07/10/2026
“Combat Shoes”
My message during our Traditional Monday Flag Ceremony, April 22, 2019, Caticlan, Malay
The combat shoes that I wear today is common among all of you. This is the very shoes that I wore during our past operations, in the mountains, along the roads, waters and almost everywhere. This footwear is the thing that protects my feet on the different activities that we have shared together.
This shoe is already more than 10 years old. I bought it during my Inspector (Lieutenant) days in 2008 as member of the 106th Pangasinan Provincial Mobile Group (now 2nd Pangasinan PMFC), doing the same functions as we do today to the 3 districts of the province of Pangasinan with 2 cities and 22 municipalities.
This is old, it bore scars of my past operations, the leather has cracks on it due to the natural “wear and tear” as all matters should be. But as you can see it still shiny and what is important is, it is still functioning and serves me well.
Last week, during the Holy Week, I pulled it off from the stockroom after hiding it for months after our minor operations. As I was cleaning it, I saw myself similar to this combat shoes. I am old, had many scars (flaws), has cracks (insecurities) and dirty (imperfect). It was the reflection of my feeling I felt after what they have done to me. Yet like the combat shoes, after dedicating time and effort to clean it, it returned to be clean and shiny similar to its old state. Despite of its age, the shoe still serves its purpose, protecting my feet to different surfaces as my whole body moves from any point. Like the shoes, I will serve my purpose to all the communities I will be assigned to, to any post I will take charge, or any mission I am tasked to do. And if possible, I must stay clean and shiny. As long as I am still at this organization, I will not allow myself to rot, useless and dirty.
***Actually I have other combat shoes, one leather (Bates) given by my former Provincial Director PCOL ERIC NOBLE before he left and took his post as Police Attaché of San Francisco, California and one tactical canvass (Under Armor) I bought for the graduation of my SWAT Students last October 2018. The students now composed the SWAT Teams of Boracay, 1st and 2nd Aklan Provincial Mobile Force Company.
*** Patalastas..
What is a combat shoes?
“A piece of leather that wraps around my foot adding discomfort while doing the duck walk, sir!”