Fourteen generals, flag officers, and senior reservists of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) rose through the ranks after being promoted for their excellence, hard work, professionalism, and commitment to service.
AFP Chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr. donned the new ranks to four officers from the Philippine Army (PA), three from the Philippine Air Force (PAF), five from the Philippine Navy (PN), and two other senior officers in a ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The officers were led by Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida, who was also installed as the new AFP deputy chief of staff in the same ceremony.
He replaced another promotee, AFP inspector general Lt. Gen. Augustine Malinit, who served as the AFP deputy chief of staff in an acting capacity.
"I am confident that Lt. Gen. Larida will leverage his extensive experience to propel the AFP towards greater achievement. Your appointment reflects your outstanding record of service, strategic mindset, and the confidence placed in you by the entire Armed Forces," Brawner said.
Prior to the assumption, Larida served as the AFP’s deputy chief of staff for operations, J3. He also previously commanded the AFP's Joint Task Force National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) and held key positions such as the deputy commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade.
Larida, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sambisig” Class of 1991, holds a Master’s Degree in Military Studies from the U.S. Marine Corps University in Virginia, USA.
Meanwhile, promoted Army officers were Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Barandon, commander of the newly activated Armed Forces Intelligence Command (AIC); Maj. Gen. Rommel Cordova, deputy chief of staff for Plans, J5; Brig. Gen. Constancio Espina, commander of AFP’s Communications, Electronics, and Information System Service (CEISSAFP); and Brig. Gen. Gerard Velez, commander of the Civil-Military Affairs Brigade, AFP Reserve Command.
Aside from Malinit, other promoted Air Force officers also included Brig. Gen. Paulo Teodoro, assistant superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA); and Brig. Gen. Joseph Archog, assistant deputy chief of staff for plans, AJ5.
Apart from Larida, other promoted officers in the Navy and Marines were Maj. Gen. Simplitus Adecer, deputy commander of AIC; Maj. Gen. Ivan DR Papera, chief of AFP Systems Engineering and Modernization Office (AFPSEMO); Rear Adm. Felipe Bautista, deputy chief of staff for C4ISTAR, J6; and Commodore Alex Gianan, assistant deputy chief of staff for financial management, AJ10.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Jonna Dalaguit, chief of AFP Medical Center, and Brig. Gen. Raul Tangco, 2nd Technical Administrative Service Brigade of the AFP Reserve Command were also promoted.
According to Brawner, the pinning of new ranks to the newly-promoted officers “underscores the AFP’s ongoing efforts to reinforce its leadership structure, ensuring the nation's security and defense.”