The Philippine Army touted its contributions last year to the country’s capabilities in defending its territorial integrity and supporting national security as the land warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido set forth a vision to develop a strong and adaptable Army force that is “relevant and responsive to the evolving security landscape.”

Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said this vision was anchored in a guiding principle encapsulated in the acronym “ARMY,” while exhibiting a strong commitment to discipline and professionalism.

“Our personnel’s actions shape the public perception of the Army. To maintain these standards, the Army developed our soldiers to be well-molded in all aspects of the service,” Dema-ala said.

“As a professional organization, every soldier was transformed to adhere to ethical standards and human rights.”

Dema-ala stressed the Army’s top priority is to ensure the welfare of soldiers.

Hence, the Army invested in facilities for soldiers, such as establishing solar-powered water-refilling stations, laundry facilities, standard billeting areas, barracks and working stations in various Army camps, aimed at increasing soldiers’ productivity and quality work output.

“We believe that highly motivated personnel can deliver the best results,” Dema-ala said.

As another key initiative in 2024, the Army created the Killed-in-Action (KIA) benefits express lane to promptly assist the families of slain soldiers in processing their military benefits after sacrificing their lives for the nation.

In 2023, Dema-ala said only four applications for benefits were processed out of the 34 KIA soldiers due to the “tedious process and numerous requirements” that were previously implemented.

Under the KIA benefits express lane initiated this year, Dema-ala said 25 out of the 29 applications for benefits were processed, and families of KIA soldiers can receive them within a month from the date of application.

In response to the evolving security environment, Dema-ala said the Army reviewed its organizational structure, leading to the activation of units “that are more relevant to the Army and the deactivation of units that are no longer necessary.”

The Army activated seven administrative and major units, reactivated two units, deactivated three units, and transferred 11 Civil Military Operations Battalions from the Infantry Divisions to the Civil Military Operations Regiment.

“These changes allowed us to stay agile and responsive to emerging threats,” Dema-ala said.

Also, the Philippine Army streamlined its recruitment processes through the Centralized Candidate Soldier Recruitment Program this year. It then removed human intervention in the pre-screening process to ensure “that only the best and most deserving applicants will be selected to join the force.”