‘Army committed to winning peace'

From the Visayan Daily Star (Nov 9): ‘Army committed to winning peace'

The Army's 3rd Infantry Division has re-affirmed its commitment to win the peace campaign in Western and Central Visayas, and sustain the gains in its peace and security operations, its commander, Maj. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, 3ID commander, said.

Guerrero, who presided recently over the change of the 62nd Infantry Battalion leadership from Lt. Col. Rommel Cordova to Lt. Col. Arnel Cabugon in Sagay City, said the successful implementation of the IPSP “Bayanihan” led to the declaration of eight cities and six municipalities that comprise the 1 st , 2 nd   and 3 rd  d istricts of Negros Occidental, and the Lone District of Bacolod as Peaceful and Ready for Further Development.

Cabugon, who has an extensive background in Civil-Military Operations, said he will pursue the best practices that were started by Cordova, and ensure that the gains in peace and development of 62IB area of operations will be sustained by working collectively and collaboratively with the stakeholders.

Guerrero acknowledged the dedication, sacrifices and remarkable accomplishments of the 62IB under the leadership of Cordova that he said contributed much to the accomplishment of the 3ID's mission.

On June 10 this year, the whole province of Negros Occidental was declared as peaceful and ready for further development.

Under Cordova, the 62IB implemented the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Organic Farming Training Program that was conceptualized by the 303 rd   Infantry Brigade in partnership with various stakeholders that benefited 184 farmer students in Toboso, Calatrava and Escalante City.

The 62IB also assisted 12 deserving students from Brgy Bato National High School and Sagay City National High School – Brgy Lope Jaena Extension, as scholars of the LIFE IN YOU Scholarship Program of the Unifier family.

It was also involved in various programs and activities such as medical and dental civic action programs, feeding program to children in far flung barangays, humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations, Brigada Eskwela program, Alternative Learning System of DepEd, tree-planting activities, Youth Leadership Summit empowering the youth leaders, blood-letting activities, environmental protection and other socio-cultural activities in partnership and collaboration with those who who continue to work together with the Philippine Army in the spirit of Bayanihan in order to attain just and lasting peace.

Cordova thanked his men and all those who supported them in accomplishing his assigned task as 62IB commander in northern Negros.

Before his designation as 62IB commanding officer, Lt. Col. Cabugon was the Executive Officer of the 301 st   Infantry (Bayanihan) Brigade based in Panay Island. 

Cabugon also served various positions both in command and unit administration, among others, as the Chief of the Division Personnel Management Center of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel of the 8 th   Infantry Division in Samar, Executive Officer of the Joint Civil-Military Operations Task Force of the National Capital Region Command in 2009 to 2010 and later on the Commanding Officer of the 9 th   Civil-Military Operations Unit of the CMOG the Philippine Army in Luzon in 2010 to 2011.

He graduated from the Officer Candidate School in 1992 and was assigned in Mindanao from 1993 to 2000. Before his assignment with 3ID, Cabugon also completed his Command and General Staff Course at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College (AFP CGSC) in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2015/November/09/topstory7.htm