The third Saturday of February is always a singular moment in the Philippine calendar. High up in the chilly embrace of Fort del Pilar, the mist usually parts to reveal the “Long Gray Line” — generations of men and women who have pledged their lives to the service of the Republic.

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Alumni Homecoming is more than just a reunion; it is a display of “Courage, Integrity and Loyalty” that resonates far beyond Borromeo Field. It reminds us of the Unbreakable Thread of sacrifice that binds the military to the Filipino people.

But as I watch the synchronized marching and the crisp salutes, I am forced to ask: where does that code go when the parade ends and the mist settles back over Baguio?

In 2026, the definition of a “battlefield” has shifted. We are no longer just defending our territorial waters or the remote jungles of our provinces. We are defending the very mind of the nation. Honor is not a crisp gala uniform you wear once a year to earn the applause of your mistah; it is the Moral Code you live by daily in the halls of power, in the procurement offices and on the digital frontlines.

As we face intensifying geopolitical tensions and the insidious threat of “information warfare,” we need our Cavaliers to be more than just tactical experts or decorated commanders. We need them to be the Guardians of Truth.

Radical accountability in 2026 requires that our uniformed leaders stand firm against the “real-life monsters” of disinformation. We have seen how foreign-backed bots and local troll farms try to rewrite our history, sanitize the crimes of the past, and sow discord among our ranks to weaken our national resolve.

When the “code” is compromised — when high-ranking officials look the other way as sovereignty is chipped away or as intelligence funds are treated as personal petty cash — the “Unbreakable Thread” begins to fray.

The “Cavalier’s Code” must be our shield against this rot. This year, the Filipino people look forward to a leadership that doesn’t just celebrate “achievements” in a glossy program but defends the integrity of our digital and physical borders with equal fervor. We are tired of the “tayo-tayo” network — that old boys’ club mentality where loyalty to a classmate or a political patron supersedes loyalty to the Constitution.

A true Cavalier knows that integrity isn’t measured by how well you follow orders, but by which orders you have the courage to question when they violate the public trust. Whether it is the transparency of the 2026 defense budget or the refusal to be used as pawns in political theater, the gavel strikes for those who remember that their ultimate commander-in-chief is the Filipino citizen.

As the homecoming concludes and the alumni disperse back to their posts across the 7,000 islands, let the spirit of the Academy follow them. Let the “Conscience of the Code” be the compass that guides them through the murky waters of modern governance. We don’t need more medals; we need more men and women of honor who realize that the most difficult march is the one that leads toward accountability.