It has been a year since I was first asked a question of "Why Do I Trust A Filipino Soldier?"
This was the theme for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Photo Contest that I participated last year and bagged the finalist-place.
After the contest, I promised myself to write an article about the theme. But until now, I still don't have one concrete answer as to why I can trust a Filipino soldier.
Now this isn't because I don't trust the people of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the word trust alone is quite a subjective matter. My answer can't justify a single post on a blog. It has to be shown, shared, and talked about. So I decided to make a blog rather than do a single post about it.
Why iamreservist?
There's a long explanation as to why I decided to name this blog iamreservist. I never expected that I will be having a niche of doing this but the roots started to grow when I had my first photo encounter with a technical officer in the nurse corps during the hot air balloon festival.
When I graduated college, it was the 'santolan warrior state' of my photographic adventure. I concentrated on travel photography whenever it allowed me. But still I know from my heart that I love to tell stories about the images I make. I constantly pray, "Lord, give me your perfect timing!" in the belief that "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."
I moved to Mindanao for work, there I met a soldier in a medical mission held near the area I was working. The soldier was an officer, tasked to be the head of a so-called Civil Military Operation. This I hear are those who are in pursuit of helping the community for development.
That one soldier became one of the guys I really look up into. Considered as my brother and planted the seed of trust of which made me today. Prior to his meeting, I had no idea about the military except that they go to war, live in discipline, but die because of alcoholism. My generalizations were far from fact. He showed me his role as a CMO officer and it continually impresses me up until now.
It's a laughable fact that I did not know anything about the military. I haven't heard of the Philippine Military Academy except that it's just a tourist attraction whenever you're in Baguio. More laughable when I say that my grandparents and some of their siblings and cousins were soldiers during their time. My family probably shut of the information thinking that it is probably a waste of time. But I threaded on trying to fill the curiosity. This I learned that soldiership has something more. Like when you open your door to college, you'll meet different people with their uniqueness of character, religion, practice etc.
Just when the contest was announced, the theme actually struck me hard as to what am I going to choose as an entry. The prize was an aircraft ride but I wanted to showcase something that the general public would see to help them trust a Filipino soldier as well. So I submitted this.
The photo only got the finalist-place. But when I read the comments from the public, somehow, I got an answer to my objective on why they can trust a Filipino soldier. It was the best prize I can have.
Months later, I was browsing through the Army's Facebook page when I stumbled upon a guy named Ruel Ramboao. He has a photo set entitled "Dispatches from the Field". It was an epic album consisting of soldiers having a one-hand connection with the community. I was so inspired to do the same but not limited to Facebook. I wanted to showcase a work why people, the Filipinos, should trust their men in uniform.
The term iamreservist was inspired from the book When Duty Calls by Carol Vandesteeg. Initially, I was thinking of using 'iamsoldier' because it doesn't coincide with my objective of showcasing the sacrificial work of both our regular and reservist force. The word reservist on the other hand are not organics. I wanted the blog to feel as a medium of instrument where a civilian shares his observation with both forces.
I moved to Mindanao for work, there I met a soldier in a medical mission held near the area I was working. The soldier was an officer, tasked to be the head of a so-called Civil Military Operation. This I hear are those who are in pursuit of helping the community for development.
That one soldier became one of the guys I really look up into. Considered as my brother and planted the seed of trust of which made me today. Prior to his meeting, I had no idea about the military except that they go to war, live in discipline, but die because of alcoholism. My generalizations were far from fact. He showed me his role as a CMO officer and it continually impresses me up until now.
It's a laughable fact that I did not know anything about the military. I haven't heard of the Philippine Military Academy except that it's just a tourist attraction whenever you're in Baguio. More laughable when I say that my grandparents and some of their siblings and cousins were soldiers during their time. My family probably shut of the information thinking that it is probably a waste of time. But I threaded on trying to fill the curiosity. This I learned that soldiership has something more. Like when you open your door to college, you'll meet different people with their uniqueness of character, religion, practice etc.
Just when the contest was announced, the theme actually struck me hard as to what am I going to choose as an entry. The prize was an aircraft ride but I wanted to showcase something that the general public would see to help them trust a Filipino soldier as well. So I submitted this.
The photo only got the finalist-place. But when I read the comments from the public, somehow, I got an answer to my objective on why they can trust a Filipino soldier. It was the best prize I can have.
Months later, I was browsing through the Army's Facebook page when I stumbled upon a guy named Ruel Ramboao. He has a photo set entitled "Dispatches from the Field". It was an epic album consisting of soldiers having a one-hand connection with the community. I was so inspired to do the same but not limited to Facebook. I wanted to showcase a work why people, the Filipinos, should trust their men in uniform.
The term iamreservist was inspired from the book When Duty Calls by Carol Vandesteeg. Initially, I was thinking of using 'iamsoldier' because it doesn't coincide with my objective of showcasing the sacrificial work of both our regular and reservist force. The word reservist on the other hand are not organics. I wanted the blog to feel as a medium of instrument where a civilian shares his observation with both forces.
hi i found your page and would really love to share your pics in our facebook page if you will allow us... www.facebook.com/armyshirtwear thank you for your support
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