In every successful man, there is often a woman working quietly behind the scenes. Women have long been the backbone of families, communities, and institutions that shape lives through both direct action and silent sacrifices.
For Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, his wife, Mary Rose P. Marbil, has taken on a role that extends beyond traditional support. As the adviser of the PNP OLC Foundation, Inc., she has transformed the organization to prioritize the welfare of police officers.
A life of strength
Ms. Marbil’s life has been intertwined with public service, not only through her husband’s career but also through her own background. Growing up in a military family, where her father served in the Army’s medical corps, she developed a deep understanding of the sacrifices that come with serving the country.
Being the wife of a police officer brings its own challenges, given the unpredictability and dangers of law enforcement work.
“It takes a lot of patience and understanding,” she told the press. “They cannot share everything about their duties. You just learn to deal with it.”
Ms. Marbil spent more than 30 years in the corporate sector, primarily in telecommunications, while balancing life with a husband dedicated to law enforcement.
“It’s generally the same, except that now, the issues are bigger,” she said. “We have to be more careful about what we do and say.”
Her new mission
Ms. Marbil initially planned to retire alongside her husband. However, with Gen. Marbil’s service extended, she chose to dedicate herself fully to the PNP OLC Foundation.
“I didn’t want to start 2025 still working, only to leave after a month. It felt more practical to end in 2024 and focus on other things I wanted to do,” she said.
Understanding the sacrifices and struggles of police officers, she saw an opportunity to refocus the foundation’s mission.
“Before, the PNP OLC Foundation mainly helped communities around the camps, but nobody thought of helping the police,” she said. “When my husband was appointed, I asked myself, ‘What am I going to do? Sayang ang platform.’ Then I realized we could focus on supporting the police force directly.”
This shift transformed the organization from a club into a full-fledged foundation. The renamed PNP OLC Foundation, Inc. retained its predecessor’s essence while focusing on the welfare of uniformed and non-uniformed PNP personnel and their dependents.
Ms. Marbil sought to erase the misconception that the group was merely a social club. On July 31, 2024, the foundation was officially registered.
Among its most impactful projects is the “LAB Virus” program, which supports critically ill PNP personnel nationwide. To her and her husband’s surprise, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cancer, often linked to diabetes and the physically demanding nature of police work, were the most common illnesses among PNP personnel.
Despite logistical and time constraints, Ms. Marbil and her team committed to personally visiting the officers instead of handing over aid through regional directors.
“In 2024, I could only travel on weekends, so we visited seven regions,” she recalled. “In January, we covered three regions a week. We reached 17 out of 18 regions since the PNP’s 18th regional office was still being established.”
She recalled the overwhelming gratitude, especially in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), a region often perceived as unsafe for visits.
“At first, we were told it wasn’t safe. But my husband checked and said, ‘No, it’s safe. We should go.’ And so we went,” she said. “When we arrived, the officers were emotional. They told me, ‘Ma’am, this is the first time the wife of a PNP chief has visited us.’ That moment was truly fulfilling. It was exhausting but rewarding in ways I had never experienced in my corporate life.”
Under her leadership, the foundation raises its own funds through initiatives like the Harmony for Heroes concert, featuring the PNP Singing Cops.
“I didn’t allow solicitations. We started organizing fundraising events without forcing ticket sales on anyone. If they wanted to support, they would,” she said.
For Ms. Marbil, the transition from corporate executive to foundation leader has been the most fulfilling chapter of her career.
“In corporate, I worked to earn money. But this? This is different. Seeing the gratitude of the people we help — it’s a different kind of fulfillment.”
Leaving a lasting legacy
As the wife of the PNP chief, Ms. Marbil ties her tenure to her husband’s service, but she remains determined to leave a lasting impact. She is institutionalizing the foundation to ensure future advisers can build on what she started.
“We have documented everything. We have guidelines, so when it’s time for turnover, there will be continuity. This foundation is not just for me; it’s for the police officers and their families, now and in the future,” she explained. “Adding that as a Foundation, wives of retirees shall remain part of the Board moving forward.”
The foundation is also reactivating the Child Development Center, which had been dormant since the pandemic. It also supports livelihood programs for PNP personnel and their families, including workshops that help Camp Crame’s sweepers develop alternative sources of income.
Ms. Marbil refuses to be confined to a title. For her, being married to a high-ranking official does not mean fading into the background. Instead, she is determined to inspire women to carve out their own identities beyond societal expectations.
As an adviser to the PNP OLC Foundation, she found a way to merge her responsibilities as a partner with her own personal aspirations.
“You do not limit yourself to what people think you can do. For women, especially wives, it’s easy to feel like you’re just a shadow. But there are so many things you can do beyond supporting your husband,” she explained. “You don’t just look at what your spouse is doing and think, ‘I’ll just help him.’ Women have their own strengths.”
She also highlights what she sees as an advantage that women bring to any space they enter.
“Let’s face it, women have charm,” she said. “There’s something different about how women communicate. Sometimes, the convincing power is stronger.”
For the PNP OLC Adviser, maintaining individuality in a relationship is not just about personal fulfillment but also about keeping partnerships engaging.
“Don’t lose your identity. This keeps you interesting to your partner. At the end of the day, you talk about different things, and that keeps the relationship dynamic,” she noted.
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