The soldier they called MLQ

Manuel L. Quezon was one of the greatest statesmen I could ever dream of experiencing in my lifetime. He was politically savvy even in his youth, had the bearing of Charlton Heston but with a Spanish flare and was a good soldier who rose through the ranks, enabling our country’s national defense.

On Nov. 1, 1939, pursuant to the order by the President to implement Commonwealth Act No. 1 or the National Defense Act of 1935 enacted by the National Assembly on December of the same year,  the council of national defense was created with the President as chairman. The task at hand was to enforce the law and suppress criminality to secure the country both internally and externally, as well as provide support for social and economic development.

The National Defense Act was intended by purpose of creating an independent Philippine military, which was sadly interrupted by the second world war. The provisions in this act provided for a regular army force of 10,000 troops and a reserve army of 400,000 troops not to mention a Philippine Army Air Corps of 100 tactical bombers.

Going back to the early days of President Quezon, MLQ served as a soldier in the 1898 revolution against Spain. He learned about military discipline and the importance of it in his youth and fought bravely in the frontlines. In 1941 he was quoted to have said as a warning, “In these tragic days when the very future of civilization is in the balance, the defense of our nation should be upper most in our mind.” Perhaps these words can serve as a good reminder in today’s times.

MLQ had astounding leadership skills and was persevering. His philosophy in life was in effect a reflection of all his experiences, citing the need of the people to hone critical thinking capability, uphold their morals and grow economically through education,  thus making this outlook my favorite character trait of his. I would also surmise that this attitude was developed having been highly entrenched on the ground as a soldier where life simply becomes your greatest teacher.

In February 1936, MLQ delivered a speech on the virtue of military service to the Constabulary soldiers in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. In his address, he expressed his hope for every Constabulary soldier to place value in his work, as they are the representatives of the President of the Philippines wherever they may be, whether it be in the performance of their duties as they enforce the law or in  maintaining peace and order.

Because Manuel L. Quezon was known to be a compassionate man, a man who understood that the emotional side of every warrior or every defender must be in synchronicity with the way he serves, MLQ won the hearts of his men by educating them about honoring their uniform, by become endearing to the very same people they protect and to be a gentleman in all their dealings. Back in the day, that was how the honor system worked, where a gentleman’s agreement was “transacted’ through honor, duty and mutual respect and where a simple handshake was a defining moment.  In war, I would suppose, when you find yourself in the midst of nothingness, the only valuable thing one can offer is honor which goes beyond material negotiations.

MLQ did not live to see the end of WWII; however, it is duly noted  that the Philippines was one of the few countries that was willing to accept German-Jews while other nations denied these homeless refugees. Quezon was also a tough and decisive man. He insisted that the European Jews be taken in and he established the Marikina Hall where they could live and settle within Philippine society.

There is something about war that teaches us about resilience and that Quezon was… resilient. It is also often what I think about when I reflect on MLQ’s famous lines on the molave tree.

A great man is defined by the adversity he has surpassed in his lifetime, where we learn to bend and flow with the weather of change that may in fact come with much tribulation. But just like the molave tree, we must be strong and unafraid of the rising tide. We soldier on at times of adversity and if we do, we learn the path to obedience. Why does this matter? Simply because leadership is comprised first of our willingness to obey when we are yet being molded. That is honor apart from duty, which must be given the highest regard when it comes to leadership.

In today’s times, this is where we must accept the importance of emotional intelligence which is the key to success. MLQ as president addressed his men in Tuguegarao as MLQ the soldier and the chain of command is significant in merit as his men experienced his rise to the presidency and spoke with not just the power that was bestowed upon him but from the heart of who he was way back when…. a humble soldier. Happy birth anniversary MLQ !