unyielding integrity,” Recto concluded.
