HOW TO BE A RESERVE ARMY

History

The creation of the ARMY RESERVE COMMAND was inspired by the first ever recorded and very successful defense of the its first Filipino Reservist against foreign invasion on March 16, 1521, when Rajah Lapu-lapu and his troops defeated the far more superior Spanish Armada led by Fernando Magallanes during the historic battle on Mactan Island. Their Heroic exploits and rare display of patriotism instigated a continuous anti-Spanish/American campaign until the conditional American-Filipino truce was signed into accord. This events inspired the institutionalization of the present Philippine National Defense Act of 1935, which obligated all its citizens regardless of sex, religion, and social structure to protect and preserve the independence and sovereignty of the current Republic. The Philippines was then further divided into ten (10) military districts and each organizing one (1) Reserve Division.

On July 26, 1941, all organized military forces and allies of the US Commonwealth Government were ordered into service with US by then President Franklin Roosevelt under the direct supervision of the USAFFE commanded by then General Douglas Mc Arthur. To this into effect, then Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L Quezon issued proclamation number 740 on 1 August 1941 transferring the control Philippine Army and the Philippine Constabulary to the U.S. Army. All ten (10) Reserve Division composed of professionals, businessmen, ROTC graduates, the school of reserve commission and former cadre trainees and volunteers were then mobilized and subsequently rushed into the service of the USAFFE. Their valor and exceptional resiliency had shown when they fought valiantly against the Japanese Imperial Army until the day of the Philippine Islands were liberated.

The 1986 People's Power Revolution further led to the deactivation of then current Army Reserve Command. Its functions were absorbed by the newly activated Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for CMO, PA thus, the Reserve Affairs Unit (RAU). On the other hand, the erstwhile Regional Community Defense Unit (RCDU) tasked for Reserve Force Development in the regions were transferred to control of the newly instituted Infantry Divisions.

Through the mandatory ROTC Program, the build up of the reservist force continued to grow with an average annual output of 45,000 Officers and Enlisted Men from 1985-1990 however, the only organized Philippine Army Reserve units (PAARU) with a total of sixty (60) registered PAARUs nationwide.

By the end of 1990, the Philippine Army Reserve Component's strength was registered at 528,000 fully trained and quickly mobilizable units but with no definite reserve structure to speak of and the provincial Community Defense Center were organizing one (1) Reserve Infantry Battalion albeit in papers only.

The further enactment of RA 7077 otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Forces or AFP Reservist Act on 27 June 1991 provided for the further development and build up of the current Reserve Force. Under this act, the Citizen Armed Forces is mandated as follows:

Furthermore, RA 7077 was enacted to support the much recent RA 7898 known as the AFP Modernization Act, which aims to develop an efficient, credible and professional Armed Forces.

On July 1992, the Reserve Command, Philippine Army was again put into action and became a major Philippine Army unit tasked to implement the plans and programs for Reservists and Retirees Affairs. It was divided to 14 Regional Community Defense Groups which will undertake the organization and maintenance of one standby Reserve Infantry Division and 73 Community Defense Centers which ordered to organize a Battlion size Reservist Units on every region of the country.

On 1 October 1999, the unit was again renamed ARMY RESERVE COMMAND pursuant to General Order Nr 1300 Headquarters Philippine Army dated 24 September 1999.

MISSION

Their mission is to develop, organize, train, equip, and administer army reservists into capable, responsive and mobilizeable reserve force as an integral component of the army in the defense of the state and to participate in socio-economic development efforts.

They are also tasked in augmenting the regular force whenever needed.

TRAINING

Training is one of the primary tasks that is handled by ARESCOM. One of its primary training unit is the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and the Basic Citizen's Military Training (BCMT).

The Army Reserve Command also through its ROTC Program prepare future officers in the army serving in the reserve force. Under the Officer Preparatory Course, college graduates are trained to take roles as officers in Philippine Army.

TYPES OF RESERVISTS

There are currently two (2) types of reservists in the component of the AFP Reserve Force; the Ready Reserve and the Standby Reserve. Ready Reservists are personnel that are always on constant alert and on a call whenever the mobilization order has been given, while Standby Reservists are the personnel that support and augment the Ready Reserve Force when only needed.