Vice Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief of Staff, formally retired from the military Saturday after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Collado turned over his post as the AFP Vice Chief of Staff to Lt. Gen. Erickson Gloria, erstwhile commander of the Armed Forces Western Command, which oversees the military operations in the West Philippine Sea.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay presided over the virtual joint Change of Chief of Office and Retirement Ceremony at his quarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
"This time-honored military tradition of the formal passing of responsibility and accountability from one leadership to another is a testament of how the AFP values the importance of undertaking the continuity of command, and the necessity to adapt to change. Thus we remain adept and relevant in fulfilling our sworn mandate to the nation and the people," Gapay said.
Gapay noted that the dynamism in the military profession is important in carrying out its missions especially now that the AFP has been at the frontlines of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations to help those who were affected by recent calamities.
Gapay praised Collado, who assumed the position on June 20, 2019, in supervising the AFP-wide service support and separate units, as well as the different boards and organizations within the military.
During his stint as AFP Vice Chief of Staff, Collado worked on policy formulation, implementation, and oversight on the overall conduct of military operations to achieve the organization's operational effectiveness.
Collado, an accomplished Navy officer, also championed the attainment of organizational excellence related to the current reform initiatives under the AFP’s modernization program, transformation roadmap, and other development and reform efforts.
"As I culminate my career, I take pride in the thought that I have made my humble contributions in elevating the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the service that we have selflessly given to achieve its current stature," Collado said.
Collado, who retired after 38 years in the service, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986. He also served as the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff, commander of the Philippine Fleet, and Chief of Naval Staff.