GENERAL VICENTE LUKBAN, Catbalogan City -- Regional Director Lord Byron P. Torrecarion of the Office of Civil Defense - Regional Office 8 expressed appreciation to some 148 candidate soldiers for accepting the challenge of soldiery as he graced the opening ceremony of the Candidate Soldier Course Class 677-2021 at the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) Parade Grounds on July 27.

A total of 148 applicants composed of 135 from the regular quota, two special enlisted privates of the Division, and 11 from the 53rd Engineering Brigade took their oath as candidate soldiers.

“Before you go through the months of hard training, some of you will work harder than you ever did in your life, some of you will shed more sweat than what is humanly possible, some may even question what they have gotten themselves into. In those times of doubt, dig deep; remember that if you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather the courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality. Because it does not matter how many times you got knocked down, all that matters is you get up each time you fall,” Torrecarion said.

The class educational profile consists of 95 college graduates, 38 college undergraduates, one (1) vocational graduate, and 14 senior high school graduates.

Most of the applicants came from the Eastern Visayas region, 101 from Samar Island, 28 from Leyte, 13 from Cebu, three (3) from Biliran, one each from Negros Occidental, Bohol, and Taytay, Rizal. (8ID)