The Valor Fund

DND Secretary Gilbert Teodoro recently expressed his strong opposition to the idea of making uniformed personnel and officers of the AFP contribute to their own retirement fund. The issue of making MUPs pay or contribute to their retirement fund understandably causes sparks in the public space.

To begin with, those who agree that MUPs should make contributions to their retirement fund generally argue that if the rest of the bureaucracy pay contributions to the GSIS while private sector employees pay to the SSS, why should MUPs or AFP personnel be exempted?

Secretary Teodoro seemed to suggest that the military often perform above and beyond the call of duty, are the first to be called in times of security threats, etc. and the least we should do is to honor their commitment to duty by exempting them. That argument, while true, tends to overlook the sacrifices made by teachers and principals and health workers, many of whom have been killed in action, wounded in the performance of their duty or unceremoniously reassigned because of an arrogant mayor or unhappy governor.

Nurses, doctors, therapists and hospital staff, many of whom were also killed in action, ostracized by paranoid ignoramuses in barangays, continue to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, all acquired or experienced during the COVID pandemic.

I wholeheartedly agree that we Filipinos do not honor or respect the sacrifices of MUPs unlike other societies, especially the United States. Perhaps it has to do with our dark history with the military during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and the martial law regime. In addition, many Filipinos were forced to undergo mandatory military training in high school and ROTC.

Instead of arguing over the ayes and nays of mandatory contributions to retirement funds, it may be wiser to cast a vision, seek the counsel of many and then work out a multi-year plan and not the typical “do it now” approach.

For starters, tap people and organizations that actively support the AFP. One of the better projects and approaches of the AFP in the past years was promoting their Reservist program.

I have read and known of celebrities, actors, business leaders and regular folks who want to serve when duty calls. One such person who loves the military seems to be Vice President Sara Duterte. Then there is now DND chief Gibo, who always had an affinity for the AFP as well as Air Force pilots. Our dear friend Sara Soliven is very active in the Coast Guard. There are also actors and actresses who have undergone the mandatory training and hold rank. Their endorsement is money in the bank.

Rather than engage in debates and arguments, form a think tank composed of such personalities, tap into their contacts and resources in order to find ways and means to develop trust, support, benefits and funding for MUPs as well as their families. It may be counterculture to the MUPs but in order to be appreciated you must engage, connect and exchange with the public on a regular basis. We need to know who we are supporting.

For starters, we should all get behind a movement that honors those who served and continue to serve, whether through public recognition, incentives or plain and simple treats. I remember seeing an airport lounge dedicated to “military service personnel” or MUPs at T2 or T3 in NAIA. That small comfortable lounge was a loud statement of appreciation and concern for uniformed personnel.

It is widely known how Metrobank strongly supports, honors and recognizes high performers and achievers among the PNP and the AFP by way of awards, public recognition and prize money. Another active and dedicated group is the HERO Foundation or Help, Educate, and Rear Orphans of fallen soldiers that has been around since 1988 I believe, and they have been giving scholarships to orphans of fallen soldiers.

What about crafting a law or creating a system where MUPs and dependents are provided a privilege card like that of senior citizens and PWDs, that entitle MUPs to a special discount for airlines, boats and buses as well as hotel accommodations. Given the hundreds of millions earned by vehicle manufacturers in sales to the AFP, the brass should be able to work out a discount or long-term financing for uniformed personnel aspiring for new vehicles.

Instead of selling of forts, camps and bases as suggested by senators, the government and the AFP should create a system that utilizes those properties as multi-use housing and commercial space for the benefit of MUPs. The lower level, ground floor and second floors can be developed as commercial rentals while the upper floors would be for residential use of active-duty personnel.

With a stable and sufficient population as a captured market, investors and supporters would be attracted to join. Maximize utilization and benefits from these assets instead of allowing politicians to be “commissioners and brokers.” Adapt the CBD – Commercial Business District – approach of long-term development and utilization, not the one-time big-time sale!

Last but not the least, since politicians got away with putting up the Maharlika Fund which is just a potential vehicle for pillage and corruption, I would boldly suggest to the SEC-DND to contact his friends in the business community to develop what I call the VALOR FUND, where corporations are allowed to donate a small part of their income tax or profits instead of paying it all to the BIR. Even private citizens could make personal contributions on special occasions!

Given the bright minds in the entire AFP working with the movers and captains of industries, I believe that a trust fund/investment fund/a consortium of businesses and human talents can be assembled so that the current AFP can chart the future of its current personnel in terms of financial security and stability.

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