The reactivation of two major units of the Philippine Army highlighted the Army’s achievements last year as it held an organization-wide command conference for 2023.
Based on the presentation of Col. Alvin Luzon, the Army’s assistant chief of staff for operations, the reactivation of the 1st Tank Battalion of the Armor Division and the 10th Field Artillery Battalion (SP-155) of the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) were among the key accomplishments of the Army under its current commander, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner, last year.
According to Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad, these two units are now at the forefront of the Army modernization.
The Army is mandated to develop, organize, train, equip, support and sustain ground forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained ground operations to accomplish the missions of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The Army also underscored its four decisive engagements, 13 major engagements, 96 minor engagements and the neutralization of nearly 2,000 New People’s Army rebels and local terrorist group members and the seizure of around 1,800 firearms.
During the conference, Brawner issued his command guidance anchored on new AFP campaign plan “Pagkakaisa” under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“We shall continue to sustain our hard-earned peace and progress and guarantee Philippine security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. In line with the Chief of Staff, AFP’s guidance, we will actively support the AFP’s Campaign Plan Peace, Law Enforcement, and Development Support Plan ‘Pagkakaisa 2023-2028,’ Brawner said.
The Army chief also talked about his updated comprehensive command guidance encapsulated in SERVE: ensure the physical and mental health of soldiers, the Army’s most important resource; enhance individual soldier’s skills and unit capabilities; and push down much-needed resources to all units nationwide.
Brawner said these thrusts will enable the Army to attain decisive victory over remaining communist and local terrorist groups and pursue operational excellence.
“Given the resolute support and conviction of the Commander-in-Chief, combined with the AFP’s high trust and satisfaction rating from the Filipino people, we shall optimize our gains, further capacitate our forces, and maintain our winning course for this year,” he said.
Relatedly, the Army also laid out its 2040 vision of becoming a “world-class, multi-mission ready and cross-domain capable” during the command conference.