The unyielding Filipino spirit that turned the tide at Yultong

In the cold spring of 1951, on the hills of Yultong in North Korea, the world witnessed a moment that could have been torn from the pages of history, or the battlefield of Thermopylae. Like the Spartans who stood firm against the Persian empire, 900 Filipino troops faced an onslaught of 40,000 Chinese and North Korean soldiers with nothing but sheer grit, discipline, and the quiet fury of men who knew they were fighting for something greater than themselves.

To fully grasp the significance of that stand, we must revisit how the war began. On June 25, 1950, North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union and China, launched a swift and aggressive invasion into South Korea. They were out to capture Seoul and bring the entire peninsula under communist control. The United Nations, then in its formative years, responded by urging its member states to take military action to stop the aggression and defend a sovereign, democratic nation.

At the time, the Philippines was still rebuilding from the ruins of World War II. Our resources were limited, our wounds still fresh. Yet we did not hesitate. President Elpidio Quirino made a decisive stand, urging Congress to pass Republic Act No. 573, authorizing the deployment of 7,420 Filipino troops to the Korean Peninsula under the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK).

He understood that freedom does not stop at our borders. “Poor as we are, every peso invested in you is a sound investment for the perpetuation of our liberty and freedom,” the late President explained. It was a powerful expression of faith, not just in global democracy, but in the strength and integrity of the Filipino soldier.

Among the first to answer that call was the 10th Battalion Combat Team, composed of 64 officers and 1,303 enlisted men under Lt. Col. Dionisio Ojeda. They landed in Pusan in September 1950, shortly after General Douglas MacArthur’s iconic Incheon Landing. Though trained as a motorized tank unit, they arrived without their armor and swiftly reorganized as a heavy weapons unit—a testament to the resourcefulness that would define them in the months to come.

Across five rotations, nearly 7,000 Filipino troops served in Korea. But it was the 900 men of the 10th BCT who etched their legacy into history. In April 1951, on the unforgiving terrain of Yultong, they stood their ground against a force more than 40 times their size. It was more than a military engagement—it was a defining moment of fortitude and character.

Outnumbered but unshaken, they proved that the Filipino warrior does not yield, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

As artillery shells and relentless enemy fire poured down, the 10th BCT met the attack without flinching. Not because they had superior weapons, but because they had unshakable resolve.

While other units fell back, they held firm. When communications broke down, they relied on instinct, discipline, and brotherhood. Even support personnel—cooks, medics, clerks—joined the fight. Because in moments like these, when the nation is at stake, there are no bystanders.

It is easy to be moved by the valor of Captain Conrado Yap, who disobeyed retreat orders to rescue his wounded men, firing from his tank until his final breath. Or by Lt. Jose Artiaga Jr., who fought to defend a critical position despite impossible odds. But perhaps most powerful is the truth that every Filipino on that field chose to fight for their comrades, their flag, and for a young republic daring to stand tall on the global stage.

As Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), I want every Filipino to know that the same bravery that defined our heroes in Yultong lives on in every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine who continues to serve today.

We are no longer a young republic finding its place—we are a proud and capable nation that stands firm in the face of evolving threats, from the high seas to cyberspace, from conflict zones to disaster-stricken communities.

There was no retreat. No surrender. Only the kind of determination that makes history stop and take notice. At Yultong, our soldiers showed that true strength is not measured by numbers, but by the depth of conviction. Even against the tide of war, Filipino courage held the line.

To this day, the AFP remains anchored in that same spirit—steadfast in our mission to defend what matters most: the freedom and future of our beloved nation. That is The General Idea.