Bullets are not Greeting Cards

I have a very important reminder for all friends who want to celebrate New Year with a bang.

It may help save others from potential harm.

Check out the link below.

http://www.shootingaddicts.com/2011/12/bullets-are-not-greeting-cards.html?spref=fb

I pray for True 'Merry Christmas'

He is Jason Brul, also known as Ka Butch. He was wounded in an encounter between Army soldiers and a group of communist rebels that he led in Barcelona, Sorsogon. He survived because he raised his arms to surrender after the 10-minute exchage of gunfires. This photo was taken during Christmas in 2010.

One year after I first met Ka Butch, I am reminded of the story of a man who almost died a few days before Christmas.

I am also beginning to ask a very difficult question: When will be the time that we can celebrate the most meaningful Christmas?

The adventures of Ka Butch

I was interested to know this man and learn his thoughts about the communist movement. His father (in white shirt) was not able to send him to school due to financial constraints.

He met a friend and tried their luck in Manila. Finding some odd jobs, he was unhappy.

Later, he found himself being recruited in the ranks of the rebel group where he met and married his wife.

From a community organizer, he rose to become the Secretary of Front Committee 79 which has jurisdiction of eastern part of Sorsogon. He assumed his post in the 3rd Quarter of 2010 when his superior died in an encounter with Army troops.

He almost met the same fate when he experienced that fierce firefight with government forces that fateful day in December 2010. He was thankful that the leader of the soldiers let him live.

"I thank him for giving me another lease of life. I appreciate them for respecting my basic rights," he said.

Inside the room was one of his two young children. He said that he didn't want his child become a communist rebel like him.

"I wanted him to finish school and earn a living peacefully," Brul said.

Through him, I was enlightened about the plight of our poor kababayans in the countryside. Without any chance of gaining employment, the lucrative income from the extortion activities was the effective way to lure them towards the Maoist rebel group.

This is also the reason that I realized that the communist insurgency could not be solved by pure combat operations.The poor people in the countryside must feel that they are being taken cared for by the government.

The local government must be the one that must take center stage in addressing the root causes of the conflict, supported by the military. (I am wondering why the soldiers are always blamed for not ending the communist insurgency)

I am saddened that some of our fellow Filipinos question the wisdom behind our CMO-heavy campaign strategy. Poverty and social injustice are among the main factors that fuel communist insurgency. The military does not have all the mechanisms that can address these aforementioned issues. Making war is not the appropriate solution to this problem.

My prayer for a true 'merry' Christmas

Christmas day is only hours away and I am reminded of the likes of Ka Butch who were made to believe that armed rebellion is the answer to their woes.

I am also reminded of my fellow soldiers who have continuously performed their mandates of protecting the infrastructure projects that are implemented in the countryside. While serving the people, some of them have offered the ultimate sacrifice.

I pray that the next Christmas will be a joyful moment for all.

I pray that there will be no more fighting and soldiers do not have to fight our fellow Filipinos.

I pray that there will be lasting peace. That is the only time that I can wholeheartedly say, "Merry Christmas!".

Note: This article was originally published by the author in his blog 'Faces, Places & Voices'

2 Military Dads Winning in 2 Fronts Simultaneously

FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City - For two senior leaders of the Philippine Army, achieving success as a professional soldier and as a family man is possible.

Colonel Arthur Ang, the current Brigade Commander of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, and Chief Master Sergeant Guillermo Francisco, the Army’s Command Sergeant Major, said that military service and family life should go hand in hand.

Both 51, they believe that a soldier can’t afford to be successful in one and a failure on the other. Failing in one would be personally devastating. These two fathers take pride in being successful in both worlds.

For his part, Ang firmly believes that there is no value of having a successful military career but having a broken or dysfunctional family.

“The good news is that winning in both fronts is achievable. Failure in one is never an option; hence, finding the right balance is paramount. The key lies on the understanding, cooperation, and having a common direction towards proper molding of the children. ” explained Ang.

Meanwhile, Francisco’s secret formula for a successful marriage is not simply communication but consistent communication. He said that this requires extra efforts for the soldier and his wife.

“Even before the popularity of the cellular phones and the internet, I never failed to consistently communicate to my wife and children as part of my responsibility as the leader of my the family. I‘m well aware that coming short to my obligation as a father would have a negative impact to the well-being of my family.” he said.

‘No time for Love’

During the early days of their military career, Army soldiers are normally sent to the frontlines for their combat duties. Naturally, adventurous and young soldiers are the workhorses of the Philippine Army in its counter-insurgency operations and other tasks.

As a young and adventurous lieutenant who wanted a piece of real action, Ang started his military career fighting the secessionist rebels in Basilan island as a Platoon Leader of the 45th Infantry Battalion in 1981.

After a year, he found himself scaling the mountain ranges of Luzon when his unit was redeployed to confront the growing influence of the communist terrorists there.

“Due to the demands of my combat assignment, I rarely met my parents and my wife, Evangeline, who was still my girlfriend during that time. Since I was still single in the first four years of my military service, I focused on performing my job well as a company grade officer and learning other tradecrafts as much as I can.” revealed Ang.

On the other hand , Francisco, trained as an elite Scout Ranger, scoured the hinterlands of the Visayas islands as a young Private of the Army’s Special Warfare Brigade in the early 80‘s.

When he was assigned with the Army’s rapid deployment force, the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), he found himself hopping from one island to another, widening his forays to the enemy’s heartland in Mindanao and the lush forests of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges.

“In the FSRR, I had practically no time for love. At duty’s call, we get to deploy from one place to another in a moment’s notice. Soldiery became my first love and my rifle as my wife!” said Francisco as he laughed. “In the first twelve years of my career, I was single. It was in 1983 that I married my beloved wife Annielyn.“

Communicating with the Family

While carrying out their jobs in the military, both Ang and Francisco tried their best in performing their other important role - as a husband and as a father. They have placed high value to family despite the time-demanding and financially-constraining military profession.

They both believe that effective communication is the best remedy for their absence from home and other family predicaments.

Ang said that establishing constant communication with his family has been a habit for him. He said that the lack of postal service in Basilan in the early 80’s did not hinder him to maintain his constant contact with his wife.

“I wrote my love letters using ‘palara’ (cigarette pack) then sent it through any of my soldier who is about to go on leave in Luzon,” he narrated fondly.

With no advanced technological gadget that could deliver real-time communication, the military tactical radio set became the preferred mode of communication among soldiers and their families during that period. The ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio, the URC 187, became the ever precious link between soldiers and their loved ones. Though connecting both ends using the said radio is cumbersome, it nonetheless served its purpose and made everyone happy even for a moment.

Ang said that his wife availed of this communication line through his Unit liaison office in Fort Bonifacio.

Franciso likewise said that the same equipment had served as the main link to his family during his deployment to distant posts.

“Through the wonders of that superb equipment, we were able to talk even when I was in the boondocks and away from civilization. Can you imagine how it felt hearing the voice of your beloved after weeks, or even months, in the jungle?” said Francisco as he reminisce it with a smile.

The advent of the cellular phone in the military in mid-90s gave the soldiers the ability to reach their loved ones much easier and in an instant. Their family members don’t need to go to nearby camps and queue for a few hours to avail of free calls using the URC187 radio.

Ang, while undergoing a specialization training in Australia, spent much of his allowances on phone cards. He virtually burnt the lines chatting with his wife and only son, sharing their respective experiences.

Similarly, through his own cellular phone, Francisco continuously performed his role as a father even when he was in the hinterlands of Basilan sometime in 2002. “I helped my children with their school homework through text messages and phone calls. I helped them solve the problems then relay the answers through text messages,” he narrated with a wide grin.

The military father

Both wives of Ang and Francisco quit their respective jobs in order to dedicate themselves as full-time housewives.

“My wife abandoned her career to look after our son 24/7. We knew from the very start that it would mean financial difficulty but our son’s welfare and correct upbringing was our top priority,” Ang resolutely said.

Francisco ably convinced his wife to quit her job by the time their eldest child, Angeline, was born. He didn’t want to follow other soldiers who chose to tag along their families even in far-flung military detachments.

“I wanted my children to be personally reared by their mother in a family-friendly community while I was far away. I delegated most of my fatherly duties to my wife and I was lucky that she performed them very well. My wife is one tough cookie, she is a mother who can truly enforce order in our household. I’m truly fortunate to have her as my wife.” Francisco said warmheartedly.

Being constantly away from home, military children are normally closer to their mothers than their soldier-father.

Aware of this fact, Ang and his wife constantly remind their son about his father’s sacrifices in the service of the country and the nobility of the military profession. Through his wife, Ang ably remained as the father-figure in their son’s life despite his long absences.

Ang also believes that military fathers should not be too harsh on their children. Dealing with the kids is a bit tricky and can easily go haywire especially if they are treated as in a martial manner.

“As a father who is most of the time away from home, I cannot afford spending my limited time mistreating his son. I think that children who are mistreated by their soldier-father tend to become rebellious. Everytime I come home, I dedicate my time in our ‘bonding moments’ to create good memories about my presence,” Ang explained.

He further said that it is very important to maintain the ‘right balance’ and the role of the mother is crucial to the success of the household .

Golden moments

As an officer, there were times that Ang was designated to positions of major responsibility. During those times, going home became much more difficult.

“When I was a Battalion Commander in Bataan, my wife used to request that my son be allowed to take the written exams in advance so that they can spend time with me longer during school breaks,” he said. “Because I can’t go home to spend vacation, my family usually come to my headquarters in the field to stay with me for a week or two. We made necessary adjustments to maintain our excellent relationships”.

As an enlisted man, Francisco usually avail of the 15-day Rest and Recreation (R&R) privilege once every six months. When he was posted in remote assignments, it meant he can spend only about 10-days with his family taking into consideration the length of travel.

“Whenever I am home, I maximized my time with my wife and children. I used my limited time as an opportunity to make up with my absence by being with them all the time - watching TV shows, attending church services, and dining out. In our house, I transform from pure soldier to being jack-of-all-trades…being the carpenter who fixes whatever kinks in our house, a cook for my wife and kids, a nanny, an errand guy, a clown to make them laugh, etc. I did try my best to compensate for my absence. I kept telling myself, “I am a Scout Ranger, therefore I can do everything for the welfare of everybody especially for my family. Some may find it funny but it‘s true”, he said with a laugh.

When Ang was posted as a military attache in China, his family made a difficult choice. He convinced his son to temporarily quit his college studies in order to come with him to Beijing.

All that he wanted was to strengthen his relationship with his son. He noticed that he was closer to his mom and that he was drifting away from him
“Despite the fact that I am not a stranger to him, my son tend to confide to his mother. He turns to her for his financial requirements and other personal issues. In one way or another, I ‘envy’ my wife so I decided to bring them along with me in my new assignment,” said Ang.

Our stay in Beijing was probably the best time in our lives. For three years, we lived normally as one happy family - dining together, strolling around, and watching movies.

“My son became my ‘barkada’ (best friend) due to this assignment. It is priceless and I owe it to my military service,” Ang confided.

Winning in both fronts

Among military men, winning both in the home front and in their military career is an outstanding success.

“Knowing that my son has never been into any vice is already a big success for me. He has acquired the right attitude of a Filipino citizen and he never bragged about his soldier-father nor abuse his father's position,” Ang proudly said.

“I could not contain my happiness knowing that he has appreciated my military service and that he fully appreciate the sacrifices of our soldiers and their families in the service of our country. He never whined about my continuous absence. I owed everything to my loving and supportive wife, Evangeline,” Ang said.

Having simple dreams in life, Ang said that he has fulfilled his life’s aspirations. As a Brigade Commander, he would soon become a star-ranked officer.

“To become a General officer is already a bonus for me and I will repay our country with my honest and dedicated service until my retirement day in August 2015,” Ang humbly vowed.

Meanwhile, as the most ranking non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Philippine Army, Francisco is in the pinnacle of his career. Having been recognized as one of the most respected NCO-leaders in the AFP, he is also an awardee of Metrobank and Rotary Club Makati-Metro’s The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers. Truly, he is an accomplished soldier.

Francisco is now busy doing some rounds to various Army field units and consulting with the soldiers while sharing his life’s valuable lessons.

Proud of his six well-disciplined children, Francisco said that they are his main accomplishments. He aims to motivate his fellow soldiers to follow his path.

“For the past years, I do not celebrate Father’s Day but I will this year. I will celebrate it by setting myself as an example that being a good soldier-father is very much possible. The dual role of being a father and a soldier is a challenge that we need to overcome and succeed. Yes, having a good career is rewarding but having a wonderful family is truly satisfying personally and spiritually. And to respectfully quote and modify few lines from George Skypeck‘s poem, “I was that which others did not want to be…I asked nothing from those who gave nothing. And reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness... should I fail. I have seen the face of terror; felt the stinging cold of fear; and enjoyed the sweet taste of a moment’s love. I have cried, pained, and hoped...but most of all, I have lived times others would say were best forgotten. At least someday, I will be able to say that I was proud of what I was...a soldier…and a good father to my family.” Francisco self-effacingly said in closing.

Soldiery and Family Life: Connecting the Two Different Worlds

by Major Harold M. Cabunoc (Inf) PA



Is it possible to be successful as a parent and as a military man? Quoting one of PMA’s plebe knowledge, “...this question is still languishing in my heart,” . I am aware that this is quite a challenge. As a married military man myself, I am finding ways to find some solutions.

Broken homes and failed marriages are becoming common among families separated by distance. This is applicable to both OFWs and soldiers who are separated from their loved ones.

In my research, I have not seen any document showing the statistics of troubled marriages among military couples. There are no also records about military dependents who became drug addicts or juvenile delinquents.

I can only assume that this ‘problem’ has not caught the attention of many military leaders. In my honest opinion, this maybe a reason why there is no institutionalized training or seminars for soldiers on how to perform their dual responsibilities as a soldier and as a family man.

Soldier’s Morale

Among military personnel, it is quite common to see spouses and children left behind in their homes as soldiers are deployed to distant posts.

While in far-flung duty assignments, many of these soldiers seem to have forgotten their responsibilities as husbands and fathers; they focus much of their time on their military duties.

The soldiers’ inability to maintain the lines of communication result to failed marriages and ill-supervised children, who may became drug addicts and juvenile delinquents in the future. I have known about successful military men who rose to become star-rank officers but failed miserably at the home front. I see this as a great failure on the part of the soldiers and probably of their leaders who have failed to see this reality.

In my own experience as a combat leader, I realized that a soldier’s morale is directly affected by the condition in his home. You cannot expect a soldier to focus on his job if he carries the burdens brought about by family-related woes.
As a leader, I am also affected by these problems. In one solid example, I sent home one of my soldiers when his Team Leader told me that the soldier was always staring at a ‘blank wall’. I traced his troubles back to his tumultuous family situation.

Aware of these, it became part of my personal commitment to look into the status of the families of my men. During Commander’s time, I never failed to remind them about their important role both as a father and as a husband, on top of their basic responsibilities as soldiers.

To ensure that I would not commit the same mistakes, I tried my best to address the same problem in my own family.
When my son, Harvey, was born eleven years ago, I realized that I could not perform all the ‘jobs’ of a father. He was born during the time that I was about to become a Commander of the 10th Scout Ranger Company, a rapid deployment force that could be sent anywhere in the Philippine archipelago.

I would not be there to teach him how to walk, or how to ride a bike, or how to fly a kite. I would not be there to help him in his school assignments or teach him how to cook.

Establishing the ‘connection’

Being new parents, my wife, Bia, and I relied heavily on folk wisdom or the ‘sabi-sabi’ as regards to the correct ways to maintain the bond between me and our son, Harvey.

“Maglagay kayo ng di nalabhang damit sa tabi ng bata,” was the advice from our baby-sitter.

“I read that a baby ‘connects’ through scent and not through vision,” my wife added, quoting some ideas she scanned from a book on responsible parenting. I readily agreed, hoping that it really works.

So there I was, bundling my unwashed shirt beside him when I departed for Sulu in September 2000, during the Sipadan hostage rescue operations. My son was about eight months old during that time. Pinagtitiisan nya ang aking amoy dahil nakasabit sa kanyang crib ang aking damit na di nilabhan. The unwashed shirt that I leave every time became his comfort blanket and his guardian.

While serving in the frontlines of the Army’s counter-terrorism campaign in southern Mindanao, I was quite thankful to the guys in Finland who invented the cellular phone.

I was also very happy that cellphone signal was very good in downtown Jolo where at least two thousand soldiers were deployed to simultaneously attack the terrorist lairs in Sulu province in September 2000.

As such, I always make it a point to make a phone call and make myself heard not only to my beloved wife, but also to our son during our resupply operations.

In one of our conversations, I can vividly recall when my wife said, “Tumatawa sya nang marinig ang boses mo, Dear.” I was happy that our techniques seemed to work perfectly.

That became my motivation to volunteer to climb some high grounds for ‘observation post’ (OP) operations because these hills offer good phone coverage as an incentive. Bud Tumatangis in Indanan town and the surrounding hills of Kagay and Tanum in Patikul are among the best places for making phone calls. Unfortunately, the bandits were aware of this too and some of our fierce clashes happened in these areas.

‘Tactical’ communications

I maintained the same system of communication with my family when my unit was transferred to Basilan during the Lamitan siege in June 2001. For this reason, I found out that there were strong phone signals on top of Hill 800 and Hill 898 (Punoh Mohadji).

When security situations permitted, I made it a personal routine to send my family text messages or phone calls when extremely necessary. Though I may be deep in the lush forests of Sampinit complex and within the lair of the terrorists, I maintained my communication lines to my family. I did not want them to be stressed, thinking about my situation.
It was also a stress-reliever for me to hear my son utter “Papa” as if greeting me or wishing me good luck.

As a policy, I did not tell her about the details of our military operations as this would make her worry some more. I just told her that we were ‘resting’ for a while and that my unit was doing fine. In one occasion, I told her we were all ‘okay’ despite the fact that I am still shaking and my unit just suffered numerous casualties (wounded) after a brutal encounter.

My wife had adjusted to the situation that I needed to talk in whispers every time I make a call in a ‘hot’ area. “Tactical considerations, let’s talk within 3-5 minutes,” I tell her.

Since clashes were always in the headlines during those times, I always made it a point to relay a message to my wife through military communication lines when cellphone signal cannot be accessed in my area of operations (AO).

“Tell her that I am alive and kicking the butts of the terrorists here,” I would joke to my radio operator in our camp in Cabunbata village in Isabela town. He would relay the same message to my wife through our unit’s cellphone.

It was my hope that my wife would not entertain thoughts that I might be one of the casualties in the bloody clashes. I was aware of the fact that the events in Basilan filled the primetime news and that the Scout Rangers were at the very forefront of the dangerous combat-rescue missions during those times.

During lull of the military operations, I also find time to fly to Manila to see my family even for only three days. To do this, I usually pay a round trip ticket (Zambo-Manila-Zambo) just to ensure that I can rejoin my company after its ‘rest period’ elapses. By doing so, I sustained the bonding moments with my wife and my son.

Consistency is the key

When I was transferred to Bulacan province for my staff duty assignment in May 2002, my son was already talkative and playful. He was barely three year old when I regularly hopped back and forth Manila and our headquarters in San Miguel town, located about 2.5 hours away from home.

When I am on duty, I saw to it that I talked to him everyday. Our phone conversations became part of my ‘duty’ that I religiously performed. “Papa, san ka? Bakit ka nandyan?” was his repeated dialogue. Parang sirang plaka sa mga tanong pero aking pinagtitiyagaang sagutin kahit paulit-ulit.

I had the opportunity to be with my family regularly when I was posted as a Liaison Officer in Fort Bonifacio in that same year. Unlike in the field, soldiers who are posted in garrisons usually have the chance to spend the weekends with their family. I therefore became one of the so-called ‘weekend warriors’.

As part of our bonding time, we regularly had swimming trips. He loved playing in the pool and I became his first
swimming instructor. Through our ‘habulan’ games, we created memories that would be imprinted forever in both our hearts.

Where is Papa?

When my son was five years old, saying goodbye became much more difficult. When I was detailed as an instructor in the Scout Ranger School, I always depart in the wee hours of the morning so that I can catch the start of the classes at 8:00am.

One morning, my wife called to tell me that Harvey was crying because I did not ask for his permission to leave the house. “I will wake you up next time son,” I promised him.

He took my word like a covenant. Since then, I always make it a point to get his nod every time I depart for duty. Most of the time, he was still too groggy to rise and send me off. However, I was glad that I did not hear more grumblings from him anymore.

Probably influenced by the negative impact of the primetime news about battles and tales of destruction in Mindanao, my son never liked soldiery as a profession. “Ayaw kong mamatay. Takot ako sa Abu Sayyaf,” were among his reasons. His mom could only nod in agreement.

I am glad that my duty as a company grade officer was over when he gradually became aware about the bloody battles in the countryside.

I believe Naomi Drew, author of Hope and Healing: Raising Peaceful Children in an Uncertain World when she said that children are usually terrified by the prospect of war and that this fear is magnified for those with family members in the armed forces.

I also agree when she declared that, “Children live by routines, such as eating dinner at a certain time or having a bedtime story read to them every night. These routines make them feel safe and in control. When a routine is broken—in this case, the absence of a parent for an unspecified period of time—a child may begin to feel helpless and adrift.”
I believe that it was the reason why he complained about my inability to ask for his permission before I depart for my military duty.

As my only child, he expected that that I am still beside him when he wakes up. He disliked the idea that I am not there to play with him the whole day.

Creating memories

Regardless of the constant phone calls from hundreds of miles away, I still felt that my son is becoming aloof to me as time went by. Definitely, there is no replacement for actual presence. As they say, ‘iba ang may pinagsamahan’. There are things that cannot be compensated by long distance conversations.

When I get the opportunity to go home, I always make it a point to spend quality time with my son. I identified some common interests that we have. When there are minor conflicts about what we like, we meet halfway and come up with compromises.

Since the three of us love Swedish massage, we find time to visit our favorite massage parlor. It has become a convenient way to share experiences and laughter especially when we compare the performance of our respective attendants.

We also implemented the family coffee time during which we just talk and share funny stories about our own lives. I share my ‘kwentong mess kit’, which is about the humor in uniform. Hearing the real life funny situations involving soldiers, I found out that he appreciates even simple jokes.

For his part, I require him to share his daily experiences as a child, about his crushes (which he reluctantly shares) and about his close friends.

We taught him the importance of honesty and the proper use of “All Right” challenge, which I learned in the PMA. Until now, he has adhered to his highest standard of integrity. He also takes note about the importance of word of honor. Lagi akong nasisingil kapag nakakalimutan ko ang sarili kong promises.

Lately, my son and I are into pistol shooting. Somehow, I influenced him after several shooting competitions during which I tagged him along as my cheerer. He is becoming a very good shooter now. Malapit na akong ma-demote bilang cheerer.

It started out when I told him that I ‘won’ many friends through shooting competitions. I asked him if he wants to do something for the country. “Gusto ko po,” came his reply.

I asked him if he wants to be an Olympic gold medalist in one of our ‘usapang mag-ama’ as we called our conversations. “You will become a national hero. Nobody has brought home a gold medal until today.”

Since then, I shared to him my shooting skills. Aware that shooting is quite expensive, he urged me at one point to concentrate on the coaching job. I soon realized it was a trick so that he can have all the ammunitions intended for both of us.

Naturally, shooting became our passion. Discussing his shooting ‘dry practices’ became part of our small talks every night. I told him to minimize playing computer games as this might adversely affect his vision. I also told him to undergo swimming and aerobic exercise, which he readily obliged. Dahil sa shooting, meron na kaming karagdagang pinag-uusapan.

I also noticed that our communication lines have become more open and less informal as it should be. He shares to me his feelings such as his ‘nerbiyos’ prior to an actual match; and I always ensured that I taught him the techniques to overcome them.

“Just concentrate on the shooting basics. Don’t think about the people watching you but think on how to shoot straight consistently all the time,” I reminded him.

When he won his first official shooting match in February 2011, he was very proud. He called me and asked me to take a photo of his trophy for his Face book account.I got a simple reward for my coaching job when I heard him say, “I am proud of my Coach Papa.”

Technological advancements

During my younger years as a Platoon Leader in mid 90’s, our soldiers were contented with the use of the URC 187 HF radio to talk with their loved ones. I can vividly recall soldiers saying, “I love you too, over!” to their wives who chatted with them through the military communication lines of another military camp near their homes.

When I was a Company Commander, majority of my soldiers had their own cellphones. I also maintained a company-owned cellphone that was monitored by our support personnel 24/7.

Those who had no personal cellphones were allowed to use the unit’s cellphone for emergency outgoing calls. I also required them to maintain communication lines to their loved ones and I personally write letters to their wives or parents. By doing so, I have helped save some troubled marriages in my unit.

With the advent of 3G video calls, Skype and Yahoo Messenger, maintaining the lines of communication is becoming much easier.

It seems that there are no more valid alibis left for soldiers not to maintain a robust relationship with their loved ones.
I can confidently say that we can be the best soldier and a responsible family man if we want to do it. We must strive to achieve this usually unrecognized ‘accomplishment’.

I had received many combat medals and citations in the past. Indeed, I am very proud for them.

But during my Basilan tour in 1998, I received my first “Best Husband” certificate from my wife. It made me prouder.

I am still waiting for my “Best Father” award from my son. I am still working hard for it. It will make me the proudest soldier.
***(This article is dedicated to all soldiers who have offered their lives in the service of the motherland)

‘For better or for worse,’ come hell or high water

(This article was written by Major Harold M Cabunoc and was featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on January 13, 2011. Major Cabunoc is the spokesperson of the 9th Infantry (Spear)Division of the Philippine Army.)


LEGAZPI CITY—In sickness or in health, for richer or poorer, come hell or floodwater...

Glenda Lorenzo of Guinobatan, Albay, the youngest of seven children, pursued her big dream to be a registered nurse before deciding to marry.

Her fiancé, Ryan Cuebillas of Daraga town in the same province, is also a registered nurse.

Both 30, they both passed the nursing board exams and subsequently landed decent jobs.

In 2010, the 10th year of their relationship, they decided they were ready to take the plunge. They scheduled the wedding on Dec. 30 at Albay Cathedral in Legazpi City.

Thus began the couple’s lengthy preparations.

They agreed that one of them should take charge of the details because they wanted to make their wedding truly memorable not only for themselves but also for their loved ones, some of whom would come all the way from abroad.

While Ryan continued to work in a cement factory, Glenda quit her job in order to personally supervise the wedding preparations, including the invitations, the attire of the whole entourage, the flower arrangements, the hotel accommodations, the catering and, of course, the honeymoon plans.

With Glenda’s meticulous ways, they were quite sure that it would be “all systems go” on their wedding day.

High hopes

The unexpected torrential rains began to pour at least a week before Dec. 30, flooding certain parts of Albay including Legazpi.

The bad weather showed no sign of abating and the couple sought God’s intervention, wishing for the rains to stop at least on Dec. 30.

Recalling the events, Glenda said that a day before the wedding, she learned that Army troops had begun transporting residents of low-lying areas as part of the local government’s “preemptive evacuation” policy.

When the bride awoke in her hotel room early on Dec. 30, the lazy patter of raindrops on the roof greeted her.

But she had high hopes. “Rain can be a blessing too,” she told her groom, who did not share her optimism as the steady patter droned on, inundating nearby roads.

At around 2 p.m., the bride’s makeup artists were done with their final touches.

Glenda went down shortly to the hotel lobby to get a glimpse of the situation outside—and was shocked by the sight of people wading in knee-deep waters!

Her dismay was aggravated by the somber declaration of her wedding coordinator: “The bridal car cannot make it to the cathedral because of the flood.”

Determination

Trying to smile while her dream wedding fell apart, Glenda desperately thought of ways to save the day.

She phoned Ryan who was by then already waiting for her at the cathedral. But he suggested suspending the wedding for the next day and requesting that all the food for the reception be refrigerated.

Glenda disagreed, not believing that wedding vows should be postponed.

So Ryan began calling friends and relatives who might know of someone who owned four-by-four trucks that could still navigate Legazpi’s flooded streets.

All of a sudden, the vivid image of the Army’s rescue teams flashed in Glenda’s mind. But the problem was that she did not know anyone from the Army troops based in the town of Daraga.

With her hopes sinking, she phoned Cris Dalaguit of radio dzGB, whose public affairs program was airing at that time.

Dalaguit promptly rang up Col. Arthur Ang, commander of the Army’s 901st Brigade. By that time, however, the soldiers and all transport trucks had already been deployed to Legazpi and neighboring towns.

Glenda recalled being told that Ang had instructed Col. Romeo Ayson, the head of the rescue task group, to assist the wedding party.

“But they were still in a distant location. I knew that the soldiers were coming, but I could not wait any longer,” she said.

Bridal truck

Explaining to her friends and kin the prevailing situation, Glenda requested them to flag down any truck approaching the hotel.

“I told them that I didn’t care what kind of truck my ‘bridal car’ would be. I just wanted to be brought to the church for my wedding,” she said.

Minutes later, a large cargo truck that can be mistaken for a copra hauler stopped in front of the hotel lobby.

Glenda walked to the truck; some friends and hotel staff helped her up and steadied her atop a table so she would not be soaked.

The truck slowly negotiated the heavily flooded streets, some of which were blocked by stalled vehicles.

Glenda said she felt relieved in thinking that her only problem now was how to transport her entourage.

Then she saw the soldiers aboard camouflage military transport trucks coming from the opposite direction.

They did not fail her, after all. Some of them were cold and drenched from the rains, but they were smiling as they came to the rescue.

Gratitude

At the cathedral, Ryan embraced his slightly disheveled bride, who was shedding tears of joy and relief.

Not long afterward, the soldiers were able to collect and deposit the rest of the guests.

The ceremony finally got started at around 5 p.m. despite the heavy rains that drenched almost the entire wedding party.

After the wedding, the soldiers again transported all the members of the entourage and some of the guests back to the hotel for the reception.

“I could not put into exact words how thankful I was to all of them, especially Colonel Ayson,” Glenda said later as she proudly showed the photographs of her wedding day.

The media got wind of the couple’s unusual experience and made them instant celebrities. Through interviews and guest appearances on TV, they became models of optimism and perseverance.

Because of the rains that did not go away, Ryan and Glenda unintentionally served as the best examples of how a couple should face life’s trials and difficulties.


To watch the news video, please click on the link below:
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/72378/24oras-bride-entourage-sumakay-sa-trak-papunta-sa-kasal">24oras: Bride, entourage, sumakay sa trak papunta sa kasal - Video - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

Stop Child Exploitation!

Mga kababayan, ngayon pong kapaskuhan ay ating pagmuni-munihan ang landas na tinatahak ng ating buhay at ng ating pamayanan. Atin pong iwasto ang mali at lalo pa nating pag-ibayuhin ang gawaing mabuti para sa kapwa at sa ating mga pamilya. Importante sa lahat ay atin pong gabayan ang ating mga anak at kabataan tungo sa makabuluhan at produktibong pamumuhay. Lagi po nating tandaan na ang mga kabataan ang pag-asa ng ating bayan at ang sarili nating mga anak ang magiging sandigan natin sa ating pagtanda.

Bandit Mentality: The Continued Disrespect of the Military Uniform

by MAJOR HAROLD M CABUNOC (INF) PA


Introduction

In any professional Armed Forces, proper military clothing is observed to maintain the respect and heroic nature of the military service.

Though different uniform styles are designed for each branch of the military these should be worn neatly and properly whether while on duty inside or outside camps where soldiers are subjected to the scrutinizing eyes of the general public.

For each service branch, a set of rules are to be followed when dressed in military attire, otherwise soldiers are subject to sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the Military Justice System.

In the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the lack of tough sanctions has led to the rampant transgressions to regulations governing the correct way to wear the military uniform.

Why are we becoming helpless against these violators? Is it ok that while we profess military professionalism in our ranks, we look the other way when seeing undisciplined soldiers who are behaving as if they are the ‘disgrace to the military uniform’?

Military Professionalism and the Uniform Code
During basic military training, soldiers are indoctrinated about their transformation from civilian life to a regimented one as they are honed to become part of the armed forces.

I can still vividly recall the teachings of General Charles De Gaulle in a poem that he wrote which says:

“Men who adopt the profession of arms, submit their own free will to a law of perpetual constraints of their own accord. They resist their right to live where they choose,to say what they think,to dress as they like.”
Through this poem, soldiers are taught the importance of obedience and discipline. Recruits are required to wear a prescribed uniform for a specific military duty. For example, there is an authorized uniform for parades. We had bathroom attire and sleeping attire.

There is always the proper way to iron and wear the uniform. There are also correct accessories and patches that are authorized.

Soldiers are indoctrinated to ‘respect’ the uniform and the thousands of servicemen who had given honor to the country.

Fundamentals in Wearing the Uniform
First of all, soldiers are reminded that sharp personal appearance is the outward indication of your pride in yourself and the Army. You are not supposed to show yourself in uniform when you look shabby. Every soldier is supposed to be the ‘show-window’ of the military organization. It takes only one shabby-looking soldier to erode the trust of the public in an area where a unit is deployed.

Our uniforms must be presented neatly and cleanly. It means that the uniform must be regularly washed. Aside from that soldiers are taught on how to iron our uniform correctly.

I can still recall that as a PMA cadet, I got delinquency reports even for a simple offense of having loose strings which I failed to cut from my newly issued uniform. That is how we were trained to become respectable individuals in the military service.

Soldiers are trained that the uniform is to be worn with pride and to practice humility. No jewelry, combs, checkbooks, pens, pencils or similar items will appear exposed on uniforms.

AFP regulations also tell us that uniforms are not to be mixed with civilian clothing. No civilian undershirts and no wearing of civilian type shoes when in military dress.

Basically, smoking and chewing gum detracts from a professional image and is not allowed in military formations and when in public view.

Bulky items in our uniform’s pockets are not allowed. We are taught that having our hands in our pockets does not convey a professional image. Soldiers are not supposed to place their hands in their pockets except momentarily to place or retrieve items.

The cap is part of our uniform. We must always wear our cap while outdoors or while under arms, when carrying a rifle or wearing a saber.

Otherwise, we are not supposed to wear our hats indoors. Soldiers should develop the habit of removing their caps upon entering a building.

In some formal occasions however, it has been a custom to wear the cap during the duration of the activity. A fine example is during military graduation ceremonies.

Soldiers will keep fingernails clean and neatly trimmed so as not to interfere with the performance of duty. Female soldiers are also not supposed to wear nail polish that is exaggerated, faddish, or of extreme coloring, such as purple, gold, blue or white.

There are many ‘military cut’ or hairstyles that are acceptable in the Philippine Army. Basically, the hair will be neatly groomed. The length and bulk of hair will not be excessive or present a ragged, unkempt, or extreme appearance. However, there is no clear-cut policy on which haircut is specifically authorized.

Hair will not fall over the eyebrows or extend below the bottom edge of the collar. Lines or designs will not be cut into the hair or scalp. If dyes, tints, or bleaches are used, colors used must be natural to human hair and not present an extreme appearance.

For males, sideburns will be neatly trimmed. The base will not be flared and will be a cleanshaven, horizontal line. Sideburns will not extend below the lowest part of the exterior ear opening. The face will be clean-shaven and growing moustache is not permitted.

For female soldiers, hairstyles will not interfere with proper wearing of military headgear or protective masks. Hair holding ornaments (barrettes, pins, clips), if used, must be transparent or similar incolor to hair, and will be inconspicuously placed. Beads or similar ornamental items are not authorized.

Conservative civilian prescription eyeglasses are authorized for wear. Glasses with faddish frames or lenses, initials or other adornments are not authorized. Soldiers may not wear lenses that are so large as to detract from the appearance of the uniform.

Conservative sunglasses may be worn in uniform when in garrison, except indoors or in formation.

Soldiers are also not supposed to wear the uniform when going to a bar or strip club or any other place whose main purpose is to sell or serve alcohol. We are not allowed to get drunk in uniform, to go to political rallies, endorse political candidates and make political statements.

The reign of “bandit mentality” in the AFP
Looking around, it is frustrating to see that many soldiers do not respect the uniform at all. I am dismayed that soldiers do not follow dress regulations taught during training and opt to mimic the bandits whowe are fighting in the countryside.

Whether in large garrisons in urban centers or in far-flung detachments, we can find many uniformed men who look just the same with the Abu Sayyaf and NPA bandits.

Their presence is practically everywhere----starting from the GHQ, AFP to large camps of the three branches of service and down to the small detachments/outposts in the boondocks.

It is normal to see soldiers wearing tsinelas or sandals while wearing BDA. Basketball jerseys are also fast becoming the preferred undershirt.
Anywhere, you can find military trucks transporting soldiers who can be mistaken as newly captured rebels.

Lame excuses, invalid alibis
Though trying hard to understand this organizational ‘cancer’ that is creeping in our ranks called ‘bandit mentality’, I sometimes cannot help but confront erring soldiers especially those who happen to come near me.

Believing that there might be valid reasons for these actions, I always find time to let them verbally explain their wanton disregard of the military regulations.

Seeing one M35 truck driver in Pili town one day, I noticed that he was wearing ‘half-uniform’ and in tsinelas. Asked why he was wearing such unauthorized outfit, he calmly said that ‘the vehicle’s engine is very hot’ and so it is more relaxing to wear tsinelas and get rid of the ‘upper uniform’ (jacket). Comfort oriented soldiers, I sighed

I realized later that the mess sergeant and many other soldiers who were buying provisions for the unit as well as the duty escorts were in various types of outfits you can imagine.

One was wearing the only the ‘upper uniform’. The other preferred only the Army shirt with baketball shorts. And, these are the soldiers who are wondering why they are not respected by the civilians whom they meet.

“We are in civilian attire or half-uniform to avoid the liquidation squad of the NPA sir,” came his explanation when I accosted him. Another unacceptable justification to an officer who was not born yesterday and who had fought both ASG and NPA bandits, I told him.

Inside military camps, soldiers who are performing ‘fatigue duties’ (cleaning and maintenance as well as construction personnel) use different military uniforms as their preferred outfit.

One soldier prefers the BDA jacket to protect himself from the scorching heat of the sun. The other soldier wears the BDA pants with his favorite Nike shoes and Adidas sweatshirt. If cautioned, the emotional reply is “nagtatrabaho kasi kami sa initan sir”.

Everyone seems to have the ready answer for their stupid actions. Reservist soldiers or ‘weekend soldiers’ have the easiest explanation why you can find them wearing the uniform as if they are members of the Hukbalahap bandit group.

“I am only a reservist soldier sir,” came the reply from one whom I accosted in a carenderia for removing his jacket and hanging it on his shoulders like Robin Padilla in one of his movies.

When I was a company grade officer in Mindanao, I once worked with many soldiers from different units as we hunted down bandits and terrorists in the marshlands of Maguindanao down to the lush forests of Basilan and Sulu.

I myself had violated regulations by conforming to some of the bad practices that I had observed in the past. I was also one of those who wear the ‘pis-pis’ (a form of amulet worn by our Filipino Muslim brothers), a yellow bandanna with Islamic prayers inscribed by an Imam.

As a young officer, I was stupid enough to assume that it was cool to wear the ‘pis-pis’ in the same way that Abdurajak Janjalani, the original Abu Sayyaf leader, did in mid-1990’s. Well, my own alibi during that time was that I was not issued force protection equipment (Kevlar helmet, Level 3A flak jacket); therefore, I am justified to wear my ‘anting-anting’ (amulet) for my protection. Of course, I was once stupid too.

I am glad to have outgrown these unprofessional and bad practices in the organization.

What went wrong?
The Philippine Army traces its humble beginngings from the revolutionary forces of the Katipunan which fought the Spaniards in the late 1890’s. Obviously, these ‘soldiers’ were ragtag fighters without any proper training. During that time, anyone who had a band of armed followers became the leader and “Heneral”.

It was during the time of President Manuel L Quezon (Commonwealth Period) that he established the new armed forces under the supervision of General Douglas Mc Arthur.

Due to the unexpected outbreak of the war, the newly organized and ill-equipped Filipino servicemen were incorporated into the US Armed Forces and named as the USAFFE.

Though lacking uniform and equipment, these forces were deployed for combat. These ill-trained Filipino soldiers fought courageously in the series of battles during WWII.

Naturally, no one cared how they looked or behaved during that time as long as warm bodies were present to defend the country.

When the AFP was gradually reorganized after the war, the soldiers were immediately plunged into the thick of the fight against the emerging the Huk rebels who waged violent attacks against government forces and facilities in Luzon.

In Mindanao, Constabulary and Army units were busy scouring the island of Sulu to hunt for the elusive Kamlon. Gathered war stories and some photos from this campaign reveal that soldiers were trained to imitate the bandits’ way of life as one of their strategy against the rebels.

During the reign of President Marcos, soldiers remained busy fighting both communist and secessionist rebels. For some reason or another, the use of different types of uniforms by soldiers was widely tolerated.

We can verify from footages during the EDSA revolution in 1986 and the 1989 coup d’etat that soldiers were proudly sporting long hair like “Rambo” who was the popular war movie icon among soldiers during that time.

Based on personal accounts of many officers who saw action in the field in the 1980s, the military uniform during those times was not really ‘uniform’ in the real sense of the word.

I have heard many senior officers who had served in the field during their younger years that the US ‘fatigue’ (olive drab) uniform was their favorite attire.

In the 1990’s, the emergence of progressive-minded officers gradually transformed the military organization. Some officers were gradually taking notice of the importance of setting the correct image of the Filipino soldier. Even star-rank officers were reprimanding soldiers who were found to be sporting long hair and those who were wearing lousy and untidy uniforms.

In its effort to improve the ‘looks’ of the Philippine Army soldier, there were measures implemented to ensure that soldiers will be wearing the same type of uniform. Actually, as experienced, the constant changing of the uniform is the easiest ‘reform’ that can be implemented in the military organization.

While the patterns of the uniform had been changed continuously, the problem about implementing the correct way to wear the uniform remains.
Today, we can still find ‘bandit-looking’ soldiers in their newly designed, ‘digital’ pattern outfits. It only proves that we have forgotten to reform the behaviour of our soldiers as well.

One of the causes why this problem is not corrected is the usual tendency for officers to please their soldiers. For me, this is leadership by popularity. Officers and NCOs who feel that they do not have the credibility to lead, ‘loosen’ their control over their soldiers’ actions. Simply put, these leaders cannot lead by setting the good example which is the best way to motivate and influence soldiers.

Recommended solutions
1. Revise the AFP uniform code/regulations. A uniform board must be convened to study and possibly, revise the existing AFP dress regulations. Representatives from different BOS (branch of service) must be consulted as there are peculiarities in the uniform for each BOS. Each BOS will base their own dress regulations from the published AFP uniform regulations. All authorized military attires must be clearly defined such as the ‘fatigue duty attire’, formal ceremonies outfit, authorized haircut for men and women, etc.

2. Audio-video instructions.Training photos and videos can be made to ensure uniformity of the training instructions about the dress regulations. Video CDs containing these instructions will be distributed for all training institutions (e.g. DTUs, ATGs, RCDG) and line units all over the archipelago. Photos about the different military outfits and the rules governing them must be posted in unit bulletin boards. This must also be part of the pre-entry training, reenlistment training and sustainment training for soldiers and units.

3. Command responsibility. Every officer and NCO-leaders must be made responsible for implementing such regulations. The commanding officer or chief of office will be made to answer for the non-compliance of the dress regulations by his subordinates. Complaints through text messages especially with photos must be submitted to the military police or the DPM as part of our feedback system. Violators must be punished immediately. Those who insist to dress and behave like bandits must be discharged from the military service so that they can wear anything they like as carefree civilians. Commanders who are inept, incompetent and who don’t have the iron will to implement regulations must be removed from their posts.

Conclusion
Bandit mentality is a curable problem as long as we want to. We should take note that the misdemeanors of our soldiers are happening despite the pronouncements that the military is now professionalized and well-disciplined.

We might need to reflect on what is happening in our organization. Are we not contradicting ourselves? Are we not supposed to do what we say?

These uncorrected foolishness by some soldiers reflect the leadership skills of our unit leaders. I don’t believe that a Company Commander or a Chief of Office cannot correct these infractions. We don’t need a 4-star General to personally admonish soldiers who violate our policies.

There is a need to discipline our soldiers. Let us start with the way they wear their uniforms and the way they behave as members of the largest armed group in the country, the AFP.

For a volunteer Army like our own armed forces, this is not difficult to implement.

"VINCENT"

(A re-issue of previous article published entitled “Quo Vadis CMO”- 2004)
by Major Roy Anthony O Derilo (INF) PA

“Of course we did not join the armed service just to help develop communities, but I certainly did not sign up to an ‘Army’ that cannot even win it’s war.”

One sad effect of bearing a long-drawn campaign against insurgency is the way it creates a psychology of contentment of people to conditions that doesn’t seem to improve. At the great part of our neutral citizenry, expectations for better conditions has seemingly been overtaken by passive and oftentimes fatalistic dance with whoever would matter for today and whoever will be controlling the day after. Sad but true that, for as long as their lives are not taken, their doors are open to either insurgents who talk of alternative systems, or to soldiers who demand they shouldn’t.

I find it more unfortunate that there also exists the usual unspoken-of psychology of contentment adapted by some military seniors; I refer to higher ups who already find satisfaction and victory over the momentary inability of the insurgents to totally take-over.

“That for as long as they have not taken over the streets of Manila, we are doing just fine…”, goes one senior officer in one of our informal chat- such was a display of clear ignorance to the economic effect of having to spend so much for campaigns without much concrete returns.

I consider this as not only the saddest but also the worst psychology ever to be entertained in an organization which is heavily-depended on for their last hopes by a considerable number of people of this socio-politically and economically challenged society.

I am saying that it is the worst psychology because it is not only highly contagious especially to subordinates but it also discourages thinking and hopeful young minds in the organization from digging deeper for better solutions. The kind of solutions that may be radical but do make sense. Radical in the sense that concepts go beyond what traditional military leaders see as politically safe and traditionally military, as taught in our “worshipped” foreign military training institutions such the US Army’s Fort Bragg. Solutions that do not necessarily bring about enemy body counts and firearms recovery but would probably make a great difference in terms of non-resurgence of this over 40-year old communist insurgency. We are talking about solutions that may not spell military machismo. Solutions that may simply be CMO (civil-military operations).

Of Blood, Sweat, and Blames

After decades of confronting such a seemingly endless insurgency, there had been so many instances in time when we had come to terms with the fact that we cannot totally end insurgency through the traditional combat approach.

For this reason, we resorted to alternative means by combining our efforts with non-armed civic approaches. Hence, new ideas came about such as ACCORD; ALPS; and the SOT. And, at some point, it did matter to some degree.

As a matter of fact, Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) earned accolades and even national recognition. Not long after those initial gains, we saw the need to restructure and reengineer our approach if only to sustain efforts, especially that of the SOT.

On a larger scale, strategic thinkers came up with the National Internal Security Plan or NISP. The Plan was basically an approach to address internal security problems by addressing its social, political, economic root causes, and poverty through a convergence of efforts by the different government agencies, NGO’s, and other security stakeholders.

It has provided structures and linkages, and even provided the mechanics on how organizations should cooperate. It even underwent major overhaul as critics deemed that NISP crafting and implementation should not be DND-led.

Then, there came the lingering question, “Was the plan successful after years of implementation?” Well, no less than the former President Arroyo herself said, “… Remedy the lack of orchestration in the actions of political, informational, economic and security components; and the lack of convergence among different societal stakeholders!” Simply put, orchestration and convergence, more than anything else, did not really happen.

CMO has indeed provided a side thrust to orient the military organization, (or shall we say a part of it) towards a more relevant direction on how an economically and socio-politically fuelled insurgency problem could be addressed.

With its super-ordinated objective of winning the hearts and minds of the masses and destroying the enemy’s will to fight, it basically recognized a non-armed developmental approach of winning its wars.

To be more specific, it is the community concerns of CMO, though some of which are rather more dole-outs than truly developmental, that basically defined the basic constants of the formula of such renewed approach to counter-insurgency.

Unfortunately, the equation seems problematic as we realize we still haven’t made so much progress in terms of destroying enemy political veins and obtain strategic control towards ending the problem.

And so we resorted to an easy excuse - “that it is because other agencies of the government failed to do their part that is why we are not winning”. To be more specific, the military officers and leaders throw in the ‘ever-face-saving’ alibi that “other agencies are not committed to do their share as they do not have clear implementation plans of how to execute actions of NISP especially at the lower levels…”.

To make the matter worst, others would simply say… “National leadership lacks the political will to end insurgency…” These times, everyone seems to be contented with such defeatist thinking to justify the issue of the day. “For as long as we do our jobs…our operational budget released… and the enemy not taken over…we are doing just fine…” If this thinking prevails, we will probably be confronting this insurgency problem up to the next century. Or worst, we just might become like the fledging Army of Rwanda who, at first, pretend to be neutral on social issues but allowed the Hutus to carnage the Tutsis. They were later overthrown and sent running by the ‘liberating’ Tutsi rebels.

Feeling restive of the way things are, younger minds in the organization in the past came up with more radical concepts such as Army Social Responsibility Concept and the Public Information Patrol. All of these concepts spell a more pro-active non-armed approach to address insurgency.

Though these new ideas may come on a commendable note, a more urgent concern recognized by even writers of these concept is the lack of competencies and readiness of soldiers towards a more pronounced social involvement in all these proposed ideas. I refer to competencies that are real, trained for…and not assumed. In whatever way it should be attained, at least we have good things to think of for now – that there are still hopeful younger minds who dig deep for better solutions.

The Evolving Trends and the Developmental Paradigm

Today’s global flows of goods, services, finance, people and images spotlight the many interlinkages in the security of all people. We share a planet, a biosphere, a technological arsenal, a social fabric. The security of one person, one community, one nation rests on the decision of many others – sometimes fortuitously, sometimes precariously.

Political liberalization in recent decades has shifted alliances and begun movements towards democracy. These processes opened opportunities for people but also new fault lines.

In our beloved Philippines for example, political liberalization and the subsequent trends towards an emancipated democracy has its unfortunate implications even while still on the process of change. For one thing, democracy has only been mostly ventured in the areas of policy determination through collective voices or sectoral representations. Greatly overlooked is the area of actual collective action most specifically the factor of psycho-social preparations of people towards the emerging needs of inter-agency and inter-sectoral cooperation. Everyone seems to want to say something in the light of collective representation but nobody seems to realize that the emerging trends and challenges require the necessity of preparation or re-preparation of competencies towards the actual collective action. A concrete example of this failure of which the AFP could be partly guilty, being one of the major stakeholder organization, is NISP that is mentioned earlier.

By design, the NISP had all of what it takes to be looked-up as a plan heading towards the right direction. It views addressing security issues by tackling its root causes such as economic, social, political, and poverty through inter-stakeholder convergence of efforts.

However, in one bold stroke of assumption, the AFP organization was made to be involved in the grand hopeful scheme but without comprehensive preparation. Soldiers were committed but not really made prepared or up to the task. The result was not only non-convergence; it has even catered an emerged disappointment, a new fault line, due to realized passiveness and non-commitment of their civilian counterparts.

At one point, though professionally unacceptable, the military may have the right to feel the oftenly unsaid disappointment. But on another point, the organization must have to accept that it somehow missed to prepare soldiers to understand other organizations’ culture, performance standards, their sensitivities, strengths and weakness, goals and objectives, all for the supposed ends of favorable complementation. In the first place, an honest reflection of the past may be due as Filipinos were not that passive before. Perhaps they must have grown sick and tired already of government aside from becoming desperately contented.

As a matter of recognized needs, soldiers work with others. But as a matter of preparation, never did understanding social organizations and issues thoroughly considered in the varied courses and trainings in the military organization. This is happening in the backdrop that the military is now looking into some strategy that involves counter-organizing. Counter-organizing!!! Just how counter-developmental can we be!!! For how can one even counter-organize an organization of people when the ones who thought of it and those we are now calling our “experts” in counter-organizing themselves cannot even organize one?

As a matter of defining standards - should we really insist to fail, the ability to counter-organize presupposes the ability to organize. And the ability to organize presupposes the ability to understand issues and interests to which organizations are slowly built upon. Understanding issues and interest is very important because once one has developed these competencies he just might likewise realize that he won’t even have to counter-organize organizations strayed by incoherent ideologies and interests, most especially those poor ones that emerged from real issues and never on ideologies. Hence, we just might finally realize that it would rather be best to look into the real issues that may have been exploited by the real detractors.

With a better developmental comprehension and a more developed social lens, one may opt that these organizations would be better off re-aligned, re-directed and strengthened rather than destroyed. But then again, traditional military thinkers may not find these things toughly military. Some simply may not adapt because these things are not thought in the traditional military science and in the doctrines of the idolized United States Army. And yet they wonder why such one of the most powerful armed forces of the world is losing its strategic grip and ends of establishing stability in Iraq.

Unfortunately, due to economic considerations, our soldiers have to be hauled in the open to address a very socio-politically charged problem of insurgency - if only to make practical use of the organizations human resource, whether by convergence such as that of the NISP, or as initiatives of some ‘good’ Generals, or in partnership with some ‘good’ politicians projecting strategic political preparations.

Again, proceeding in the open society with non-traditional functions but still without thorough preparations materializes many other new fault lines. Fault lines such as that which permeates a status-quo of never ending insurgency; ault lines such as that which leads to demoralization and “adventurism”; or a fault line wherein military leaders are easily exploited for political ends of influential individuals - All these because we insist to proceed without preparing. All these because we overlooked the necessities of enhancing soldiers cognitive capacities and retooling their competencies. Its basically forcing square pegs into round holes and then scratching head while asking… why does things keep falling apart.

Apprehensions and the Imperatives of Re-Preparation

The Philippine military, as well as the general Philippine society, urgently need a better cognitive understanding of the new paradigm of security and social trends.

We need a paradigm of security that should look beyond insurgency and armed insurgents, or separatism and the armed separatists. We want a paradigm that would worthily make everyone realize security as a shared responsibility between and among those who are dealing with rights, those with security, those with humanitarian concerns, and those with socio-economic development.

All these would necessarily depart from the traditional security question of state and its soldiers being able to wipe out enemies and detractors…of agencies to do each of their functions separately…of military actions from simple reactive actions…of campaigns that are only in terms of body counts…of developmental efforts that are only in terms of number of trees planted; number of school children fed; CC’s of soldiers’ blood donated; and roads and bridges constructed.

It is a paradigm that necessitates enhancement of soldiers’ socio-economic capacities and developmental competencies. It is a paradigm that is truly developmental. All these without prejudice to real and urgent needs of combat capability upgrading and modernization.

As one once said, “War is not an affair of chance. A great deal of knowledge, study and meditation is necessary to conduct it well.” What we have at hand is not simply a war against armed insurgents and separatists, or a war of the state’s armed threats.

As it should be, it is also a war against its economic, social, and political root causes… a fight towards assuring human security. And if to conduct it well, a great deal of knowledge, study and meditation is necessary. Why? Because securing peace is not an easy task. The challenges may take more than what the contemporary definition of military professionalism only describe… of being assigned to distant posts… of going without sleep or food… It is an evolved challenge that should prompt the military organization to elevate professionalism into a pertinent and relevant level – of being able to understand issues… of being able to bridge individual, group, and larger social interest… of being able to link needs and efforts…of being able to help empower people, in the light of real community development and economic sustainability - the true developmental paradigm.

All these enhancement should take form from the strategic to the tactical level. “But concerning ourselves to the developmental context of this nation’s security problem is over-stretching the organization?” No, over stretching only happens when a person tries to extend himself, by and only within his recognized means, and without practical and sensible efforts of using other relevant recourse, or other people, to be able to enhance reach and grasp.

That is why we have to enhance soldiers’ social and developmental capacities and competencies. “But still it is overburdening the organization…” Technically yes. But overburdening presupposes the absence of strength to bear increased weight. That is why we have to strengthen our organization by developing our soldiers’ and leaders’ capacities and competencies in terms of the actual society needs. “But this will be very hard…” Oh yes! In fact it is the hard truth behind the responsibility we have sworn as defenders of the nation; guardians of democracy; and servant of the people. “But don’t you think it is already becoming messianic?” No. Messianism, as it is understood contemporarily, has the dubious strategic intent of taking over total political control with the ends of instilling order through economic and social orchestration. It basically disempowers existing legitimate authority and social organizations from performing constitutionally mandated functions and democratically assured expression.

The basic foundation of enhancing cognitive capacities and enriching developmental competencies is the indispensable requisite of establishing comprehensive understanding by, supposedly all society organizations - of other agencies’ and sectors’ strengths and weaknesses, and establish a common developmental plane wherein which complementing efforts that should address security problem’s root causes could convergently take place.

It is along these lines that soldiers get to learn things such as social empowerment; collaboration;
linkaging; community sense of ownership of projects; area assessments; social marketing; and those that would serve as building blocks towards understanding issues of shared responsibility. In other words, the ends will be empowering social organizations towards realizing their roles and needed contribution in the total society efforts of attaining peace and economic stability. As such, it is not messianic.

A more credible concern or apprehension in the proposed strategic thrust of enhancing cognitive social capacity and developmental competency or “re-preparation” would be the consequence of knowledge and understanding. The risks concerns brought about by consequential and incidental knowledge in the process of understanding a developmental paradigm. Simply put - the apprehension by leaders that idealistic minds might realize the un-ideal reality of the actual situation.

One may ask “With the hard realities of the present social and political conditions, wouldn’t consequential knowledge in the process of understanding developmental paradigm may constitute uncontrolled awakening and lead to possible dangers of adventurism by young idealistic minds?”.

First and foremost, whether we like it or not, soldiers are already exposed and have long been awakened to the socio-political hard realities of their own society. This is so because their actual operational environment is nowhere but the society itself. Secondly, it is from where we soldiers came from and will be during off duties. And as to venturing on developmental premise which is not an area of expertise – the truth is soldiers have already been pushed in that premise and have long been performing developmental tasks despite without comprehensive preparation and understanding of the real developmental paradigm. Thus, most often than not, efforts such as ALPS, ACCORD, and SOT failed and appreciation of CMO derailed. Hence with efforts seemingly failing to conclusively attain victory; aggravated by constantly disturbing socio-political and economic hard realities of society of which soldiers are not made to comprehensively understand; and the fact that they are still yet overzealous of change and hopes for better future for the country, they resort to what we simply call “adventurism”. Unless soldiers see promising alternative and see through “real development” a light at the end of the tunnel, they will have nothing other than desperation and using force to effect instant changes, both within the organization and the general society as a whole.

The basic leadership concern as to risks in consequential knowledge should not be the ability of blinding subordinates from areas we do not wish them to learn or realize. This would rather be more risky because in the present social and political conditions, pressures that may push our soldiers to step on areas beyond their limits will always be there. And already in many instances, soldiers have crossed that limits. It is rather the necessity of making them understand these areas and the interplaying sectors and organizations not traditionally being understood that they may realize the importance of complementing efforts on issues of shared responsibility. Similarly, it is the necessities of making them understand the fact that public policies are not made by saints but by a political process that is still far from perfect. By such way, they may realize responsibility over assuring such process to take place and not do things that may derail it.

It is likewise in the above premise of understanding that soldiers could find opportunities to sought help and enrichment of own weaknesses - and of course the understanding of the total and real situation wherein which soldiers and leaders could comprehensively gauge all the possible consequences of their actions. In this way, limits and measures are established through the culture of learning rather than directed and out-rightly drawn with prohibitions. In other words, a whole plane is explained before lines and delineations are made. Not that where confines and limits are already drawn with other areas already shaded. Besides, in the present global trends and developmental challenges, we may need others’ strengths to help us address our concerns. Concerns that are in the end might be of their concerns too, such as peace and security. All these - taken in a context of development - a context which basically defines the common spectrum or plane wherein which competency enhancements and understanding will be guided, directed, and controlled.

To where with CMO: The Analysis

To answer the question of where our CMO would go and how it should be, with the present operational conditions and possible future campaign emphasis considered, goes beyond understanding its definition and rationalizing objectives. Foremost in our minds should be - why CMO, and what makes-up its present set-up in terms of context and depths, and those that would later describe its capabilities to address the present and future challenge.
First of all, we must come to terms on how CMO came to being; understand what it is actually; and, no matter how bitterly, accept the fact on how we and our traditionalist thinking and reactionary tendencies have muddled and reduced it into a simple structure and a facelift support to combat operations – an office that leaders fill in with those they see as “lesser types” or those with “lesser chances”.

“Form follows Function…Structure support Strategy…”

CMO, in the contemporary military consideration, has become more of a strategy to win rather than just the simple recourse it was to contain affected non-combatant populace in the arena of previous world wars. In other words, it has become a military approach with a “social touch” conceptualized by the military organization upon realizing that traditional combat approach alone could not win its wars. It has gained relative emphasis as it was to be a key component strategy of an operational concept we later describe as “TRIAD”. As TRIAD later gave birth to SOT, and that when SOT was already delivering blinding figures of “successes”, the sense of all these things being a strategy have slowly become forgotten.

A basic management theory in OD (Organizational Development) states that form should follow function and that structure should support strategy.

In other words, never should a unit be formed before one thinks of its function. But if functions evolve or new ones are derived - which they should for the unit to catch up with the emerging or evolving challenges, form must be adjusted also. Similarly, a structure should not be built before a strategy to win is to be ascribed. And if new strategy is derived as dictated by the ever changing demands and circumstances of an organization’s environment, changes to the existing structure should likewise be adopted.

Let us be reminded that any organization that is not flexible enough to change is doomed to crumble. And if we are to mean real changes to structure, we will mean changes to the structure’s form; systems; processes; culture; skills and competencies; training, employment and deployment practices; etc., to be able to support the weight and demands of that new strategy, and in order to survive and win.

If by chance the CMO approach and the SOT to be given more emphasis in order for us to win our campaigns, and other developmental concepts have to be adopted later, be it by realization or directed later by a new national strategy, then by all means let us make changes to our structure.

It’s like Mercury Drug store now selling garments and detergent bars to shoe polish, insecticides and cosmetics. Why? Because they had to survive the market competition. The act of evolving from a purely drug retailing company to a grocery store was a strategy of keeping up with the radical trends and evolving demands and needs of its competitive environment.

The specifics of it revolves around the emerged trend of costumer-oriented thrusts and tactics. Its also like Gardenia Bread producing not only considering mass or volume of loaf breads per day but by what specific type of bread that fits lifestyle of its segmented market e.g., Wheat Bread and 5-Grain Loafs for fitness enthusiasts, the Calcium Bread for women, and of course the white bread or better known as “tasty” for the general consumers. Similarly like PLDT from purely telephone communication to internet and other services.

“…Change causes Conflicts”

All these versatile and successful companies, leading and stable names as they are, adopted quite a wild and risky strategy in order to survive and win their markets. But all these they did not without comprehensive preparations and not without pains and conflicts brought about by their initiated changes. PLDT did not go into internet services without structural capacity and personnel competency enhancement preparation, as well as thoroughly understanding internet services. Mercury Drug Company did not go into variety selling without sales system restructuring and went through the burdens and hassles of thoroughly understanding the “one-stop-shop” industry. They also do have traditionalists in their top brass and ranks so they must have gone through conflicts over proposed reforms and changes.

The military organization on the other hand, did see these external shifts coming, only that it failed to understand what it was really that was coming. Despite such, it went into operational adjustments through time. Hence the CMO, ALPS, ACCORD, SOT, etc., and then made the lounges, the punches and the jobs and started counting ‘figures for success’. Later it realized it cannot sustain its new approach. Burnt out, it went back to its corner and started complaining why people are not cheering, and yes… why people are not doing their part. First of all, it failed to consider comprehensive retooling that should prepare the whole of the organization towards the CMO strategy. It went into something developmental but without really understanding the paradigm. It somehow started recognizing developmental terms such as collaboration, linkaging, and community organizing but, unfortunately, non-traditional but very relevant socio-political and economic subjects were never much considered and appreciated, and training and education has never relevantly changed. Young captains, trained to effectively repulse a theoretic ‘Calabanian Invaders’, were hauled back to the open and expected to converge appropriately with other sectors, attend PPOC meetings and secure SK elections and processes and issues that they never really were made to understand. And where was the CMO? Oh yes! It is but a separate and a specialized training for those who cares about it.

It will not be surprising if CMO’s sub-strategies, operational concepts, and activities such as ACCORD, ALPS, Feeding Programs, Social Involvement, Community Organizing, etc., will not even merit total organizational appreciation - More so with the organization trying to win peace and stability conducive to economic development. It will not be surprising also that military officers and soldiers will soon get confused as ever and, again, display an evasive and defeatist attitude of blaming other agencies and sectors for not doing their part.

Perhaps until leaders finally listen, and that CMO finally has the right developmental depths, captured in our doctrines and ascribed in our actions; and that our operators starting to muster strongest convictions to make the soonest difference through it, efforts may never matter to passive and tired sectors or to hungry and angry masses. CMO on the other hand may never gain organizational-wide appreciation, and of course by the traditional military minds that we just might seek to transform.
　
　
　

Care For The Departed

CARE FOR THE DEPARTED. A father and his son took time to retouch the tomb marker of a loved one in a public cemetery in Naga City at around 11:00am today (October 31). Thousands of people are expected to flock this place in commemoration of the All Souls Day on November 2, 2010. (Photo by HAROLD M CABUNOC)

Magic in a bullet: A love story after the Banuang Gurang ambush

by 2Lt Edralee Abrio (INF) PA

The night of January 29, 2010, CAFGU Active Auxiliary Noel F Dela Cerna of Alpha CAFGU company 22nd Infantry Battalion and another CAA accompanied their detachment commander, Ssg Montano V Escano, on a mission to verify alleged extortion activities of the NPA in Banuang Gurang. Little did he know that before the night ends, he will be forced to fight for his life and that the mission will bring with it shock, fear, panic, valor, death and heroism he had never experienced before. An ambush will leave one CAA dead, and both Ssg Escano and CAA Dela Cerna wounded but who would have guessed that the dark pain-filled night would open a new hope for love? Let’s find out.

That night, when they received the reports of the NPA threatening people with rifles and extorting money, they immediately responded but found out that the rebels have already left the area. Little did they know that the rebels are setting up an ambush and on their way back to camp, they fell right into it. When the enemy opened fire, CAA Dela Cerna and Ssg Escano were wounded while the second CAA died on the spot. Dela Cerna was unarmed since the gun ban was already in effect while Escano fought off more or less 10 heavily armed Communist Terrorists with only a pistol. Ssg Escano, a champion sharp shooter, squeezed off two rounds to the body and one to the forehead of a rebel and when he dropped, they scrambled to retrieve the rebel’s M16. Both fought hard with the fierceness and desperation of cornered wolves and the rebels withdrew.

For their actions that night, Ssg Escano was recommended for promotion to higher rank and awarded the Gold Cross Medal and the Military Wounded Personnel Medal while CAA Dela Cerna’s paper was processed for Special Enlistment into the regular force.

After the ambush, the two wounded soldiers were brought to BRTTH hospital, and there, CAA Dela Cerna first saw Dr Marissa Reyes. She graduated from Ago Medical School in 2003 and is a Surgeon Doctor in the said hospital. Dr Reyes is also the eldest daughter of Retired Colonel Reyes of the Philippine National Police. She also has a brother who is an officer in the Philippine Navy Officer.

Everyday the pretty doctor would check upon the soldiers’ status and require the patients to sit but CAA Dela Cerna could not make it since he was shot in the buttocks. While the nurses cleaned the wounds of Dela Cerna, Doctor Reyes could not help but grin because she found out that the soldier had a cute butt. “Makinis ang pwet nya, maputi at matambok” Dr. Reyes giggled. A mild crush blossomed.

The following day, Dr Reyes contrived to do the cleaning and when CAA Dela Cerna asked for her cell number, she gave it without hesitation. CAA Dela Cerna used his charms on the doctor and Doctor Reyes found herself responding in kind. The time came when Ssg Escano and CAA Dela Cerna need to be transferred to V.LUNA Hospital and it seemed that the young love story will be crushed to a sad end.

After two weeks, however, CAA Dela Cerna called Dr Reyes and tried to pursue her and luckily the doctor somewhat give him a chance. CAA Dela Cerna slowly won the heart of Dr Reyes until he was finally released from VLUNA and temporarily stayed in Tula Tula, Ligao City , Albay where his brother, Cpl Zaldy Dela Cerna, was assigned with the 2nd Infantry Battalion.

CAA Dela Cerna was not allowed to go back to Banuang Gurang for security reasons and was assigned to Bravo CAFGU Company Headquarters. There, he had the chance to ask Dr Reyes dates. Love was in the air and something inevitably happened between them. Dr. Reyes became pregnant. At that moment, the CAA was hesitant and confused. He thought of his situation as CAFGU Active Auxiliary receiving a lowly allowance of P2,700 per month and now he impregnated a doctor who is not just any doctor but a daughter of a retired PNP colonel!

Colonel Reyes opposed their relationship but love is thicker than blood and it was proven by this love story when Dr Reyes did not follow the wishes of his father and they decided to get married before Judge ALBEN C RABE in Ligao City on 24 August 2010. The mothers of the couple were present to witness the important event in their children’s lives but the father of the bride didn’t arrive.

Dr Reyes believed that no amount of money is commensurate to the kind, loving and responsible person she have seen in CAA Noel Dela Cerna. When they were interviewed for this story, Dr Reyes divulged she really fell in love with Noel because of his butt and we both laughed while CAA Dela Cerna blushed in embarassment. Dr Marissa Reyes, six months pregnant, said that she is very proud that his husband is a man of honor, strength, valor and full of ambitions in life. CAA Noel F Dela Cerna was speechless and flattered on how proud his wife was of him and could only utter the magic words “I LOVE YOU BABY”. And the story telling was then sealed with kiss.