MATTEO GUIDICELLI TAKES ON MISSION TO TELL STORIES OF THE 'PHILIPPINE DEFENDERS'

MATTEO GUIDICELLI IS HOSTING "PHILIPPINE DEFENDERS," a new GMA Public Affairs documentary that puts Filipino soldiers' stories front and center. For the host/actor, it's more than just another TV assignment — it's a chance to honor their heroic work and sacrifices he's seen firsthand since becoming a reservist with the current rank of second lieutenant.

- By NATHALIE M. TOMADA

Premiering this May 17 at 3:15 p.m. on GMA 7, "Philippine Defenders" follows Matteo as he immerses in the realities of Filipino soldiers on land, at sea and in the air, all in the name of "duty, honor and country."

In this docu, he gets to join a high-risk aerial patrol mission with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and participates in the Rotation and Resupply Mission (RORE) to deliver food and supplies to Filipino soldiers stationed on disputed islands.

At Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, home of the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne), his intense military training includes a live parachute jump from an aircraft. He also takes viewers to the Presidential Security Command, the elite unit protecting the President of the Philippines. He also meets with soldiers who survived the Marawi Siege.

For Matteo, this kind of storytelling is personal. The idea of doing a project about soldiers is something he had long wanted to do, especially after joining the military reserve force in 2019. He pushed further with his enlistment by undergoing active duty training, which included Army Ranger and Airborne courses.

It all started with a simple invitation from a retired general friend to go "civilian skydiving." "Tapos doon sa loob ng helicopter — first time ko — I was with Rangers, Special Forces. One Ranger invited me to go to Camp Tecson, Bulacan. 'Bisitahin mo kami, makita mo yung buhay sundalo,'" he recalled.

That visit to Camp Tecson would lead to his reservist journey. "Nakita ko yung mga sundalong nagte-training... Tinanong ko yung general doon, then-Lt. General William Gonzales. Sabi ko, 'Sir, paano ba sumali diyan?' Sabi niya, 'Matt, 45 days ang training diyan. Tapos pwede kayong maging Ranger.'"

"Sabi ko, 'Uy, pwede 'to ha. Subukan natin.' Jokingly (at first), I said, 'Sir, I'd like to enlist.' Siya naman, jokingly, sabi, 'Oh, sige, sige,' knowing that I wouldn't even dare to do it."