Philippine Army Commanding General Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner Jr. (right) turns over the colors of the First Tank Battalion to its commanding officer in the person of Lieutenant Colonel Don Frivaldo. (Armor Division Public Affairs Office)
CAPAS, Tarlac — Armor Division reactivated its First Tank Battalion envisioned as a game-changer for the Philippine Army.
Lieutenant Colonel Don Frivaldo assumed as the commanding officer of the unit, which carries the moniker “Masikan”, a Kapampangan word for “strong.”
In today’s reactivation ceremony, Philippine Army Commanding General Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner Jr. said that the capability gaps in previous large-scale exigencies pushed the need to modernize and acquire the proper equipment to achieve the desired level of operational readiness.
“The Philippine Army reactivated the 1st Tank Battalion to provide our infantry and mechanized infantry forces with advanced firepower capability and enhanced standards of protection, especially in conducting contingency missions and combined arms and joint operations in the country,” he noted.
The commanding general explained that the unit will be involved in the army’s combat operations, and is expected to advance the army’s leverage across the full spectrum of combat operations against the communist and/or local terrorist groups.
“Certainly, the reactivation of the First Tank Battalion will definitely bolster the operational capability of the armor units in conducting ground operations against current and emerging threats in the evolving, dynamic and volatile security environment,” Brawner stated.
On top of the initial 44 light tank assets of the unit, additional assets and equipment were expected to be delivered this year as part of the Tank Acquisition Project.
These include 18 units of Sabrah Tracked Light Tank mounted with 105mm cannon, 10 Pandur 8×8 wheeled light tank mounted with 105mm canon, a Command Post Vehicle, a Recovery Vehicle, and a Tank Gunnery Simulator.
“To the men and women of the 1st Tank Battalion, your role is vital in the realization of our common objective of fostering inclusive peace and sustainable progress in the country. Hence, I urge you to exemplify the indispensable ideals of servant-leadership while pursuing the command’s crucial thrusts,” Brawner said.
The reactivation followed the deactivation of the 8th Cavalry Company in line with the scrap and build policy of the Department of National Defense.
After its deactivation, the personnel of 8th Cavalry Company will become the nucleus of the First Tank Battalion, which comprises a Headquarters, Headquarters Company and three tank companies.
The activation of the First Tank Battalion was set off in September 1958 under the 1st Infantry Division.
However, the unit was short-lived and later deactivated in 1961 due to the high cost of maintaining tanks of the Philippine Army. (CLJD/TJBM-PIA 3)
