OH MY HERO!

A Journey of Service and Leadership

The Storied Life of Lt. Gen. Jaime S. de los Santos (Ret)

By Jesi Bondoc, RFP

As the General enters the boardroom, he greets everyone with a cheerful smile and a firm handshake. Immediately you could sense his charisma and welcoming presence filling up the room.  With his upright and confident posture, you will never guess that he is a retiree for decades. The retired general embodies the word “matikas” effortlessly. 

In the realm of the Philippine’s rich military history, certain individuals stand out as guardians of peace, leadership and valor. The story of Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos is a testament of an officer’s dedication in serving the country and its people, an inspiring journey in becoming a symbol of honor and integrity.

Early Life and Foundation

Born in Nueva Ecija, General de los Santos grew up in a humble family with a modest means of living.

“We grew up really poor, my father was a soldier, a World War II veteran and a death march survivor while my mother only finished grade 7 and has to take care of the family’s daily needs”, the General shared.

At an early age, the General understood the value of hard work and resilience.  He knew that his parents’ meager income will not be enough to change the trajectory of their lives. As the eldest in the family, he felt the need to step up and like a warship sailing into battle, the General bravely ploughed through life’s financial hardships. After graduating from high school at age 16, he started working at the Post Office and during his early years in college at the University of the Philippines, the General worked as a student assistant to earn extra money to augment their family’s living expenses. 

As the General recounts his fond memories growing up, his face lit up with pride, made a brief pause and said “My experiences during those times enriched my values.”

Those formative years in the life of the General definitely laid the foundation of his disciplined life in the military service.

The Road to Becoming a Soldier

The hero’s genes of the General can be traced to his family’s bloodline of warriors starting with his grandfather who was a “katipunero” and his father a soldier during WWII.  While growing up, his father will recount stories about the war, specifically his horrendous experiences during the Bataan Death March. Filipino soldiers had to endure starvation, random beatings, stabbing and other types of brutish acts while inside the camp.  Every morning his father would helplessly witness a handful of lifeless bodies of his fellow Filipino soldiers being buried in camp due to the different atrocities they have suffered.

With an understanding and appreciation of his father’s experiences as a soldier and his intention to alleviate the family’s growing financial needs, the young de los Santos shifted gears from being an engineering student at the University of the Philippines to becoming a cadet at the Philippine Military Academy.

In the hallowed halls of the Philippine Military Academy, the young general’s leadership skills were sharpened. The PMA provided the young plebe with the training ground and necessary tools in becoming physically strong, mentally sharp and morally upright.  He emerged as a young officer with a deep-rooted sense of loyalty, integrity and love for the country.  

General de los Santos proudly states, “graduating in the PMA as part of class ’69 is one of the top unforgettable experiences in my career.” 

A Leader’s Journey

General de los Santos’ steadfast character and impressive resume led him to various roles in the military field.  And in the storied career of the General, there are remarkable experiences that stood out and made a major impact in his life.  One unforgettable experience he had was the 1989 coup d’etat where he was tasked to defend Camp Aguinaldo from the coup plotters, the other one is the 1995 Ipil Massacre that occurred in April 4, 1995 in the municipality of Ipil, then in Zamboanga del Sur province where approximately 200 Abu Sayyaf militants stormed the town with their guns and grenades, killing and abducting residents, strafing civilian homes and looting banks.  General de los Santos spearheaded the task group that successfully contained the enemy and reinstate peace in the area.         

One of the defining chapters of General de los Santos’ military career was his role in restoring hope in East Timor and rehabilitating the area for its people.  Gen. de los Santos was named as the Force Commander of the United Nations Transition Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) becoming the first Filipino officer to lead an international peacekeeping force in a foreign soil.

On Family and Long-Lasting Relationships

When asked of the proudest moment of his life, the General was quick to answer, “Family!” He shared this piece of advice he used to say to his soldiers, “In times when you feel that you are getting astray and confused on what to do, you must always make a decision that will favor your family and you will never go wrong.”

The General is happily married for 51 years and has this to say on how to nurture a healthy and lasting relationship. “I’d like to share the 5 Cs of marriage not only to newlyweds but to everyone who’s in a relationship”

C – CASH, the General said that you have to earn and save money because money is one of the usual reasons that couples fight and so he underscores the importance of having and valuing it.

C – COMMUNICATION, learn how to talk to your partner and communicate constantly to avoid misunderstandings.

C – COMPROMISE, when you learn how to communicate you will also then develop the ability to find a middle ground and compromise when there’s a dispute.

C – COMMIT, when you accomplished the first 3 Cs, then you commit yourself to each other.

C – CHRIST CENTERED, put Christ in the center of your relationship and you will never go astray.

On Retirement

While most retirees try to wind down their activities and ease off their workload, the General is happy to keep a busy schedule to keep his mind and body sharp.  

Nowadays, General de los Santos starts his day hearing mass with his wife. He also considers himself a farmer, raising cattle and planting rice in their farm at Magdalena, Laguna.  Aside from his family duties, the General also serves in the PNP Academy as the Chairman of their Advisory Board.  He is also Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the Philippine Public Safety College, Board of Trustee at the UP Foundation and regularly writes articles published in Manila Bulletin on topics about leadership and his experiences in the military. 

Money Lessons

Aside from being a competent manager in the battlefield, General de los Santos is also a great money manager offering these financial and money lessons to young officers:

  1. Learn how to save and then share.  The General shares that he is naturally thrifty, owing it to his humble upbringing. He encourages young officers to learn and understand the value of saving and sharing your blessings with your loved ones.  The General recalls giving 50% of his salary to his mother during his early years in service. 
  2. Calibrate your activities, spend only what you can. The General said, “do not spend beyond what you can afford”, quoting Mahatma Gandhi, “there’s everything for our need but there is not enough for our greed.” 
  3. Avoid debts.  “Do not borrow money in buying stuff just to keep with latest trends. Learn to prioritize and budget based on your priorities”, the General added. 

On Philippine Veterans Bank Stock Subscription

We asked the General what made him support PVB’s “Putting your money where your heart is” campaign and why he immediately subscribed in the stock offering. Here’s what The General has to say:

“I thought of the benefits I got in the past from Veterans Bank and I thought that this is payback time to help out plus the possibility of my money earning is a bonus, I never had any second thoughts when it was offered to me, this is an investment that I can just leave there and let it grow and maybe pass it on to my children in the future.”

Legacy of Service and Leadership

General de los Santos has always been an advocate of leadership, I admire how he advocates leadership and its true essence.  He says “Leadership should be utilized properly; others might construe leadership as power doing whatever they like and that should not be the case.  Leadership should always be used to benefit the greater good and the society.”

Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos might have been retired from active military service for some years now but his legacy remains as a model of principled leadership and a champion of peace and development.  His story reflects the journey of a man from humble beginnings to becoming an extraordinary military leader whose accomplishments and services to the nation remains as a symbol of hope that even in the midst of adversities, a life lived with integrity, hard work and unwavering dedication will always lead to a path of success, fulfillment and honor. 

Mabuhay ka General Jaime de los Santos! And thank you for your service, Sir!