More than 52,000 Philippine reservists marked a significant milestone this week as they gathered physically and virtually for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) National Reservist Convention CY 2025 and the Association of Reservists and Reservist Administrators of the Philippines Incorporated (ARRAPI) 2nd General Membership Conference.

The event, held at One Ayala Mall in Makati, saw more than 4,500 reservists from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao attend in person. An additional 48,000 reservists nationwide participated virtually via Zoom, making it one of the largest such assemblies in Philippine history.

The convention was jointly hosted by ARRAPI and the AFP, through the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reserve Force Development (OJ9).

The assembly was led by ARRAPI chairperson Col. Michael Romero and AFP OJ9 Chief Maj. Gen. Gerold G. Gagan. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. served as the Guest of Honor.

Held under the theme, “Adapting to an Evolving Security Environment: Reservists at the Forefront of Cooperative Defense,” the convention highlighted the increasing and diverse role of the reserve force in national defense, disaster response, and community resilience efforts.

Romero underscored the crucial role reservists play in times of crisis.

“There are moments in our nation’s history when ordinary Filipinos rise to do extraordinary things – when disasters strike and communities need help,” Romero said. “In those moments, help arrives not with fanfare, but with boots on the ground and hearts ready to serve. From Batanes to Sulu, our reservists stand ready to protect, respond, and help our people recover.”

Gagan, on the other hand, described the massive turnout as "historic and record-breaking," noting it reflects the "growing professionalism and readiness of the reserve force." He reaffirmed that the scale of participation cements the reservists' role as a vital pillar of the nation's security and resilience framework.

The event also featured notable international attendance from the United States National Guard, underscoring strong defense cooperation between the two nations. The U.S. delegation was led by Maj. Gen. Philip Mallory, The Adjutant General of Hawaii, and Col. Watson, The Adjutant General of Guam, accompanied by 30 U.S. National Guard members.

The convention concluded with a collective reaffirmation of the Filipino reservists' commitment to active service, unity, and readiness to support the nation when and where needed.