|
|
||
Home | From the Soldiers | The Struggle for Change | Withdrawal of Support | The Armed Forces | The Nation | Issues and Concerns -------------------------------------------------- From the People | Soldiers of the People | About Us | Links --------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
================= Civilian-Military Alliance for Reforms in Society ================= ================= ================= ================= ================= The Cavaliers, the PMA Alumni Association ================= ================= Young Officers Union of the New Generation (YOUNG) ================= Restoring Democracy in the Philippines ================= Rene Jarque . USMA West Point Class 1986 ================= Rene Jarque . USMA West Point Class 1986 ================= Message To The Filipino People Armed Forces of the Philippines ================= The Last RevolutionTowards A New Philippine Order================= Sen. & Lt. Col. Gregorio Honasan ================= Corruption in the Philippine Navy Procurement System ================= A Study of Corruption in the Philippine Navy =================
|
Leading the Righteous Way
The demands of the Honor System are simple. We are not to lie, to cheat, to steal and to take advantage of others. However, the Honor System is not only to govern our behavior as cadets in order to level the playing field in our academics. The Honor System and its Code is designed to inculcate in us the leadership qualities needed by our nation. The Honor System is to govern us even outside the limits of Fort Del Pilar and in our daily private and official lives. In the Academy, we are trained to be leaders. As cadets, we all aspired to eventually become deserving generals. That is to be expected. And to be one, we had to strive and improve in our profession in order to deserve our promotions. Expectedly, each one of us strove to excel in our respective fields of operations. We were then truly apolitical. The people had faith that the Armed Services can be neutral in the political exercises. There was then also the assurance that elections can be undertaken without fraud if the military kept watch over the process. I believe that every graduate of the Academy can rightfully aspire to become the Chief of Staff or Chief of the Philippine National Police but we must accept the fact that not all of us can attain that ambition. There was a time when promotions and assignments to important positions were primarily based on competence. Those days are obviously gone. Since the martial law days, the common perception is that the process involved in the promotions and assignments of officers, particularly among the higher ranks, has become politicized. I am truly aware as you are, that promotions and assignments obtained through political connections involve quid pro quos. Promotions to higher ranks and positions are perceived to be no longer necessarily dictated by competence and dedication to duty. The recent spate of restiveness among our junior officers is obviously caused by this perception and reality. The politicization of the military remains unabated these days. The term 'an apolitical military' has become fiction. A lie. There was the time when the word of an officer, especially of a PMA graduate, was taken at face value. There was integrity. PMA graduates were entrusted with positions of trust. We were truthful to our friends. Deception was reserved against our enemies. However, in these trying times, lying is pervasive and practiced even against our people who deserve to know the Truth. These days, those who hold positions of trust, especially those who handle financial matters, are no longer thought to be worthy of faith and trust. There will always be suspicion that something anomalous goes on, especially those whose lifestyles do not reasonably match the pay scales of their ranks. The temptations of 'conversion' have sapped the moral strength of some of our officers. Integrity in PMA graduates seems to have become another fiction. The recent exposes on the crimes of some of the alumni of the PMA who deviated from the Honor System alert us to the immoral virus contaminating our Armed Services. I am sure there are still others who will be uncovered and must be purged from our Association. We seem to be in a regime where stealing public funds, lying and cheating have become the acceptable norm for one to succeed. Mistrust is tearing our nation into small pieces. The real meaning of Loyalty in our PMA motto is lost. Loyalty is no longer given to the institution or to the country, but given to ambitious persons with doubtful motives and self-interest. Loyalty to principles among some PMA graduates has become fiction. Ostracism seems to be reserved against the idealists and not against those who stray from the Righteous Path. Are we to allow the degeneration of morals in our professional corps of officers to continue? We are now under the spotlight of shame. The point is reached that when a crime is unearthed in the Armed Services, the question is asked: 'Is he a PMAyer?' You may be distressed by the dismal picture of our moral state of affairs I have given. Nevertheless, I consider it my duty to do so. I need to do it. As Rizal once said, the cancer of society must be presented to the public in order that appropriate cures may be obtained. What is to be done? Although we, who are already retired, can no longer directly take action in reforming the Armed Services, we must nevertheless, exercise our moral suasion to insist on the urgent and necessary institutional changes for the good of our society and of the nation. We owe our young and idealistic officers our moral effort, support and example. We must not disappoint them. Now is the time to breathe new life into the Honor System and restore the PMA alumni to the high esteem of society. Now is the time to revive and strengthen the righteous spirit of Courage, Loyalty and Integrity among all alumni and members of this Association. Otherwise, the future for those who will come after us will be in doubt. In the dark. Leading the Righteous Way is the imperative for all of us.
The Cavaliers, The PMA Alumni Association February 2006
===================================== |
|
|
Home | From the Soldiers | The Struggle for Change | Withdrawal of Support | The Armed Forces | The Nation | Issues and Concerns -------------------------------------------------- From the People | Soldiers of the People | About Us | Links --------------------------------------------------
|
||
