The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has welcomed the appointment of Col. Fatima Claire Navarro as the military's first ever female surgeon general after leading the V. Luna Medical Center's (VMLC) coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response.

Navarro's designation was approved by President Duterte last June 28 following the recommendation of AFP Chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana and the Board of Generals.

"The AFP congratulates Colonel Navarro as she assumes one of the most critical positions that will lead the military organization in the comprehensive delivery of health services to our soldiers and our people," Sobejana said.

Navarro took over as the 56th AFP Surgeon General in a ceremony held last Wednesday, June 30, at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. She replaced Col. Nelson Pecache, who retired from active duty after 30 years in the military service.

Navarro was designated as the deputy commander of the AFP Regional Task Force National Capital Region Comprehensive and Responsive Elements (RJTF NCR CARE) upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic early last year. She led the task force in providing operational support to the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19.

Prior to the designation, she was the chief of the V. Luna Medical Center where she led its facility expansion and comprehensive COVID-19 services (triage, testing, quarantine, isolation, intensive care unit treatment, and contact tracing) to make it a COVID-referral hospital for all AFP personnel and their families. She also served as chair of the Hospital Infection Control Committee from 2009-2020.

She also crafted policies and led the operationalization of isolation facilities at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, World Trade Center, Bagong Nayong Pilipino mega-isolation facility, and Enderun mega swabbing facility.

"I dream of an AFP health service that the soldiers can rely on, and that the Filipino people can continue to count on. An AFP health service that will save lives, heal wounds and continuously give hope," Navarro said.

As a resident in VLMC, she earned numerous awards within and outside the AFP circle. Most notable were the 1997 UST Medical Alumni Association “Young Researcher’s Award”, 1997 Philippine Medical Association 1st prize in Inter-hospital Research Contest, and 1998 Philippine Association of Military Surgeons (PAMS) Most Outstanding Resident for Research. In 2016, she was awarded the PAMS Award for Excellence.

Navarro will now take on the position of Special Medical Adviser of the Secretary of National Defense and of the AFP Chief of Staff on all medical and health matters affecting the military organization.

The Office of The Surgeon General is currently leading the AFP’s vaccination efforts and operations to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It exercises technical supervision over all Medical Treatment Facilities and other units of medical service in the AFP.

"With her outstanding track record in medical research and studies, I am confident that Colonel Navarro will continue to elevate the AFP’s ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of our members and our citizens against the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic," Sobejana said.