The Filipino soldier-veterans of years past won honors and accolades from among our people and from other admirers around the world. In their day, they were the young defenders of our homeland at Bataan and Corregidor, and as guerrilla warriors in a nationwide resistance movement. Our World War II veterans then stood tall as exemplars of Filipino manhood, extolled as gallant freedom fighters. No higher testimonial could be given them than that which came from their own comrades-in-arms.

Our World War II vets

Filipinos of today should learn from the stirring tribute composed by then Captain Salvador Lopez – later UP president and secretary of foreign affairs – which was broadcast over The Voice of Freedom by Lt. Norman Reyes on that fateful day, April 9, 1942: “Bataan has fallen.

With heads bloody but unbowed, We yield to the enemy.

The world will long remember the epic struggle.

We have stood up uncomplaining...

What sustained us was a force more than merely physical.

It was the force of an unconquerable faith, Something in the soul that is immortal!

It is the thought of native land...”

Unfortunately, except for the aging, dying veterans of WWII themselves and students of history, present-day Filipinos seem to have forgotten the courage and patriotism of our soldiers of that era.

Filipinos of whatever age, whether here or overseas, should remember and honor the valor and sacrifice of our heroic veterans as immortalized by the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor. To them, our nation owe so much.

Article 16, Section 7 of the Philippine Constitution of 1987, recognizes the unselfish sacrifices of war veterans and acknowledge the responsibility the nation owes them, thus: “The State shall provide immediate and adequate care, benefits, and other forms of assistance to war veterans and veterans of military campaigns, their surviving spouses and orphans. Funds shall be provided therefor and due consideration shall be given them in the disposition of agricultural lands of the public domain and, in appropriate cases, in the utilization of natural resources.”

PEFTOK and The Korean War

If we take a long hard look over the past five decades or more, we will find that the erans of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) have never stopped fighting up to now.

We may not be engaged in deadly combat anymore, but our battles are being fought to ensure that our people and the rest of the world continue to recognize – and will not forget – the immense sacrifice the Philippines made in the defense of freedom and democracy on the Korean peninsula from 1950 to 1955.

The Philippines was a young democracy in 1950. Our Republic was barely four years old, when it unhesitatingly made the decision to send its best fighting men – 7,000 of them, all volunteers, over the next four years – to help thwart communist aggression in Korea. This, despite the Philippines being threatened by its own communist insurgency and with its economy still reeling from the massive destruction wrought by the Second World War.

The Philippine civic action group to Vietnam

Barely 10 years after Korea, our soldiers went overseas again – to provide assistance to the Republic of Vietnam between 1964 and 1971.

We must tell younger Filipinos that the Philippine Civic Action Group (PHILCAG) and its predecessor, the Philippine Contingent (PHILCON), went to Vietnam as a manifestation of Philippine solidarity with the embattled Vietnamese people, and with our Free World allies.

But we were there for a purpose nobler than war. We were there to build, not to destroy. The accomplishment of our humanitarian mission in a beleaguered neighboring country was a shining moment for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which then included the Philippine Constabulary as our fourth Major Service.

As the head of the advance planning group of 100 that arrived in Saigon and Tay Ninh in mid-August of 1966, then as G3, and later on as PHILCAG Chief of Staff, I can report that we succeeded in our mission to build and to heal with flying colors.

Our PHILCAG was mandated not to undertake any offensive combat -- except to defend itself when attacked.

Instead, it was tasked to do all it could to alleviate the sufferings of people at war and “to win their hearts and minds.” That is why our Civic Action Group was built around an engineering battalion and a medical battalion -- with the support of a security battalion to protect our personnel exposed to the hazards of both conventional and guerrilla warfare, and also our on-going projects.

The Soldier As Peacekeeper

It may seem paradoxical to most, but it is the soldier – more than all others – who yearns for peace. More than others, the soldier knows from first-hand experience the cruelties of war and its hardships – what it does, not only to combatants, but to families and ordinary civilians who are caught in its deadly vortex.

Since we Filipinos became a nation over a hundred years ago, we have strived to live in freedom, and to win for ourselves spiritual well-being, material prosperity and a place of respect in the community of nations. The vision we share is that of Jose Rizal’s – who dreamt of a free, peaceful and prosperous Philippines. He predicted: “The advancement and ethical progress of the Philippines are inevitable, are decreed by fate... And once more free... Will recover its pristine virtues... And will again become addicted to peace – cheerful, happy, joyous, hospitable and daring.” (from “The Philippines A Century Hence,” 1892).

This vision is shared by generations of Filipinos – living and dead – who fought for freedom, democracy and development – whether as soldiers, policemen or civilians.

Sa ating mga magigiting na beterano, maraming salamat sa ipinamalas ninyong katapangan, kadakilaan, at kabayanihan.

Isang maalab na pagbati sa inyong lahat sa ating pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Kagitingan at Linggo ng mga Beterano!

The approval of RA 7696 on April 9, 1994, and its amendments since then are only a partial acknowledgement of the nation’s debt of gratitude to our veterans of various wars. Our people’s salute to our veterans can be completed only with the commitment of younger Filipinos to be equally patriotic and courageous as our departed soldiers and aging veterans.

Former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos served in both PEFTOK and PHILCAG as an officer of the AFP.