The 9th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Spear Division, is 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 ...

's primary

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 ...

unit assigned to combat communist insurgency in the

Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...

History

The 9th Infantry Brigade (S) PA was activated on August 15, 2002, pursuant to General Orders nr 456 HPA dated September 2, 2002. On same order, 901st and 902nd Infantry Brigades were activated, with the personnel and equipment of the unfilled 202nd and 203rd Infantry Brigades, 2ID, respectively serving as their nucleus. Moreover, 2nd IB, 22nd IB and 42nd IB were reassigned from 2ID to the 9th Brigade (Sep) to constitute as the initial organic Battalions of the Bde (Sep) while 31st IB and two (2) Batteries of 4FAB and two (2) Companies of LABde were also placed under OPCON of the Brigade (Sep). On January 12, 2004, the 9th Infantry Division (Provisional) was activated pursuant to GO Nr 56, HPA dated January 26, 2004. It was then under the Command of MAJ GENERAL JOHN D BOLHAYON AFP who can be credited as the 1st Commanding General of the Division (Provisional). It was during his time that initial measures were made to establish the Division Headquarters at Camp Elias Angeles at Brgy. San Jose,

Pili, Camarines Sur Pili, officially the Municipality of Pili (, Rinconada Bikol: Banwaan ''ka Pili'', ) is a municipality and capital of the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 99,196 people. The town is ...

. However, initial developments and camp structures, which were newly constructed, were heavily damaged and flattened by three (3) successive strong typhoons that struck the Bicol Region, namely: YOYONG, WINNIE, and KIKAY in November 2004. On October 1, 2004, the 9th Infantry Division (P), was made a regular Infantry Division, PA pursuant to GO Nr 517, HPA dated October 6, 2004.

Mission

Their mission is to conduct sustained Internal Security Operations (ISO) in the

, excluding

Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; ), is an island Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provi ...

(8ID), to neutralize the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) and the armed wing of the

Communist Party of the Philippines The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP; ) is a far-left, Marxist–Leninist–Maoist revolutionary organization and communist party in the Philippines, formed by Jose Maria Sison on 26 December 1968. The CPP has been fighting a gue ...

(CPP), the

New Peoples Army The New People's Army (; abbreviation, abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the pre ...

(NPA) in order to create a physically and psychologically sound environment conducive for development and commerce of the Bicol Region.

Current units

The following are the Brigades that are under the 9th Infantry Division: * 901st Infantry "Fight 'Em" Brigade * 902nd Infantry "Fight and Serve" Brigade * 903rd Infantry "Patriot" Brigade The following are the Battalions that are under the 9th Infantry Division: * 2nd Infantry "Second to None" Battalion * 83rd Infantry "Matikas" Battalion * 42nd Infantry "Tagapagtanggol" Battalion * 49th Infantry "Good Samaritans" Battalion * 9th Infantry "Sandigan" Battalion * 31st Infantry "Charge" Battalion * 22nd Infantry "Valor" Battalion * 65th Infantry "Stalwart" Battalion

Operations

* Anti-guerrilla operations against the

New People's Army The New People's Army (; abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeo ...

. * Anti-terrorist operations against local terrorists operating in their AOR.

References

External links

Official Site of the PA 9ID.
* http://www.spear9id.com/ {{DEFAULTSORT:9th Infantry (Spear) Division Infantry divisions of the Philippines Military units and formations established in 2004