In a very rare occasion, Gen. Andres Centino officially assumed post on Saturday, Jan. 7, as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the second time in his military career. Based on records from the AFP, no other officer has been bestowed the same privilege since the organization's establishment in 1935.
Centino took the helm as the 59th AFP Chief of Staff in a Change of Command Ceremony held at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, replacing Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro. The ceremony was presided by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. He took his oath before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, Jan. 6.
Centino, an appointee of former president Rodrigo Duterte, had served as the 57th AFP Chief of Staff from November 2021 to August 2022.
On Aug. 8, 2022, then newly proclaimed Marcos named Bacarro – a Medal of Valor awardee – as Centino’s successor, serving as the 58th AFP chief under the new administration. He was supposed to serve for a three-year term under Republic Act No. 11709, the first officer to do so because of the new law.
But nearly five months later, Centino is back in a familiar territory after Marcos decided to change guards again. Centino, 55, is set for retirement on February 4 but RA 11709 qualified him for a fresh three-year term.
Aside from being AFP Chief, Centino had also served as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army in 2021, and as commander of the 4th Infantry Division from 2020 to early 2021.
Both Centino and Bacarro are “mistah” or classmates at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Maringal” Class of 1988.
Call for unity
It was not clear why Marcos replaced Bacarro. But the military officer thanked Marcos “for the trust and confidence that he has accorded me to lead the AFP.”
“To my fellow soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors; to everyone who continue to trust and support me, thank you very much. It is my fervent wish that I can repay in whatever way I can the support that you have given me,” Bacarro said. Under his term, Bacarro advocated for a five-pronged thrust in the AFP which he dubbed "UNITY." This refers to unparalleled professionalism, noble utilization of resources, invigorating capability development, tenacity in sustaining gains, and yearning for service excellence.
Meanwhile, in his assumption speech, Centino appealed to members of the AFP to unite as he addressed the repercussions of the newly enacted law, the RA 11709.
The RA 11709, which took effect in July 2022, seeks to establish a fixed tour-of-duty for senior officers of the military. It aims to end the practice of “revolving door” or the quick entry and exit of AFP chiefs supposedly due to political patronage.
But this very same law caused anxiety among generals in the AFP who worry about their future within the organization since a longer tour-of-duty means fewer officials to hold a certain senior military post.
Centino emphasized that the law "was passed for the betterment of the armed forces’ future.”
“It aims to provide for the selection of the most competent, the most capable, and the most deserving leaders. As we strive to put this law into effect, we as an organization, cannot afford to remain or to be divided and squabbling on how its interpretation stands to benefit one over the other, and lose focus on what is best for the armed forces as a whole,” he said.
He said that in order to fully implement the law, the AFP “needs strong and determined leaders” who are “capable of steering the organization in the direction of stabilizing unity and ushering in a truly modern and professional armed forces.”
Same plans
Centino said that he will bring back his plans and programs for the AFP when he first served as the AFP Chief.
During his stint, he implemented four major thrusts in the AFP: operational efficiency, optimal use of resources, advancement of professionalism and meritocracy within the organization, and capability development.
“I reiterate what I have focused on in the past, to comply the urgent task at hand. While significant gains have been achieved in our security campaigns, there remain critical task to be carried out that needs to be fully complied,” Centino said.
“Ladies and gentlemen, soldiers of the AFP, this is General Andres Castor Centino, your Chief of Staff once again, ready to lead,” he concluded.