A PARTY-LIST congressman has been unanimously elected as the first chairman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reservists’ association.
1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, chairman of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, now holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Philippine Air Force (PAF) reserve corps.
His election to the military reservists group 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.
Romero and other officers of the association took their oath of office before Maj. Gen. Joel Alejandro Nacnac, AFP deputy chief for reservist and retiree affairs.
In his acceptance message, Romero urged his colleagues 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 the 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 the reservists group and its first meeting, and Gen. Llewilyn Banaag of the AFP Reserve Command as the association’s lead convener.
Officers elected 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 programs and activities for this year.