3ID’s former spox earns ‘star,’ leads biggest Army engineering brigade

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

The former spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has finally earned his “star.”

Promoted to Brigadier General was Colonel Lyndon Sollesta, who now leads the Philippine Army’s 51st Engineering Brigade based in Camp General Rigoberto Atienza in Libis, Quezon City.

Aside from serving as the face and voice of the of 3ID, Sollesta used to be the chief of the 3rd Civil Military Operations Unit from 2002 until 2006.

Just like most, if not all, officers in the armed service, the promotion was a concrete manifestation of the hard work and commitment he invested in his career.

Sollesta, who hails from La Paz, Iloilo City, now commands six Engineer Construction Battalions, an Engineer Combat Battalion, and a Reinforced Engineer Support Company covering the entire Luzon.

His brigade supports the Army in combat engineer missions, construction engineering, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.

At present, the brigade is heavily-engaged in supporting the company commanders in the implementation of Executive No. 70 (Institutionalizing the Whole-Of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating A National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of A National Peace Framework).

The brigade is also active in the construction of anti-COVID support facilities for the Inter-Agency Task Force in Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEIF), Emergency Quarantine Facilities (EQF), and various support roles in the enforcement of IATF health protocols, particularly in the National Capital Region.

“We live in danger, but we will work with extreme caution,” Sollesta said relative to their roles amid the pandemic.

“The fear that COVID brought us shall not dampen our spirit to serve nor overpower our sense of duty,” he added.

In these trying times, Sollesta said this is when the Filipino people they are sworn to serve and protect need them the most.

“This is the time that we must and we shall accomplish our mission. This is the time to rally all our strength so that we can contributed to the Army’s vision,” said.

 

TRUE-BLOODED ILONGGO

Sollesta traces his roots to Guimaras province and New Lucena, Iloilo.

He finished his elementary education at the Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School and secondary school at the Iloilo School of Arts and Trade (now the ISAT University).

He finished his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City in 1986z

He completed his military education from the AFP Officers Candidate School.

His entire career summed up, Sollesta said he’s a warrior, a builder, a United Nations Peacekeeper, and an engineer.