DUMAGUETE CITY – A massive recruitment is ongoing for young males and females wanting to join the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to establish 10 more battalions and one engineering brigade to help rehabilitate Marawi City.
Maj. Felix Dumala, representing the Army Personnel Management Center based in Camp Lapu-lapu, Lahug, Cebu City, appeared during the regular session of the Dumaguete City council on Wednesday to inform the public about the recruitment program. He said that only those who registered online can take the exams.
Dumala said many years back, applicants would join the Army just to have a stable job but after surviving the rigid training, they would realize they wanted to serve the nation.
The Army’s morale is boosted by the efforts of the President to increase the take-home pay of soldiers and this also motivates many to apply for the service.
To date, the recruitment center has recorded a more than 200-percent increase in the applications compared to previous years. Dumala said the Army needs more applicants from whom to select the best.
A former Scout Ranger, Councilor Alan Gel Cordova said this is an opportunity for Negrenses to get a job, and at the same time help their parents.
Dumala also disclosed the other programs of the Army such as the milestones set by 2028 to be a world-class Army.
The first milestone was set up in 2013 for the Philippine Army to be among the well-equipped in Asia. There was also character building in 2010, the reason soldiers are now well-trained and well-disciplined.
Unlike before, the AFP is currently educating its personnel through formal training and retraining every three years. Part of this is the battalion excellence training wherein the soldiers are retrained before being redeployed, to become professionals and well-informed about new updates of existing laws so they will continue to be law-abiding Army personnel. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
