AFP reservists to honor Lt. Col. Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will be honored by military reservists next month for his impressive victory over American boxer Timothy last April 13.

Brig. Gen. Alexis Tamondong, chief of the Army Reserve Command, said a military merit medal would be awarded to Pacquiao on May 4 in General Santos City.

The medal is usually awarded to soldiers who performed meritoriously in various administrative tasks not related to combat.

The awarding ceremony will coincide with the celebration of the National Reservist Week.

“I will give him the award and then perhaps a plaque of appreciation from the command,” Tamondong said in an interview Wednesday.

Pacquiao is an Army reservist with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was given the rank in 2011 amid criticisms that he is not qualified for it because of his failure to complete a college degree.

The military, however, insisted that Pacquiao can be commissioned as lieutenant colonel because he is a lawmaker. Pacquiao represents Sarangani’s lone district in the House of Representatives.

The Armed Forces General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo is also planning to honor the boxer, but details are still being threshed out.

While Pacquiao is set to receive another military medal, he is not likely to be promoted to full colonel.

Active and reserve officers are required to take the Command and General Staff Course (CGSC) to become eligible for the promotion.

The course trains soldiers to handle command positions. A graduate of CGSC is eligible to become a commander of a battalion, which consists of about 500 soldiers.

Among the subjects taught in the one-year course are offense and defense operations and operations doctrine.