HEADQUARTERS

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS UNIT
TH
1304 Community Defense Center, NCRRCDG, ARESCOM
Anonas Street, Sta. Mesa, Manila

PUP-ROTCU Handout #06-16-17

AFP Core Values

I want to give an example to my people that, I write not for myself nor
for my glory but for my country. Hence, I prefer truth to fame. May my
countrymen also sacrifice their passions for the welfare of the country,
may they not seek their good in honors, employments, bribes, and
adulations but in virtues that distinguish and adorn free peoples.

--- Dr. Jose P. Rizal ---

Introduction

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) focuses on values that are the
basis of every soldier s daily existence. It is the foundation of all his acts and
deeds. These are the ties that bind. With the country moving forward in nation
building, these values have shown their enduring quality and have provided the
soldier with the time-tested tools for the future.

Definition of Terms

∑ Code of Ethics - It is the systematic and collection or digest of all

the morale ethical and legal principles and with members of an
institutions as profession freely and publicly live themselves in order
to achieve their common role, duty or purpose to the society.

Prepared by PUP ROTCU, (MS-1, SY 2016, 2017)

 ∑ Value is a quality of a person subject or action which an individual
consistently considers professes in words and reflects in this life
style in fulfilment of response to the inner image/dream aspiration.

∑ AFP Core Values the profession of arms, noble calling, demands

from its members not only specialized knowledge and skill but also a
distinct lifestyle governed by commonly held belief-system containing
non-negotiable core values of honor, loyalty, valor, duty, and
solidarity.

Foremost among these values is the soldier s unwavering love for his
country.

AFP Core Values

1. Honor Members of the AFP believe in honor as their crowning value as

it is more precious than life itself. It hallmark their military conduct which
implies their clear consciousness of personnel dignity and worth. For them,
honor means truthfulness, sincerity, honesty, uprightness, credibility, and
avoidance of deception so that out written word may be accepted without
question.

No matter the arena, honor is respected in one s self as in the other. In outward
form, honor is seen in cleanliness of the person, courtesy in manners, decency
in daily living, and prudence in the use of personal or government resources. It
shows in candor, honesty, and straight-forwardness in speech as well as in
actions. When one leads an honorable life, he is perceived of good reputation,
credible, sincere, and emulated for his uprightness and transparency in all his
dealings.

Honor also means integrity. Integrity is the foundation of the character that is
embedded in the soldier s thinking, feeling, and doing. It is a requirement in
both leadership and esprit-de-corps (oneness to the organization).

2. Loyalty - The AFP believes in inflicting loyalty. Their oath of office

required them to be loyal to the nation and to obey the mandate to support and
defend the constitution. They shall be obedient to the duly constituted political

Prepared by PUP ROTCU, (MS-1, SY 2016, 2017)

order. They are bound to support the Chain of Command and obey lawful
orders from authorized persons or units.

Loyalty reaps the harvest of military unity. It fosters cohesion, sincere concern
for the welfare of each member of the unit or command and those they work
with, and is best expressed in each member s adherence to the military value
system.

3. Valor The AFP members believe in valor as the power of strength,

courage, and ability to overcome fear to carry-out our mission and to
accomplish what seemingly impossible. Valor goes beyond the physical
dimension of boldness and endurance to pain and hardships.

It is pursuing a mission against all odds. Courage is beyond bravery. It is

calculating but not suicidal.

Valor also means moral courage in continuing the fight for a principled cause.
Indeed, it was both the physical and moral courage of the Filipino soldiers,
whose fierce resistance against subjugating powers in the past and despite the
enemy s superior arms and number, which defined the road map to our freedom
and independence.

4. Duty The AFP believes in duty as the value of obedience and disciplined
performance despite difficulty and danger. To its soldiers, duty is a personal act
of responsibility to accomplishing all assigned task to the fullest one s
capabilities, meeting all their willingness to sacrifice even if it means giving up
their lives in defense of our country.

Duty is not imposed. It derives its authority from the soldier s steadfast
commitment to the service of the country. Any civilian/person intending to join
the military service must understand that soldiers make themselves available at
all times, 24/7 when their presence is needed. Duty is a continuous process that
is cultivated by both the challenges faced on the job as well as the discipline in
the service. Duty is exercised in peace when in support of all legal initiatives of
the civilian authority, more so in war that may take the soldier s precious life.

Prepared by PUP ROTCU, (MS-1, SY 2016, 2017)

 5. Solidarity The AFP believes in solidarity for it is consolidating and
integrating value to which all its members bind themselves with the rest,
comrades-in-arms. With it, they reject divisive fraternal organizations with the
AFP.

Solidarity within the organization is the Army s benchmark for action, growth,
and resilience as it protects the country and nurtures its development. It is also
a manifestation of sound leadership as it is the expression of a soldier s solid
commitment to the service.

Conclusion

Core values are the heart of every successful organization. An organization s core
values are those principles or guiding lights that each member shares ---
those commitments they consider most important in their lives.

The AFP as one of the biggest social institutions of our society is ensuring that
its core values --- honor, loyalty, valor, duty, and solidarity are properly
enhanced and cherished by every soldier and their units in order to foster better
accomplishment of its missions and visions.

References:
a. Philippine Constitution of 1987

b. AFP JOPES Manual, s-2012

c. http://www.army.mil.ph/Core_Philosophy2/core_values_acp.html

d. http://s3.zetaboards.com/Defense_Philippines/topic/835548/1/

e. http://www.bradenton.com/2014/07/11/5250169/core-
values-are- important.html

f. Armed Forces of the Philippines official website (http://www.afp.mil.ph/)

Prepared by PUP ROTCU, (MS-1, SY 2016, 2017)