The New Pinoy Soldier

There is no doubt about it---the Filipino soldier is a professional one. Despite the numerous scandals within the military establishment, and these are very serious ones linked to fund misuse and lack of uniforms and resources, the soldier remains loyal to the Constitution and the Filipino People.

The question that always come to mind is this--will the Filipino soldier still remain loyal to the chain of command despite very clear signs that the very authority that he is expected to follow is the very same one sabotaging the very democracy he is supposed to protect?

The loyalty of the Filipino soldier rest on the true power of this Nation--the Filipino People. This rings loud and clear in the Constitution, the truest expression of the People's Will. When civilian authority bamboozle this revered document, mock it and destroy it just to suit personal whims and political caprices, will the soldier be a gentleman and fight those who mock, destroy and despise the very Constitution that he has sworn to protect?

Yes. The Pinoy soldier is bound by his obedience to institutions, not personages. He is duty-bound to protect the institutions of democracy, not those who run it.

The Pinoy soldier is responsible for the protection of the pillars of democracy by which everything stands firm. The Pinoy soldier is a creature of democracy, the very reason he exists is simply to protect the institutions of governance from being destroyed by those elected or appointed as custodians of public service.

When civilian elites fight among themselves, the Pinoy soldier is expected to stay by the Constitution and the institutions it has created. When the very same Constitution is being slowly corrupted by those responsible for its custody, the Pinoy soldier is responsible for keeping the peace.

When democracy is threatened by the intense in-fighting between and among civilian elites, the Pinoy soldier is expected to preserve democracy by governing the institutions by which democracy stands firm.