Not many people are aware of it but 2nd Lt. Precious Jewel Forrosuelo, one of the 119 members of PMA Class of 2014 who opted to join the Philippine Army after their March 16 graduation, is the daughter of a Medal of Valor awardee who posthumously received the nation's highest military decoration for bravery in Matanog, Maguindanao in 2000.
Incidentally, she is also the first child of Medal of Valor awardee to have graduated from the the PMA.
Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, Army spokesperson, said Jewel's father was Technical Sgt. Claudio Forrosuelo, a member of the 8th Scout Ranger Company, 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, First Scout Ranger Regiment.
The older Forrosuelo led his team on a daring tactical assault against 500 then Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Matanog, Maguindanao on May 3, 2000.
This took place during the Estrada administration's all out war against the MILF.
Despite being outnumbered and without reinforcement, they were able to gain ground and prevented the MILF from enveloping the troops, allowing his team to escape the kill zone.
Sgt. Forrosuelo, however, was killed by the overwhelming enemy fire.
At the time of her father's death, Jewel was only eight year's old.
"A child at a tender age of 8, and the youngest of two children, she could not yet comprehend what was happening back then. She felt the impact of her father's death in the years that came by," Detoyato added.
For the young Jewel, entering the military service was not in the list of her wants and dreams.
It was only upon her graduation from high school that she entertained such an idea and decided to enroll at the most prestigious leadership school in the country, the PMA.
Life in the Academy was not easy for her.
Jewel had to endure the grueling physical activities and the equally demanding academics.
For someone who never thought of becoming a soldier, Jewel now has a clear vision of what she wanted to be, and every day at the Academy, she works hard to achieve that dream.
"Expectations were high and the pressure is even greater because they think of me as someone as strong and brave as my father," the newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Forrosuelo said.
When faced with difficult circumstances and feeling demoralized, she drew strength and inspiration from her late father.
"The thought of my father's sacrifice not only for our family, but for the whole nation uplift me and provided me the motivation to carry on," she added.
"People usually ask me why of all the privileges and ensured life brought about by my father's achievement, I still chose to join the profession of arms that also caused my father's death," Jewel narrates.
She added that she has so much respect for the soldiers who have the dedication to serve.
"I slowly realized why my father preferred to stay in the service and even sacrificed his own life. It is because we have this certain pride among ourselves that this profession is the best way of demonstrating our love for our country which should be every Filipino's duty," she added.
The younger Forrosuelo added that it would not be easy to continue the legacy of her father's heroism.
"The courage in combat exemplified by my father can be the same courage which can be manifested through moral integrity and by standing firm on upright principles. This is a challenge not only for me, but for all members of the (PMA)'Siklab-Diwa' Class (of 2014) to prove what we have learned in the Academy for four years and that we are molded to be leaders and servants of our nation," she concluded.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=628202
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