Malacañang on Monday, Feb. 28, confirmed the appointment of Vice Admiral Artemio M. Abu as the new commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
In a statement, Cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said President Duterte signed Abu's appointment as the 29th PCG chief also on Monday.
"We are confident that CG Vice Admiral Abu will steer the PCG to greater heights in the performance of its mandate towards maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, marine environmental protection and maritime safety and security," he added.
Prior to the appointment, Abu served as the commander of the Maritime Safety Services Command (MSSC) and the Task Force Commander of the PCG's "Task Force Kaligtasan sa Karagatan" which ensures the effective enforcement of laws and regulations relevant to the promotion of safety of life and property at sea within the Philippine maritime jurisdiction.
According to the PCG, he was also a commander of the PCG District Southern Visayas, PCG District Southern Tagalog, and the Coast Guard Education, Training, and Doctrine Command (CGETDC).
In addition, Abu was assigned as the Commanding Officer of various PCG ships where he earned the most coveted “Command at Sea” badge.
"All units that CG Vice Admiral Abu commanded, both ashore and afloat, received the distinction as 'Best Unit of the Year' at the national level," the PCG said.
"CG Vice Admiral Abu was recognized as a Distinguished Cavalier Awardee for 2021 in the field of Coast Guard operation. The said award is the highest recognition given to PMA alumni for their outstanding achievements in the field of government service," it added.