Singer Ronnie Liang becomes Philippine Army pilot

Ronnie Liang is now an official Army Aviator, which allows him to fly aircraft operated by the Philippine Army Aviation Battalion.

The singer and actor told select media last October 30 that he received his aviation badge, or “wings,” after completing his flight duties with Army Aviation earlier this year.

“Finally, after completing my duties with the Philippine Army, they gave me ‘wings’ as an official seal of my new role as an Army Aviator. I am grateful to have received this badge and hope to serve our country in times of need. To clarify, I can still pursue my commercial pilot license with only a few hours of flight time required,” Liang told ABS-CBN News.

Liang began working toward his dream of becoming a pilot in 2019 and earned his private pilot license in 2021 after completing the necessary flight hours. He was unable to pursue a commercial pilot license right away due to his commitments in showbiz and volunteer work through his Project Ngiti Foundation.

Despite this, the Army Aviation recognized Liang’s civilian flying experience and accumulated flight hours, allowing him to proceed with the qualification process for flight duties.

“I started early this year na makapagpalipad sa Army Aviation with orders na flight duty status. January pa ay nagpalipad na ako. Pero, thankful ako na finally, nakuha ko ‘yung wings. Hindi kasi basta-basta rin ‘yun ibinibigay,” he shared.

As an Army Aviator, Liang said his duties include transporting relief goods, government officials, and other stakeholders, as well as conducting aerial assessments of areas affected by natural disasters like floods and typhoons.

He also stated that one of his missions included flying from Zamboanga to Sulu after being invited to an event with journalist Kara David.

“I fell in love with public service during my college years because I had lived in a low-resource environment. Seeing our people now inspires me to do everything in my power to help more. Not to boast, but I am one of the celebrity reservists who has been actively assisting up to this point, not just for publicity,” he shared with ABS-CBN News.

He was awarded the Silver Wing Medal for his participation in the flight as well as the conduct of civil and military operations to promote peace in Sulu.

“It’s always rewarding to help others, especially in underserved areas. Peace is an essential component of achieving prosperity,” he said.

He clarified that he has flown Army aircraft several times, though the Zamboanga-Sulu flight was one of the missions assigned to him.

With 54 days until Christmas, Liang continues to promote his holiday singles, including “Panalangin Kong Pasko,” “Tuloy Na Tuloy Pa Rin ang Pasko,” “Sa Paskong Darating,” and “Perfect Christmas.”