AFP Core Values

AFP CORE VALUES

The AFP Core Philosophy is a set of values and standards of conduct that
guides an individual soldier live his life, perform his duties and strengthen his
commitment to the service.

THE OPERATIONAL IMPERATIVE

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) exists to conduct operations in

defense of the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of the Philippines and to
support all initiatives for national development. Within the AFP, the Philippine Army
is the largest of the armed services and is tasked to organize, train, equip and
provide ground forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained security operations,
independently or jointly with the other armed services, to achieve the define mission

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whether in war or in peace.

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The AFP core values and its standards of conduct is an essential weapon of

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individual soldiers in carrying out his missions which are to defend the sovereignty
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and integrity of the Republic and to support all initiatives for national development
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CORE VALUES
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The AFP core philosophy focuses on values that are the basis of the soldiers’
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daily existence. It is the foundation of all his acts and deeds. These are the ties that
bind. With the country moving forward in nation building, these values have shown
their enduring quality and have provided the soldier with time-tested tools for the
future.
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1. LOVE OF THE COUNTRY

It is the foremost nature of an Army soldier to love his country. The

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country is the land of his birth, the cradle of his people. It is for the country that
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soldier willingly commits to a life of service. This is the highest value that the Filipino
soldier possesses. It is not measured by money or rank or possessions and it
endures through him and is kept alive by those after him. It is the energy that drives
the soldier as the defender of national sovereignty. He stands by his oath of service
with a stout heart, knowing that even if he is ultimately left standing alone or when
dying in the battlefield, he rests content with the thought that his reason for existence
has been fulfilled. It is this love of country that pervades every citation of valor for
deserving soldiers, valor that further uplifts the spirit of the nation.

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 AFP Core Values
2 VALOR

Valor flows naturally from one’s love of the country. It is the ability to
overcome fear in carrying out one’s mission. Courage is beyond bravery. It is
pursuing a mission against all odds. It is calculating but not suicidal. With courage
you do what is right. Captain Conrado D Yap, awardee of the Medal of Valor showed
how: d

“On 22 April 1951, overwhelming superior forces assaulted the

PEFTOK position resulting to the capture of Lt. Artiaga’s position with many killed,
wounded or captured. Capt Yap with a desperate effort to rescue the lost unit,
ordered covering fire from the unit under his command and personally led a counter-
attack to regain the hill position and rescue the under pressure unit, despite
receiving authority that he may withdraw. He succeeded in recovering the body of Lt
Artiaga and three enlisted men and proceeded to assault an enemy fire

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emplacement about 800 yards away, despite the hail of enemy fire.”

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It is also means moral courage in continuing the fight for a principled

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cause. Indeed, it was both the physical and moral courage of the Filipino soldier,

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whose fierce resistance against subjugating powers in the past and despite enemy’s
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superior arms and number, which defined the road map to independence and to
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freedom. Such courage beyond measure exhibited by valiant Filipinos rebelling
against Spanish, American and Japanese forces determined the course of Philippine
history and provided an important role.
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In shaping the Filipino soldier’s identity. Even beyond valor, one could
also see the strong sense of honor that resonated with the call to arms in the past.

Your valor will allow you to do the following:

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Control your fear in physical and moral context.

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
 Take responsibility for your actions, mistakes and decisions.
 Confront problems and do what you believe is right.
Report successes and failure with equal candor.
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
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3. HONOR

Honor is the Military crowning value, the hallmark of military conduct,

the quality of the soldier’s consciousness of personal dignity and self worth. From
prelude and campaign to the aftermath, the soldier carries his honor in meeting the
military imperative:

“On April 1990, Capt Arturo B Ortiz, as Commander of five 12-man

joint teams of SF and CAFGU elements initiated a raid against a large CT camp of
about 300 NPA rebels in hinterlands of Murcia, Negros Occ . Under cover of
darkness, Capt Ortiz led his troops in a grueling 11-hour cross- country foot march
and dangerously scaled a 1,000-foot steep cliff to infiltrate the enemy territory.

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 AFP Core Values
Disregarding personal safety, he darted to one team to another, directing their line of
fire. Risking the cross fires, rushed towards a group of hysterical women and
children and ensured their safety. Leads his men in hot pursuit against rebels, the
troops overwhelmed the enemy and completely overran the 28-hut NPA training
camp. The 2 hour gun battle resulted in 84 Terrorists killed, 8 captured, and several
other wounded. Only one was wounded on the government side.”

No matter the arena, honor is respected in one’s self as in the other. In

outward form, honor is seen in cleanliness of the person, courtesy manner, decency
in daily living and prudence in the use of personal or country resources. It shows in
the candor, frankness in speech as well as in action. When one leads an honorable
life, he is supposed having a good reputation; differed to because of his credibility
and sincerity; and emulated for his uprightness and transparency in all his dealings.
An individual soldier with honor does the following:

 Develop and maintain a keen sense of ethical conduct.

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 Adhere to the public code of professional Philippine Army

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values.

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 Identity with the ideals embodied in the Philippine Army values.

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LOYALTY
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Loyalty underlies the soldier’s Oath of Service. It demands obedience
to the legal prerogatives of duly constituted authority in the pursuit of the nation’s
interest, observance of the Chain of Command and compliance with orders to the
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best of one’s ability as all orders must be obeyed. Loyalty while itself a cause, reaps
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the harvest of military unity. It foster cohesion, sincere concern for the welfare of
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each member of the Army and those they work with, and is best expressed in each
member’s adherence to the military value system as herein explained, just as he is
bound to follow the rule of law and the declared policies and principles of the
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country. An individual soldier of loyalty displays the following:

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 Put obligations in correct order:

o the Constitution, the Philippine Army, the unit and finally, self.
 Show faithfulness to unit and comrades by finishing all tasks
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with them.
Carry out tough orders without expressing personal criticism.
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 Defend soldiers against unfair treatment.

5. DUTY

Duty is service plain and simple. Actual duty means being constantly alert, all
senses employed and used whether in the garrison or in the field. Duty means
fulfilling your obligation. The exacting standard of duty also requires that those in
command positions discharge their responsibilities to the fullest.

Expressing the value of duty means, at a minimum, doing the following:

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 AFP Core Values

 Carrying out the requirements of the position to the best of your

ability.
 Fulfill legal, civic and moral obligations.
 Sacrifice personal time in pursuit of excellence

6. SOLIDARITY

Solidarity is camaraderie at the visible level and internally being aligned with
the Philippine Army’s goals, vision and programs for reform. Solidarity binds the
Army to oneness with the aspirations of the rest of the country in the manner of a
Filipino proud of his country.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

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Pursuit of Excellence – Each soldier strives to perfect his craft to achieve

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his mission. He should have full knowledge of his job, has proficiency in training and

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in combat, in peacekeeping and in the implementation of national policies for

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Pride in Uniform – The military uniform reflects not only the personality of
the individual soldier but also that of the whole organization. It is the responsibility of
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the soldier to take extra care and use of his uniform and all insignias he carries on
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them, for it is in this simple ritual that the soldier is set apart from the rest.
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Discipline – A soldier is a model of self-discipline. Discipline is equally vital to

preservation of life as much as to the success of military operations and demands
unconditional compliance as its foremost aspect. It can preserve your life thus it is
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enforced by those in authority and must be followed without reservation.

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Professionalism – Professionalism in the military career stands for

commitment, knowledge and skills and is better expressed in one’s attention to duty
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with the required discipline and competence. It gives rise to impartiality, objectivity
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and non-partisanship that are necessary to support common goals for the welfare of
the population.

Adherence to law – All soldiers are both citizens and military personnel,
hence are subject to the same law and shall uphold the same as part of their duty of
service to the country. In case of conflict, the higher military standard of conduct
required under the same set of circumstances in either system, is always
paramount.

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 AFP Core Values
Deference to Authority – Authority within the military is evident in the Chain
of Command, starting with the Non-Commissioned Officer in the most vital role as
implementer and the succession of Commanding Officer before him through which
the commands are progressively issued and implemented. Deference to civil
authority is likewise required as a function of soldier’s responsibility.

APPLICATION

The primary responsibility for instilling and reinforcing the values and
standards of conduct is vested in the military leadership. Officers and NCOs in
command and control positions must therefore commit these values to memory and
be in a position to explain the same when asked.

The soldier is well aware of the ways of the world and constantly employs his

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knowledge of human nature when faced with situations not specifically met in his

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training courses. Values are inculcated by observation and practice over time.

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Thus, it is expected that constant review of one’s self in the dynamism of daily life

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will guide the correct application of the foregoing values and standards of conduct in

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military life, for this code to endure and be relevant for the decades ahead.
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