The Philippine Air Force (PAF) formally installed Maj. Gen. Stephen Parreno as its 39th Commanding General on Tuesday, Dec. 20, in a ceremony held at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Parreno replaced Lt. Gen. Connor Anthony Canlas Sr. who bowed out of the service after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 years old for military personnel prior to the effectivity of the new tenure law, Republic Act 11709.
Parreno, who will serve for a three-year term, is a highly-skilled pilot.
He was greatly involved in the air mobility efforts of the PAF during the 2017 Marawi siege where he has flown as a flight commander of C-130 flights, according to PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
Parreno graduated salutatorian from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sambisig” Class of 1991 where he was also the lone “Starman,” a term which refers to a highly distinguished cadet for both academics and conduct.
He is also a member of the PAF Flying School Class of 1993 where he graduated Top 3 that earned him the Chief of Staff saber award. He is also one of the very few PAF officers who completed the Spanish General Staff Course Curso de Estado Mayor in Madrid, Spain.
Dreams
In his assumption speech, Parreno could not help but look back from his ordeals as he said he never expected to take the leadership of the PAF because it was only a dream for him to be a pilot.
“This moment, this place where I am standing right now used to be an unreachable summit. As a boy, I have never imagined that this day will come,” said Parreno, whose father was a farmer and his mother, a teacher.
“Growing up, I had to contend with difficult circumstances and the opportunities were few. But I found my hope in the skies, looking up in the horizon, dreaming of becoming a pilot one day,” he said.
Parreno eventually secured scholarships which enabled him to pursue his education and propelled him to the journey towards attaining his wings after finishing his studies at the PMA.
Before becoming the PAF chief, Parreno served in multiple key posts in the Air Force including as its acting vice commander; chief of air staff; inspector general; deputy commander of Air Logistics Command; deputy commander of Air Mobility Command; and wing commander of the 220th Airlift Wing.
He also became the chief of Air Force Management and Financial Office, group commander of Tactical Operations Group 3, and group commander of Air Force Special Services Group.
“I pledge to do all that I can the best of my ability, the best leadership, direction and example that I can muster. By this you can expect that I will be an authentic leader,” he said.
He said he will be a “genuine, balanced, self-aware and transparent leader and manager,” adding that excellence will be his personal standard while ethical behavior and core values will be at the anchor of his leadership philosophy.
“I will center my leadership around appropriate conduct of work through respect for ethics, spirituality and our treasured core values, as well as the rights and dignity of others. Lastly, I will lead by example,” he promised.
'Agile, dependable air force'
Meanwhile, Canlas, a member of the “Makatao” Class of 1989 where he graduated as a cum laude and Top 5, capped off a 33-year military career with his service marked by making the Air Force a more “agile and dependable” organization.
During his tenure, Canlas honed his leadership style through the PAF command framework: “LIPAD PAF.”
This refers to his areas of focus: “Leadership and management; Infrastructure and bases; People capability and well-being; Air assets and prime equipment; and Doctrines and policies for Performing, Advancing, and Fostering.”
As CGPAF, Canlas established international relations with allied nations such as Japan which led to the conduct of bilateral trainings like Doshin-Bayanihan; Korea which led to the first ever airshow of the famed Korean Air Force Black Eagles in the Philippines; and Australia which enabled the PAF to participate in Pitch Black exercise.
The PAF also acquired several assets during his term including four units of T-129 ATAK helicopters, two C-295 medium lift aircraft, and two sets of Ground-Based Air Defense System (GBADS).