228 new soldiers join peacekeeping mission

From the Philippine Star (Apr 21): 228 new soldiers join peacekeeping mission

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division on Monday beefed up with 228 newly trained soldiers its units involved in activities meant to foster Muslim-Christian solidarity.

Officials of the 6th ID, led by Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, on Monday officiated the turnover of the enlisted privates to their assigned units in a symbolic rite at Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao.

The new privates finished the candidate soldiers’ training last February 13 at the 6th ID’s training unit in Barangay Semba in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

“They were first given orientations on their assignments, given breaks to visit their families after a long, difficult training,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan said the 228 new foot soldiers underwent extensive trainings on disaster and emergency management and culture and religion-sensitive peacekeeping missions.

Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of 6th ID, said the new soldiers will be dispersed to the component-battalions of the division in the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.

Some of them saw action, under the division’s 1st Provisional Battalion, during the February 28 to April 3 face-off between the military and brigand Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in seven towns in the second district of Maguindanao.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/04/21/1446346/228-new-soldiers-join-peacekeeping-mission