Phil. Army 8th Infantry Division gain added strength in new soldiers; Armed Conflict far from over?

By MYRA TAMBOR
March 20, 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  One hundred one (101) warm and able bodies is the addition to the strength of Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division after intense months of training.

MajGen. Mario F. Chan, Commanding General of the said division, beaming with pride presented the new soldiers to the parents and other guests on the occasion of the graduation ceremony at the grounds of Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City over the weekend.  The guest of honor of the occasion is Customs Deputy Commissioner Retired General Danilo Lim.

The three hour graduation ceremony showed how prepared the new and young soldiers to fight the state enemies and to defend the public and uphold the country’s constitution.  “Handa na po sila na protektahan ang katahimikan ng ating bansa laban sa mga kaaway nito”, General Chan said in his message.  In the ceremony, the new soldiers enthusiastically showed their knowledge in various trainings they acquired.  Among them is the Basic Military Training specializing in Jungle Warfare Military Operations Course where they conducted in the jungles and mountain ranges of Samar Island.

Notably, in the graduation ceremony is the oath to uphold human rights led by Assistant Division Commander Colonel Espenile and the distribution of rosary beads led by Calbayog Archbishop Artemio Abarquez. “Sa ganito pong mga ceremony dapat po laging may bago, lalo po natin itong pinapaganda” General Chan said in his message.  The rosary beads was blessed by the Bishop during the graduation rites and put in by the guests to the neck of the soldiers. “Ang pagpapasuot ng mga rosary ay nakakaantig ng damdamin” according to a parent interviewed by the writer who requested anonymity.  “Ang kapayapaan higit sa ano pa mang bagay dito sa mundo ang higit na kailangan natin lahat, lalo na po kung kapwa Pilipino ang nagaaway at nagpapatayan.  Sana gabayan po ang aming mga anak na bagong sundalo”, another parent emotionally adds.

Current military and New People’s Army encounters in the hinterlands of Samar Island caused so much in the lives of Samar people.  According to some inputs in recent Samar Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting, residents of far flung community which are considered conflict areas bear the effect of the so called “encounters” as called by the locals.  These people are directly affected thus the domino effect goes out to the urban residents in terms of economic activity of the three provinces in the island while the number of casualties are increasing and human rights violations resulted to displacements of families in the affected areas.

The National Statistical Coordinating Board lists the province of Samar as among those in the poorest areas.  The high poverty threshold is attributed to the decades of insurgency problem.  It is known to many that the government has a handful of interventions in the province to address the issue of poverty and insurgency but the question of effectiveness of those interventions is in peril due to its impact.