The AFP joins hands with MFI and RCMM for next year’s search for outstanding soldiers (Photo from AFP’s Official Website).
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, in partnership with the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MFI) and the Rotary Club of Makati Metro (RCMM), recently launched the 2016 edition of the organization’s annual search for commendable Filipino soldiers.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri, MFI President Aniceto Sobrepeña and RCMM President Atty. Al Miguel Leogardo led the Memorandum of Agreement signing for the 2016 The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) on October 27, which also marks the start of the search.
During the opening ceremony, Leogardo shared that TOPS is an endeavor they launched in 1994. So far, the annual event has already produced 176 awardees who proved they are “models of excellence, professionalism, nobility, and integrity in their service.”
For his part, Sobrepaña said that TOPS is their “social contract to all the men and women of the AFP for tirelessly battling for the peace of our nation.”
“We believe that Filipino soldiers do not just fight insurgents or defend our territorial integrity, but continuously maintain a strong relationship with the community they serve,” he added.
Meanwhile, Gen. Iriberri thanked the MFI and RCMM for their continuous support to the highly-anticipated event.
He also remarked that “more than recognizing the men and women of the AFP, the success of the search for TOPS is a testament to the relevance and responsiveness of the entire AFP to the nation.”
