Defenders of Peace Honored

MANILA (PNA) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the presentation of awards to the Ten Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) 2009 in recognition of the soldiers’ professionalism, gallantry and patriotism in protecting the people and preserving the nation’s sovereignty.

The President led the awarding of trophies to the TOPS awardees in simple ceremonies Thursday noon at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang.

The members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who were chosen outstanding soldiers from the Philippine Army are Lt. Col. Lope C. Dagoy, Staff Sergeant Fidel C. Delara, and Master Sergeant Romeo H. Jandugan.

Dagoy led joint operations of various intelligence units in his area of operations and was the first Battalion Commander to conduct Legal Offensive Seminars among his troops, while De Lara brought the military closer to the people through radio programs that disseminated information as part of the military’s counter-insurgency measures.
Jandugan, on the other hand, trained inexperienced soldiers to become effective fighters at the same time providing them with the best role model of an excellent military professional.

Winners from the Philippine Navy (PN) are Col. Romeo T. Tanalgo, Data Processor 2nd Class (Staff Sergeant) Reynor S. Calzado and Technical Sergeant Ramon B. Cabeguin.

Col. Tanalgo crafted and facilitated the approval of the Philippine Navy’s Standing Operating procedures on the accreditation of various foreign career courses for the advancement of marine and naval officers.

Calzado conceptualized and established a computerized program for the maintenance and repair of offices of the Navy which simplified the process involved in recording and monitoring administrative and operational data of navy vessels.

Cabeguin was part of the 2004 team that courageously rescued survivors of the burning Super Ferry in the vicinity of El Freile and Carballo Islands.

From the Philippine Air Force are Colonel Restituto F. Padilla Jr., Staff Sergeant Blas C. Austria and Technical Sergeant Salvador S. Buenaobra Jr.

A commandant of the PAF Flying School, Padilla managed and directed a total of 324.8 hours of air combat missions in Mindanao and against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels all of which had zero accident records.

Aside from conducting successful intelligence operations in Luzon, Austria helped established safety rules and guidelines and initiated the manufacture and installation of safety sign boards around Basa Air Base in Pampanga.
From scrap materials, Buenaobra manufactured the Portable Runway Lighting System now being used in most PAF bases in the country. He also incorporated the dual-band amateur hand-held radio in the MD-520MG attack helicopter that allowed better communication between pilots and ground troops.

The tenth awardee is Colonel Pedro G. Herrera-Davila of the Judge Advocate General Service who has recorded hundreds of convictions, including a 97 percent conviction rate among members of the Magdalo, involving commissioned officers and enlisted personnel of the military.

The awardees received from the President their plaque and a cash prize of P250,000, courtesy of Metrobank Foundation.

Assisting the President were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, AFP Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Alexander Yano, Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepena, Rotary Club of Makati Metro president Hernando Perez Jr. and Dr. Placido Mapa.

The Search for TOPS is an annual project of the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Makati Metro that honors excellence in the military as the private sector’s appreciation and gratitude for the soldiers’ selfless acts of gallantry in protecting the people and preserving the nation’s sovereignty.