Having their backs

THERE’S a phenomenon these days. Despite the long-drawn war in Marawi City, troop morale has never been higher. This is the observation shared by friends in uniform. They themselves feel it, and they are happy.

No, they are not happy because they are killing and destroying Marawi. They are happy because they feel that government and the people acknowledge their sacrifices and are willing to chip in for what they make lack.

This is one thing that has never been felt before. Remember how Special Action Force chief Getulio Napeñas when he cried over what happened to his men in Mamasapano? You would too if you were made to take all the blame for an operation you were made to lead half-blind. Imagine being told that the operation actually was in the hands of your suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima, who happened to be the kabarilan and kaibigan of the President, your commander-in-chief. Had I been in Napeñas’place, I’d be bawling like a baby. Helpless.

Helpless. That was how soldiers and policemen felt. Left to their own defenses, they sought out other means to provide for the future of their family, through fair means or foul.

Let’s just remove the rogues, the scalawags, from the picture and focus on those who actually don the uniform because of some altruistic, even heroic desires, to serve the Filipino nat i on.

The ordinary ranger or army or Marine usually has a family to provide for. Many a ranger, army or Marine come from poor beginnings. After all, learning in the academy, whether police or military, is free. Thus, while all of them know they have practically placed one foot in the grave the moment they enlisted, they are filled with high hopes because they can provide more than what they could have had they remained outside the loop, barely able to eke out enough for a college educat i on.

Thus, throughout the decades, whenever a young officer or soldier/ policeman is killed in the performance of his duty, there is one question wailed by the family that has been left behind: “Paano na kami?”

When the breadwinner is gone, the whole family is left in limbo.

This is a situation that President Duterte knows so well as he has attended many wakes in his whole political life from 1988. Thus, he quietly moves in, hands over some money for the family to start a business with, and then later, provide scholarship for the ones left behind.

This is what happened to the victims of the Sasa Wharf and Davao International Airport in 2003. The victims’children were sent to school until they finished. This is happening to other victims’children. Everything is done without fanfare nor media coverage.

Now, the soldiers in Marawi. While before they may be going to war bringing all their worries with them, now they go to war with just their mission to serve. Government has said it has their back and is showing that indeed it has. Whether they survive this war or not, they are not leaving orphans who will be led to the poorhouse. Instead, they will be leaving a legacy of service delivered with pride and bravery.