For retired men in uniform, corporate life looms as a promising option
For Navy Cmdr. Juphett Navida, service once meant distance—long deployments, unfamiliar terrain and years spent away from the people who mattered most. After two decades in uniform, the 48-year-old officer reached the quiet crossroads familiar to many in the armed services: the moment when duty to country begins to share space with duty to family.
Retiring was not an easy decision. Like many career soldiers, Navida faced an uncertain question—what comes after the service? The answer arrived almost by chance, through a colleague’s invitation to join a weeklong training under “Saludo sa Serbisyo,” a flagship initiative of conglomerate Ayala Corp. for the uniformed personnel.
That decision changed the course of his life.
“I just joined Saludo accidentally … I’m glad I said yes,” Navida recalls.
What he initially thought was just another seminar turned out to be an eye-opening introduction to the private sector—one that demystified corporate hiring, polished resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and translated years of military discipline into skills valued beyond the barracks.
Months later, Navida found himself on unfamiliar ground: the corporate headquarters of Ayala Corp., just 20 minutes from home.
He became the first graduate of the Saludo sa Serbisyo Career Transition and Assistance Program to be hired by Ayala, marking a milestone not only for himself but for the program that helped him bridge two very different worlds. Two of his batch mates would later join Ayala’s renewable energy arm, ACEN Corp.
1st cohort in 2025
Navida was part of the program’s pioneer batch in 2025, which trained 50 transitioning military personnel. But his story is just one thread in a much larger effort. Now in its 10th year, Saludo sa Serbisyo has grown into a nationwide platform that honors the sacrifices of uniformed personnel—not only through recognition, but through tangible support that extends well beyond active service.
In 2025 alone, the program reached more than 10,000 additional personnel from across the military, police force, fire and jail bureaus, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard.
Support came in many forms: Free medical checkups and medicines through Healthway and Generika, financial literacy programs via the BPI Foundation, career assistance initiatives and special discounts across Ayala companies.
The program also donated 40 computers through Makati Development Corp. and provided P4.3 million worth of cinema advertising placements for the military through Ayala Malls.
For Ayala, the initiative reflects a long-held belief in the value of service—and the potential that lies beyond it.
“In Saludo sa Serbisyo, we honor the service and sacrifice of our uniformed personnel through opportunities and possibilities that might otherwise be difficult for them to access,” says retired Gen. Manny Bautista, Ayala Corp.’s managing director and head of security management.
As the program enters its second decade, he says the company remains committed to helping more men and women in uniform thrive during and after their years of service.
That belief is echoed within Ayala’s leadership, which sees uniformed personnel not as career shifters starting from zero, but as professionals bringing with them discipline, integrity and a deep sense of duty.
“They have skills and values that are highly valuable in any field,” says Francisco Romero Milan, Ayala corporate resources group head and chief human resources officer. Through career training under Saludo sa Serbisyo, he says, Ayala helps sharpen those skills and prepare them for life after the service.
For Navida, the transition continues—taken, as he puts it, one day at a time. But the distance between duty and family has finally narrowed. His encouragement to fellow soldiers is simple: Invest in learning early, protect your reputation and never assume that service ends when the uniform comes off.
Sometimes, the next chapter begins with a single yes.
