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34th Infantry Battalion
"Reliable"

The 34th Infantry Battalion was activated in February 1974, with the nucleus of its personnel and equipment being drawn from the 1st Infantry Division. The unit initially had a total strength of the 34 Officers, 142 enlisted personnel and 420 trainees, who subsequently underwent 4 months of training. A few months later, in October 1974, the troops left Fort Magsaysay. They arrived at their first destination, Lamitan, Basilan, on 8 October 1974. There they relieved the 23rd Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. The Battalion recieved its baptism by fire when B Company, stationed at Campo Tres, was harassed and subjected to automatic fire by undetermined number of enemy.

Following the methodology of the Campaign set by the AFP, the 34th Infantry Battalion carried a 2 fold strategy of combat operations and civil assistance operations. This proved to be very effective because in just period on one year the whole municipality of Lamitan was rehabilitated. A total of approximately 256 kilometers of agricultural land was reclaimed from the hands of the rebels, including: barrio Lahi-lahi, Singkapan, Tablas, Bato-bato, Buton and Dugaa. Barangays schools were reopened and temporary school buildings were constructed and regular transports were restored.

Pursuant to section III General Orders Number 138, Headquarters, 8th Infantry Division, dated 1 February 1976, Lt Colonel Alberto Lucero was designated Commanding Officer in an acting capacity until 1 May 1976. The assumption of the Command of Lt Colonel Lucero carried with it the extension of the area of responsibility of the unit to include the whole town of Tuburan, an area of 265 square kilometers. Also under his direction, the unit organized a Reinforced Composite Company to clear suspected enemy positions in some critical area of the AOR.

In the succeeding months of Cease Fire accord from February to November 1976, the unit busied itself in civic action with the end view of winning the hearts and mind of the people. The Battalion was credited with the construction of infrastructure project during the initial stage of the regular operation of the Municipality of Lamitan.

On 15 November 1976, after 2 years in Basilan, the unit was redeployed to Jolo for major operations with units of 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. After arriving at the Jolo wharf aboard LST 95, the Battalion immediately proceeded to Brgy Tugas, Patikul, Sulu. On 17 November 1976, the Battalion received OPLAN "Kris." The Battalions first encounter was in vicinity Kandiamak on 28 November 1976, when a single rebel was neutralized and their weapon recovered. The fiercest encounter of the 34th Infantry Battalion against was at Luba Hill, where an estimated 70-80 rebels were neutralized.

On 7 December 1976, the 34th Infantry Battalion relieved the 3rd Infantry Battalion in place at Taglabi, Patikul, Sulu. Taglibi became the unit's station from 7 December 1976 to 19 March 1978. With the cessation of hostilities from 20 January 1977 to 9 October 1977, the unit focused on civic action, in coordination with provincial and national agencies.

From 1 November 1977 to March 1978, 34th Infantry Battalion particiapted in 27 encounters against the enemy in the vicinity of Luba Hill, Bakung and Kaunayan complex all of Patikul, Sulu. On 19 March 1978, after one year and 4 months in Jolo the unit moved to Basilan to rejoin 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. On its way to its former AOR, it met stiff resistance at Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan. There it fought a fierce gun battle the lasted for 3 days (28-30 March 1978). The unit inflicted heavy casualty on the enemy side. In May 1978, the unit spearheaded other Battalions of 2/1st Brigade for the successful rescue of the 53 passengers of the ill-fated M/V Don Carlos, held hostage at Taburan, Basilan.

On 21 July 1978, the 34th Infantry Battalion was transferred to Isabela with the Municipalities of Maluso and Lantawan all of Basilan province as its area of responsibility. There it participated in civic actions and with other units of 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in clearing operations in the entire province. On 17 November 1978, after 8 months of successful operations in Basilan, the unit was directed to move again to Jolo. Before departing it conducted police operations at the municipalities of Indanan, Parang and Talipao, and all of Sulu Province.

On 1 March 1980, 34th Infantry Battalion was relieved from its assignment to the 1st Infantry Division and reassigned to 5th Infantry Brigade (Separate). For a period of almost 8 months, the Battalion conducted a series of offensive operations augmenting other neighboring units in restoring peace and order. Deployed to Mindanao, the unit remained there for just over 6. On 16 November 1980, this unit was transferred back to Luzon.

On 18 December 1986, the unit established its Battalion Headquarters in Borongan, Eastern Samar relieving in place the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Brigade (Separate). In 1988, the Headquarters was transferred from Borongan to Lokilokon, Wright, Samar relieving in place the 14th Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Brigade (Separate). On 13 September 1988, after over 8 of counter-insurgency operations in the Province of Samar and Eastern Samar, 34th Infantry Battalion left for Leyte Island. There it was placed under the operational control of 803rd Infantry Brigade and established its temporary headquarters at Anahawan, Southern Leyte on September 1988.

On 9 January 1989, the Battalion acted as a mobile force and moved its Headquarters to Malinao, Mahaplag, Leyte and then to Brgy Patong, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte on 6 May 1989. On 28 July 1989, after 11 months in the provinces of Leyte and Southern Leyte, the 34th Infantry Battalion was redeployed to Samar island and placed under the operational control of 802nd Infantry Brigade. After one week being colocated with the Headquarters, 802nd Infantry Brigade, the Battalion moved to Eastern Samar and established its Headquarters at Brgy Buenavista, Quinapondan, Eastern Samar. On 15 Oct 1989, the Battalion (less one rifle company) was redeployed to San Jose de Buan and the barangays of Paranas, Motiong and Jiabong, all in Western Samar. This was due to noted RGU concentration in the tri-boundary area of Western Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar provinces. The Battalion was deployed into areas of enemy activity with its Headquarters located in Brgy Caranas, Motiong, Samar. On 21 December 1989, the unit established its headquarters in Calapi, Motiong, Samar.

On 8 August 1991, the Battalion moved its Headquarters by foot from Brgy Calapi, Motiong, Samar to Brgy Trinidad, Calbayog City relieving in place the 62nd Infantry Battalion and subsequently taking responsibility of an AOR consisting of the City of Calbayog and 6 municipalities: Tarangnan, Pagsanjan, San Jorge, Gandara, Santa Margarita and Matuguinao, with a total of 366 Barangays. Following the changes of AOR, the unit has embarked on a massive operation as a prelude to the intensification of Special Operations Team concept of operations as envisioned in AFP Campaign Plan "Lambat Bitag." The operations resulted in the neutralization of 9 rebels and the recovery of weapons.

The unit launched a series of SOT operations targeting all affected Barangays in the AOR during the end of 1991 and into 1992. By the middle of 1992, the unit had cleared 30 affected Barangays in the AOR. The result was the voluntary surrender and neutralization of over 2,000 rebels. In 1993, the unit continued this trend, with the neutralization of another 75 rebels and the recovery of weapons, equipment, and documents.

The scheduled turn-over of counter-insurgency functions from the AFP to the Philippine National Police in 1997, as envisioned by Executive Order 216, brought considerable pressure on the Battalion to fast track its counter insurgency campaign. The unit was able to clear the remaining 23 Barangays in the AOR, neutralizing some 2,236 rebels and activist/supporters/sympathizers and recovering weapons and documents. In support to the government's OPLAN "Paglalansag," the unit was able to recover weapons previously dispersed to a Civilian Volunteer Organization Complementing these efforts were a number of combat and effectively police operations resulting in the freeing of kidnapped persons, neutralization of rebels, recovery of stolen money, weapons, and documents. In combat, the unit had participated in numerous combat operations and encounters initiated they had initiated. The unit also conducted several of its own in its efforts to neutralize the remaining rebels in the AOR. These combat operations resulted to the neutralization of 13 high-ranking rebels and the recovery of weapons and documents.

On 9 January 1997 the unit transferred its headquarters from Barangay Trinidad, Calbayog City to Barangay Erenas, San Jorge, Samar. The unit underwent the retraining conducted by the 2nd Infantry Battalion from 20 October to 19 June 1998 and CAA refresher training from 4 November to 2 December 1998. After the retraining the unit was immediately plunged into action following the initiation of the AFP's Operation Kaisaganaan (LO 142-92). The unit concentrated on CMO and combat operations supported by intelligence operation by utilizing one company as a strike force serving at the same time as Disaster Response Unit (DRU) and 2 rifle companies as territorial defense in charge of CMO and intelligence. This strategy provided the unit flexibility in addressing a highly mobile enemy by deploying troops anywhere in the AOR, whenever the need arose.

On 01 November 1998, the one of the 34th Infantry Battalion's companies was reassigned to 63rd Infantry Battalion, a newly activated Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division. This loss in manpower was replaced by 65 personnel drawn from other units in the 8th Infantry Division. Unfazed by this massive change in the organization, the unit, nevertheless, aggressively pursued its mission participating in 19 operations directed by higher headquarters and 29 Battalion initiated operations. It also conducted 51 company-sized operations, including civic action and other operations. Duringt this period the unit was also able to improve its facilities including the construction of an additional enlisted barracks, construction of a basketball court, improvement of the motor pool, and construction of an ammo dump.

In 2000 a series of seminars and trainings were conducted for the officers and men of the Battalion. There was also a review of the Lambat Bitag OPLAN, leading to the development of Operation Uproot the Weeds. The plan was focus on the deliberate and systematic conduct of triad operations making san Jose de Buan as the constriction area for a series of MSOTs. ALPS and ACORD operations were then conducted in specifically targeted enemy influenced Barangays. With the government's all out campaign against the secessionist movement in Mindanao, the troops of the 63rd Infantry Battalion needed to be redeployed in April 2000, leading to the 34th Infantry Battalion taking over Calbayog City from the 63rd Infantry Battalion. It was this time that a realignment of line companies was also carried out.

With the new concept of the Headquarters of moving the troops nearer to the enemy, the battalion command post was then established at Barangay Blanca Aurora, San Jorge, Samar on the 24 August 2001. By 2002 the unit was conducting sustained internal security operations in the central portion of Western Samar to neutralize whole elements of rebel infrastructure in the area.