Magalong as a public servant

April 15, 2019 Community Billboard

Retired from the Philippine National Police as deputy chief for
operations on December 15, 2016, director Benjamin Magalong served for 38 years and 8 months of active service and received 166 Military and PNP Achievement and Merit Medals for his Combat and Law Enforcement accomplishments.
Among these were the Distinguished Service Star, the PNP Gold Cross, and 15 Outstanding Achievement Awards.
Having served with honor and distinction as chairman of the PNP Board of Inquiry that investigated, crafted and published a full, fair, and just report on the Mamasapano Incident, Magalong also held the distinction to have served as chairman of the PNP Transformation Program from 2014-16, as director of the PNP CIDG from 2013-15, regional director of the Police Regional Office from 2011-13, chief of staff of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from 2007-2008, regional director of the Metro Manila PDEA from 2008-09, and commander of the PNP Special Operations Battalion and concurrent chief of staff of the PNP SAF from 1997-2001.
A graduate of the FBI National Academy in the USA, Magalong was also an awardee of the PNP Individual Achievement for Criminal
Investigation in 2014, a semifinalist in the Lingkod ng Bayan award of the Civil Service Commission in 2013, and an Outstanding Citizens of Baguio awardee in 2017 for Public Service.
Magalong was born, raised and educated in Baguio, although his parents hail from Pangasinan. He grew up in the mountains surrounding the Binga, Tinongdan, Itogon areas.
He studied at St. Louis University Elementary School and SLU Laboratory Boys High School; then, at the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated as magna cumlaude in March 1982.
“My public life has been with the Philippine National Police, where I humbly ascended the ladder of command responsibility. As a private citizen, I served Steel Asia, Inc. as Senior Vice President for Operations up until November 1, 2018 for a possible re-entry into public life,” Magalong pointed out.
“In my career as a police officer, I have been morally guided by the values instilled in my character by my family and from my schooling years. I still remember the words ‘Character makes a Man’-my personal pillars that provided me strength, courage, and conviction in all my endeavors.
I recall with pride having introduced innovations and technology for peace and order—piloted with success in the City of Baguio, in
collaboration with SLU and the University of Cordilleras which were later adopted nationwide.
In my stint as Regional Director of the PRO Cordillera from 2011- 2013, I humbly helped achieve peace in the area where we implemented a successful community-based peacekeeping strategy that accords due respect to elders and local traditions.
It was eventually hailed by the Abranians as the most peaceful elections in the history of Abra since Martial Law,” he
explained.
“My greatest test as a leader came when I served as Chairman of the PNP Board of Inquiry on the Mamasapano Massacre. Despite strong
pressures for us to spare some names from culpability, my colleagues and I remained steadfast and stood our ground for our people to know the truth and seek for justice to the fallen, but not forgotten SAF 44.
Knowing that any further career promotion would be set aside, I calmly accepted the consequence, recognizing that I stood by the truth,” Magalong continued.
“Do count on me to exercise the same leadership standards in helping create a better Baguio upon constant consultation with the
community, civil society, the private sector – you and the rest of us.
After all, serving Baguio emanates from an honest recognition of its critical problems and the need to revitalize our environment that
many of us are so concerned.
Caring for our environment begins by prioritizing future needs, where peace and prosperity are shared and purely inclusive, with no one left behind,” he added.
“Now is the time to address our present and future needs from an agenda of good governance – strong leadership, competency, ethics and integrity, transparency, and accountability anchored on the
core values of humility, fairness and purity of intentions.
I offer a listening leadership with great and healthy respect for everyone. Rest assured your voices will be heard,” Magalong maintained.