ILOILO City – The Visayas island group may soon have another brigade combat team (BCT), bigger than the current brigades, which traditionally consist of around 1,500 to 2,500 personnel.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. recently announced that the AFP is planning to create more BCTs in three areas of the country to focus on territorial defense.
The BCT is the Philippine Army’s contingency force that is capable of addressing conventional, unconventional and asymmetric threats.
It is equipped with anti-armor and anti-craft missiles like the FGM-148 “Javelin” and FIM-92 “Stinger” to allow these units to operate on the modern battlefield.
“The BCT that will be deployed in the Visayas should be highly mobile to allow its units to cross islands,” Brawner said.
The 1st BCT was already created in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte as its headquarters, according to Brawner.
Brawner said BCTs are “combined arms” in composition with their own artillery, armor, transport and other attached units to make them more effective in the field.
Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the AFP’s Visayas Command, welcomed the plan to create a BCT in his area.
“BCT is just like a mini division. This will also help our campaign against rebels who refused to end the armed struggle,” Arevalo said in a phone interview.
Moreover, the 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel J-Jay Javines also expressed support for the plan.
“This is a big development for our area because we have another, bigger brigade that will protect our territories. We have to support this project,” he said. (PNA)/PN
