THE 1st Infantry Division (ID), the premier unit of the Philippine Army, has strengthened its support force to address security threats in its area of responsibility.
Major General Generoso Ponio, 1ID commander, said they hired the services of 683 Civilian Active Auxiliary (CAA) Category One and Two to serve as support force.
The CAA Category One, which comprises 530 civilian volunteers, has graduated Monday, December 14, from basic military training.
Ponio said they will soon be deployed in the area of responsibility of 1ID, which encompasses the Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao provinces.
He said the CAA Category Two is composed of 153 selected individuals, who are residents of the province of Zamboanga del Sur. They will undergo six weeks of basic military training starting Monday, December 14.
Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor Yu graced the graduation exercises of the CAA Category One and opening ceremony that signaled the start of the training of the CAA Category Two.
“If there is peace, there is progress,” Yu said during the joint activity.
Yu also believed that peace cannot be attained by military solution alone but through the whole of nation approach by the government in bringing the programs and projects to vulnerable communities.
Ponio expressed confidence that the training school has properly imparted the skills, knowledge and tasks to the members of the CAA.
The CAA serves as the force multiplier and as the stationary security forces of the military in a particular community.
“You are the force multiplier, you are the most important members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines because you were deployed in your respective communities to protect them against all threats,” he added. (SunStar Zamboanga)