Gen. Andres Centino, the outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, has started visiting military camps around the country to bid adieu as he is set to relinquish his post on Monday next week, August 8.
Centino, an appointee of former President Duterte, will be replaced by Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vincent Bacarro, who was picked by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to be the 58th AFP Chief.
Centino was accorded a battalion-sized arrival honors and a gun salute when he visited the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) headquarters at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City on Thursday, August 4.
During his talk to the troops, Centino attributed much of his ascent to the top AFP post to the 4ID.
Most of his significant command positions were spent with 4ID starting as a battalion commander of 26th Infantry Battalion based in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, and chief of staff of 4ID.
He also commanded the 401st Infantry Brigade covering Agusan del Sur until he was elevated as the commander of the 4ID in 2020.
Centino also visited the Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila on August 4 where he was received by Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia, the Navy's Vice Commander.
Together with select Joint Staff, General Centino talked and bid farewell to the personnel of the Philippine Navy present aboard Naval Station Jose Andrada and those attending via video teleconferencing (VTC) comprising of PN and Philippine Marine Corps units deployed nationwide.
Centino expressed his gratitude and extolled the Philippine Navy for “being a professional and disciplined organization.”
Inspired to visit far-flung detachments to be with troops on the ground during his stint as the AFP Chief, General Centino was happy to note that he was able to visit Sailors and Marines stationed on islands far from the mainland, and on ships deployed in operational areas.
The AFP Chief also took positive note of the PN's modernization, comparing the time when they were still cadets with today's developments, highlighting the PN's participation in this year's Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) in Hawaii.
Centino also visited the home of the 66th Infantry Battalion, his first unit as a platoon leader from 1988 to 1991, in New Bataan, Davao de Oro last August 3.