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Brods,
We will honor Andres Bonifacio with fitting ceremonies as have done during our days in the Rainbow Rangers - remember our K.M.A.B. (Katipunan ng Mga Anak ng Bayan) we started to revive last year.
PRP (Panther's Rallying Point) is the Bonifacio Monument in front of Vinzons Hall, U.P. Diliman Campus at 7:00 am in the morning. Early birds may proceed to the UPDMST Complex near the former office of Gen. Benjamin Vallejo, the Father of the Rainbow Rangers.
For those who have the Rayadillo Uniform, please wear the uniform when you come. Other who do not have the Rayadillo Uniform, please come in Katipunan attire.
"Our task is to unite the nation; never divide;
To make our country bloom;
Like a beautiful flower for all the world to see"
By: BGen. Benjamin R. Vallejo (AFP)
Father of the Rainbow Rangers
A noteworthy development during the Marcos years was a program called the Rainbow Rangers – Sunday Soldiers. The Metro Manila-only unit provided an alternative to ceremony-centric conventional ROTC training, and was one of the earliest attempts to address inadequacies in the ROTC program. The UP ROTC formed the Rainbow Rangers – Sunday Soldiers on September 15, 1968, under the watchful eye of then Captain (later Brigadier General) Benjamin Vallejo. The unit included students from other schools, such as long time rival UST ROTC.
Trainees, who were all volunteers, were subjected to a more aggressive, combat-oriented, training regimen that exposed them to small-unit tactics, unconventional warfare, and home defense techniques. To add to the realism, the Rainbow Rangers – Sunday Soldiers were given access to real weapons.
Though based in Manila, it saw action in places as far as Mindanao. The unit formed the backbone of the “Liberator Battalion”, that took part in a 3-week peacekeeping operation in the Lanao provinces during the November elections in 1971. Members of the battalion reportedly earned 9 citations for bravery during the operation.
In November 1971, a whole battalion of Sunday Soldiers and UP Cadet Officers formed the "Liberator Battalion" which policed the elections in the Lanao Provinces under the command of Lt Col Benjamin Vallejo. During its 3-week stint of peacekeeping in Lanao, nine citations for bravery were earned by cadets of the battalion. Cadet Captain Mariano Angeles was cited for bravery in action against Muslim malefactors in the mountain fastness of Butig, Lanao del Sur on November 9, 1971. Ranger John Fortes of class '70 and Cadet Captain Eustaquio Granadillos also earned citations for bravery at Puala and Malabang respectively.
The early years of the 70's also witnessed Vanguards in action in the field of disaster relief operations. During the floods and disasters of 1972, the men of the UP ROTC again proved their mettle in crisis. Under the initiation of Ranger Virgilio Platon, young volunteers formed disaster, mercy and rescue units. As floodwaters continued to grow, l00 young UP volunteers operated at the Calumpit-Apalit area where the Pampanga river rampaged. Likewise in the south, Laguna lake flooded the northern Laguna towns. A similar group of 100 volunteers from the UP in Los Baños and the Laguna Institute, all members of the "Rainbow " brigade joined hands in disaster and relief operations.
For the most part, training was conducted at the University of the Philippines. Towards the end of the unit's life, the venue was moved to the Metropolitan Citizen Military Training Command (MCMTC) compound. The unit was disbanded circa 1983, after General Vallejo’s retirement.
THE 'RAINBOW' CONCEPT
“National Defense is the people’s defense; Peoples Defense is national defense.”
This is a truism well espoused by politico-military philosophy enunciated by countries faced with the urgent needs of national security, but beset by vulnerabilities in the industrial base and fiscal resources. Nations that have sought to achieve degrees of self-reliance have counted heavily on the development of a People’s national defense system.
The Philippines is no exception. Faced with a developing economic and industrial base, and a resultant inadequacy of fiscal resources, the question of an effective national defense system to meet with internal and external threats, as well as a combination of these, have plagued our defense planners.
The Philippine National Defense System, by its nature and character, considers the development of an effective Citizens Army. The National Defense Act of 21 December 1935, as amended remains as the backbone of this system, which has been tried in the Crucibles of World War II.
Since the end of World War II, the development of the Citizens Army was perfunctory. The traditional Trainee Instruction continued through the years, producing reservists, but without concern for their maintenance and upkeep to the standards of “reasonable readiness”. The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) was carried on mainly as curricular requirement in the educational process. Definitely, there was a need for a severe reexamination of the AFP Reserve Force development system. The foisting of accelerated subversive-insurgen cy in Luzon and in Mindanao in the early 1970’s brought significant incremental changes. For one the Philippine Army devised the “Kamagong” concept and organized the infantry battalions by that name that turned the tide in the military aspect of the stability operations in the south in our Favor. This concept brought the combat utilizations of trainees, thus giving them the much-needed combat experience, which would prove of great value in the future.
Citizens military programs in educational institutions, however, remained largely needing in improvement. These programs are represented by the ROTC and the Women’s auxiliary Training Corps (WATC). Locked within the horns of dilemma, improper and inadequate support and management created a vicious cycle of inadequacy in training quality, and production of reservist whose readiness for mobilization left much to be desired.
In 1968, cadets of the University of the Philippines ROTC in Diliman, Quezon City, posed their aspiration to the UP Vanguard (ROTC Alumni Association in the University of the Philippines) for a better military training program relevant tom the current defense needs of the country. The UP Vanguard thereby constituted the first step in civic-military project worked out jointly with the UP Department of Military Science and Tactics (Army) to provide Ranger, Unconventional Warfare and Home Defense Training to young ROTC alumni and cadets who eagerly volunteered for this novel approach.
On September 15,1968, the first group of volunteers, known as the “Lion Group, UP Sunday Soldiers” began their formal training under Col. Benjamin Vallejo who was then assistant Commandant of cadets. Then Secretary of National Defense Ernesto Mata had the DND office for Home Defense Activities (OHDA) under Colonel Angel M. Navarro to monitor the activity. On January 8, 1970, SND in a memorandum to General Manuel T. Yan, then AFP Chief of Staff, endorsed the “Sunday Soldiers” training as a pilot Home Defense project and directed its application in other schools.
On January 18,1970, a host of AFP officers headed by Commodore Hilario M. Ruiz, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff, conducted the first Weekend Warrior Visitation on the project and likewise endorsed it as a pilot Home Defense Project. Brig. Gen. Rafael M. Ileto, PA Commanding General, Directed Col. Bienvenido R. Castro, Superintendent of the Manila ROTC and PMT Units, PA to organize the “Rainbow” Ranger Battalion, and on August 7, 1970, in appropriate ceremonies, gave it its Units Colors and the guidons of its rifle companies.
With more than 600 volunteers from all the universities and colleges in the Greater Manila Area, the “Rainbow” project was launched.
A new dimension of the citizens Soldier concept thus had its beginning.
HOME DEFENSE DEVELOPMENT
Undersecretary for home defense Jose M. Crisol, provided the rationale for the development of the “Rainbow” unit to conform with our defense and development needs. On one side of the scale, the young volunteers had to be prepared for effective military training along conventional, commando and unconventional aspects. It considers the young volunteer who know and accept the travails of the training they will undergo, coupled with optimum physical fitness, stamina and the spirit or will to win. It is a training that hones them for conventional military operation as well as unconventional resistance warfare behind enemy lines.
Close attention is given to teamwork, individual resourcefulness and initiative as well as small unit tactics and leadership. It gives premium to armed and unarmed combat, and mastery in the use of the bayonet and native weapons, far as possible, they are trained in excellent marksmanship in all types of small arms.
On the other side of the scale, citizenship development is emphasized. The individual morale and esprit de corps also geared to community service, the sincere dedication to serve the people and their government through civic work, and continuing struggle against ignorance, disease, poverty and injustice.
The development of a Citizen Military Force involves these principles, for every Filipino has his role in military and civil service as the declaration of principles in our Constitution puts it.
MAKING OF NOBLE TRADITIONS
Other than its military dimension as represented in the “Rainbow” training, the young volunteers had to have a moral anchor tied-up with Filipino Nationalism. This they found in the historical tenets of the “Katipunan” and the Great Plebian - Andres Bonifacio who began the Philippine Revolution of 1896. In August 1970, the traditional “Kapatiran ng mga Alagad ni Bonifacio” headed by Don Pablo De Jesus Tan-Gatue ; trooped Fort Bonifacio and invested the men and women of the “Rainbow” as the “Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan” (KMAB). Under this title, they represented themselves in their civil role as the noble sons of the country.
On November 30, 1973, in spectacular rites at the University of the Philippines officiated by Major Gen Fabian C. Ver AFP, National Commander of the UP Vanguard, more than 5,000 men and women of the organization issued a manifesto dedicating themselves to the democratic revolution. This parchment, they signed their blood and is now a historical document with General Ver. Since then, every year on Bonifacio Day, they reiterate their dedication to the democratic revolution.
How have they manifested their concern for country and people? In 1970, the “Rainbow“ Battalion volunteered as one man for election duties in the Ilocos Region to insure that the will of the people be respected in the election of delegates for the Constitutional Convention. During the summer if 1971, the “Rainbow” fielded civic action volunteer platoons to the insurgency wracked provinces of Isabela, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan, under the banner of the “Rural Service Volunteer Program” (RSVP). During the National Elections in November 1971, its five battalions formed the nucleus of the AFP ROTC “Hope Division under Brig. Gen. Bienvenido R. Castro. A volunteer battalion of “Sunday Soldiers” under the command of Gen. Benjamin Vallejo shipped out to the Lanao Provinces as deputies of the Comelec. This battalion won nine citations for the bravery of its members in action against outlaws and goons.
Raised to brigade size in 1971, the unit figured prominently in disaster control and relief work in the floods in Central Luzon and Laguna, as well as work details under the direction of the National Disaster Control Center (NDCC).
In the military training parameters, Summer Camp Training (SCT) tours were conducted twice at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal with the 2nd Infantry Division. In the Army Field Training Exercises “Damayan” in 1973 and “Ugnayan” in 1974, Brig. Gen. Ramon L. Cannu of “Jungle Fighter” gave streamer to the unit, and the ”Jungle Fighter” shoulder tabs to the officers, enlisted men and the Ranger Cadre. Since 1975, summer camp training, following a mobilization scenario, was conducted twice at the University of the Philippines at Diliman, Quezon City.
NOVEL APPROACH AT FORCE DEVELOPMENT
The “Rainbow “ concept is a novel approach at Reserve Force Development. Its troop base is composed of young ROTC cadets and women volunteers called “Rangerettes”. These are drawn from spirited volunteers from schools. Its Non-commissioned Officer Corps is drawn from basic and advanced ROTC/WATC graduates who are bonafide AFP reservist. Its officer’s components from 2nd Lieutenant to full Colonel are drawn from AFP Reserve Officers who volunteer for Annual Active Duty Training (AADT) on a weekend basis.
This approach brings to a fusion the twin programs of reservist production and reservist development. To the young ROTC/WATC cadets and cadettes, it gives them the much-needed identity as part of ready mobilizeable reserve units. To the reserve enlisted personnel and reserve officers, it provides the needed duty with troops under a well-defined battalion module type of organization.
Since 1975, the Chief of Staff, AFP authorized the “Rainbow” to conduct Non-Resident Instruction (NRI) for AFP Reservist through programs of the US Army in coordination with JUSMAG. Various NRI classes for NCO career development, Army NCO Courses, Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, And Special Forces Operations Courses are being conducted through offerings from the US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning and the Special Warfare Training Center at Fort Bragg. These are embellished by AFP doctrines and concepts pertinent to the Philippine environment and conditions.
A local approach is the institution of Communications- Electronics Specialization Courses in conjunction with the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT). This company through its Vice President for Operations, Lt. Col. Nicasio U. Lim PC (SC), has ably sponsored communication training of “Rainbow” Commel volunteers as a follow-up of his late brother, Lt. Col. Felimon U. Lim. This is an example on how dedicated officers commissioned under Project 36-70 may help significantly in the development of ready reserve forces. In the medical service field, prominent medical practitioners are involved in the development of “Rainbow” units. Prominent in this are Lt. Col. Ariston Bautista, Lt. Col. Romeo Macasaet, Lt. Col. Crisostomo Arcilla and 1st Lt. Juanito Cruz of the AFP Medical Corps Reserve. Lt. Col. Pompeyo Querubin and Ledr. Antonio F. Pison of the JAGS reserve provides legal services. Likewise, a number of Dental Service reserve officers headed by Major Sofronio San Juan provide dental service.
Many other reserve officers who are key men in their civil professions are part of the “Rainbow” counting among them Lt. Col. Oscar Mapua (President, Mapua Institute of Technology), Lt.Col. Nicanor Reyes Jr. (President, Far Eastern University), Major Celso C. Lolarga (President, National Radio School and Institute of Technology), Lt. Col. Alfredo Xeres Burgos (President, Connel Bros. Inc.), and Col. Nereo C. Andolong (Chairman and General Manager, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office).
READINESS AND MOBILIZEABILITY
President Marcos, in citing our defense objectives, had seen the needs for ”a body of young reservists who may be rapidly mobilized to augment and support the Regular Force in the event of an emergency”.
How ready and mobilizeable is the “Rainbow”? - Since 1970, about 10,000 reservists have been produced by the project. Readiness and mobilizeability, however, have to consider the immediacy of personnel availability, the individual and organizational equipment as may be immediately provided by the AFP, and the motivational readiness of the reservist involving his conversion from civilian to combat soldier.
We feel that highly motivated personnel, excellently trained are available for mobilization, and several battalions may easily be raised from the “Rainbow” units should individual and organizational equipment be just as immediately available. The present training battalions of the “Rainbow” at Diliman and at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (Laguna) can easily compose a readily assembled Infantry Brigade. Considering the status of equipment, these battalions would be of “light infantry” type, and will require further equipment augmentation for combat support and combat service support elements.
CONCLUSION
The 'Rainbow' project embodied as part of the AFP Home Defense (Strategic Program). In many ways, it has prove that the emergence of a volunteer Civic Military Force is feasible even on austere conditions of budgetary and service support. Its success relies mainly in the spirit of its participants – The Volunteers.
The concept is applied on other areas. Weekend warrior training activity have been tried by the 3rd Infantry Division in its Home Defense Battalions the 4th Infantry Division in its “Weekend Warrior” activities conducted army Home Defense Centers; by the Infantry Division in its “Rainbow” Concept Project and the 1st Infantry Division its Weekend Active Duty Training activities of its Home Defense Centers.
The Philippine Constabulary has counterpart in the ICHDF/CHDF program for Civil Security Force Development. The Philippine Air Force has Reserve Airlift Transport Service Squadron (RATSS), and Similar activities the Home Defense organization of the Navy.
All of these apply the concept of volunteer training in one way or another.
The horizon is therefore bright in emergence of an effective Citizen Armed Forces. In many ways, we look with pride at the humble beginnings of its development in 1968. We are confident that the Filipino knows his rights, his responsibility and his obligations as a citizen of this great republic.
Art Esguerra - Tanglaw '74
Do not go where the path leads you.
Go where there is no path and lead the way.
http://www.geocitie s.com/artesguerr a/vanguard. htm
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