Outside the battlefield: The Civilian Human Resource’s role in the Army’s mission
Military
service requires soldiers to take on posts regardless of time and
location. As soldiers come and go through the doors of Philippine Army
units and offices, the challenge to maintain the high standards of the
command capabilities are left in the hands of individuals whose weapons
are neither of guns nor knives.
Known as the Army’s “Institutional
Memory”, the Philippine Army Civilian Human Resource (Civ HR) are the
persons who work on a paper-filled desk at the finance office, on a
drafting table at the headquarters support group, in an exhibit at the
museum, or even in a patient ward at the Army hospital.
Fast track to 1957 when the Philippine
Army became a separate Major Command of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, the transformation demanded the Army with more dynamic
roles in its national security and nation-building efforts. Around this
time, pioneer Army civilian personnel called “cargadores” and spouses of
service personnel filled in the need to handle administrative
functions.
In the 1990s, the Army established the
Civilian Personnel Office (CPO) as one of the Office of the Assistant
Chief of Staff for Personnel’s (OG1) branches that served as the central
office for the Army civilian personnel. In order to improve the
personnel management system, the Army Personnel Management Center (APMC)
was activated in 1995 and had the CPO restructured under APMC’s
operations. By 2008, the CPO became a special staff for G1, but was then
dissolved from being a special staff by 2014. This led to the creation
of the Civilian Personnel Management Branch of OG1 in 2015
In 2019, the command adopted the term
“Civilian Human Resource”, based on the AFP Civilian Human Resource
Management Manual, to refer all non-uniformed personnel of the AFP.
With the concept of civilians working in
the Army being institutionalized, the Army has now 1,350 Civ HRs
functioning in the administration, budget and financial, medical and
allied, technical, legal, and communication fields.
One of the Army’s Civ HR who has been
serving for almost 44 years is Mrs. Elizabeth S. Garcia. Known by her
colleagues as ”ate Beth” she’s the chief of the Army Property and
Accountability Office and currently the longest Civ HR working in the
Army.
After ate Beth graduated in March 1976
with a degree in Business Administration, she worked as a bookkeeper for
the Philippine Army 52nd Engineer Brigade’s civil work projects in
Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. As ate Beth’s career flourish, she was also
blessed with a family living near her workplace.
In her 30th year at the 52nd EBde, ate
Beth has to make a challenging decision when she was reassigned at the
11th Field Property Accountability Office in Davao – a place far from
her home, far from her family.
“Gusto ko na magretire kung sana
[because] I am getting away from my comfort zone. Ang hirap mahiwalay sa
anak. Tapos kung kalian na kailangan ka, wala ka minsan,” recalled ate
Beth.
But her dedication to the service driven
by the love of her family led ate Beth to take on the role. After 8
years, a new door of opportunity opened and she was assigned as the 15th
FPAO chief for almost a year and in April 2016, she was designated as
the new chief of the Army Property Accountability Office at Army
Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
“Every day is a learning process,” said
ate Beth. “Don’t hesitate to ask [dahil] hindi lahat ng bagay, alam mo.
Kahit gaano ka na katagal sa work, ‘pag may oras talaga na kailangan mo
ng tulong, humingi ka ng tulong. Hindi ka ‘rin dapat maging maramot sa
iyong nalalaman,” she added.
For ate Beth, her journey as a Civ HR -
with the challenges she faced to overcoming them – are summarized into
four words: camaraderie, obedience, loyalty, and contentment.
Camaraderie that bloomed in the seasons of the coming and going of the
many soldiers she met, obedience through submitting to Army’s direction,
loyalty to the service and the people it serves, and contentment found
in being grateful for the job she’s blessed with.
“Why did I opt to stay? Because I love
my job. And if you learn how to love your job, if you learn how to enjoy
your job, if you are not thinking how much the salary is, and when you
are happy doing your job, well, what more can you ask for?” said ate
Beth.
As an institution, the Philippine Army’s
strength is founded on the people who are passionate about their job -
the kind of job that is motivated not just by a benefit or a mandate but
by one’s sincere love for the country.
“Although we are not soldiers, the Army
Civilian Human Resource is committed in supporting the mission of the
Philippine Army. It is our desire that as we perform our respective jobs
with excellence and professionalism, our work will continue to remain
relevant in the fulfillment of the Philippine Army's mission of serving
the nation,” said Army Chief Civilian Human Resource, Letty G.
Lacanienta.
For the Civ HR, working as part of the
Army is never an easy task but with the willingness to carry out Army
mission, even without wearing battle uniforms, is the fulfillment of a
public servant’s pledge to serve the Philippines and its people.#
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Do you want to serve the country as an Army Civilian Employee?
- - -
Do you want to serve the country as an Army Civilian Employee?
You may go to https://army.mil.ph/home/index.php/job-vacancies for the list of job vacancies and qualifications.
For inquiries, call 845-9555 loc 6841 or
visit the Civilian Personnel Management Branch OG1, Philippine Army at
Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila.#
PHILIPPINE ARMY
AFP Websites
links:
PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
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