President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. acknowledged the heroic acts of two Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) members—Corporal Jestoni Dalman and Private First Class Jaypee Navales—who saved the life of a 10-year-old boy.
The Commander-in-Chief rendered meritorious promotion to Navales during the 127th Philippine Navy anniversary celebration on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales.
The PMC said the soldiers saw a crowd and found the child unresponsive after being pulled from the river by a bystander. The incident took place on March 2, 2025 at the Madlum River in San Miguel, Bulacan.
Navales, trained in Basic Life Support, quickly performed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) until medical help arrived.
“The true hero acts not only out of necessity, but also out of loyalty to duty and love for others,” President Marcos said.
In a Facebook post, the Philippine Navy described Navales as ‘modern-day hero,’ adding such moment reminds us that heroism is not limited to the battlefield. It is often found in the instinctive decision to protect and preserve life.
President Marcos also honored Intelligence Specialist Third Class Jeff Villanueva as Enlisted Personnel of the Year, and Architect Sherwin Cornejo as Civilian Human Resource of the Year (Supervisor Category), according to a news release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
