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The first AFP Social Media Summit


It was an amazing day to begin with the first AFP Social Media Summit which aims members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security and defense agencies to partake into the knowledge of social usefulness and responsibility by tapping into one of the most credible personalities in the field.

 Graced by the AFP Chief of Staff GEN EMMANUEL T BAUTISTA, he stressed the importance of social media usage as it creates a transparency between our organization and the people without failing to perform our duty. 
One of the first people to speak on stage was Mr. Rafael Alunan III, in case you're wondering, the social media keynote speaker was a former DILG Secretary and highlighted the importance of Facebook for National Interest where it can be of great use for philanthropy and charitable purposes. This means that everyone on social media can take part of an advocacy run similar to the Typhoon Yolanda movement last year where most netizens rose up to help their fellowmen. 

Also, one of his most stressed talks specifically targeted amongst Public Information Officers of an agency is to never take the chance of discussing confidential matters on the net. "Cybersecurity begins with self and what not to say or reveal is vital to our national well-being."
The second person to speak was Ms. Ana Pista discussing about public relations in social media. I felt like she's talking to a crowd of business-centered professionals rather than a defense agency, yet she still emphasized that social media is a necessity for every organization in terms of public relations. 


"It is not a matter of choice, social media is a necessity."In this modern world, one of the most effective PR tools is the use of social media, it gives the corporate world the link to its real world customers with face-to-face interaction or personal relationships. Having this skill in our people in the government gives us trust whenever they are easy to reach. 

The third speaker in the name of Mr. Ben Francia taught us to take advantage of social media as a trend. We may never know how social media will evolve ten years from now but it is clear to us that we need to become proactive when using it as it gives us the ability to keep in touch with the youth, which later would become the future leaders of the country. He also talked about the long term impact of social media within the organization. 
One of his highlighted points to take home was the 5 "S"of Digital Marketing.
  1. Sell - Meeting the brand or organization objectives. 
  2. Speak - Connecting through dialogue
  3. Serve - Adding value by listening (to the people)
  4. Save - It gives huge cost savings when using social media to connect with people
  5. Sizzle - It gives us positive results and image of the organization
In order for us to garner some "social" speed and hitting the correct personality when it comes to the social media, Mr. Raffy Pekson II gave us that important pointers to implement. 

He cited that just like the name patches marked in our uniforms, our identity as public servants is a representation of the organization we work for. Just as he also stressed that we must be the same person in the real world just as we are online, otherwise, people can get confused and will never give you the trust they deserve.
He also shared the Top 5 Positive Personality Adjectives one must have as social media contributor.
  1. Be Practical
  2. Be Passionate
  3. Be Creative
  4. Be Protective
  5. Be Honest

The fifth to speak on the floor, Mr. Giancarlo Viterbo has shown us that we must build communities to share upon the circles of social media and not just platforms (or tools of exchange). 

Our minds went in for a challenge and digested this hard-pressing thought to stop fueling conversations (probably stuff of gossip) instead fuel the people with discussions that can stimulate their minds to contribute for the better half of the problem or give them an opportunity to act upon the problem as a community. I thought Bayanihan can still be evident in the realm of social media and it has proven very well to be so. The 'Together' mindset should be one of the core objectives of a social media contributor. 

A follow-up talk from the first speaker, the sixth man to speak on stage, Mr. Jose "Wo" Rosete, got a bit "tactical" and showed us the simple rule when online, that is to preserve operations security.


It has been clear to him that some families on social media post photos of their husbands or wives in uniform (often because of pride) not realizing the damage it could affect to the safety of their family and the unit. It is something that must not be taken for granted regardless of how privatized an account can be. 

He may seem to have presented an oversimplified way on how social media managers should respond on the internet but he surely has his points crossed. "We need to respond as if we are also human; we can make jokes, we can make interactions that acknowledge our visitors."

He is probably the most surprising speaker in the lot that day, often asked if he was a former active personnel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines considering his portable computer is wearing Scout Ranger and SOCOM stickers. 

Then one of the last two speakers on stage went up, Ms. Hana Abello, stoked every soldier on stage discussing about Twitter.


She also stressed that being social means being human.

Lasty, the speaker who rocked the stage was Gang Badoy who talked about uplifting the AFP's image in social media.


She was the most credible person to speak with this matter as she had ignited the popularity of "Manny Sundalo" some years back. She said that simplicity and always being ready to serve marked a standard in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and in the Philippine National Police.

She also talked about the responsibility of being active online as every eye is set on you (or the organization). The most important takeaway I had with her was that social media is just a tool or a microphone, it is no use if there are no good soldiers (or police officers) to talk about.

Below is a video of her keynote speech thanks to Wazzup PH


The AFP Social Media Summit was held last July 11, 2014 at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City and was attended by a thousand public information personnel from all divisions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and other government agencies.

The summit was formed to equip social media responsibility while taking advantage of its use as a form of a link between our forces for the Filipino people. It was organized by the Civil Military Operations School, Media & Civil Affairs Group, Civil Relations Service, AFP and ArdentComm.

© iamreservist

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AFP's Civil-Military Operations School holds first Social Media Summit


The internet age has been a blessing to the majority of the population in the Philippines as study claims that 41 million Filipinos are expected to utilize the internet by the years' end'. Filipinos use this tool as their means of  nourishing relationships, build networks, and share news and information. It gave us the ability to share data within seconds as it spreads like wildfire that can influence users all the while letting them stay informed. 

However, like any mode of communication, it follows a powerful responsibility that holds accountability to the thought of what people are saying. As such “Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.” —Nathaniel Hawthorne

Surprisingly, our people at the Armed Forces of the Philippines, spearheaded by Media and Civil Affairs Group and Civil-Military Operations School of the Civil Relations Service would like to establish a mode of engagement while educating our fellow stakeholders about this powerful tool that can boost and synergize AFP’s online initiatives. The one-day conference aspires to strengthen the nationalism and public service awareness in order to create a hand-to-hand connection between the government defense force and its people realizing that social media is an important subject when doing public service. 

The 1st AFP Social Media Summit aims to provide insights on:
  1. Maximizing engagement and conversions with followers;
  2. Fine-tuning social media campaigns;
  3. Understanding social media channels beyond Twitter and Facebook;
  4. Managing online communities;
  5. Understanding that social media networks are critical in today’s public service;
  6. Using tools to leverage and maximize social media management efforts; and
  7. Measuring the effectiveness of social media initiatives.
The said groundbreaking event will be addressed by the AFP Chief of Staff GEN EMMANUEL T BAUTISTA as the welcoming keynote speaker for the 1,200 participants from various institutions and government agencies including the Philippine National Police. It will take place on July 11, 2014 from 8AM to 6PM at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

 For more information about the 1st AFP Social Media Summit, please visit http://afpsocialmediasummit.dwdd.com.ph/

 © iamreservist

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The PMA Linggo



If you happen to meet someone in the Academy, you'll normally here some 'linggo' they often use inside, to become less ignorant, all the while, give you extra knowledge of the life of a cadet common terms which can't be found in any dictionary.
  • ANITA: an expression of disappointment
  • BANAT: meaning go ahead
  • BE SURE: short term for "Are you sure?"
  • BOOGA-BOOGA: a woman
  • BOODLEFIGHT: food is served free for all
  • BY THE LOOKS: as you see it
  • CHINITA: a girl with long chin
  • COW: Second Class Cadet
  • DRAG: a cadet’s date in a Hop
  • FEMME: a cadet’s sweetheart
  • GO AHEAD: "Its just a joke"
  • HOP: a party or night ball
  • HUGOT: to try
  • KAYDET GIRL: a cadet’s girl
  • KEVIN: a cadet who loves cadet of the opposite sex
  • KILABOT: a cadet who loves someone who's a senior of the opposite sex
  • LIKE HELL: expresses gravity of situation
  • MISTAH: classmate
  • NO AMOUNT: easy
  • O.A.M.: One Among Many
  • O.A.O.: One And Only
  • PARASITE: a cadet who goes to hop without drag
  • SCRAM: to leave immediately
  • SLUG: offense
  • SLUGGABLE: a grave offense, can also be an ugly person
  • SUICIDE SQUAD: a group of cadets without drags, and would dare to have sluggable partners
  • THE WORST: very bad
  • TUYO: no attempt to carry orders
  • VAULT FILES: same thing or a drag that is always present in a hop but with different partners
  • WIFE: a bunkmate (bongki) or the rifle

The cadet linggo, like any other language is also evolving every time a new class commences. This tradition dates back post world war and some terms may not be applicable to some senior classes. Its usage was even questioned by the media asking if it's unnecessary and may ruin their English development, still, it makes a cadet life unique . It is being shared by the few chosen young people to be leaders of the military upon graduation from their respective classes. A kaydet girl will also feel some electric hearing these phrases and terms every time as testified by a blogger here.

If you have contributions, please let us know by writing in the comment box below.

Photo copyright from Col. Juny P. La Putt, Philippine Army (Ret)

 © iamreservist

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Moments of Bayanihan: SARU & SMILE joins DSWD relief packing drive



It was a heartbreaking moment to hear thousands of people who suffered when Typhoon Yolanda crossed Central Visayas last November 8, 2013. 

Yet distressing as this may be, thousands' had responded the call to help at mobilizing relief centers around the country. The heart of Bayanihan authored by the Chief of Staff GEN EMMANUEL T. BAUTISTA, AFP continues to shine on.


In order to convey Bayanihan, Smile for the Youth and the Search and Rescue Unit, 15 Infantry Division Ready Reserve, NCRRCDG, ARESCOM under the command of CPT ROCKY H MARQUEZ (INF) PA (Res) is one of the many reserve units of the Philippine Army who responded the call for service in their own little way last November 14, 2013. They found in great need for volunteers at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) located at Chapel Road, NAIA, Pasay City.





Altogether, the team participated by volunteers from SARU, SMILE for the Youth, SWAG (Soldiers, Wives, and Girlfriends) group, Proud to be Soldiers, and Laang Kawal Pilipino packed and lifted no less than two hundred relief packs in less than two hours while showing the might of volunteerism and selfless service even outside the lens of a camera.

This was just the start of their ongoing aid for our countrymen in the Visayas region. 

Hooyah for the team!

 © iamreservist

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Moments of Bayanihan: Helping Hands for Tacloban

I read that it was a long dawn for the whole Visayas last November 9, 2013 as people felt the gust of wind coming towards each home. People feeling a bit nervous, the region is known to experience a lot of storms annually, but this time Typhoon Haiyan (Local name Yolanda) impressed fear as waves came toward coastal homes as high as 20 feet pummelled through with anger. 

There was a presence of swirling clouds in the area, as light broke through from the skies, every eye caught witness of devastation; they saw how the wind was tearing away iron roofs and waves swallow every single infrastructure around their beloved city. This must have been the strongest of storms ever recorded by history.

When people went down from roofs and posts the next day, they saw was a show of mother nature turning man-made structures into scrap, even finding their main evacuation centres as mere death trap.
In Bogo, northern Cebu, thousands of residents had taken refuge in the blue-roofed sports complex, where they set themselves up a few days before the storm’s planned arrival with catering and card games.

“But the wind started howling and the rain started coming, and soon the babies and the children were screaming that the roof was going to blow off,” said the mayor, Celestino Martinez. “I was trying to tell people to be calm. I had to shout over the noise, saying: ‘No don’t worry, the roof won’t blow off, the panels are too big.’ But they did blow off, piece by piece. (Source: The Guardian)

 Those unfortunate ones were swept away by the tidal wave, displaced far away from their original place, lying as if they were oversized dolls. Some even had arms that positioned as shields for protection. It was an ugly scene.

 To make things worse, communications and electricity was down; posts bowed down, powerless to withstand. Airports especially in Tacloban was swept flat and clear while harbours were filled with rubble. Many people unaffected by the storm had no reliable source of how bad the damage was yet everyone was still hoping for the best. If the need arise, many are here to help including the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Force just waiting for that snap of order for deployment.

 It was initially estimated that about 10,000 lives were lost. Families were looking for their love ones. Thousands hurt and wounded. Many grieved while aide came with a critic. When I was tucked in Manila; me and my fellow reserves participated in relief packing and loading and transferring goods. Volunteers worked round the clock. The 'Bayanihan' spirit was born again yet we were never deployed given that the government already spent money to train us for emergency response. While waiting we packed, carried relief goods in our backs, and gave out instructions as to how other people could help. 

 A week passed after Yolanda tore Visayas into devastation and tears. A group of five Philippine Air Force reserves with Nurse and EMT certification decided to fly out to Tacloban for three days leaving our snappiest BDA's behind. Staying home was never our call after hearing out that nurses and doctors were already aplenty in those stricken areas. We never agreed. We still hear people calling for help. 

 On November 16, 2013 the group started a humanitarian mission entitled 'Helping Hands for Tacloban'. Initially planning to leave Manila via PAF C-130 Hercules, it never materialised. Thankful with Air Asia Zest who gave out free seats a day after. The twenty of us arrived safely but in teary-awe at Tacloban Airport last November 17, 2013.

The HHCL (Helping Hand Central Luzon) group headed by President Ivy Tejada. A Philippine Air Force reserve assigned at 2nd ARCEN, Clark Air Base, Pampanga.

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