4 Army units recognized for peace efforts in Visayas

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 16, 2024): 4 Army units recognized for peace efforts in Visayas (By John Rey Saavedra)

AWARDS. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. bestows the AFP Campaign Streamer Awards to one of the two Army brigades and two Army battalions stationed in the Visayas in a ceremony on Monday (Jan. 16, 2024) at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Visayas Command on Tuesday said the 303rd Infantry Brigade, 94th Infantry Battalion, 801st Infantry Brigade, and 3rd Infantry Battalion got the awards for their efforts to sustain peace and development in the three central Philippine regions. (Photo courtesy of Viscom PIO)

CEBU CITY – Two Army brigades and two battalions received awards from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their efforts to sustain peace and development in the three central Philippine regions, the Visayas Command said on Tuesday.

In a statement, Viscom said the AFP bestowed Campaign Streamer Awards to 303rd Infantry Brigade, 94th Infantry Battalion, 801st Infantry Brigade and 3rd Infantry Battalion, recognizing their “remarkable accomplishments of the units in dealing with the Communist Party of the Philippine-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).”

The 303rd Infantry Brigade and 94th Infantry Battalion are under the Joint Task Force (JTF) Spear in Western Visayas while the 801st Infantry Brigade and 3rd Infantry Battalion are under the JTF Storm in Eastern Visayas.

They received the award from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“These awards will surely provide a huge boost to the morale of our troops, knowing that their efforts and sacrifices have been recognized by no less than our commander-in-chief himself,” Viscom chief, Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, who attended the awarding on Monday at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, said.

All NPA-infested communities in the Visayas region were cleared through Viscom’s operationally controlled units, Arevalo said.

The CPP-NPA’s manpower and armed capability have been severely degraded by the government forces that led to the dismantling of five guerrilla fronts.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217040