philippine army

THE 10TH Infantry Division (ID) is transitioning its operational focus from direct counter-insurgency threats to “sustainment” efforts and comprehensive archipelagic defense, a move made possible by the successful neutralization of communist terrorist groups (CTGs) in its area of responsibility and the strong support of local government units (LGUs).

Major Ruben Gadut, chief of the 10th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, emphasized the importance of this strategic shift. 

“Currently, our primary focus is sustainment. We have already addressed the direct CTG threats, but sustainment is crucial to prevent what we call resurgence,” Major Gadut stated during the Davao Peace and Security press briefing held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

He elaborated that sustainment operations encompass various activities, including assisting people’s organizations with project proposals and providing support through a “whole-of-nation approach” to former conflict-affected barangays or CTG-infiltrated areas.

 This assistance involves delivering basic services and other government interventions.

Recent activities illustrate this commitment. “Just this week, we have activities like the 67th Infantry Battalion’s Youth Summit and the 66th IB’s Youth Campus Peace Symposium. We also have medical missions with the 89th Infantry Battalion,” Gadut reported.

The 10th ID is also actively transitioning to the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Operations (CADO). 

“We are now at a point where our Internal Security Operations (ISO) are almost complete. Although our new campaign plan, CADO, still covers ISO, we will mostly focus on external security operations,” Gadut explained. 

This shift entails larger-scale training, including battalion evaluation and certification programs, enabling the mobilization of battalion-sized units, unlike the smaller preparations typically associated with ISO.

“As part of our new campaign, CADO, we now have large-scale training, and we are also considering how to support the entire armed forces in monitoring foreign entities whose operations could compromise national security. So that is the current focus of the 10th ID,” he added.

LGUs: Key to success 

Gadut underscored the indispensable role of LGUs in the success of their anti-insurgency campaign.

“We cannot dismantle our communist terrorist group if there is no participation from our LGUs. In fact, they are the ones who initiate in the areas; our Infantry just participates,” he asserted.

He described the effort as a “partnership with government agencies and other organizations in the area.”

Gadut highlighted the unparalleled support from LGUs in Davao Region, which he believes led to the complete eradication of New People’s Army (NPA) units in the 10th ID’s joint operational area.”Here in the Davao Region, we are not comparing, but we are the Division, the joint operational area of the military, that has truly zeroed out NPA units in the entire Philippines,” Gadut proudly stated. 

“Although some regional committees were dismantled by another Division in the Western part of Mindanao, in terms of an area completely free of NPAs, it is truly the 10th ID. That’s where we see the level of dedication and commitment of our LGUs in participating in confronting the threat, which is why we were able to completely eliminate them. So, it’s truly a whole-of-nation approach.”

Photo courtesy of Rhoda Grace B Saron