125 brand new candidate soldiers took oath to serve the country

By CMO Battalion, 8ID PA
March 3, 2011

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar  –  A total of 125 new Candidate Soldiers of the Philippine Army took their oath of duty and service to the country in a simple ceremony held at the hallowed ground of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division Headquarters in Catbalogan, Samar on Wednesday morning March 2.

The oath taking rite was immediately followed by the opening of the Candidate Soldier Course Class 251-2011 by no less than Major General Mario Chan, Commander of the 8ID in the presence of the candidate soldier’s love ones, and Officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees of the command.

The 5-month duration course is expected to transform and mold the new recruits from being “boys” into real ‘men”. After completing and passing the rigid training, they will be then enlisted into the Philippine Army with the rank of Private.

Major General Chan in his remarks assured the candidate soldier’s parents that their sons, after retraining will be competent and disciplined soldiers after completing the training. “’Wag kayong mag alala mga magulang, bawat isa sa kanila ay mabibigyan ng sapat na kaalaman para maging isang tunay at disiplinadong sundalo,” Chan says.