Mom, 54, keeps PAF planes flying

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the skies.

At first glance, 54-year-old Rosalinda Bilog looks like a typical housewife who tends to her home and looks after her children. A closer look, however, shows that Bilog is more than that.

Bilog, who has three grown children, is one of the best aircraft electronics technicians of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Part of Bilog’s job is to ensure that PAF planes — some of them of Vietnam war-vintage — and attack helicopters remain airworthy.

Blending into the male-dominated world of aviation, Bilog sees to it that the PAF aircraft electrical mechanisms work accurately and perfectly at all times, both on the ground and in the air.

An aeronautical engineering graduate, Bilog works as an aircraft electrical technician at the PAF’s 410th Maintenance Wing in Clark Field in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Before finishing her studies, Bilog initially worked at the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) — now the Air Transportation Office (ATO).

While at the CAA, Bilog, then a working student, also trained to do technical inspections of aircraft and runways.

Moving to the PAF after her stint at the CAA, Bilog was tasked with examining aircraft electrical spare parts prior to their installation, a job that requires safety and accuracy.

She also climbs into UH-1H "Huey" helicopters, her specialty, to install electrical components and to conduct troubleshooting.

The hands that firmly ensure that the electrical mechanisms of each PAF helicopter and airplane are working accurately are the same hands that gently nurtured three children and saw them through college.

Bilog said that, with her husband working overseas, she also had to perform dual duties as mother and father to her children. Basically, she did all the home chores without hiring a maid.

Her husband, Armando, is working as a senior aircraft technician at Saudi Arab-American Co. (Saudi-Aramco).

"When my children were small, I would begin preparing all their things at night. I would also prepare their uniforms," Bilog recounted.

Time spent with her growing children was reduced further after the transfer of the 401th Squadron from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to Clark Field in Pampanga.

She then asked her relatives to look after her children while she was on duty at Clark Field and said she works to make up for her absence by returning home as frequently as she can.

In recognition of Bilog’s unselfish contribution to the country, she was named the PAF model employee in year 2001, the AFP best model employee in year 2003 and Department of National Defense (DND) model employee in 2003.