22/08/2026
𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 | 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝: 𝐋𝐭. 𝐂𝐨𝐥. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐠’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞
𝘼 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜.
For Lt. Col. Dexter P Dantog, Director of the 1405th Community Defense Center, a combat wound sustained years ago became more than a reminder of the dangers of military service. It became a lasting lesson on the value of life and a renewed sense of responsibility to continue serving others.
In April 2016, then Captain Dantog, commanding officer of the 19th Special Forces, was wounded during an encounter with Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Basilan. The injury earned him the Wounded Personnel Medal, but for him, the recognition is not what defines the experience. What mattered most was accomplishing the mission and bringing the men under his command safely back to their families. His wound eventually healed, but the experience left him with a deeper appreciation of life and the responsibility that comes with being given another chance to serve.
𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦.
On August 15, Lt. Col. Dantog led a blood donation activity at the Laang Kawal Hall of Kalinga State University-Bulanao Campus, in partnership with One Kalinga Blood, as part of the Philippine Army Reserve Command’s 43rd founding anniversary celebration. Having once experienced the vulnerability of being wounded, he understood that for someone waiting for a transfusion, a blood donation can be more than an act of generosity. It can mean precious time, renewed hope, and another opportunity to return home to loved ones.
In giving back, Lt. Col. Dantog’s personal journey became part of a larger story of service, one reflected in the Reserve Command, Philippine Army’s 43rd anniversary theme, “𝘈𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘨 𝘯𝘢 𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘣𝘶𝘰 𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘒𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘭.” The theme embodies the continuing commitment of soldiers and reservists who remain prepared to serve not only in times of national defense, but also when their communities need them.
For Lt. Col. Dantog, the journey from a wounded soldier to a community servant is not a departure from his duty, but a continuation of it. The battlefield may have changed, but the purpose remains the same, to protect life and serve others. As one of the many soldiers and reservists who continue to give themselves in service to the nation, his story reminds us that 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨.
