The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) on Sunday honored outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, for his over three decades of service to the country as a police officer.
In his speech, Eleazar also thanked the institution, noting it served as the foundation for him to become a good police officer.
“Let me say that the PMA has indeed given me this opportunity na siyang nagbago sa buhay naming mga PMAers. Na siyang nagbigay ng pagkakataon upang mas lalo tayong maging karapat-dapat sa paglilingkod sa ating bayan (which has changed the lives of our PMAers and gave us the opportunity to be even more worthy to serve our people),” he said in his speech during the testimonial parade and review held in his honor at the PMA campus in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City.
Eleazar, a member of the PMA Hinirang Class of 1987, said PMA alumni always welcome the opportunity to return to the academy to reminisce and share their experiences and lessons learned through the years with the cadets.
“I can’t help but reminisce sa nakaraan (from the past). April 1, 1983 when I reported here. At iyon na, nagbago ang lahat sa aking buhay. But after 34 years, nandito ako ngayon. Humaharap sa inyong mga kadete ng PMA na nagsasabing nabigyan ng pagkakataon ang inyong abang lingkod, kagaya ng iba pa nating alumni ng PMA, na makapaglingkod sa ating bayan (And that’s it, everything changed in my life. After 34 years, I am here again addressing you, PMA cadets, to be servants like our other PMA alumni, who have been given the opportunity to serve our country),” he said.
“Ito ay napakahalagang pagbibigay pugay ng ating mga alumni sa ating institusyon na nagbigay daan upang marating natin ang aming kinalalagyan ngayon. Na nagbigay ng pagkakataon na maglingkod sa ating bayan (It is a very important tribute by our alumni to our institution that has paved the way for us to reach where we are today. It gave us the opportunity to serve our people),” he added.
At the same time, he urged PMA cadets to enforce reforms once they get the chance to lead any organization, office, or unit.
“The small problems must be addressed immediately to prevent these problems from getting worse. Maliit na problema pa lang, itinatama na, inaayos na para hindi ito lumaki, lumala, makahawa at maging problema pa (Small problems must be fixed immediately so that they won’t get worse and lead to bigger problems),” Eleazar said.
Eleazar is set to retire from the service on November 13. He is the sixth PNP chief appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Since his assumption as PNP chief in May, Eleazar focused on the implementation of the Intensified Cleanliness Policy (ICP) — the moral compass of the police force, is divided into three main thrusts which cover the entire continuity of reform in the organization — cleanliness in offices, cleanliness among ranks, and cleanliness in the community.
PNP chief in League Magazine cover
Meanwhile, Eleazar was featured on the cover page of the League Magazine, a publication that shares inspiring stories about Filipino leadership and local governance.
The League Magazine chose Eleazar for its fourth-anniversary issue because of his inspiring career in law enforcement, dedication to public service, and unwavering resolve to bring the police force to new heights.
Eleazar thanked the magazine for recognizing his efforts to serve the public for more than three decades. .
“I am hoping that the experiences I have shared in the feature story will inspire the next generation of leaders, not only in the PNP, but in other agencies as well, to always think first of the welfare of our kababayans. Sana ay makakuha sila ng inspirasyon mula sa aking mga pinagdaanan upang maging tapat sila sa kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin,” Eleazar said in a statement.
Prior to his appointment as the country’s 26th top cop in May, he was the first commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, the law enforcement and public safety arm of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) amid the COVID-19 pandemic
He also led the Administrative Support to COVID-19 Operations Task Force (ASCOTF), which is tasked with coordinating all PNP administrative actions in support of police operational response to COVID-19.
Eleazar also became the chief of the Calabarzon police and the National Capital Region Police Office. In 2016, he became the commander of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) where he led the relentless anti-crime and anti-illegal drug operations. (PNA)