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MANILA, Philippines 鈥撎�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鈥檚 career bridges the chaos of the Marawi siege with a relentless campaign to uplift the country鈥檚 1.2 million reservists, revealing a leader shaped by experience and driven to strengthen national defense.
Almario鈥檚 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鈥攁 critical lifeline amid combat鈥攄rawing 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鈥檚 scale, while Almario and his team ducked shrapnel and returned fire when pressed.
鈥淓very time I went to the evacuees, they begged us not to bomb their homes,鈥� he later recalled, a glimpse into the human cost he witnessed.
Dengue, contracted amid the squalor, cut his deployment short by September鈥檚 end, sending him back to Manila to recover鈥攁 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.
鈥淭hey make do with what they have,鈥� he noted, a lesson that now fuels his broader mission.
Today, Almario leads Laang Kawal Partylist, representing over 1.2 million reservists鈥�89% of the AFP鈥攚ho 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, 鈥淚鈥檝e seen reservists step up with nothing but grit and patriotism; insurance means we鈥檙e serious about keeping them in the fight.鈥�
Alongside Col. Noel Detoyato and Lt. Col. Jannette Chavez-Arceo, he also calls for training 鈥渃yber warriors鈥� among the youth to counter digital threats, recognizing the shifting nature of modern warfare.
Almario鈥檚 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鈥攁 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鈥攕niper 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鈥檚 story鈥攆rom dodging bullets to battling policy shortfalls鈥攊lluminates the unsung role of reservists and the urgent need for reform.
Willing to serve again if called, he spearheads Laang Kawal鈥檚 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.