CAMP GEN. MIGUEL MALVAR, Batangas – To give tribute to their hard work and long years of commitment to police service, the Batangas Police Provincial Office (BPPO) accorded seven personnel a retirement “honors ceremony” known as the “Salamat Kapatid” program held here on October 7.

The honourees for the ceremony were P/Capt. Elmer M. Balboa, PEMS Eddie Genil Viado, PEMS Leo Buendia Francisco, PEMS Nelson Masangkay Manalo, PEMS Zardo Magayo Magsaysay, PEMS Pedro Lascano De Torres Jr., and P/SSg. Edgardo Jose Espedido.

P/Lt. Col Jezreel L. Calderon, in his welcome remarks, “Retirement gives you the opportunity to do things calmly, without the pressure of deadlines, you can wake up anytime you want, and there is no need to attend to the daily accounting. Now you are the boss who will run to your life, and above all, you have a lot of time for your family, be a role model to those here and for the next generation,” he added.

BPPO Officer-in-Charge (OIC) P/Col. Pedro D. Soliba presented the awards, certificate of honorable service, and gallery of chevron in a simple memento with their loved ones to the honorees for their “dedication and invaluable service” to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Representing the retirees, Balboa delivered his valedictory message acknowledging the PNP and Batangas PPO for honing him to become an “honorable member” of the organization, keeping with him the mandate to “serve and protect” the Filipino people.

The compulsory retirement age of the PNP personnel is 56 years old, but they can apply for optional retirement if they reach 20 years or more in the service.

“My warmest congratulations to the retirees, and thank you for spending the best years of your lives with the organization,” Soliba said in his message to the retiring cops.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jojo C. Magsombol