THE new commander of the 79th Infantry "Masaligan" Battalion (79IB), Lieutenant Colonel J-Jay Javines was installed on May 28, 2021, at the Battalion Headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City.
The change of command ceremony was presided over by Major General Eric Vinoya, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Alvaran, who had just assumed leadership of the 82nd IB, formally relinquished his command to Javines.
Alvaran thanked the "Masaligan" troopers, the stakeholders, and the commander of 3ID for the unwavering support during his stint as commanding officer of the battalion.
Meanwhile, Javines expressed his gratitude for the trust and confidence given to him by Vinoya and vowed to continue to fulfill the task given to him, emphasizing his priorities that are anchored on "Mission Accomplishment" and "Moral and Welfare" of personnel.
"Our efforts shall always be geared towards achieving our mission, while maintaining the morale and welfare of our troops, at its best. Let our mantra be — Mission accomplishment first and moral and welfare always," he said.
Javines, in his assumption speech, emphasized a more collaborative and participative approach to end insurgency in the Area of Responsibility of 79IB.
He ended his message assuring the Stakeholders that "the Masaligan troopers will always be a responsive and reliable partner in pursuit of genuine peace and equitable development in Northern Negros. Makasalig gid kamo sang matuod, madasig kag sinsero nga serbisyo sang 79IB. Together, let us build a community that is inhospitable to the presence and influence of any threat group who seek to undermine our efforts for nation-building."
In his message, Vinoya acknowledged the contribution of Alvaran to the peace that Northern Negros is now experiencing. He also challenged Javines to continue what his predecessor has started coupled with strong commitment, passion, and dedication.
"The expectations I have for you are as high as my regard for your skills and abilities. Do not let us down. Continue our unfinished task here in this particular area. Sustain our gains and ensure that our communities within your area of operation will be completely insulated from the recovery efforts of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front). We cannot afford to lose the things that we have achieved and gained here in Northern Negros."
"Hence, you have to hit the ground running. Reinvigorate the masaligan troopers' will to fight and continue to inspire them to achieve greater heights as what your immediate predecessor did", Vinoya added.