ARMY OPENS NEW TRANSIENT FACILITY IN SORSOGON


The AFP Transient Facilities (ATF) Project was conceptualized sometime on CY 2006 with the intent of providing decent, convenient and affordable transient accommodations for the Officers, Enlisted Personnel and Dependents. This is based on the noble idea of making available to the men and women of the Philippine Army the opportunity to spend quality time with the members of their families at a very reasonable cost. It also caters on case-to-case basis, traveling government officials and to relief, rescue or humanitarian groups.

The ATF’s were strategically sited on locations along the main route of commercial travel, basically along the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH). Presently, there are already nineteen (19) operational ATF’s nationwide and part of the twenty three (23) earmarked for construction. ATF-SORSOGON is the 20th addition to the ATF’s. It was undertaken by the Army’s 565th Engineer Construction Battalion under LTC LYNDON J SOLLESTA CE(GSC) PA that started on 16 November 2008 and with an approved budget of P 1,538,500.00. Matnog, Sorsogon is a town Southeast of Manila and known as the “End of the Island of Luzon”. It is the Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) pier of the SRNH, and the jump-off point towards Allen, Northern Samar, which connects the Visayas and Mindanao Islands.

The site of the ATF is covered by a Deed of Donation signed by and between Hon. Guillermo G. So, Matnog Municipal Mayor and the Armed Forces of the Philippines represented by LT GEN VICTOR S IBRADO on 06 October 2008, covering 602.76 sq.m parcel of land located at the town’s government and commercial area. The ATF Building has a floor area of 118 sq.m and a permanent concrete and steel structure. It has three (3) rooms with a total of 8-persons capacity, 2-T&B and a Living, Dining, kitchen & Washing Area. It was also provided with a room for the building’s Caretaker and a complete line of amenities. A Perimeter Fence was added to define the limits of the property and provide a safe and secure environment to its would-be occupants.

The project was undertaken by the Alfa Company under 2LT JUN CARLET (CE) PA and completed on 01 Aug 2009, inspected by the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) Team of HPA and turned-over to COL ISAGANI YACO of the PA Housing Office on 14 Aug 2009. Then on simple but formal ceremonies, the ATF was inaugurated and blessed by MAJ JOSE VICENTE DE VERA IV (CHS) PA on 26 Aug 2009 with MGEN RUPERTO PABUSTAN AFP, Commander, 9th Infantry (SPEAR) Division and BGEN FELIZARDO A SIMOY AFP, Commander, 51st Engineer Brigade as Guests. The ceremony was also graced by Hon. Guillermo So, Municipal Mayor of Matnog, local Officials, PNP and Officers of the 9ID.

ATF-SORSOGON, know as “A Soldiers Home Away from Home”, is viewed by many not just as a piece of structure but a concrete symbol of the Philippine Army’s Leadership genuine gesture of taking care of the morale and welfare of his soldiers.