Photo By Sgt. Cameron Hermanet | U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Philip Anacta, the camp chief of Joint Task Force...... read more read more
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As he ran through the crowded markets and vibrant tapestry-lined streets of Taguig, Philippines, avoiding adolescent responsibilities, Philip Anacta never imagined himself joining the military, much less the United States Marine Corps.
Anacta was born and raised in the city of Taguig, where he recalls living the life of any ordinary child in the 90’s. When he wasn’t in school, he spent his time playing basketball and mastering billiards with his friends. As Anacta grew up and attended high school, he was mandated to be a part of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. The military was not an unfamiliar topic for him, but he wanted nothing to do with it.
“I would do anything to avoid [JROTC] because I had no interest,” said Anacta. “If you asked anyone I knew, they would tell you that I would never be in the military.”
Anacta grew up in a family with a rich tradition of military service that spans generations. His father served in the Philippine Navy, his grandfather served in the Philippine Navy during World War II and his great uncle served in the Philippine Army; he was one of the soldiers who endured the Bataan Death March of 1942. Because of their dedication and support to the United States, they were granted visas and able to move, along with their petitioned family members, to the U.S. Anacta’s father decided to seize this opportunity, starting a new life for his family in Los Angeles, California.
The bustling city of Los Angeles, known as a place where dreamers thrive and movie stars shine, was not what 16-year-old Anacta pictured it to be.
“Within the first three months of moving here, I understood it was going to be difficult,” Anacta explained. “Starting from scratch, we learned pretty quickly it wasn’t going to be the same lifestyle we were used to and we went from having everything that we needed to working really hard for the bare necessities.”
In order to keep their family afloat, Anacta’s father worked three jobs, his mother worked two jobs, and Anacta worked part-time while attending high school. Amidst trying to find the balance between work, school, sports, and a life he could enjoy as a teenager, Anacta knew he was going to have to do something different after graduating.
The first time Anacta met a Marine Corps recruiter, he didn’t know he was a Marine. He didn't know who the Marines were or what they did; he only saw a man in a uniform sitting in the stands at his basketball games.
“I’d noticed for some time now this guy in a nice uniform was at all my games; I thought he was some scouting agent or something,” said Anacta. “It was one day he approached me after the game and challenged me. He said ‘“Let’s play one-on-one. If you win, you go home and live your life. If I win, you come into the recruiting office and have a conversation with me” and I was confident in my basketball skills, so I accepted.”
In a pair of shiny black corframs [ formal dress shoes] and starched dress blue trousers, the recruiter played Anacta in a basketball match and won. Anacta held his side of the bargain and soon sat across from the recruiter in an office full of Marine Corps keepsakes and motivational quotes. To his surprise, he was intrigued by what the Marine Corps had to offer, and he knew that the financial stability promised to him was exactly what his family needed. Anacta was ready to take the leap, so he and his recruiter sat down in his home, where his mother and father signed parental consent for him to join the Marine Corps at age 17.
“My extended family had reservations; It was the height of the war on terrorism,” he said. “But I knew, and my parents knew, this was what I wanted to do.”
In July 2005, Anacta shipped to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Here, he learned discipline, honor, mental agility, physical toughness, and teamwork; after 13 rigorous training weeks, he left as a United States Marine.
Anacta spent several of his early years in the Corps supporting his family. He sent the little money he made as a lance corporal to his parents and eventually helped his brother pay for college. While this was stressful, Anacta explained he was more than happy to help his loved ones.
“It wasn’t until I was promoted to corporal that I had some money left over after helping out my family,” Anacta said. “Eventually, everyone I was helping with money didn’t need it anymore and I was able to have things I didn’t necessarily need but wanted.”
Throughout his career, Anacta had the opportunity to travel the world and even return to the Philippines several times. This year, he is a master sergeant on his 5th rotation of Exercise Balikatan, which occurs annually in the Philippines, serving as the Joint Task Force Headquarters camp chief.
“As a Filipino-American, working with our Philippine counterparts means a lot to me,” Anacta said. “My heart will always be in the Philippines, but right now I’m representing a different flag so this opportunity to work alongside my countrymen is a great honor.” Anacta expressed that he hopes to conclude Balikatan 24 knowing he and his Marines were able to have a shared understanding with members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and leave with invaluable experiences and lessons learned from the AFP.
During this final rotation, he was close enough to visit his home in Taguig. He walked the streets and recalled childhood memories of courtyard basketball and running into school late. He plans to retire in the next two years and settle here with his wife, who is also native to the Philippines, and child.
“If anyone were to ask me if I would go back and change anything, I would absolutely say no,” Anacta said. “Everything I have gone through, the good, the bad, the highs, the lows, it’s all made me who I am today.”
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2024 06:13 |
| Story ID: | 469837 |
| Location: | MANILA, PH |
| Hometown: | TAGUIG, PH |
| Web Views: | 258 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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