Photo Taken From:He told me that he wanted to be admitted into the Philippine Military Academy this year. He wanted to become a soldier.
So much has been written and said about the military profession as being the domain of exceptional individuals who embody strength of will, discipline, unyielding personal sacrifice, and just about every noble virtue which distinguishes a society's heroes. To become a soldier in the service of one's country, indeed, ought to mean taking one's place in the company of the oft-mentioned few and proud.
And now my younger cousin was aspiring to get into the Academy to prove himself worthy of taking a crack at the opportunity to belong to this worthy elite circle. He resolves to gain a place in an institution renowned for rooting out only the best of the best among the rest...or so goes the cliche.
Photo Taken From:Among Pinoys, the Philippine Military Academy ( or the PMA ) stands tall as the august institution for inducting that rare breed of person into the uppermost tiers of military service. Sure, any able bodied citizen can enlist in any military fort or outpost to become the foot soldier, but the Academy is for those who can withstand the rigid intellectual and physical training reserved only for the future military officer. Perhaps any average man or woman can wield a gun and fight--but only a select group can command. It is no wonder that the screening for applicants into the Academy is arguably one of the toughest among all educational institutions in the country.
Photo Taken From:Truth be told, however, the motivations which impel someone to seek admission into the Academy may not always be confined to the old adage "to serve the country". A lot of other intentions are certain to be involved.
It is quite common knowledge that PMA cadets receive renumeration--in the form of the so-called financial "stipend"--that practically covers all the expenses that are incurred throughout the whole period of training and study.
Perhaps it would not be too far fetched to think that some students think of PMA as a ticket to a free education. After all, the Academy does provide a college degree, along with a host of other educational programs. Your typical cash-strapped undergraduate might arguably find the prospect of earning a college degree without the crushing responsibility of coughing up the money for it very attractive, no matter that the trade-off would be endless hours of tortuous physical training coupled with the rigors of intense competition among peers.
And then, of course, it almost goes without saying that successful graduates of the PMA are instantly conferred high rankings in the military brass, which in almost every aspect imaginable is a status of considerable advantage, particularly more so in the Philippines. Where the average citizen finds it a challenge enough to secure sustainable employment after graduating from college--given the desperation of the Philippines' Third World plight--PMA graduates are privileged with reaping the rewards of their hard work and study right away. Not even Pinoy doctors or lawyers could say as much.
Photo Taken From:Still, it could be argued that being handed a job in the military, however prestigious and high the office, would not perhaps be the most palatable responsibility in the world, not by a longshot...pun definitely intended. The military officer is not necessarily always at the front line of battle, but it would be idiotic to say that there would be no grave risk in the undertaking at all. It would be only fair and just, then, for those manning these valuable positions to enjoy some particular renumerations which would preferrably make up for the sacrifice.
Such "renumerations" are not normally conceived of as equating to ostentaneous wealth and privilege. The glory and nobility of a soldier, in its ideal sense, would not be predicated on the bounty--or what may be referred to more unappealingly as the "spoils of war"--one has amassed after fulfilling the required duty. However, it must be conceded that the world is in every sense very far from ideal. In too many instances, high-ranking military personnel in the Philippines have been accused of placing more value on obtaining profit and financial gain instead of prioritizing the proper defense of the homeland.
Allegations fly left and right regarding bribes in exchange for promotion; the diversion of government funds intended for procurement of arsenal into the coffers of upper-tier staff; the involvement of both active and retired officers in the protection of criminal enterprises--the list goes on and on with no end in sight.
Shamefully, such criticisms have been around for a long time. As early as the 1990's, or over a decade ago, a news article in the Los Angeles Times was pointed enough to be titled "Philippine Military Called Divided, Corrupt and Inept". The same article enumerated certain complaints from within military personnel. Among very sobering examples:
...soldiers complained of poor leadership, competing loyalties, unjust promotions and uneven military justice.
Navy Commander Proceso L. Maligalig, a decorated 20-year military veteran...charged in a long deposition that "corruption exists in the procurement system in the personnel administration system, in the (military) mutual aid retirement fund systems, and in equipment maintenance systems."
Maligalig, former deputy commander of the military's logistics operation, complained that officers take kickbacks from contractors, or buy substandard uniforms and medical supplies at vastly inflated prices.
Maligalig, former deputy commander of the military's logistics operation, complained that officers take kickbacks from contractors, or buy substandard uniforms and medical supplies at vastly inflated prices.
One "known gunrunner" in the Department of Defense used his position to illegally import high-powered firearms for sale, Maligalig said. Another senior officer illegally held a second high-paying job at the Bureau of Customs, "drawing pay from both, plus income from customs shenanigans."
[ Army hospitals ] suffer from "chronic lack of supplies and medicines, a fact which has caused many a precipitate demise of military patients," he wrote. "In many AFP (military) hospitals, one has to bring his own intravenous injection kit if one expects to have a transfusion or dextrose feeding."
Paymasters, personnel clerks, claims officials and other administrative officers routinely insist on "outrageous" bribes to process papers, he added.
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These reports of anomalous practices have generated such a degree of disapproval and outrage that certain military officers took up the cudgels to advocate some form of investigation into their own ranks--even if the fact that military brass themselves calling for such strident inquiries lends some credence to any supposition that such accusations could be true. As detailed in an online publication from--curiously, of all places--China, People's Daily English, in an article entitled "Philippine military officers urge independent probe of corruption charges" :
"A number of military officers...called for the creation of an independent and credible auditing team that will look into the extent of corruption in the military and identify more officers who might be involved.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a middle-ranking officer said tapping an auditing team would clear public doubts that government is trying to cover up graft and corrupt practices of top military officials.
"It's a welcome move and only those hiding something will not agree. That is a welcome move if the government wants to quell these controversies, that is if the government wants to do that," the source said."
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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200410/10/eng20041010_159645.html
Might the mere possibility that any military officer can readily engage in corrupt schemes with impunity serve as twisted motivation for PMA cadets to eagerly graduate?
It would not be too hard to imagine so. High military office, it would appear, could actually protect the ranking officer from the consequences of breaking the law for their own selfish designs. There are even further insinuations that PMA'ers ( the collective term for active and retired officers, as well as the cadets themselves) also enjoy the cloak of conspiratorial silence among themselves to cover-up any wrongdoing. This is because of an unstinting credo of "brotherhood-in-arms", supposedly indoctrinated in the Academy itself. It's a situation that can easily attract anybody with enough determination to pursue self-enrichment no matter what it may involve.
On second thought, perhaps it would be grossly unfair to brand every PMA'er as a greedy fiend with the aim of using military officialdom as the most effective path for amassing wealth and influence. And yet, even until now, issues keep coming up which cast PMA'ers in less than admirable light.
"Malacañang Palace is now called the strongest chapter of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association. Why not? Considering that Malacañang Palace has been overrun by retired military and police officials who are all graduates of PMA...
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Columnist Cito Beltran observes in one of his articles the eyebrow-raising "close relationship" which PMA'ers enjoy with Malacañang Palace--the Office of the Philippine President, and by rote the most powerful entity in the country. He sarcastically questions the practice of PMA alumni being given preference over other qualified candidates when certain sensitive government positions need to be filled up, to wit:
"Malacañang Palace is now called the strongest chapter of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association. Why not? Considering that Malacañang Palace has been overrun by retired military and police officials who are all graduates of PMA...
First they took over the leadership of the AFP [ the Armed Forces of the Philippines ]. Then they trespassed into civilian domain by ruling over Philippine National Police. Then they meddled in the leadership of the country and in the removal of duly elected officials, which earned them posts as Cabinet members ( departmental heads of government agencies under the President ), who then parlayed their political interference by securing directorships in government for their brothers in arms.
From directors, they moved on by gunning for diplomatic posts and boxed-out many career foreign service officials lined up to become ambassadors. Since then no real civil servant can claim to be secure in his or her career. All it takes is a retired colonel, superintendent, general to call on their batch mates or “Mistahs” for a civil servant to be displaced by an active member of the PMA-AA. "
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http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht008761.htm
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Some excerpts from an article found in the International Herald Tribune might very well summarize the state of the Philippines' homeland defense, to wit:
Would it be entirely improper to assume that, given previous high-profile accounts of PMA alumni acquiring "choice positions" in sundry fashion such as what had been stated above, not a few of those wanting to secure education in the PMA might simply be looking for a bigger chance of landing politically influential positions in government in the eventual future? With being an alumni a key qualification?
Photo Taken From:It would seem that those who successfully become PMA cadets will definitely come face to face with a whirlwind of "enticing prospects" whenever they contemplate what future could possibly be in store for them once they earn their stripes. Whether in accordance with the law or even in violation of it, all avenues seem to lead towards a mountain of benefits to be reaped by the cadet after graduation.
Where then, in every scenario, is the very reason for the Academy's existence in the first place fulfilled?
Shouldn't the uppermost objective of every military officer be to ensure the most effective defense of the homeland? If this was the most fundamental principle which Philippine Military Academy is tasked to instill in every cadet who has graced its halls, then perhaps the military officials it has been producing all this time should have already acheived this end to an optimum level. A formidable homeland defense must already be in existence, then. Well, isn't it?
Some excerpts from an article found in the International Herald Tribune might very well summarize the state of the Philippines' homeland defense, to wit:
[ The Philippines ] has troubles protecting its interests in territorial disputes like the one over the Spratly Islands, which [ China ] also claims. "The military is clearly unprepared for aggressive island grabs, overfishing or exploration by China," said Zachary Abuza, an expert on terrorism and Southeast Asian security issues at the U.S. Institute of Peace, based in Washington. "There will be little they can do to deter aggressive actions, other than at the diplomatic level."
The Philippines' armed forces "has no role to play in the [ Southeast Asian ] region," he said. "It has almost no navy. Its ability to protect its exclusive economic zones and maritime resources is nil."
...the Philippines' military remains fragmented, politicized and corrupt, according to scholars, analysts and government officials. Its hardware is old and inadequate, its troop morale low...
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In the middle of all the cause celebre surrounding the PMA and its supposed integral role to play in the Philippines' affairs, beyond all the prestige accorded its cadets and its alumni as being stellar members of society--the Academy seems to have neglected its duties with regards to laying the groundwork for the foundation of even a functional homeland defense.
That the Philippines' defense systems are totally incapable of protecting the country against a slew of external threats, that each and every military official--from the highest-ranking general to the lower-level lieutenant--directly responsible for implementing these selfsame defense systems all come from the PMA, says a lot about the Academy itself. A regrettable, unadmirable, and dismal lot.
Perhaps its about time that the present generation of PMA cadets, and hopefully those to come, start thinking less about what will personally benefit them after graduation, and start getting serious about addressing the alarming state of their country's defenses.
Is there any contingency plan prepared in the Philippines' favor against the imminent nuclear capabilities of nearby North Korea? Should China all of a sudden emerge from its doldrums and present itself as a veritable adversary over territories claimed by the Philippines, is our military prepared to defend the country's interests? Surely, the onus of responsibility is on the Philippine military to be able to address these challenges anytime it would be necessary to do so. Military officers have always been the very people who should initiate, formulate, and implement the most prudent strategies for defense.
Therefore, the Philippine Military Academy ought to step up and do its job accordingly--which is, again, to prepare a cadre of officers fully capable of putting together an effective homeland defense.
All is not too late for reform. It should start with the people behind the institution. It could even start with people like my cousin. I wish him all the luck in his attempt at becoming a PMA cadet. I wish him all the best in being what a military officer should be when the time comes.
Prove yourself a worthy cadet, cousin. Prove yourself a real soldier of our country.
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ReplyDeletehmmmp .. I still want to become a PMA cadet .. :) heheh
ReplyDelete