157 artillery troopers join mental health awareness drive

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 16, 2023): 157 artillery troopers join mental health awareness drive (By Jason De Asis)

MENTAL HEALTH DRIVE. A total of 157 enlisted personnel from different line units and separate batteries of the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) attend the Troops Information and Education (TI&E) on Feb. 13, 2023. The activity which was held at the AAR Headquarters, Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City in Nueva Ecija, aimed to look after the mental health and physical well-being of the military troops. (Photo courtesy of Army Artillery Regiment)

BALER, Aurora – A total of 157 enlisted personnel from different line units and separate batteries of the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) attended the Troops Information and Education (TI&E) on mental health awareness early this week.

Organized by the regiment's Office of the Regiment Sergeant Major (ORSM), the activity was held at Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City in Nueva Ecija last Feb. 13, with the aim to look after the mental health and physical well-being of the military troops.

The regiment also aimed to raise social awareness on mental health issues through psychosocial education to combat the stigma of having these conditions and prevent their development.

Lt. Col. Ronnie Santa Catalina, civil-military officer (G7) of the AAR, said in a phone interview on Thursday that the activity is a regular program being conducted quarterly to give Army troops confidence and the right direction in their career enhancement as well as family life.

“Buong taon namin itong ginagawa para sa empowerment ng ating mga sundalo upang maging maayos ang kanilang direksiyon kasama ang kanilang pamilya. Ang kasundaluhan ay masa ng organisasyon kaya kailangan natin silang tulungan upang maging maayos sila para sa kanilang kapakanan. At kapag maayos sila mas magiging maganda ang direksiyon ng buong organisasyon at mapaghuhusayan pa nila ang serbisyo para sa bansa (We do this all year round for the empowerment of our soldiers so that they can be well directed, including their families. The military is a mass organization so we need to help them to be well-behaved for their welfare. And when they are well, the whole organization will have better directors and they will be able to improve their services for the country),” Catalina said.

The program was participated in by personnel from the 1st and 2nd Air Defense Artillery Battery, 1st and 2nd Multiple Launched Rocket System (MLRS) Battery, Long-Range Ballistic System (LBMS), 3rd Self Propelled 10th Field Artillery Battalion, students and personnel of Artillery Training School and Army Artillery Regiment.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1195422