CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — The second batch of this year’s candidate soldiers took their oath on Friday, and in four months they will become new foot troopers.
Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, newly-installed Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, administered the oath-taking of the 285 candidates, witnessed by their proud parents, relatives and loved ones.
Of the 285 candidate soldiers, 256 are male and the remaining 29, female.
After the oath-taking, they were sent to the 6th Division Training School (DTS) in Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, in Maguindanao province.
Capt. Arvin John Encinas, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the candidate soldiers were among the more than 1,000 applicants, who went through strict selection process after they passed the physical and medical examinations.
“They are the most competent candidates who will be honed to become future soldiers of the Philippine Army,” Encinas said.
After their oath, the candidate soldiers were brought to 6th DTS for a 14-week rigid military training broken down into three modules: Transformation, Basic Squad Training, and Application of Knowledge.
Encinas said the training will mold them to become well-disciplined, competent and capable soldiers to fill in the enlisted ranks of the Philippine Army.
Sobejana said the training will change the candidates’ lifestyle.
“The candidate soldiers’ training is fundamentally stressful as they will initially experience an abrupt change from being a civilian to adapting the military lifestyle,” Sobejana said.
“I am reminding the personnel of 6th DTS to instill discipline and respect to guarantee that these recruits would develop a mind-set of survival in the military profession,” he added. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
