ROXAS City – The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has enlisted 239 new soldiers to fight insurgents in Western and Central Visayas regions.
“Always do the right thing,” Major General Eric Vinoya, 3ID commander, told the soldiers.
These 239 soldiers (Class 624 and Class 625) graduated on July 28 at the 3ID headquarters in Jamindan, Capiz and given the rank of Private.
They completed five months of rigid Candidate Soldier Course (CSC) and Jungle Warfare Mountain Operation Course (JWMOC) facilitated by the 3rd Division Training School (3DTS).
According Army Major Cenon Pancito III, these newly recruited soldiers will complement the anti-insurgency campaign while some will help in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related activities.
Each new soldier was issued an R4 carbine rifle as service firearm.
The graduation ceremony was graced by the Vice Chancellor for Administration of the University of the Philippines Visayas, Mary Ann Gumban who led the ceremonial entrustment of firearms to the new soldiers.
“My highest regard to the members of your family who must be mighty proud of you as they see you donned with the uniform of a soldier and entrusted with a service firearm symbolizing the complete authority given to you as the new Privates of the Philippine Army,” said Gumban.
This authority, she said, “makes you a powerful defender of our country and its sovereignty, its citizens and their rights and freedoms.”
Private Herje Catedrilla, a TESDA NCII passer from Barangay Tahing, Calinog, Iloilo, received the Commander 3ID Award for topping the 121 CS Class 624-2020 with a general point average (GPA) of 92.98 percent in all evaluated subjects.
Private Joel Delmonte Jr., also a TESDA NCII passer from Barangay Bangac, Mina, Iloilo, bagged the same award by besting 117 other members of Class 625-2020
Major General Eric Vinoya, 3ID commander, challenged the newly enlisted soldiers to “do the right thing.”
“I urge you to always be aware of your job and its complexities so you can always do the right thing at the very first instance. In all your given tasks, never dwell on mediocrity. Always aim for excellence and always be the best. This is how you can contribute to the accomplishment of our mission,” said Vinoya./PN
