AFP Reserved Lt. Colonel and National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada, Jr. was conferred the Meritorious Medal Award by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at the Philippine Army Headquarters in Taguig City on June 20, 2022.
Philippine Army Commanding General Lt. General Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. presented the award to Lt. Colonel and GM Escalada in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments as the NHA GM and his exemplary initiatives in uplifting the lives of uniformed personnel by providing them with quality housing projects.
The Meritorious Medal is the highest award the AFP gives individuals for their outstanding contributions to the military and to the country.
In his acceptance speech, GM Escalada said, “Apart from Yolanda, Sendong, Pablo, and the Zamboanga Siege, the biggest challenge faced by the NHA under my administration was to improve the old AFP-PNP Housing Project. I reported to the President the need to improve the lot and floor sizes of the housing units and their quality.”
He added, “Under my leadership, with President Duterte’s approval, the AFP-PNP housing units were expanded to 60 sqm., making it livable, comfortable, and affordable.” Likewise, GM Escalada said, “I proposed an increase in the discount rate for the housing from P30,000 to P100,000.”
“On behalf of my team from Davao and NHA, we would like to thank you for this opportunity. I very much appreciate being given this recognition. Again, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to give my thanks, gratitude, and salute to the Philippine Army,” GM Escalada said.
On January 10, 2019, GM Escalada was promoted from Staff Sergeant to Lt. Colonel, as commissioned in the Philippine Reserve Command, for his exemplary initiatives in uplifting the lives of uniformed personnel by providing them with quality housing projects through NHA’s AFP-PNP Housing Project.