The Philippine Army and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to beef up the country’s reserve force.
The MOU was signed by Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido and ULAP President and Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo "Dax" Enriquez Cua at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Under the agreement, ULAP will promote local government units’ involvement in strengthening the Army reserve force by supporting reserve companies and the Army's Rserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs.
Local government leaders will also help establish provincial mobilization centers to better coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) as well as community peace and security efforts.
Meanwhile, the Army will provide technical expertise and training for LGUs in the establishment of provincial mobilization centers, formation of reservist companies, and strengthening of local peace and security councils.
The Army will also assist ULAP in formulating policies that align national security needs with economic development goals.
The partnership stemmed from discussions between the Army and ULAP leaderships last year, according to Galido.
“Security is not just the job of our armed forces. It is a responsibility that we all share as Filipinos, especially those in the local government units,” Cua added.