43rd Infantry Battalion
"We Search / Searcher"
The 43rd Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army traces its origins to the central plain of Luzon where it started as 2 rifle companies. It was later organized as provisional battalion on 16 December 1976 and was made a component of the 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division, Philippine Army located then at Fort Bonifacio, Palayan City. The provisinoal battalion was later inactivated.
The 43rd Infantry Battalion was officially activated on 20 March 1997 pursuit to General Orders number 77 Headquarters Philippine Army dated 19 March 1977, a time when peace and order situation in Mindanao was at its worst. It was then deployed in Mindanao on 21 September 1977 to test its fighting capability. It carried the motto of "We Search" purposely as its primary mission was to track and destroy lawless elements creating violence in that part of the country.
True to its maxim, the unit proved its dexterity in security operations in all places of assignments in its pacification campaign from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao particularly in the fight against lawlessness in the hinterlands of Zamboanga, Davao Del Sur, Zulo, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. The unit won numerous battles against the insurgents with minimal casualties. Its deployment in Mindanao greatly contributed in turning the tide of security threat posed by the insurgents escalated attempts to control certain areas which in effect brought forth favorable changes due to much improved peace and order condition in the area.
On 16 August 1980, the battalion was relieved from 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army and was placed under the operational control of the 5th Infantry Brigade (Separate) pursuant to Section 1, General Order Number 294, Headquarters Philippine Army dated 13 August 1980. After the height of insurgency campaign, the Battalion was transferred to Camp Servillano, Aquino, Tarlac for refit. The Battalion subsequently underwent retraining on 24 August 1981.
After successfully hurdling the rigors of training on 17 January 1982, the 43rd Infantry Battalion once again fresh and ready for another mission. It was sent to Eastern Visayas to quell the fast growing Communist insurgency in that part of the country. The unit established its headquarters at Mahaplag, Leyte on 23 January 1982.
On June 1986, the Battalion was relieved from 5th Infantry Brigade (Separate) and subsequently was ssigned with 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army pursuant to General Orders Number 126 Headquarters Philippine Army dated 27 May 1986. From then on, the unit controlled the most part of the province of Leyte.
In February 1990 the presence of the unit was needed in the enemy infested areas of Samar. It was at that point that the unit transferred to Eastern Samar on 2 March 1990 and established its headquarters at Brgy Buenavista, Quinapundan, Eastern Samar. On 1 April 1993, the unit was again ordered to undergo retaining at Camp Eugenio Daza, Brgy Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar. After completion of its training program on 26 June 1993, the unit deployed in Western Samar and established its headquarters in at a number of locations. First the unit established a temporary command post at Brgy Parasanon, Pinabacdao, then at Brgy Old San Agustin, Basey, and in June 1995 the Battalion was again relocated to a more strategic location at Brgy San Eduardo, Santa Rita, Samar.
On 20 May 1998, the Battalion was relieved from the operational control of the 803rd Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Division and subsequently planced under the operational control of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Division effective same date pursuant to General Order number 345 Headquarters 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army dated 3 June 1998. On 14 June 1999, the 802nd Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Division issued OPLAN "Pagababgo 08-99" realigning its forces under its AOR in Samar and redeploying another battalion in Leyte as its additional AOR. On 17 June 1999, the 43rd Infantry Battalion moved its forces to Leyte with a temporary tactical Command Post at Brgy Malinao, Mahaplag, Leyte. The unit subsequently moved to Brgy Hibod-Hibod, Sogod, Southern Leyte in July 1999, with the whole island of Leyte and Biliranas as its AOR.
On 24 January 2000, 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army issued an OPLAN "Jaguar" relieving the 43rd Infantry Battalion from the operational control of the 802nd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division effective 1 February 2000 and subsequently placed the unit under the operational control of Task force Leyte (TFL), 8th Infantry Division effective same date pursuant to General Order, Number 14, Headquarters 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army dated 24 February 2000. The unit retained the same area of responsibility. Upon the deactivation of Task Force Leyte on 16 August 2001, the unit was again placed under Operational Control of 802nd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division effective same date pursuant to Section 2 General Orders Number 381, Headquarters, 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army dated 29 August 2001.
On 10 March 2002, the 802nd Brigade issued an OPLAN, "Baguhin," and realigned the 2 Battalions under its operational control, the 19th and 43rd Infantry Battalions, within the Brigade's AOR. Under the OPLAN the unit's new AOR covered the whole province of Southern Leyte and 8 southern municipalities of Leyte to effectively operationalized the one-on-one concept of the Brigade OPLAN "Weakest Link."
As of 2008, the unit's AOR covered the whole province of Southern Leyte and 12 municipalities of Leyte. The unit itself was organized with 3 Rifle Companies, which were strategically deployed in the area, 1 Service Company and 1 Combat Support Unit, the 1st Section, 2nd Platoon, 8th Light Armored Company. The Battalion Command Post was located at Brgy Hibod-Hibod, Sogod, Southern Leyte. Co-located with the Headquarters were the HHSC and B Company. A Company was located at Brgy Capudlosan, Hindang, Leyte; and C Company at Brgy Polahongon, Mahaplag, Leyte augmented by the Combat Support Unit 1st Section, 2nd Platoon, 8th Light Armored Company.
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