Celebrating the Service

From September to December, those merry months in what is known around the world as the longest Christmas season of all, Filipinos go through the preparations and the revelry of the joyful holidays with much gusto.

The unofficial start of the season is heralded by the all too familiar lines of the Jose Mari Chan classic: …“Let’s sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday…” playing on the airwaves on the 1st of September. When the -ber months arrive, the décor and the music and the food choices all start to feel and smell and taste like Christmas.

During the long holiday season, as the Filipinos engage in fun and frolic, family reunions, fellowship with friends and colleagues, the men and women in uniform are scattered all throughout the whole breadth and depth of the archipelago, guarding the frontiers, the high seas, and the air space above us, to insure and assure every Filipino the joy of uninterrupted celebration. As Filipino families come together in feast and laughter, those who have pledged to keep us safe and secure stand watch, away from their own families.

The holidays mean a different thing to the soldier, the policeman, the government worker, the public official. While the rest of us exchange gifts and savor noche buena treats in the company of family and friends, they keep watch, away from home, making it possible for peace on earth to be savored and celebrated.

And while they are made welcome in the communities they serve, they can only wonder how their kids performed during the Christmas program or what the spaghetti and the ham tasted like.

For that is the spirit of their service, that is their gift to the citizenry and the country. To be on the ready, to be on guard, all in the name of service. For while we have made strides under the leadership of President Duterte, there is still much to be done. Change has just begun.

The reality is that while the holiday season is upon us, we as a nation continue to face many burning issues, be it RevGov, EJK, impeachment, terrorism, war on drugs, corruption. The need for fidelity, loyalty and adherence to the duly constitutional authority become essential. These virtues form the fiber of a strong society.

Loyalty is a warrior’s virtue but it is not its exclusive domain. Patriotism is the best service that every citizen can offer to the flag and the country. The one noble thing that shines forth in the bloody pages of history is the capacity of men of loyalty to effect change, to defend life and liberty. This is the greatest service that can command respect, a guide that serves the greatest need of man, as well as the attributes of greatness. This love of country as manifested in the spirit of service are found in great measure in our soldiers, our policemen, our public servants.

In the spirit of the season, let us remember and recognize their dedication and sacrifice. The best gift is not wrapped in fancy paper, it is a simple word of thanks, an acknowledgement that what they do is of value, and appreciated.

For all that they do — for manning the ramparts to keep us free from fear, for being the shelter during storms and disasters, for the forays against terrorists and dissidents, for the labor of building bridges and opportunities — let the gratitude be expressed, let the support be manifest.

There is nothing that makes the soldier, the policeman, the public servant feel as good as when there is the opportunity to be of service. Christmas provides that opportunity in the most profound and meaningful of ways. Let us remember their service this Christmas and every day.

The article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the M.A.P.

Jaime S. de los Santos is a member of the M.A.P. National Issues Committee, was the Combined Task Force Commander that conducted offensive operations against the Abu Sayyaf, the group responsible for the carnage in Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur that killed 85 persons and destroyed and razed multi-million worth of properties in 1995. Tactical operations were conducted in the municipalities of Siraway, Sibuco, Siocon, and Baliguian, all in Zamboanga del Norte.

jaime_dlsantos@yahoo.com;