21/08/2026
𝐀 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲
CAMP LAPU-LAPU, CEBU CITY — What began as a simple message from an 11-year-old Filipino during the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award on July 11, 2026, resonated beyond the Visayas, inspiring members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the soldiers serving in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
During the activity, young Zac Matthew expressed his patriotism through a handwritten message:
“𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚.”
The words struck a chord with many members of the AFP. Coming from a young Filipino, Zac’s message served as a reminder of the generation whose future they are committed to protect, especially the men and women who continue to perform their duties in the challenging environment of the West Philippine Sea.
The message eventually reached LTGEN ARVIN R. LAGAMON PA, Commander, Civil-Military Operations Command, AFP (CMOC, AFP). During his subsequent visit to the Visayas Command (VISCOM), LTGEN Lagamon personally met Zac and presented him with an award in recognition of the inspiration his words brought to the soldiers.
“𝒁𝒂𝒄’𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆,” LTGEN Lagamon said.
For the AFP, Zac’s message became more than a child’s expression of patriotism. It became a reminder of the people behind every mission and the Filipino families and communities whose security and future remain at the heart of military service.
For those serving in the West Philippine Sea, where Filipino personnel continue to uphold the country’s rights and protect national interests, Zac’s words carry a particularly meaningful message: the sacrifices made today are for the generation that will inherit the Philippines tomorrow.
The brief meeting between LTGEN Lagamon and Zac demonstrated that patriotism can take root at any age. A young Filipino’s simple words became a source of encouragement to those who dedicate their lives to serving the nation.
For Zac, it was a message of love for his country. For the men and women of the AFP, it became a reminder of who they serve, what they protect, and why their service matters.