Lest PMA Cavaliers forget

Leading this year’s awardees are: for Private Enterprise, Roberto Yap (1982); Special Field (Journalism), Edgard Arevalo (1990); Public Administration, Raul Tupas and Joey Fontiveros (both 1994); Command and Administration, Arturo Rojas (1990); Staff Function, Eric Noble (1992); Special Operations, Ferdinand Marcelino (1994); Army Operations, Von Albert Sumergido (1995) and Cielo Rose Dolorican (2018); Air Operations, Lee Sarpamones (1999) and Ernest de la Cuadra (2007), Naval Operations, Mark Erick Garcia (2012); Police Operations, Westrimundo Obinque (1992); and Coast Guard Operations, Allen Dalangin (1995) and Larry Cendaña (2003).

Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award are Thompson Lantion (1969), Ricardo de Leon (1971), Reynaldo Velasco (1971), Alejandro Flores Jr. (1972) and Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (1974).

Keeping the bar high

There is no distinction, but one, between retired Cavaliers and those still serving in the military. Aside from being honed by a single education and training institution, they were nurtured with the same values of honor, service and patriotism and inculcated with similar virtues of courage, integrity and loyalty. But they differ in the exercise of their freedom. Cavaliers, like all military personnel who have retired, have reacquired their constitutional freedom of expression, of association and of redress of grievances. Retired Cavaliers can freely speak and act on the malfeasance, nonfeasance and misfeasance of government on matters and issues that their colleagues in active service cannot do. That is an advantage unless a retired Cavalier opts to join public service in another capacity.

Many retired Cavaliers have remained relevant as they play very important and critical roles in different administrations, from the time of the late President Fidel Ramos up to the current dispensation. Especially during the most crucial times of the Duterte administration, PMA alumni in the Cabinet were the tip of the spear in the nation’s successful campaigns against the vicious enemies of the state by providing expert advice to the Commander-in-Chief. They were keys to the decimation of New People’s Army guerilla fronts and to development in the countryside, in quelling the Daulah Islamia-Maute Group’s siege of Marawi City; and to the implementation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and the government’s able response to the coronavirus pandemic, to name a few. The challenge among Cavaliers in the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is how to keep the standards high and to measure up to people’s expectations.

Most Cavaliers opt to shy away from public service or private enterprise to lead “quiet” lives and make up for time lost when they left their families to serve the nation. But many of them chose to leave the comforts of retirement to dedicate their remaining useful years to lofty endeavors for Filipinos. One such endeavor is the Advocates for National Interest (ANI), composed of select PMA graduates and adopted members who were former AFP or PNP chiefs, erstwhile Cabinet officials and legislators who articulate their strong and deliberate positions on major national issues. ANI and other alliances of like-minded individuals and patriots are taking on the challenge to make themselves available, to be critical and vigilant, and to speak courageously on behalf of the people to whom they owe their love and allegiance.

And for those to whom the state has entrusted the defense and security of its people — Cavaliers in the active military, police and coast guard services who are both privileged and burdened to bear arms and to lead — expectations are high.

Cavaliers are expected by their peers and subordinates to be the epitome of simple and modest living. They are to stand by the principles they learned from the Academy and guard their ranks against receiving political favor and interventions that cause division and demoralization in the organization. It is supposed that Cavaliers will shine by their own merits, stand firm by the wisdom and conviction of their actions and decisions, and never be afraid to account for themselves and their honorable service to the high and mighty, much less to the Commission on Appointments.

While it runs contrary to institutional norms for military personnel to express their minds publicly, Cavaliers are expected to debate among themselves, express their thoughts, and quarrel, if they must, on key issues within the confines of conference rooms.

The challenge is for Cavaliers to have the moral courage to agree or disagree, to say “yes” or “no,” even with superiors and political leaders, when the situation calls for it. It behooves them to defend the nobility of the profession of arms. They are expected to be ready to put their careers on the line — the way they do with their lives and personal safety — when a choice has to be made between one that will bring detriment or that which will uplift the lives of the people they are sworn to serve and protect.

Let Cavaliers, the sons and daughters of the Academy, be men and women of integrity, courage and loyalty so that the PMA shall remain the bright beacon of the land.

atty.edarevalo@gmail.com X: @atty_edarevalo