In celebration of its 87th founding anniversary on Wednesday, Dec. 21, the Armed Forces of the Philippines cited “outstanding” military units, government and private organizations and personnel for their efforts to maintain peace and security in the country.
Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, AFP Chief of Staff, presided over the awarding of the “Kapayapaan Award” to the military’s peace-building partners in a ceremony held at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The awardees were Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat Mayor Jonallette De Pedro; Cagayan Provincial Administrator and Chief of Staff Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor; San Mariano, Isabela Mayor Edgar Go; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Team Albay Youth Organization; Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Inc.; and Youth for Peace and Development Movement Philippines.
“I am filled with pride and honor as we gather once again to celebrate and recognize the groups and individuals behind these victories and laurels,” Bacarro said.
The military chief said that the awardees were selected based on their “contributions and efforts that aided the AFP units in its implementation of the Development Support and Security Plan (DSSP) ‘Kapayapaan.’”
The DSSP Kapayapaan is the AFP’s security strategy meant to solve internal conflicts. It was launched in 2017, replaced the Internal Peace Security Plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan.”
He said the awardees were judged based on the “value, impact, and relevance” of their contributions as well as the “length of their active participation” in the peace endeavor, “promotion of the AFP image and demonstration of sustained commitment,” and their “credibility, integrity, and trustworthiness.”
Meanwhile, campaign streamers were also bestowed to military units that were instrumental in the dismantling of communist guerilla fronts and vertical units which contributed to the AFP’s “strategic victory” against the communist groups.
The AFP Transformation Roadmap Institutionalization Pathway award was also handed out to military units that accomplished the requirements to advance in their respective transformation roadmaps to make the AFP a more professional organization.