President Noynoy Aquino has approved the commission-ship of boxing champion Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao as lieutenant colonel in the Army reserve force.
The world boxing champion was granted his new rank in the reserve force, effective Sept. 21, 2011.
Pacquiao’s confirmation was based on the provisions of Section 44 of Republic Act 7077 which provides that elected and appointed officials can be commissioned in the service if they are degree-holders.
Other elected officials who are also part of the military reserve force are Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Sen. Loren Legarda and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.
Pacquiao is recognized as a hero among soldiers and the Filipino people as a whole, Pacquiao’s nomination easily passed through the military bureaucracy within a year.
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There is something fishy in the promotion of Pacquiao to the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Philippine army reserve force. In reference to Section 44 of Republic Act 7077, Pacquiao who is a high school graduate (accelerated) does not qualify to be a commission officer in the AFP which requires a degree holder for a nominee. Secondly, there are unsung heroes consisting of enlisted men and commission officers in the AFP who are more deserving to get promoted other than Pacquiao. Soldiers who die and serve exemplary for their country, the most that they could get is a one higher rank posthumous promotion. While the alive and kicking Pacquiao gets his instant promotion based on his exploits in boxing and by a mere stroke of the pen gives him five ranks higher (Sgt. Major to Lt. Colonel) which is unprecedented in AFP promotion history. Not even soldiers who die and survive beyond the call of duty during time of war receive such accolades. Does this mean that there is now a compartmentalized approach in giving military ranks and promotions? If this is so we might as well give military ranks and promotions to former Filipino boxing champions like The Penalosas, Navarette, Espinosa, Elorde (posthumous), etc., 1964 Tokyo Olympic Silver Medalist, Anthony Villanueva. For diversity, how about Charice Pempengco as Lt. Col. to GHQ because of her singing exploits in the international scene?