Anything under the Sun
Glorious military tradition of Ilonggo soldier (3)
In other war fronts, many Ilonggos were prominent. This was already discussed in my previous columns mentioning Sgt. Jose Calugas, Sgt. Ramon Subejano and Maj. Alejandro Sale who was an ROTC advanced cadet graduate of the University of San Agustin before the war.
Another one worthy of mention is Brig. Gen. Manuel A. Roxas who later became the President of the Republic of the Philippines after the war. He was the first reservist general.
After the war, many more Ilonggo soldiers were in the limelight. General Rafael Jalandoni was the first Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines followed recently by Gen. Benjamin Defensor, Jr. The only "goat" in the Philippine Military Academy who became a general was Ramon Gelvezon. There was also Gen. Vicente Escutin who was the second chaplain to become general.
As of last count in 1995, there were more than 150 generals from the province and city of Iloilo - the most number among the provinces in the whole country. Now it could be around 200.
This is the glorious tradition of the Ilonggo Soldier which you are tasked to be proud of and to maintain and preserve.
Do not underestimate of your being only a reservist. Don't you know that 80 per cent of the officers who defended Bataan were reservists like you? Don't you know that also 80 per cent of the officers of the Panay guerillas were ROTC graduates like you?
Here, your training is as a soldier not only of war but also of peace. In times of war, you are ready to defend our country. And in time of peace you are also ready to serve our country.
During peace time, if you are a farmer, your enemy is famine, your weapon is the plow, your battlefield is the farm. If you are a teacher, your enemy is ignorance, your weapon is the chalk and your battlefield is the classroom. If you are a doctor, your enemy is disease, your weapon is your stethoscope and your battlefield is your clinic. And if you are a lawyer, your enemy is injustice, your weapon is the book and your battlefield is the courtroom.
So, be always ready to serve our country in time of war and peace. Be like Cincinatus, a general of ancient Rome. At the age of 70 while he was plowing his field the Romans came to him urging him to lead the Roman soldiers against the barbarians who were approaching the gates of Rome. He left his plow and led the Romans to victory.