Equilibrium between family, country duties

Leading a family is already an uphill job; what more if you are designated to lead a battalion of soldiers?

Brigadier General Silverio Ilagan — or Dukay, as he is called by his mistahs in the Philippine Military Academy Batch ‘75 Makabayan — has traversed the life of a father and a soldier.

As a military officer, he has spent most of his years serving in various Army units in Mindanao, the longest in Army Internal Audit.

Outside of his military life, he is a father of two. Looking back to the time when he balanced these roles, he recalled that being away from home was not easy, pushing him to look for ways to fulfill his duties to his family left in Mindanao while he was in Manila.

“Whenever I was away from home, I would always find time to check on my family and talk by calling them on the phone,” he told DAILY TRIBUNE.

“I came home only once every three to four months, so we made the most out of the time that we had together when I was home,” Silverio said.

He also took a trip down memory lane, sharing that that phase of his life was challenging.

“Performing two roles at a time was somewhat hard because it required a lot of sacrifice. Being away from home and prioritizing responsibility as an army officer was difficult,” he said. “But I was able to manage.”

However, he said that being a father and a soldier was, in some ways, similar. “Because in the field, as a leader, the people I am with are also like family to me,” he said.

More time for children

He retired from the service at 55.

Like any father, Silverio’s greatest achievement was to graduate with his two children. And no, he didn’t pressure any of his children to follow in his footsteps as a PMAer.

At present, his son Nikko works on a European cruise line. His daughter, Kiarra, is a registered nurse.

According to Silverio, he is done with his duties in life — for his family and his service to the military.

He is now 73 and will blow out his candles on the 10th of July.

When asked what he plans to do with the rest of his years, he said snugly, “Perhaps walk Tyler [his dog] and do groceries regularly.”