The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) paid tribute to outgoing AFP commander-in-chief President Arroyo during a testimonial review at Camp Aguinaldo on Friday with chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit saying: “Until they have exceeded the concern, the respect, and the support that President Arroyo has accorded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), they would not be able to erase her contributions.”

At least 1,500 soldiers and cadets from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) participated in the final military honors for the President, where the AFP thanked Mrs. Arroyo for the significant reforms introduced during her nine-year term.

Also present during the testimonial review was Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales.

“We all knew that this time would come. That no matter how good a President is, she has to step down after her term. She had always known that. She had repeatedly mentioned that. Finally now, we give her honors as we bid goodbye,” said Bangit.

Bangit said the AFP has always treaded the path where its commander-in-chief wants it to go, saying “it was so since the birth of our Republic; so was it in her time.”

“During her tenure, she led the AFP admirably in many ways. She gave the AFP the support that it needed -- additional personnel, salary increase, modernization fund for our armed forces -- and even supported our stand that insurgency can be defeated not by arms alone, but by winning the hearts and minds of our people,” said Bangit.

“When the AFP recommended more development projects to end insurgency, she gave all her support. Through it all, she pushed us to achieve more for the peace and development of this country. And in that direction, we proceeded,” he said.

Bangit said that Mrs. Arroyo “may have been the most criticized President, but opinion from people who do not know you, who do not know how you work and what your visions are, is understandable. And so we give them the right to express their opinions. In the AFP, we have our own. And personally, I have my own opinion.”

“I have worked with the President even when she was still Vice President. I had the opportunity of observing her in good times and in bad, in the high pitch (bull-outs) and the low pitch of her voice. I have personally seen how she decided in matters dealing with the Armed Forces. And I can personally attest to her concern for the soldiers,” Bangit said, adding that Mrs. Arroyo was the  commander-in-chief “who insisted on visiting our soldiers amid too many concerns, forgetting that she, too, is a human who gets tired and needed sleep.”

“She was the commander-in-chief who wanted to get things done as quickly as possible because you, our soldiers, are waiting. She honors our sacrifices, respects our opinion on how we see things, and treats us honorably,” he said.

Earlier, Bangit appealed to politicians and the general public to treat soldiers with honor and dignity, after the Commission on Appointments did not act on the promotion of 302 military senior officers, including his as chief of staff.

“They say that it must be very difficult to go down from the pinnacle, to cease to enjoy the honor that used to be accorded to you. I have no such worry on her. We give our best contribution wherever we are. Finished or unfinished, we go when we must,” said Bangit.