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38th Infantry Battalion (CAFGU)
"We Clear"

The 38th Infantry Battalion (CAFGU), "We Clear," mission is to organize, train, equip and provide administrative supervision and control to CAA units within the 602nd infantry brigade aor in order to provide operationally effective caa's in supporet to maneuver battalion in the area of operation.

The 38th Infantry Battalion traces its lineage the 3rd Infantry Division and General Orders Number 343, Headquarters, Philippine Army, dated 17 February 1975. On 22 August 1975 when the unit, under the operational control of the 3rd Infantry Division arrived at Polloc Port, Parang, Maguindanao. The unit was initially based in Maganoy, Maguindanao and was the given the massive task of the pacification campaign in Central Mindanao. Its AOR consisted of the municipalities of Maguindanao and some parts of Sultan Kudarat province. Soon after arriving the unit experienced fierce gun battles with the enemy in the mountains of Reina Regente and the sorrounding Liguasan marsh.

On 10 June 1976, the Battalion headquarters was transferred to Pagatin, Datu Piang, Maguindanao. There the headquarters remained for more than 10 years and witnessed the eventual decline of the Muslim seccessionist movement.

In July 1986 the unit's headquarters again moved to Brgy Dukay, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, to counter the escalating threat there and to provide better control and supervision over its field units. Its AOR subsequently included parts of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato Province. In 1987 the AOR was realigned to include include parts of Cotabato Province. Here the Battalion launched several major operations in the municipalities of M'lang and Tulunan.

In response to increased fighting with the MILF and MNLF in Maguindanao in early 1988 the unit relinquished operational jurisdiction over M'lang and Tulunan in Cotabato in order to shift its forces. On 1 December 1988, Lebak and Kalamansig was included in the new Battalion AOR. As a result, the Battalion moved A Company's command post from Pimbalayan, Mariano Marcos, Sultan Kudarat to Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

In July 1990, as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Lambat Bitag campaign, the unit began conducting Special Operation Team (SOT) operations, organized and trained outreach program volunteers (OPV's) and Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVO). The unit also conducted the Armys Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) classes in the remote and depressed sitios and brgys in the AOR to cater to the needs of our less fortunate and illiterate members of the cultural/tribal community. The unit recieved several awards between 1990 and 1994 for its Civil-Military operations work. The unit's active participation in the pacification campaign in Central Mindanao resulted in numerous awards and decorations as well.

In 1995, the unit was transferred from Marguez, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat to Taviran, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao as part of a realignment of the 6th Infantry Division's AOR. The unit participated during 1995 in security for national elections in Maguindanao. Rampant kidnapping and other criminality in Cotabato City paved the way for its inclusion in the unit's AOR. B Company was moved from North Upi to Esteros, Cotabato City in May 1995.

On 04 april 2000, due to the realignment of troops within 6id aor the unit again transferred from brgy taviran, dos, maguindanao to brgy salunayan, midsayap, cotabato and covers the six(6) municipalities of north cotabato namely; midsayap, aleosan, libungan, alamada , banisilan and pigcawayan all of north cotabato province. The unit also takes control of fifteen (15) regular cafgu companies of alamada, banisilan, libungan, midsayap, pigcawayan and aleosan all of north cotabato province as multiplier of the regular troops assigned in the area.