About the Rainbow Rangers

[Adroth]

Here's what the UP Vanguard site says about this project:

In response to the rising political student unrest of the early 1970s, the UP Vanguard fathered the Rainbow SS (Sunday Soldiers) under the command of Gen Benjamin Vallejo and assisted by brods Ted Javier,
Joey Sumiller, Elo Javier, Gigi Macariola, Jess Fuentes, Poods Laraya, Fil
Buena, Moncho Domaoal, Duffie Osental,.. et al.. Vallejo was a highly decorated veteran of the Korean & Vietnam wars, and a well respected professional soldier by former President Fidel Ramos. The Rainbow SS provided an alternative weekend ROTC training no longer for UP Diliman students alone. From other universities & colleges even from outside Metro Manila came young men & women trainees who literally experienced a fraternal bond like Andres Bonifacio's KKK (Katipunan). NGO leader Nelia Sancho & former congressman Lorna Verano-Yap were
Rainbow SS too. Thru almost a decade til the AFP Home Defense Program budget for Rainbow ended, tens of thousands of Sunday Soldiers were produced.

[Adroth]

Additional information from the UP Corps of Sponsors history site

http://www.upvanguard.com/UPV002/upcos_history.html

In 1968, the UP DMST opened their Special Warfare school under the "Rainbow Project," as selected cadets and sponsors were initiated in small unit tactics, unconventional warfare and home defense courses. Some of the sponsors known to have joined the "Rainbow Rangerettes" were Lorna Verano-Yap, Tina Esqueta, and Ma. Leonora Vasquez-de Jesus, sponsor of the "A" Co., 6th FA Battalion during AY 1968-69.

[Adroth]

A post from a RR alumnus

Mother unit at UST, joined Rainbow 1981. Engineering Battalion ( later refer to FA - Field Artillery ). Our Div Cmdr was Mariano Angeles. Our HQ was previously based at UP CMT Quadrangle until 1982 relocated to MCMCTC Compound. I finished my Rainbow MS22 in 1983, which was also the year the Rainbow Project was officially disbanded. I hang on with Rainbow until they finally integrate with the National Reservist Association. I had to stop attending because of the thesis year.
After 20 years, its still fresh in my memory.

[Adroth]

What's the story with the UP and Bonifacio batches?

[Adroth]

Wilson,

I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of extracting this from another thread in this forum. It seems such a waste to have this kind of info buried.

In the 70s 80s, we had this AFP volunteer project called Rainbow Project aka Rainbow Ranger . Thats the closest we get to the dream reserve program we discuss on the forum.

-No cadet ranks, just Cadre & Trainee. Bully tactic & hazing are not sanction. Ceremonies, sword, parades are kept to the bare minimum.

-Combat-oriented program, majority there are gung-ho! they train as if tomorrow they will be send to the front!

- no-hold-bar on weapon training. we are issued rifles (Garand & M16) during most  of the time for realism. also .30 & .50 Cal MG, 90mm RR. etc

-Its pure volunteerism & the training time are a lot longer & harder than regular CMT. Anyone can quit if they cant hack it, so those remain are the truly committed ones!

The program turn out the most combat ready reservist group with good camaradarie. at least cost to the govt.

The thing that kills it in the 80s are POLITICS & CRAB MENTALITY!!!!  Some ranking officials dislike special groupS & also because its someone else project not his! So when the founder retires, the opponents quickly seeks its disbandment, saying its too dangerous to trust those students with military tactics & firepower! True , some really did join the rebels, but thats no excuse not to trust all the youths who will someday defend the country!

[Wilson]

Wilson,

I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of extracting this from another thread in this forum. It seems such a waste to have this kind of info buried.

In the 70s 80s, we had this AFP volunteer project called Rainbow Project aka Rainbow Ranger . Thats the closest we get to the dream reserve program we discuss on the forum.

-No cadet ranks, just Cadre & Trainee. Bully tactic & hazing are not sanction. Ceremonies, sword, parades are kept to the bare minimum.

-Combat-oriented program, majority there are gung-ho! they train as if tomorrow they will be send to the front!

- no-hold-bar on weapon training. we are issued rifles (Garand & M16) during most  of the time for realism. also .30 & .50 Cal MG, 90mm RR. etc

-Its pure volunteerism & the training time are a lot longer & harder than regular CMT. Anyone can quit if they cant hack it, so those remain are the truly committed ones!

The program turn out the most combat ready reservist group with good camaradarie. at least cost to the govt.

The thing that kills it in the 80s are POLITICS & CRAB MENTALITY!!!!  Some ranking officials dislike special groupS & also because its someone else project not his! So when the founder retires, the opponents quickly seeks its disbandment, saying its too dangerous to trust those students with military tactics & firepower! True , some really did join the rebels, but thats no excuse not to trust all the youths who will someday defend the country!

Dear Adroth,
Its an honor for me to have you post them!

[Rainbow Ranger 4ever]

We live by the creed of humility. The simplicity that must characterize the true sons of our country. Ours is to strive humbly but with vigor and determination, to bring about all forces that will make our nation great, without thought of glory nor reward.

RAINBOW RANGERS COUNTING ON ... REPORTING HERE.

[Adroth]

We live by the creed of humility. The simplicity that must characterize the true sons of our country. Ours is to strive humbly but with vigor and determination, to bring about all forces that will make our nation great, without thought of glory nor reward.

RAINBOW RANGERS COUNTING ON ... REPORTING HERE.

Welcome to the thread man. Could I ask you questions about your stint with the Rainbow Rangers? Let me know by email at adroth92@yahoo.com

[Filomeno Akinas]

We live by the creed of FILIAL PIETY, the loyalty akin to religion, that lives by the common bond of comradeship, that calls for obedience to legal orders of lawful superiors, that calls for iron discipline.  Through Filial Piety, we dedicate ourselves to God, Country and People!

We live by the creed of HONOR.  May it remain untarnished through the years.  May it survive the travails of life, of strife, and of battle.  Let us say in years to come that though we may not pass material wealth to our noble sons, let HONOR be their heritage!

We live by the creed of VALOR, the courage that calls for the ultimate sacrifice.  Ours is to make common virtue of uncommon valor.

We live by the creed of HUMILITY, the simplicity that must characterize the true sons of the country.  Ours is to strive humbly but with vigor and determination to bring about the forces that make our nation great without thought of glory or reward.

We live by the creed of TRADITION.  We harken to the tradition of the Filipino Soldier.  Each generation leaves its mark in our country's history and we will not be found wanting.

To all THESE, we bind our LIVES, our FORTUNES and our priceless HONOR!

[Adroth]

We live by the creed of FILIAL PIETY, the loyalty akin to religion, that lives by the common bond of comradeship, that calls for obedience to legal orders of lawful superiors, that calls for iron discipline.  Through Filial Piety, we dedicate ourselves to God, Country and People!

We live by the creed of HONOR.  May it remain untarnished through the years.  May it survive the travails of life, of strife, and of battle.  Let us say in years to come that though we may not pass material wealth to our noble sons, let HONOR be their heritage!

We live by the creed of VALOR, the courage that calls for the ultimate sacrifice.  Ours is to make common virtue of uncommon valor.

We live by the creed of HUMILITY, the simplicity that must characterize the true sons of the country.  Ours is to strive humbly but with vigor and determination to bring about the forces that make our nation great without thought of glory or reward.

We live by the creed of TRADITION.  We harken to the tradition of the Filipino Soldier.  Each generation leaves its mark in our country's history and we will not be found wanting.

To all THESE, we bind our LIVES, our FORTUNES and our priceless HONOR!

Thank you for visiting this forum as well sir. Can we communicate via email?

adroth92@yahoo.com

[Amber1]

What's the story with the UP and Bonifacio batches?
[
I donnot remember any batch named after Bonifacio or his Katipunan
If I'm not mistaken all our Advance Graduate's Batch Names were taken from the Cat family e.g. Panther.
And although we were trained by UP Vanguards and UP Cadet Officers
at the UP campus there is no story about it, in fact we could have been trained in any venue designated. The Rainbow is the the project of the UP ROTC as far as I know.
/

[Jonin6]

I just wanted to reply to the question stated for everyone to see. In 1981, The AFP Rainbow Ranger Division of Volunteers moved from the University of the Philippines in Diliman to the MCMTC at Fort Bonifacio. This was because by then, the UP had asked that the AFP Rainbow Project as an DND/AFP Project be moved from the University premises to another site. Especially so as Martial Law officially ended in 1981, they were asked to move, which was complied with. Eventually, the UP had a MOA with the DND(representing the AFP) and the Police and the NBI to recognize UP as a Bastion of Academic Freedom and refrain from operating within UP Premises without first coordinating with the UP authorities.

[saver111]

I just wanted to reply to the question stated for everyone to see. In 1981, The AFP Rainbow Ranger Division of Volunteers moved from the University of the Philippines in Diliman to the MCMTC at Fort Bonifacio. This was because by then, the UP had asked that the AFP Rainbow Project as an DND/AFP Project be moved from the University premises to another site. Especially so as Martial Law officially ended in 1981, they were asked to move, which was complied with. Eventually, the UP had a MOA with the DND(representing the AFP) and the Police and the NBI to recognize UP as a Bastion of Academic Freedom and refrain from operating within UP Premises without first coordinating with the UP authorities.

I remember it was indeed in 1983 as stated by RR posters above. Could have been that in 1981 the MOA you stated was agreed upon but implementation was done in 1983. The summer of 1982,  the Anahaw X  SCT  (summer camp training) was done at the MCMTC area at Fort Bonifacio which used to be at the UP Diliman grounds. This might have been the start of gradual transfer. It was in the summer of 1983 that I saw a barracks was provided for the RR, its new home. It was also the start of its demise when our Founder, BGen Benjamin Vallejo retired from the service.