From war zones to Laang Kawal Partylist: Lt. Col. Almario fights for reservists
MANILA, Philippines – In a nation where resilience is a cornerstone, Lt. Col. Jaime Roberto Almario stands as a formidable advocate for change.
A Philippine Army reservist, telecommunications entrepreneur, and the first nominee of the Laang Kawal Partylist, Almario’s career bridges the chaos of the Marawi siege with a relentless campaign to uplift the country’s 1.2 million reservists, revealing a leader shaped by experience and driven to strengthen national defense.
Almario’s military journey began with a sociology degree in 1990, followed by nearly two decades of service in the Army Reserve Command, where he committed to 60 days of annual training.
Inspired by his father, a pioneer of the PAF Blue Diamonds aerobatic team, he honed his skills over years, topping the General Staff Course for Non-Resident Instruction in 2018, ranking among the top ten in Psychological Operations and Civil-Military Operations courses, and completing the Basic Airborne Course.
Yet, his defining moment came in 2017, when conflict thrust him into the spotlight.
That May, as martial law enveloped Mindanao, Almario, then 48, was one of only three reservists from Manila summoned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the Marawi siege.
A businessman with a telecommunications firm, he left his civilian life behind, arriving within 24 hours to join the fight.
Stationed on the front lines, he bolstered military communication signals—a critical lifeline amid combat—drawing on his expertise to keep troops connected.
Conditions were brutal: he camped in roofless structures to evade sniper fire, went weeks without bathing, and subsisted on irregular meals of rice and sardines.
Long lines of evacuees fleeing the city, carrying only essentials, underscored the crisis’s scale, while Almario and his team ducked shrapnel and returned fire when pressed.
“Every time I went to the evacuees, they begged us not to bomb their homes,” he later recalled, a glimpse into the human cost he witnessed.
Dengue, contracted amid the squalor, cut his deployment short by September’s end, sending him back to Manila to recover—a stark testament to the physical strain of service.
His time in Marawi deepened his admiration for regular troops, whose daily sacrifices he saw up close, often with limited resources.
“They make do with what they have,” he noted, a lesson that now fuels his broader mission.
Today, Almario leads Laang Kawal Partylist, representing over 1.2 million reservists—89% of the AFP—who shoulder defense and disaster response on a scant 2% of the AFP budget of PHP 256.1 billion.
He targets the Reservist Act of 1991 (RA 7077), which he deems outdated, pointing to Marawi where reservists brought their own weapons and gear due to inadequate support.
His platform demands health and accident insurance for annual training, arguing, “I’ve seen reservists step up with nothing but grit and patriotism; insurance means we’re serious about keeping them in the fight.”
Alongside Col. Noel Detoyato and Lt. Col. Jannette Chavez-Arceo, he also calls for training “cyber warriors” among the youth to counter digital threats, recognizing the shifting nature of modern warfare.
Almario’s civilian career amplifies his impact.
In telecommunications, he has supplied vital equipment to government agencies, a role that proved pivotal after Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.
When the storm struck, he redirected his company to provide search-and-rescue solutions, showcasing his ability to adapt under pressure—a skill he later brought to Marawi.
This blend of innovation and resolve informs his push for a better-equipped reserve force.
His Marawi deployment was rare for a reservist, typically activated post-conflict for rehabilitation rather than mid-battle.
Alongside a bank vice president and an IT expert, Almario bridged civilian expertise with military need, yet faced the same risks as regulars—sniper fire, disease, and deprivation.
That experience drives his advocacy today, as he seeks to close the gap between reservists and their regular counterparts in resources and recognition.
Almario’s story—from dodging bullets to battling policy shortfalls—illuminates the unsung role of reservists and the urgent need for reform.
Willing to serve again if called, he spearheads Laang Kawal’s mission to ensure these 1.2 million citizen-soldiers are not just ready, but respected and resourced, forging a legacy of leadership grounded in action and purpose.
