President Duterte has approved the promotion of the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard and also gave the green light for the promotion of two other officers.
From Vice Admiral, Duterte promoted Leopoldo V. Laroya to Admiral effective Nov. 5.
He also signed the promotion of two Coast Guard Captains to higher ranks, as Commodore, and these are CG Captain Ramon S. Lopez and CG Captain Joeven L. Fabul.
Their respective promotions as Coast Guard officers were upon the recommendations of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade last Oct. 15.
Last Monday, Tugade announced that appointment of Ursabia as Undersecretary of the DOTr for maritime affairs during the formal inauguration of the new coast guard Western Visayas Headquarters in Iloilo City.
Laroya, who is from Quezon City, started his military career in 1983 when he entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and graduated as a member of the “Maringal” Class of 1988.
His post-graduate studies at the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden earned him a degree of Masters in Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection back in 2000.
Prior to his appointment as the 28th PCG Commandant, Laroya held different important positions, including Deputy Commandant for Operations, Commander of the Maritime Safety Services Command, Coast Guard Education, Training and Doctrine Command, and Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command.
Laroya also served as District Commander of PCG Districts in Western Visayas, Northwestern Luzon, Southwestern Mindanao, NCR-Central Luzon, and in the Bicol region.
As an official of the Coast Guard, Laroya earned the coveted Command at Sea badge as he commanded two flagship Coast Guard search and rescue vessels (SARV) namely: BRP Batangas (SARV-004) and BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV-3502).
He also received the award of Coast Guard Legion of Honor, Bronze Cross Medal, Outstanding Achievement Medals, Superior Achievement Medals, Coast Guard SAR Medals and Military Merit Medals.