1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero has been unanimously elected as the very first chairman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reservists’ association.
Romero, who chairs the committee on poverty alleviation of the House of Representatives, holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Philippine Air Force (PAF) reserve corps.
His election took place Thursday, Feb. 1, during the first meeting of the advisory board and board of trustees of the Association of Reservists and Reservist Administrators of the Philippines, Inc. in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
He and other officers of the association immediately took their oath of office before Maj. Gen. Joel Alejandro Nacnac, deputy chief of staff for reservist and retiree affairs.
In his message to his reservist colleagues, Romero urged them to harness their individual talents and skills in supporting the AFP advance its mission of preserving peace and defending the country.
“We can participate in nation building as well by undertaking civic activities like medical missions, helping construct small community facilities like what our counterparts in the active service do whenever there are joint military exercises, and getting ourselves involved in rescue and relief operations during calamities,” he said.
He said reservists can also help the AFP leadership in explaining to its members issues involving the military.
Romero thanked AFP chief Romeo Brawner Jr. for supporting the reservist association, Gen. Nacnac for helping organize it and its first meeting, and Gen. Llewilyn Banaag of the AFP Reserve Command as the association’s lead convener.
Officers elected with the politician-sportsman included former Agusan del Norte Rep. Charito Plaza (brigadier general, PAF reserve), association president; and former Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado (colonel, Philippine Army reserve) as association co-chairman.
Romero said the group would meet again on Feb. 24 to finalize its by-laws and discuss its programs and activities for this year.