Editorial Board LT GEN CIRILITO E SOBEJANA PA Commanding General MAJ GEN REYNALDO M AQUINO PA Vice Commander MGEN ROWEN S TOLENTINO PA Chief of Staff LT COL IVAN V SAN JOSE GSC (INF) PA Secretary Army General Staff COL RAMON P FLORES GSC (INF) PA AC of S for Personnel, G1 CONTENTS COL EDMUNDO G PERALTA GSC (INF) PA AC of S for Intelligence, G2 IFC Adapting to the New Normal COL ALEXEI C MUSÑGI GSC (INF) PA AC of S for Operation, G3 2 The Philippine Army at the Threshold of the New Normal COL REY B ALEMANIA CAV (MNSA) PA PA Under the New Normal: Preserving the Force while AC of S for Logistics, G4 6 COL ROMMEL R CORDOVA GSC (INF) PA Maintaining Organizational Excellence AC of S for Plans, G5 9 Leveraging Social Media COL MARK EDWIN B MORO SC (MNSA) PA AC of S for C4S, G6 10 Army Green Camps Program: COL PATRICIO RUBEN S AMATA GSC (INF) PA Embracing Food Self-Sufficiency as New Normal AC of S for CMO, G7 COL EDGAR DELOS R REYES GSC (INF) PA 14 ICT Resilience Against the Unseen Enemy AC of S for Education and Training, G8 18 Philippine Army in the War Against COVID-19 COL FRANCIS CARTER L SIBAL GSC (MI) PA AC of S for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, G9 21 Education and Training under the “New Normal” COL RAMON P ZAGALA GSC (INF) PA 22 PA’s Mental Health Program Army Chief Public Affairs 25 Rationalizing the Audit Activities of OAIA EDITORIAL STAFF 26 Reservist and Retiree Affairs Embracing the New Normal COL ARVIN R LAGAMON INF (MNSA) PA Publisher 28 COVID-19 Survivor Stories MAJ CATHERINE S GULLE II (SC) PA 30 Bayanihan on the Move: Libreng Sakay PH Editor-in-chief IBC A Soldier’s Personal Triumph amid the Crisis Ms. Lydia V. Cabajar Ms. Jackie Jean E. Aspiras Editorial Consultants 2LT DEBBIE AYCIE B LIZASO (INF) PA 2LT MA DIANNE C DACALLOS (INF) PA Associate Editors Ms. Carina C. Pastrano Managing Editor Cpl Vanessa A Diaz Ms. Karel S. Dabu The ARMY COMPASS, the official quarterly publication of the Philippine Army, is born out of the desire Mr. Anthony J. Embrado to continually highlight the giant strides of the Philippine Army in order to create deeper awareness Mr. Franco Felix M. Castro III and appreciation on the organizational efforts toward mission effectiveness. The magazine’s editorial Mr. Aisly K. Velarde philosophy is rooted in providing the readers relevant information through objective reportage of the Staff Writers current thrusts and achievements of the PA leadership, thereby inspiring the readers about their Army. Mr. Bonifacio I. Anog True to its title, being a symbol for guidance, the contents of the magazine will point the readers in the Photo Editor right direction where the Army is leading towards organizational excellence. Office of the Army Chief Public Affairs Psyops Center, CMO Regiment Photos 3rd Quarter 2020 1 he grave danger posed by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has driven the Philippine Army to adopt strict health-related protocols and measures, Twhich have considerably disrupted and altered established The processes, conventions and standard operating procedures. Despite these organization disruptions, PA continues to perform its mandate and deliver essential services to the people in support to national efforts against the pandemic. Philippine The term “new normal” signifies a situation arising from the adjustments made to cope or respond to the prevailing threats of COVID-19. The “new normal” for PA is about striking a balance between observing safety of personnel and mission accomplishment. Army As a proactive response, it has recently approved the Operating Instructions on the new normal which lay down specific policies and regulations on how PA should operate under this situation. at the The overall intent of operating under the new normal is to reduce personnel vulnerability to contract COVID-19 and further reduce its transmission, without compromising mission accomplishment. This can be done through Threshold restructuring or streamlining work systems and processes, as well as heavily leveraging information and communication technology (ICT). These operating instructions would also apply to other conditions involving infectious diseases of similar nature. of the New In terms of its implementation, the following are the safeguards emplaced in the policy to ensure its effectiveness: a) All HPA Offices and PA Major Units shall submit to G3, PA their respective Implementing Plans which must Normal provide the details on how to comply with the protocols and directive, considering their respective peculiar functions. b) All Offices and units at all levels shall maintain a Workplace Management Plan (WMP). Compliance shall be checked during IG inspections. c) There is emphasis in terms of enhancing internet/intranet connectivity of offices and units as more PA operations become dependent on online transactions and services. d) The PA Operating Instructions on the New Normal provides specific mandatory measures that must be strictly observed such as wearing of mask, temperature check, and handwashing or sanitizing stations, among others as well as in relation to the accomplishment of core tasks. In relation to this, the Philippine Army has crafted “PA Contingency Plan Corona,” which outlines the key tasks in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response and contains preventive measures against COVID-19 to capacitate troops in handling infected individuals, ensures the readiness of medical facilities, triages, isolation and quarantine areas. To cope with the crisis, the Command sustains a proactive, holistic and comprehensive approach in providing support to its personnel and their dependents. The spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across the 2 ARMY COMPASS because of the possible widespread infection among its troops. Based on the series of approved impact assessment papers in relation to COVID-19 pandemic crafted, the following are the key lessons that can be learned in addressing this health crisis: - One glaring truth is that the current PA force structure and capabilities are not designed to effectively address a pandemic situation like COVID-19. The Army’s current force structure is focused on warfighting functions as prescribed in its strategic documents such as the PA Operating Concept (PAOC) and the Landpower Maneuver Concept (LMC) with little provision for addressing pandemic situations. - Secondly, due to the identified capability gaps, uncertainties of future pandemics and the realization that the globe has a multitude of impact on the socio-economic and military personnel are vulnerable to biological hazards while politico-security realms requiring a whole-of-government and being deployed pose a challenge to PA’s preparedness and force coordinated international response. health. At the national level, the government mobilized the - Given that there could be future pandemics, the creation Armed Forces of the Philippines to augment the efforts of a Resilient Force is being proposed. The Army needs to of the different bureaus in the fight against COVID-19. enhance its Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear As such, PA deployed its troops primarily to implement (CBRN) capabilities, health service, as well as its research quarantine measures, provide logistical support, and conduct and development capabilities in terms of their doctrine, humanitarian relief operations. organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, In recent months, the COVID-19 crisis demanded more personnel and facilities. tasks from PA such as checkpoint operations and logistics The Army’s mitigation efforts on the impact of COVID-19 support, among others. In terms of capability, the nature response have affected the Command, in a way, because the of services required from PA has dramatically expanded Army has utilized its personnel and equipment for COVID-19 to augment and to support the capacity of civil authorities. response that could have been allotted for ISO efforts. For the The organizational integrity of the Command has also been past six months, PA combat units have been performing ISO affected. The worst-case scenario is that the virus could and supporting the IATF resolutions against COVID-19. severely affect the legitimacy and integrity of the organization As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Command 3rd Quarter 2020 3 deployed 8,149 Regular Troops, 2,568 CAA and 10,358 a total of PhP50,322,226.00 to support COVID-related Reservists personnel PA-wide for Checkpoints and Relief operations PA-wide. It has already launched a COVID-19 Operations. Meanwhile, nine (9) officers and 247 EP, a total of molecular laboratory. 256 from 92IB have been deployed to JTF-NCR in support of its Another effect of the pandemic to Army’s mission GCQ implementation. Two Officers and 69 enlisted personnel concerns the Army’s Modernization Program. The Department were provided to man 15 trucks to OCD/NDRRMC for the of Budget and Management issued the National Budget transport of PPEs to various Medical Facilities in Luzon while Circular No. 580, S-2020 dated 22 April 2020 which directed 15 female soldiers supported the distribution of relief goods in all government agencies and entities to take economic NCR. measures for the discontinuance of various programs. The Command also augmented the following personnel One of DND’s Programs, Activities, and Projects (PAPs) to different medical facilities in the country: two doctors, two affected, is the Revised Modernization Program amounting nurses and two aidmen to Cebu, 51 personnel at Enderun to PhP9.480 Billion unreleased funds from GAA FY2019 and Colleges to conduct swab testing; 16 medical personnel to PhP8 Billion worth of RAFPMP funds from GAA FY2020. Rizal Memorial Stadium and World Trade Center; and 40 This was reprogrammed to support the government activities nurses provided for the military treatment facilities PA- related to COVID-19 pandemic. wide.“LibrengSakay” was conducted with 22 personnel and As a result, 12 PA projects were reprioritized and 21 vehicles transport support to stranded persons which rescheduled for the next succeeding years: benefitted 22,252 passengers.