The TaRSIER 117 Philippine Army Affiliated Reserve Unit (PAARU) Signal Company is the best in the entire Philippines, another feat of what is reputed as an icon of Bohol emergency response. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conferred the honor highlighting the 35th National Reservist Week Celebration at the Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City this afternoon The Tarsier 117 award as the “AFP Affiliated Reserve Unit of the Year 2014” was given by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio PioCatapang, Jr., himself recently admired worldwide for his crucial “tactical emergency command” that led the Filipino UN peacekeepers to their “Great Escape” in war-torn Syria.
Department of National Defense (DND) Usec. NatalioEncarna III handed in the ceremony the award to Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, who serves as the commander of the 702nd TaRSIER 117 PAARU Signal Company.

The affiliation title officially bears “702nd” since the company is under the 702nd Community Defense Center, which commanding officer is Lt. Col. Leandro Ayop with Lt. Allan Dador as center mentor.  The award was given for TaRSIER and Bohol Army Reserve Command's coordination and performance in disaster response and community outreach programs, among other excellent acts, with the full support of the province under Gov. Edgar Chatto. Chatto and then AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa had inked an agreement establishing and recognizing the TaRSIER 117 as an affiliated reserve unit.  The agreement was also signed by Brig. Gen. Alex Albano, commander of the Army Reserve Command, and Damalerio who is also the operations manager of TaRSIER 117. Prior to it, and by authority of the Office of the President and on order of the DND Secretary, the AFP issued a general order affiliating the TaRSIER 117. 

Republic Act 7077 provides for the development, administration, organization, training, maintenance and utilization of the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines. Created by the provincial government under Chatto, the TaRSIER means Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response. TaRSIER's creation to respond to emergencies is pursuant to the mandate, plans and programs of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC). On his weekly live broadcast update to his constituency yesterday, Mayor John Geesnell Yap II again hailed the TaRSIER 117, citing gratefully that about 80% of its responses involve emergencies within Tagbilaran City. In receiving the award, Damalerio shared the honor to all officers and members of the affiliated TaRSIER organization, saying it motivates more to act unselfishly for not less than life itself. (VenreboArigo)