Parents, relatives,
friends and people from different sector, young and old assembled
around the ground not wasting their opportunity to witness such a
historic event where their love one is involved.
Everyone fulfilled
their expectation as they saw the graduating class march, execute
rifles and performs traditional Filipino martial arts and self-defense
pose almost perfectly. The heavy downpour of rains in the midst of
the program did not stop the parade even when the 8ID marching band
demonstrated their exhibition that fully added colors to the
activity. Spectators bid satisfaction to their faces as the band
completed their show with a pass-in-review.
Significant to the
activity is the ceremonial entrustment of firearms to the newly
enlisted privates done by the representatives from the people of all
walks of life. It was spearheaded by Vice-Governor Ma. Mimietta
Bagulaya of Leyte representing Governor Jericho Petilla, as the
ceremony’s guest of honor and speaker.
Farmers, vendors,
fisher folk, nurse, doctor, student, parents, lawyer, NGO, GO and
media were some of the few who made themselves available to entrust
fire arms to the soldiers. This symbolizes that these people entrust
their protection of rights, security and safety to the soldiers whom
their primary duties and responsibility is to defend the constitution.
In a statement made by
Major General Mario Chan, chief of the Army in
Eastern Visayas, he said that the new breed of soldiers will be an
additional force to secure the people of Region 8 against the people
who vehemently destroy and violate our people’s rights.
“With the additional
forces, the 8ID will surely perform its tasks of protecting our
people’s right against the rebels who violently destroy its sanctity.
With these reasonable forces that adds to the 8ID troopers, rest
assure that our people can expect more than what we are doing for the
sake of peace and development in this part of the country,” General
Chan says.
Meanwhile,
Vice-Governor Bagulaya said in her message that the men and women of
the 8th Infantry Division have continuously contributed devotion to
duty according to constitution.
“With these additional
forces to the 8ID, I am optimistic that our problems against
insurgency will surely come into end. That’s why all members of the
society, government and non-government agencies should give their
share for the ultimate attainment of peace not only in Samar but also
in Leyte provinces,” says Vice-Governor Bagulaya.
In the end, the
ceremonial entrustment to the newly enlisted privates gave more hope
for the people of Region 8 to once again re-experience the peaceful
environment that they long experienced before the advent of the
terrorist communist in their provinces.
