AFP Northern Luzon Command

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Northern Luzon Command


caption= Coat of Arms of the AFP Northern Luzon Command
dates= April 01, 1987 - Present
country= flagicon|Philippines Philippines
allegiance=
branch=
type=
role= Conventional and Unconventional Warfare, Anti-Guerrilla Operations
size=
command_structure= Under the Armed Forces of the Philippines
current_commander= MGen Isagani C Cachuela
garrison= Camp Servillano Aquino, Tarlac City, Tarlac
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= "NoLCom"
patron=
motto= "Pride of the North"
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and local criminal elements
notable_commanders= LGen Rodrigo F Maclang, BGen Bayani N Fabic AFP, MGen Romulo F Yap AFP, MGen Edgardo T Batenga AFP, LGen Rodolfo C Garcia, LGen Romeo B Dominguez AFP, LGen Romeo P Tolentino AFP
anniversaries=April 01
decorations=
battle_honours=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Patch
identification_symbol=Northern Luzon Command EmblemThe Northern Luzon Command, known officially as the NolCom, is one of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Wide Support Commands Combating Terrorism and Insurgency in Northern Luzon.

History

On 01 October 1972 the Northeast Command (NOREASCOM) was formally organized and activated pursuant to General Headquarters AFP Letter of Instruction 5/72 with specific instructions to provide military control and security to the following Areas of Operation: Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora.

General Headquarters AFP Letter of Instruction 2/81 was later on issued expanding NOREASCOM current AOR by integrating Regional Command 1 under its wing and redesignating it as Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

Another LOI was issued on 01 April 1984, GHQ LOI 1/84, formally renaming NORTHCOM to Regional Unified Command 2 (RUC-2) with Areas in control comprising the provinces of Region 2 (Kalinga Apayao and Mountain Province).

Finally on 01 April 1987, the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) was formally organized and activated as a unified command pursuant to LOI 3/87 covering Regions 1 & 2, pursuant to GHQ LOI 03/87. Their first headquarters was located at Camp Melchor F Dela Cruz, Echague, in the province of Isabela.

On 29 March 1988 NOLCOM was re-structured and activated as an area command covering Northern and Central Luzon. Its headquarters was transferred to its present site here in Camp Servillano Aquino, Tarlac City, in the province of Tarlac.

01 April 2002, NOLCOM was temporarily deactivated and subsequently activated as a unified command pursuant to Sec Nat'l Defense memo to Chief of Staff AFP dated 12 April 2002.

The camp (Camp Servillano Aquino) was donated to the Philippine Commonwealth Government by the Compania Heneral Tabacos de Filipinas on 13 May 1987 as part of the Philippines' organization of its own National Defense (Commonwealth Act No.1).

Mission

Their mission is to conduct sustained Internal Security Operations (ISO) in Northern Luzon to neutralize the Communist-Terrorist Movement (CTM) and reduce their operational capabilities. One of their missions is to support local Law Enforcement as well as the Philippine National Police in containing the NPA while supporting the peace process; and destroy the JI network operating in their AOR. This is needed to establish a secured entry point to mainland Luzon from the North and maintain a physically & psychologically sound environment conducive to growth and development in this northernmost part of the island.

Lineage of Commanding Officers

* BGen Bayani N Fabic AFP - (29 Mar 88 - 10 Jul 89)
* BGen Orlando Q Antonio AFP - (10 Jul 89 - 29 Mar 90)
* BGen Gumersindo T Yap AFP (29 Mar 90 - 27 Dec 90)
* BGen Ernesto B Calupig AFP (27 Dec 90 - 17 Jun 92)
* MGen Romulo F Yap AFP (17 Jun 92 - 26 Aug 93)
* MGen Orlando V Soriano AFP (26 Aug 93 - 16 Apr 94)
* MGen Edgardo T Batenga AFP (16 Apr 94 - 07 Apr 95)
* MGen Oswaldo P Villanueva AFP (22 Jul 95 - 09 Jan 97)
* MGen Ismael Z Villareal AFP (22 Jan 97 - 01 Oct 97)
* MGen Rene S Dado AFP (01 Oct 97 - 19 Feb 99)
* MGen Rolando C Bautista AFP (19 Feb 99 - 30 Oct 99)
* MGen Arturo B Carrillo AFP (30 Oct 99 - 28 Mar 01)
* LGen Rodolfo C Garcia AFP (28 Mar 01 - 05 Feb 03)
* LGen Romeo B Dominguez AFP (05 Feb 03 - 16 Aug 05)
* LGen Romeo P Tolentino AFP (16 Aug 05 - 21 Jul 06)
* LGen Bonifacio B Ramos AFP (21 Jul 06 - 16 Aug 07)
* LGen Rodrigo F Maclang AFP (16 Aug 10- Present)

Units

The following are the units that are under the Northern Luzon Command.
* 5th Infantry (Star) Division, PA
* 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, PA
* 1st Tactical Operations Wing, PAF
* Naval Forces Northern Luzon, PN

Operations

* Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's Army * Anti-terrorist operations against known terror groups operating in their AOR.

Trivia

* BGen Bayani N Fabic AFP is now serving as the Senate's Sergeant at Arms.
* LGen Rodolfo Garcia became AFP Deputy Chief of Staff, and then later on became AFP Vice Chief of Staff.

References

* [http://www.afp.mil.ph/Nolcom/Index.htm Official Site of the AFP NoLCom]