19th IB has new commander

KANANGA, LEYTE, Philippines – Lieutenant Colonel Reymondo Delgado was installed the new commander of the 19th Infantry “Commando” Brigade during a turnover ceremony on August 11 at its camp in this town.

Delgado replaced Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar who turned over the infantry’s colors in the presence of Major General Jet Velarmino, 8th Infantry Division commander, who administered the ceremony.

Delgado, in accepting the post, said he was proud to lead “one of the best performing Army brigades in Southeast Asia, … which has seen action in Bataan, Korea and Vietnam.”

Velarmino, for his part, lauded Espulgar for leading the battalion through difficult times, including the rebuilding of the camp after the Yolanda devastation, and in assisting in the relief distribution to the typhoon survivors in Leyte.

The 3rd ID official said Espulgar also focused on solving the problem of the New People’s Army in Leyte and strengthened stakeholder partnership by showing to communities-in-conflict that the military has been there to serve and protect the people. At least six towns in Leyte were declared “insurgency free” during Espulgar’s watch.

Espulgar was credited for adopting the “Bangon Pilipinas Project” after Yolanda, a livelihood program he introduced to former rebels and supporters, with the help of the Land Bank of the Philippines in funding their “mini-integrated farms.”

“A soldier can kill 10 men and earn the ire of their kin. There will be no end to the violence. On the other hand, I believe in helping them by going to the root cause of their problem which is poverty, and lack of basic amenities. I bring their problems to the proper agencies. That is why I can go around Leyte on a motorcycle, just wearing civilian clothes and know that nobody will harm me,” added Espulgar.