Lt. Col. Luzelito Betinol, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Education and Training of the 8th Infantry Division. | PHOTO: 8th Infantry 鈥淪tormtroopers鈥� Division, Philippine Army Facebook page
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines 鈥� Fifty-two newly trained soldiers, including one female, joined the Army in Eastern Visayas, which continues to grapple with insurgency problems.
The new soldiers completed a rigorous 45-day Infantry Orientation Training (INFOT) at Camp Eugenio Daza, Barangay Fatima, Hinabangan town, Samar.
The training, which began on Jan. 6 and ended on Feb. 19, prepared them for deployment to various battalions under the 8th Infantry Division (8th ID) to enhance operational readiness.
INFOT was designed to equip newly enlisted soldiers with the skills, knowledge, and discipline required to become effective members of an Infantry Squad and Fire Team.
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The progressive course prepares them for various Army operations, including combat and peacekeeping missions.
In his message, Colonel Luzelito Betinol, assistant chief of staff for education and training, underscored the significance of the training, emphasizing that the new privates were not only prepared for combat but also for a mission vital to ensuring lasting peace and sustainable development in the region.
鈥淲e are in a crucial phase of our campaign to end the insurgency. Every action you take will help secure a better future for the people here, a future they truly deserve. The work ahead will not be easy, but the impact you make will resonate for generations,鈥� said Betinol who represented 8th ID Commander Major General Adonis Ariel Orio.
He also challenged the new soldiers to uphold the values instilled in them during their training.
鈥淵ou are fulfilling a responsibility much greater than yourselves, and we expect nothing less than your best. The people depend on you, and we, your fellow Stormtroopers, will stand with you in accomplishing this mission,鈥� Betinol added.
The newly graduated privates will be deployed to the 13 battalions under the 8th ID, reinforcing its efforts to maintain security and stability in Eastern Visayas.
The Philippine Army in the region has vowed to eradicate insurgency in Eastern Visayas, particularly on Samar Island, before the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 term.