The Philippine Army installed an officer-in-charge for the Reserve Command, Philippine Army (RCPA) in a Change of Command Ceremony presided by the Commanding General, Philippine Army (CGPA) Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., at Camp Riego de Dios, Tanza, Cavite on November 5, 2022.
Col. Samuel B. Manzano, assumed as the officer-in-charge, succeeding Maj. Gen. Fernando V. Felipe who bowed out of service on November 5, 2022, after more than 34 years of military service.
Col. Manzano served as the Deputy Commander of RCPA prior to his assumption as the officer-in-charge. He also served as Deputy Regiment Commander of the Light Reaction Regiment and Commander of the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion of the First Scout Ranger Regiment for nearly two years. Col. Manzano was commissioned in 1993 through Republic Act 2334. He holds a Master in Public Management from Development Academy of the Philippines and finished the National Security Studies Program of the National Defense College of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Felipe turned over his stewardship of RCPA as he bowed out from the military service. Maj. Gen. Felipe held various key positions such as the Commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Munitions Control Center; Chief of the Office of Ethical Standards and Public Accountability, AFP Procurement Service; Commanding Officer of the 4th Forward Service Support Unit, Army Support Command; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics of the 2nd Infantry Division.
The Army Chief lauded Maj. Gen. Felipe’s accomplishments before retiring from the service, “To the outgoing commander of the Reserve Command, Philippine Army, I commend you for your diligence and relentless effort in steering the unit towards success. You have brought pride and honor not only to the Reserve Command and the Philippine Army but to the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
“Maj. Gen. Felipe implemented values initiatives that contributed to the overall success of the unit. He spearheaded various programs such as Usapang Reservist, Ang Pagpupugay sa Watawat ng Pilipinas, and Balitang Kadete. Also, through the leadership of Maj. Gen. Felipe and our Regional Community Defense Group commanders, we were able to consolidate our reservists and function as early responders during calamities. Aside from focusing on humanitarian assistance and disaster-response (HADR) operations, our Reserve Command has always been active in training our reservists and our ROTC cadets,” Lt. Gen. Brawner added.
Moreover, the Army Chief also expressed his hopes to the new leadership, “To Col. Manzano, as you take over the Reserve Command in an acting capacity, I am certain that you will bring forth your competence in pursuing the best interest of this unit. I expect that you will continue to uphold the legacy of your predecessors and be assured that the Philippine Army is committed in supporting your endeavors and providing you the necessary resources,” Lt. Gen. Brawner told Col. Manzano during his keynote address.
Photos: Pfc Rodgen Quirante, Philippine Army