The 15th Infantry Division (Ready Reserve), Philippine Army, known as the Defender & Builder Division, is one of the
Reserve Command's ready reserve
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
divisions.
The unit specializes in
Urban Warfare
Urban warfare is warfare in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both Military operation, operational and the Military tactics, tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the p ...
,
Urban Search and Rescue
Urban search and rescue (abbreviated as USAR or US&R) is a type of technical rescue operation that involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in an urban area, namely structural collapse due to natu ...
,
Humanitarian Assistance
Humanitarian assistance is aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity during and after man-made crises and disasters. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including providing food, water, shelter, ...
and
Disaster Relief
Emergency management (also Disaster management) is a science and a system charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actu ...
, and
Civil-Military Operations
Civil-military operations or CMO are activities of a military force to minimize civil interference on and maximize civil support for military operations. CMO is conducted in conjunction with combat operations during wartime and becomes a centr ...
. It operates in the
National Capital Region.
History

The
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...
felt the need to re-organize its reserve units in the
National Capital Region (NCR) when the 9th Infantry Division (Ready Reserve) was deactivated and the newly created regular infantry division (
9ID) took its numerical designation.
The
Commission on Appointments
The Commission on Appointments (, abbreviated as CA) is a constitutional body which confirms or rejects certain political appointments made by the President of the Philippines. The current commission was created by the 1987 Constitution.
Whil ...
, confirmed the promotion of Colonel Javier Jr to brigadier general on 21 September 2012.
On 3 December 2012, Colonel Javier Jr was sworn in as a brigadier general by President
Benigno S. Aquino III, together with other newly promoted generals of the AFP at the Rizal Hall of
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace (, ), officially known as Malacañán Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila district of San Miguel, Manila, San Miguel, along Jose Laurel S ...
.
The division, since its activation, has performed countless
Civil-Military Operations
Civil-military operations or CMO are activities of a military force to minimize civil interference on and maximize civil support for military operations. CMO is conducted in conjunction with combat operations during wartime and becomes a centr ...
,
Search and Rescue Operations and directly assist then
AFP National Capital Regional Command
AFP most often refers to:
* Agence France-Presse, an international news agency
* Australian Federal Police
AFP or afp may also refer to:
Media
*Advertiser-funded programming, a television funding model
*American Family Publishers, a magazine sub ...
and now the
AFP Joint Task Force-National Capital Region
AFP most often refers to:
* Agence France-Presse, an international news agency
* Australian Federal Police
AFP or afp may also refer to:
Media
* Advertiser-funded programming, a television funding model
* American Family Publishers, a magazine ...
in fulfilling its mandate of ensuring peace and order within the National Capital Region.
Mission
* Base for expansion of the Regular Force in the event of war, invasion or rebellion within its AOP.
* Assist the Government in Relief and Rescue Operations in the event of Calamities or Disasters.
* Assist the Government in Socio-economic development and environmental concerns.
* Assist in the operation and maintenance of essential government and private utilities (e.g. power, telecommunications, water).
Vision
A well disciplined, organized, trained and
non-partisan
Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias.
While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...
citizen army
A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or serve ...
, able to augment the
regular force
In the Canadian Armed Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Primary Reserve which has more flexibility. There are many bases and wings across Canada, and factors like trade, caree ...
and respond to national disasters and threats to
national security
National security, or national defence (national defense in American English), is the security and Defence (military), defence of a sovereign state, including its Citizenship, citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of ...
, during peacetime,
war
War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
or
rebellion
Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
mandated to perform tasks of
Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW).
Lineage of Commanding Officers
*

COL RAFAEL M ALUNAN III (RES) PA (during operational term as 9th Infantry Division) (2002 – 10 Jul 06)
[http://fsgo.ph/about-fsgo/fsgo-members/alunan-rafael-iii/ SOI of COL RAFAEL ALUNAN III (RES) PA]
*
BGEN MARCELO B JAVIER JR (RES) AFP – (10 Jul 06 – PRESENT)
Organization
The following are the Base/Brigade units that are under the 15th Infantry Division (RR).
Base Units
* Headquarters & Headquarters Service Battalion (HHSBn)
*

Service Support Battalion (SSBn)
*

Military Police Company (MP Coy)
* Engineering Combat Battalion (ECBn)
*
Reconnaissance Battalion (Recon Bn)
*

Military Intelligence Battalion (MIBn)
*
Search and Rescue Unit (SARU)
*

Mechanized Infantry Battalion (MBn) (Proposed)
Line Units
*
1501st Infantry Brigade (Ready Reserve)
*
1502nd Infantry Brigade (Ready Reserve)
*
1503rd Infantry Brigade (Ready Reserve)
*
1504th Infantry Brigade (Ready Reserve)
*
1505th Infantry Brigade (Ready Reserve)
Trainings
The following are division-level special trainings undertaken by the unit soldiers:
* Basic Citizen Military Training
* Military Orientation Training
* Pre-Deployment Training
* Disaster Emergency Assistance and Rescue Training
* High Angle Rescue Training
* Mountain Search and Rescue Training
* Water Search and Rescue Training
* Urban Search and Rescue Training
* Civil Military Operations Orientation Training
* Special Forces Operations Orientation Training
* Field Artillery Orientation Training
* Combat Engineering Orientation Training
* Small Unit Tactics Training
* VIP Security Training
* Motorcycle Unit Training
* Combat Lifesaver Training
* Reservist Intelligence Collection Training
* Military Intelligence and Security Training
* Counterintelligence Refresher Course
* Military Intelligence Agent Training
* Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance Agent cross-trained with Counter Improvised Explosive Device
Training is supervised and course-directed by reserve officers who are occupational specialty qualified, former active duty members, and already incorporated in the ready reserve force.
Unit soldiers also undertake regular courses from the
AFP and regular
Army TRADOC and special schools. There are reservists who are already authorized to don infantry, ordnance, civil military operations, psychological operations and airborne badges. The unit reservists also undertake specialized trainings from other government agencies.
Many unit officers and personnel have already served the fixed two-year called-to-active-duty tour in the regular force. As a modern reserve force, many possess advanced degrees, technical and professional certifications that fill skill gaps in the regular force. Most of the officers and personnel are also employed in local government administration and private and government security services. Reservists of the unit are considered excellent force multipliers in internal security and external defense operations.
Operations
* Various Civil-Military Operations
* Various Internal Security Intelligence and Counterintelligence Operations
* Various National-level Disaster Field Demonstrations and Exercises
* Various Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Operations
* Rescue and Relief Operations TS Ondoy & Pepeng (September – October 2010)
* Rescue and Relief Operations TS Sendong (October 2011)
* Rescue and Relief Operations West Monsoon HABAGAT (August 2012)
* Intelligence Support for Counter Narcotics Operations in various cities of Metro Manila
* Rescue and Relief Operations
Super Typhoon Yolanda
Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was an extremely powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that is among the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. Upon making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions ...
(November 2013)
* Rescue and Relief Operations (
TF Glenda) (16 Jul 14 – 17 Jul 14)
* Rescue and Relief Operations (
TF Mario) (19 Sep 14 – 21 Sep 14)
Awards and decorations
Campaign streamers
Badges
Gallery
File:1502IBDE Commander and staff.jpg, LTC HERBERT M BAUTISTA MNSA (GSC) RES PA together with LTC SAL G DUMABOK MNSA (RES) GSC PA, and then TSg Virgilio S Ferrer II (Res) PA inspect the troops prior to deployment for Rehabilitation Operations on areas affected by TS Ketsana.
File:QC Task Force CASPER 2009.jpg, TSg Virgilio S Ferrer II (Res) PA; 20IB(RR) Sergeant Major, briefs the personnel assigned for deployment during Security Operations at Holy Cross Memorial Park, Quezon City (Undas 2009).
File:QC Task Force Casper 2010.jpg, Reservists from the HHC, 1502IBDE(RR) and 201IB(RR) staffed the Tactical Command Post at the Holy Cross Memorial Park in San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City during (Undas 2010) Security Operations.
File:QC Army Reserve - MEDCAP 2010.jpg, Reservists provide security and assist medical personnel during the conduct of Medical and Dental Civic-Action Program (MEDCAP) at Bgy Nagkaisang Nayon, QC.
File:Clean-Up Drive (CMO) Bgy Old Capitol Site.jpg, Army Reservists from the 201IB(RR) conduct Clean-up Drive (CMO) at Bgy Old Capitol Site, QC.
File:SAR Operations Bagong Silangan QC.jpg, QC Reservists conduct rescue operations at Bgy Bagong Silangan, QC during the height of torrential rains brought by Southwest Monsoon in June 2011.
File:Awarding of Certificates for completion of Pre-deployment Seminar.jpg, QC Reservists receive their certificates from COL Danilo P Gomez QMS (GSC) PA; 1302CDC Commanding Officer.
File:CPT Mendoza awarded the MMM.jpg, Newly promoted CPT ROMEO C MENDOZA (RES) PA is awarded by BGEN MARCELO B JAVIER JR (RES) AFP; commanding general.15th Infantry Division, ARESCOM with the Military Merit Medal for his contributions to TF Maring.
File:CDC Commander thanks troops.jpg, Maj Guillermo "Butch" T Mabute (INF) PA; commanding officer, 1302CDC, NCRRCDG congratulates the awardees and thanks TF Maring for a job well done.
File:Donning of LTC Mary Ruby M Palma.jpg, Dr Mary Ruby M Palma of the Quezon City, Gender and Development Resource and Coordinating Office is donned with rank of lieutenant colonel in the reserve force, Philippine Army.
File:Donning of Maj Virgilio S Ferrer II.jpg, UP Village Bgy Captain and Lawyer Virgilio S Ferrer II is promoted to the rank of major in the reserve force, Philippine Army.
File:Deputy J9 and 15ID Div Commander inspects QC DRRM Units.jpg, Deputy J9, Commodore George F Cataneo AFP and 15ID(RR) Commander, Brigadier General Marcelo B Javier Jr (RES) AFP inspects the DRRM Units of Quezon City.
References
;Citations
;Bibliography
* The Public Affairs Office, ''Philippine Army: The first 100 years'', 1998, Philippine Army.
* HPA GO Nr 290 dtd 16 June 2006.
* HARESCOM GO Nr 233 dtd 20 July 2006.
* The Training Committee, ''Basic Citizens Military Training Manual'', 2009, HARESCOM.
{{DEFAULTSORT:15th Infantry Division (Philippines)
Infantry divisions of the Philippines
Military units and formations established in 2006
Reserve and Auxiliary Units of the Philippine Military