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Performing While Transforming: A Paradigm Shift
LTC RANDY F FAJILAGUTAN GSC (CE) PA
Considered as the “Working Horse” of the Brigade Headquarters, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHCo) has a multi-role, day-in and day-out in undertaking its assigned task. Officers and enlisted personnel including civilian employees had their respective task and duties to perform which undeniably contributed a lot to the overall accomplishment of the Brigade mission.
From camp security to maintenance of order and discipline, from designation of CDO/OD and guard detail, from maintenance of cleanliness to garbage disposal, from fatigue duties to office works, and from flag raising to flag retreat, these are just the routine but hectic activities the men and women of HHCo have to familiarize and automatically perform with. How about the prosecution of several R&U projects of the command, the repair and maintenance of facilities and office equipment of the brigade, the special duties and missions, the under-instructions to VIP’s and the likes as against limited manpower and resources? It takes not only dedication and enthusiasm but a lot of guts and courage for an officer regardless of rank, to be assigned as Commanding Officer of HHCo or Headquarters Commandant as the Brigade Commander himself called that “position of greater responsibility” to put everything in Camp Atienza in order. Most often than not, officers who were designated as Headquarters Commandant had failed to deliver the goods as expected of them by the Brigade Commander, for whatever reasons they maybe which probably known only to them until they were relieved or just faded away.
With the peculiar role of HHCo, the Headquarters Commandant should possess a decisive trait that could unite and bind the unit into one common band or band of brothers - properly guided with clear vision and principled wisdom to ensure the accomplishment of its multifarious task with ease and pressure-free. Believing on the thoughts “Performing while Transforming: A Paradigm Shift”, the HHCo thru the Headquarters Commandant, has transformed from a “Traditional unit with reactionary attitude” into a “Performing unit with proactive attitude”. “A paradigm shift occurred in small, incremental stages and this in itself was a positive development (Col Santillan, 26 March 2010).” These thoughts from a man of integrity and a distinguished officer was one of the guiding principles adopted since the author was assigned and designated as the Brigade Provost Marshal as well Acting Commanding Officer of HHCo, 51EBde, PA on 01 May 2010.
Thus, for just over two (2) months the “barometer of accomplishments” speaks for itself; at the core of these is - Instilling of order and discipline coupled with responsibility among personnel of the brigade headquarters, Organized Parking of Vehicles and Systematized Garbage Disposal; Construction of Pergola; Repair of Brigade Grandstand; Construction of the Shower Rooms and Comfort Rooms at the Cantonment Area for Candidate Soldiers; Construction of Concertina Perimeter Fence at the back of Motorpool area; and the Construction of the Door Canopy at Sarge Café and Enlisted Women Barracks; as well as the Clearing of the Garbage Area; Trimming of Trees around the Camp; and Gardening at the River banks. Significant of these accomplishments however, is the Construction of the Covered Court. Likewise, the HHCo had able to procure sets of basic Carpentry and Masonry Tools, Electrical and Plumbing Tools, including a complete set of Car Wash Equipment as well as basic Mechanical Tools at the Motorpool. Indeed “the performance of our soldiers reflects the performance of our unit (BGen Simoy, 28 June 2010)”.