HISTORY OF THE 8TH INFANTRY DIVISION
The 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPERS) Division, Philippine Army traces its roots from the 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE) of the Philippine Army which was organized pursuant to General Orders Nr 123, GHQ, AFP dated 26 May 1986.
The Brigade was first based in Brgy Santol, San Miguel, Leyte and its AOR covered the whole of Eastern Visayas of Region 8 composed of six (6) provinces, three (3) of which are in Samar Island, two (2) in Leyte and one (1) in Biliran Province.
The 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE), Philippine Army drew its personnel and equipage from the 3rd Infantry (SPEARHEAD) Division, Philippine Army. It was initially composed of two (2) Tactical Brigades, the 1/8 Infantry Brigade and the 2/5 Infantry Brigade with six (6) Battalions (19th, 20th, 34th, 43rd, 52nd and 56th).
With Samar Island as the center of gravity and for better command and control, the 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE) transferred its headquarters from Brgy Santol, San Miguel, Leyte to Camp Lukban, Maulong, Catbalogan, Samar on 17 October 1987.
Shortly after, the 56th Infantry Battalion was shipped to Metro Manila for retraining with the 14th Infantry Battalion as its replacement.
On August 1, 1988, the 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE), Philippine Army was posted as a regular Division pursuant to General Orders Nr 471, GHQ, AFP dated August 2, 1988.
During the first and second semesters of Calendar Year 1988, the 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPERS) Division, Philippine Army became the number one PA unit, P-wide. This was the result of the successful conduct of major operations within the region.
As a tribute to the remarkable achievements of the 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPERS) Division, Philippine Army, the "Reporter", a news magazine in Tacloban City in its December 1988 issue, chooses the officers and men of the 8th Infantry Division as Military Men of the Year 1988."
In grateful appreciation of these accomplishments, the people of Samar expressed their honest sentiments through a resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan held at the Capitol Session Hall of Catbalogan, Samar. The people of Samar have spoken that our Command is composed of disciplined, dedicated and efficient officers and men who are truly and religiously devoted in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities towards the fulfillment of its mission.
In 1992, 8ID declared a unilateral SOMO (suspension of offensive military operations) and launched the "UP-UP Samar Island" movement. This thrust had numerous programs that encouraged the remnants of the communist rebels to go down from the mountains and join the mainstream of the society. These programs were "The Journey to the Future", - a trip of Samareños residing in Manila or Balikbayans towards Borongan, Eastern Samar, the information caravan, athletic competitions, medical civic actions, healthy baby contests and socio-economic programs such as reforestration, hogs and poultry raising.
The Army in Region 8 gradually regained the people's faith, trust and confidence even as the CPP/NPA political infrastructures continued to suffer irreparable damages which setback their timetable for victory by about ten (10) years.
Camp Lukban was established on August 1, 1988 to serve as the headquarters of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army is a known officially as the Stormtroopers Division.
The 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Storm Trooper Division, is one of the Philippine Army's Infantry units in the Visayas and under the AFP Central Command, combating Local Communist Units, and terrorists.
For the period, the insurgency problem confronting the Island of Samar continues to decline due to the Command's massive sustained operations.
At present, the AOR of the 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPERS) Division, Philippine Army covers the whole of Eastern Visayas (Islands of Samar, Leyte and Biliran). It comprises of six (6) provinces, four (4) cities, one hundred thirty nine (139) municipalities and four thousand four hundred twenty one (4,421) barangays or 10% of the total barangays nation wide. It has a total registered population of 3.9 million as of 2000 census and a land area of 21,431.7 square kilometers which represents 7.2% of the country's total land area. The Regional Center is the City of Tacloban, around 107 kms south from this headquarters.
The 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPERS) Division has three (3) Tactical Brigades (801st Inf Bde, 802nd Inf Bde and 803rd Inf Bde) and nine (9) Infantry Battalions (14th IB, 19th IB, 20th IB, 34th IB, 43rd IB, 46th IB, 52nd IB, 62nd IB and 63rd IB) confronting the CPP/NPA within their respective AOR.
The 801st Infantry Brigade presently based in Camp Eugenio Daza, Brgy Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar covers the whole of Eastern Samar and southern parts of Samar from Hinabangan down to Marabut with 14th IB, 52nd IB, 82nd RC and 83rd RC as its maneuver units.
The 802nd Infantry Brigade based in Brgy Abuyugon, Burauen, Leyte covers the three (3) provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran with 43rd Infantry Battalion and 19th Infantry Battalion as its maneuver units.
The 803rd Infantry Brigade based in Camp Sumoroy, Catarman, Northern Samar covers the entire province of Northern Samar and northern parts of Samar from Paranas upward to Calbayog City with 34th Infantry Battalion, 63rd Infantry Battalion 81st Recon Company and 3rd Scout Ranger Company as its maneuver units.
46th Infantry Battalion was activated and refilled on April 01, 2003 pursuant to GO Nr 146, HPA dated 06 Mar 2003 and is operationally controlled by the Division Headquarters.
On June 28, 2003, 14th Infantry Battalion was pulled-out from Jolo, Sulu and redeployed to 8ID AOR to reinforce the thinly disperse forces in the region.
After eight (8) years of stint in Mindanao, 62nd Infantry Battalion arrived in 8ID AOR on August 16, 2003. Upon arrival, the battalion undergo one (1) month refresher training at Camp Daza, Bgy Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar. It will be placed OPCON to 801st Infantry Brigade upon completion of training.
As force multiplier, the Command is controlling 2,262 CAAs composed of 40 CAA companies deployed strategically in the AOR. Likewise, one (1) special CAA company is deployed in PASAR, Isabel, Southern Leyte.
To date, the 8th Infantry (STORM TROOPER) Division, Philippine Army remains till in promoting peace and order in the AOR. The collective achievements through the years have helped attain the increased level of security in the region. The Command had been successful in carrying out its assigned combat mission. It has shown persistence, flexibility and commitment in both counter insurgency operations and public service.
