Kabalikat Troopers Update

01/09/2026

HAPPENING NOW | SEND-OFF CEREMONY
The Civil-Military Operations Regiment conducts the Send-Off Ceremony for CMO Task Group, composed of personnel who will be deployed in support of the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections.
Together with the CMO Battalions operating in the BARMM area, the CMO Task Group will reinforce ongoing civil-military operations through community engagement, information support, and coordination with stakeholders toward a peaceful, orderly, and credible electoral process.
The ceremony is led by Brigadier General Marces T. Gayat, Regiment Commander, at Headquarters, Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

31/08/2026

This National Heroes’ Day, the 5th Civil-Military Operations “Kabalikat” Battalion pays tribute to the heroes who continue to serve our nation—not only on the battlefield, but also through compassion, service, and commitment to our communities.

Through every outreach, every helping hand, and every act of service, we stand Kabalikat with the Filipino people.

To our fallen heroes and to those who continue to serve: saludo kami sa inyong sakripisyo at kabayanihan.

30/08/2026

IN PHOTOS: In the aftermath of the flooding caused by days of continuous heavy rains, 500 relief packs were distributed to affected residents of Calumpit, Bulacan, on August 26, 2026.

The relief effort was made possible through the partnership of the Filipino Women’s Investors Society and the Rotary Club of Mapúa Alumni Manila, with the assistance of personnel from the Civil-Military Operations Regiment (CMOR), particularly from the 7th, 11th, and 12th CMO Battalions, who helped bring the assistance closer to affected families.

More than just relief goods, the initiative carries a message of compassion, solidarity, and hope—a reminder that in times of adversity, no community has to face the challenge alone.

CMOR remains committed to serving the people by building partnerships, mobilizing support, and bringing meaningful assistance closer to communities in need.

Armed Forces of the Philippines
Philippine Army
7th Civil-Military Operations Battalion
11th Civil Military Operations Kaugnayan Battalion
12th CMO "Kapatiran" Battalion, CMOR, PA
Filipino Women Inventors Society
Rotary Club of Mapua Alumni Manila

27/08/2026

Joint Pinning of Unit Patch, Donning of Ranks and Change of Command Ceremony.

24/08/2026

81st Liberation Day!

21/08/2026

LOOK: 3rd CMO “Solidarity” COMPANY TURNS A NEW PAGE IN LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

A new chapter unfolded for the 3rd Civil-Military Operations Company, 5th Civil-Military Operations Battalion, CMOR, PA, as it officially held its Turnover of Commanding Officer ceremony. The unit expressed heartfelt gratitude to its outgoing female company commander, CPT DEALE D BAMBICO (FS) PA, for her relentless dedication and steadfast service. As the baton passes to the new Commanding Officer, 1LT DIVINAGRACIA R MOGOTE (OS) PA, 3rd CMO Company looks ahead with high hopes for continued excellence, stronger unit cohesion, and meaningful public service

Commanders may change, but the core mission to serve the nation remains constant!

21/08/2026

5ID KEEPS PACE WITH DIGITAL TRENDS TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela — Keeping pace with the changing digital information environment, the 5th Infantry “STAR” Division strengthened the multimedia production capabilities of its personnel through a five-day Capability Enhancement in Multimedia Production Training held at Manayao Hall from August 17 to 21, 2026.

The training, led by instructors from the Training Command, Philippine Army (TRACOM, PA), brought together personnel from various units under the 5ID to enhance their skills in producing timely, relevant, and engaging content for the public.

The sessions covered advanced photography, angling, combat photography, video editing, and scriptwriting, combining technical instruction with practical application.

SSG Sanny E. Palattao, Chief Clerk, Public Affairs Office, Education and Training Command, Philippine Army, observed that 5ID personnel already possess a strong foundation in multimedia production, describing their capability as “9.5 out of 10” based on his assessment. He noted that further improving production equipment would help personnel maximize their existing skills and keep pace with their capabilities.

For the 5ID, the training is not simply about following multimedia trends. It is about using evolving tools and techniques to communicate the Division’s mission, activities, and engagements more effectively and clearly to the public.

The five-day training concluded with a closing ceremony led by Col. Jesus C. Pagala, Chief of Staff, 5ID, who highlighted the importance of continuously developing personnel capabilities to strengthen the Division’s communication efforts.

As digital platforms continue to shape how people receive information, the 5ID continues to develop capable personnel who can tell the Army’s story through accurate, compelling, and meaningful multimedia content.

16/08/2026

WE iKALINGAS KNOW BETTER.

I was once that young girl sitting in a journalism workshop in Kalinga. I was in high school then, young, curious, idealistic, and already an editor of our school publication. During those summer workshops, I had the chance listening to people introduced to us as “journalists from Manila.”

They taught us malayang pamamahayag.

And I listened.

But somewhere between lessons on writing and conversations about freedom came another kind of education. Words became ideas. Ideas became convictions. And for a young mind still trying to understand the world, activism began to sound noble, even necessary.

For a time, I wanted to become an activist myself.

Years later, I would take a very different road.

I entered the Philippine Military Academy. I became a soldier. I became a military pilot.

And perhaps life has a beautiful way of allowing us to see the same world from different windows.

From the cockpit, I saw the Philippines differently.

I flew from one part of this country to another. And wherever duty brought me, there was something that always made me smile:

There was almost always an iKalinga.

A soldier.

A policeman.

Men and women in uniform.

Someone who would hear where I came from and suddenly say, “Ma’am, taga-Kalinga ka metlang gayam nga padak (Ma’am, taga-Kalinga ka din pala tulad ko).”

And just like that, hundreds of kilometers away from home, the mountains did not feel so far away.

That is why the words of Rep. Renee Co struck something deeply personal in me.

She called the AFP a “fake news peddler.”

She spoke of “ingrained, institutional corruption.”

And I wondered:

When did one disputed Facebook post become enough to condemn an entire institution?

Question the post. Demand an explanation if one is necessary.

That is democracy.

But please, do not reduce an entire institution, and the men and women who have given years, blood, and sometimes their lives to it, to one sweeping insult.

Especially while standing in Kalinga.

Because perhaps there is something about us that visitors should understand.

iKalingas are hospitable people.

We welcome people into our homes even when we have little to put on the table.

We offer coffee and the best chair in the house.

We listen to stories.

We make visitors feel that, for however short a time, they belong.

So when our local officials, university officials, soldiers and policemen extend themselves to a visiting representative, I do not immediately see intimidation.

I recognize something I have known all my life.

Kalinga hospitality.

But there is another thing about an iKalinga that history has taught us:

Our hospitality has never meant submission.

We can welcome you without surrendering our judgment.

We can listen without agreeing.

We can sit peacefully beside you while remaining firm in what we believe.

Our Kalinga warrior/ head hunter ancestors knew how to welcome a visitor.

They also knew how to protect their home.

And today, many of their descendants are doing exactly that not only in the mountains of Kalinga, but across the Philippines.

They wear Army green.

They wear Air Force blue.

They sail with the Navy.

They serve in police stations hundreds of kilometers from home.

Some of them never returned to these mountains alive.

Some iKalinga families have received folded flags instead of sons and daughters.

Some mothers have learned that the uniform hanging inside the house would never again be worn.

Some of our people have fallen in the long conflict against the NPA.

So forgive us if we understand the uniform differently.

To others, perhaps it represents authority.

To many families in Kalinga, it represents a child who left home to serve.

And this is also why we, iKalingas, care deeply about what enters the minds of our young people.

Because I remember being one of them.

I remember listening.

I remember believing.

I remember how powerful words could be when spoken to a young person searching for purpose.

That does not mean every activist is an insurgent.

It does not mean criticism of government is wrong.

And it certainly does not mean our students should be taught to obey without questioning.

No.

Teach them to question everything. Question organizations. Question ideologies. Question even the people who tell you that they alone represent freedom.

Because malayang pag-iisip is not freedom when someone has already decided what you are supposed to believe.

That is the academic freedom I want for the youth of Kalinga: not the freedom to be told what to think, but the courage to decide for themselves.

Rep. Renee Co, you came to Kalinga and you were heard.

You were able to speak.
Our young people listened.
That is Kalinga.
We will give you a chair.
We will listen to your story.
We may even pour you another cup of coffee.
But never mistake our hospitality for surrender.

Never mistake our silence for ignorance.

And never assume that the presence of soldiers and policemen means that Kalinga’s youth have lost their freedom.

I have flown across this country and met Kalinga MIUs. From Luzon to Visayas to Mindanao, somehow, somewhere, there was always another iKalinga.

Perhaps someday we should finally count them.

Perhaps then we will understand how extraordinary it is that such a small province has sent so many of its sons and daughters to serve a country much bigger than the mountains that raised them.

So yes, criticize us when we are wrong. Hold us accountable when we fail. We who wear the uniform are not beyond criticism. But neither are you.

You came to our mountains speaking about freedom. Allow us the same freedom to disagree with you. Because Kalinga will always welcome people. But Kalinga will also protect its children.

From violence.

From deception.

From extremism.

And from indoctrination, wherever it comes from.

We are hospitable.

We are peaceful.

But we are not easily subdued.

Maybe that is why, wherever this country needs someone willing to stand his or her ground, somehow
there is an iKalinga.

And perhaps that is something only those of us raised by these mountains will fully understand.

We know better.

14/08/2026

Security Forces, University, LGU, Kabataan Party-list Unite for Kalinga Youth Development

CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela — In a strong display of convergence and shared commitment to youth development, security forces, the academe, local government, and the Kabataan Party-list came together in Kalinga to support initiatives aimed at empowering young people and securing better opportunities for their future.

The activity demonstrated how institutions and organizations from different sectors can find common ground in advancing the welfare of the youth. Through cooperation and constructive engagement, stakeholders underscored that youth development, peace, education, and community resilience are responsibilities shared by the entire community.

The 5th Infantry (STAR) Division, Philippine Army, expressed its appreciation to the participating university, local government, partner security and law-enforcement agencies, and the Kabataan Party-list for contributing to the activity and supporting programs that benefit the young people of Kalinga.

The participation of diverse stakeholders also highlighted an important message: differences in perspectives need not prevent cooperation when the welfare and future of young Filipinos are at stake.

For 5ID, genuine and lasting peace is strengthened when government institutions, communities, educational institutions, civil society, and youth representatives work together toward common aspirations.

Protecting, empowering, and securing the future of the youth is a shared responsibility. Through convergence, unity, and collaboration, we build stronger communities and create greater opportunities for the next generation.

Security Forces, University, LGU, Kabataan Party-list Unite for Kalinga Youth Development

CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela — In a strong display of convergence and shared commitment to youth development, security forces, the academe, local government, and the Kabataan Party-list came together in Kalinga to support initiatives aimed at empowering young people and securing better opportunities for their future.

The activity demonstrated how institutions and organizations from different sectors can find common ground in advancing the welfare of the youth. Through cooperation and constructive engagement, stakeholders underscored that youth development, peace, education, and community resilience are responsibilities shared by the entire community.

The 5th Infantry (STAR) Division, Philippine Army, expressed its appreciation to the participating university, local government, partner security and law-enforcement agencies, and the Kabataan Party-list for contributing to the activity and supporting programs that benefit the young people of Kalinga.

The participation of various stakeholders reflected a shared commitment to a common purpose, empowering the youth and creating a peaceful, secure, and progressive future for the people of Kalinga.

For 5ID, genuine and lasting peace is strengthened when government institutions, communities, educational institutions, civil society, and youth representatives work together toward common aspirations.

Protecting, empowering, and securing the future of the youth is a shared responsibility. Through convergence, unity, and collaboration, we build stronger communities and create greater opportunities for the next generation.

13/08/2026

𝗦𝗔 𝗛𝗨𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗡: 5ID ENSURES DIGNIFIED BURIAL FOR UNCLAIMED FEMALE CADAVER

After days of efforts to identify her and locate her loved ones, the female cadaver recovered in the mountains of Abra was finally laid to rest today, August 12, 2026, with the dignity and respect that every human being deserves.