Ramon Alcaraz and national defense

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is preparing to accept 350 new cadets to compose the Class of 2018. Entrance exams are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 25. If all the slots are filled up, this would bring the cadet corps to its full complement of some 1,000 cadets, the highest in the history of the academy.

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On Tuesday, President Aquino will officially welcome the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the Philippine Navy’s second Hamilton class-cutter skippered by Capt. Ernesto Baldovino. The ship, which sailed into Philippine waters last Friday, is scheduled to dock at Subic for the arrival ceremonies.

The first Hamilton class-cutter that we received from the United States in May 2011 was the oldest of its class in the US Coast Guard. It was renamed the BRP Gregorio del Pilar. The latest acquisition was the second oldest in the US Coast Guard inventory. News reports refer to them as warships. That sounds good on radio or television, but as far as mission capability is concerned, they are actually for law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations on the high seas. As such, they could shoo away fishing vessels but would be no match for enemy warships.

But let me talk about the man after whom the ship is named. It is a story of inspiration and courage, worthy of emulation by the officers and men of our Armed Forces.

Ramon A. Alcaraz was born on Aug. 31, 1915, in Plaridel, Bulacan. His parents named him after San Ramon Nonato, the patron saint of pregnant women. We share the same birthday along with Ramon Magsaysay and Jaime Cardinal Sin, to name a few.

In 1936, about 10,000 aspiring young men took the PMA entrance exams for 120 cadet vacancies. Alcaraz was among the successful examinees who would undergo the new, four-year curriculum of the PMA. Only 79 would graduate as the Class of 1940. Of this number, seven would join the Off-Shore Patrol. They were Ramon Olbes, Felix Apolinario,

Heracleo Alano, Quirico Evangelista, Ramon Alcaraz,

Liberato Picar and Cesar Montemayor. Alano and Apolinario would become flag-officers-in-command of the Navy. Alano is the father of the current Navy chief, Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.

At the outbreak of World War II, Alcaraz was assigned with the First Q-Boat Squadron consisting of motor torpedo boats equipped with torpedoes and .50-caliber machine guns. They were better known as “Q-Boats” and at 65 mph, they were the deadliest thing afloat. Alcaraz was designated as commanding officer of Q-112 (Abra) with Lt. Abraham Campo as his executive officer.

On Jan. 17, 1942, while the Q-112 of Alcaraz was returning to Corregidor, nine Japanese dive bombers were spotted approaching. Alcaraz gave orders to open fire. Three of the enemy planes were hit, trailing thick black smoke. For gallantry in action, Alcaraz was awarded the Silver Star by Gen. Douglas MacArthur and promoted to first lieutenant.

Fast forward.

In 1952, the Moro renegade Hajji Kamlon was on the rampage in Sulu; smuggling in the southern backdoor was rampant. Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay ordered the activation of the Sulu Sea Frontier with Alcaraz as commander. In one month of operations as head of the task force, Alcaraz restored peace and order in the area. For his accomplishment, the Navy under Commodore Jose Francisco awarded him the Military Merit Medal for “destroying the most notorious band of outlaws committing depredations in the Sulu Archipelago.”

In the 1960s, one of the major problems being addressed by the Philippine Navy was the smuggling of highly taxable goods particularly “blue seal” (foreign brand) cigarettes. Alcaraz was designated commander of naval operating forces (NOF) engaged in the antismuggling drive. His work accounted for 95 percent of the combined catch of government agencies involved in the campaign. He was promoted to flag rank by President Diosdado Macapagal.

In January 1966, a new administration had just taken over. While at work with the NOF, Alcaraz heard over the radio that he had been relieved of command by President Ferdinand Marcos and directed to report to the chief of staff of the Armed Forces. He tried to find out the reasons for his unceremonious relief, but none could be provided by his superiors. So he wrote a letter to the president asking to know what the reason for his relief was, while at the same time recognizing the prerogative of the president to remove him from his command at any time. There was no reply. A week later, he sent a follow-up letter asking to be retired. He said: “I was relieved of  command in a most humiliating manner I have never experienced during my almost thirty years of service to our country…. Under these circumstances I feel I can no longer continue to serve my country with honor. I have no other alternative than to tender my retirement which I beg his Excellency to approve immediately.”

In his retirement speech at turnover ceremonies on board his flagship RPS Incorruptible, this is what he said about our national defense: “There are certain aspects of our defense structure that warrant immediate reappraisal. For instance, although the Philippines is basically a maritime nation composed of more than 7,000 islands, its defense strategy places too much emphasis on ground forces. We have a coastline twice that of the United States, but our military planners, always dominated by ground force officers, have failed to appreciate our maritime posture.

“The indifference of our leaders to recognize the maritime nature of our geography seems to lead to haphazard if not unrealistic planning not only in defense matters but also in our economic development. The key to our economic development as a nation is transportation, primarily water transport since we are composed of more than 7,000 islands. The produce of these islands must be able to reach the market.

“There is a compelling need for an immediate reexamination of our defense system. We must understand that if a country is not only surrounded by water but also divided in many parts by the sea, control of that sea is not only desirable but imperative to its national security. No other organization in the AFP can ensure control of the sea except the Navy. The Navy must therefore be given a primary role instead of a supporting one in our national defense setup.”

He ended by saying: “I turn over command to Capt. Alano, a friend of long-standing, an Academy classmate, and an outstanding officer…. This great organization will be in capable hands. As I turn over command to a worthy successor, I am constrained to paraphrase an old familiar line ‘For men may come and men may go, but the Navy stays on forever’.”

Today the views of Alcaraz on defense matters remain as relevant and appropriate as they were almost 50 years ago.