DON’T be surprised if you see a champion marathoner manning the deck of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship patrolling the country’s waters.
Rio Olympian Mary Joy Tabal was pinned with the rank of a Lieutenant Commander of the PCG Auxiliary (PCGA) on her shoulders in solemn ceremonies at the Cebu Parklane International Hotel in Cebu on Thursday.
“I will be working as Operations Officer, but the official announcement of our assignment will be on December 5,” said Tabal, 31, winner of the women’s marathon gold medal at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games. “They [PCGA] just accepted me officially in advance.”
PCGA Commander Chester Sumalinog inducted Tabal as the highest ranked Auxiliarist in her batch. The PCGA primarily supports the PCG in the conduct of its functions. It is a volunteer organization.
Tabal said joining the PCGA was a calling.
“I never expected myself to join the PCGA, but I knew that in order to grow, I have to serve the country,” she said. “I also want to constantly inspire others to emulate any act of patriotism and service to our country.”
“I want to continue to challenge myself to never stop learning and to be able to embody the values that sports has taught me inside and outside the sports field,” she added.
Tabal underwent trainings to achieve her rank.
“The training wasn’t that hard—one whole day of indoctrination, orientation and basic Coast Guard protocols, marching, salute and how do we work and partner with PCG,” she said.
The military service is no alien to Tabal. Her longtime partner, Hector Dan Jimenez, is a lieutenant junior grade at the Philippine Navy, while her late father, Rolando Tabal, served in the Philippine Constabulary and the Philippine National Police.
“As a child, I grew up admiring men in uniform. People who serve the country, putting their lives in danger to maintain peace and safety,” Tabal said. I saw how the service molded my Papa Lando to be a responsible father us.”
Tabal is no ordinary athlete as she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Accounting from Southwestern University in Cebu City and later completed a Masters degree in Public Administration.
“I have dedicated my life in sports and academics and it wasn’t easy,” she said. “Sports disciplined me to where I am today, serving the country.”
