The Philippine Army joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in welcoming Gen. Andres C. Centino as the 59th AFP Chief of Staff in a Change of Command Ceremony at Tejeros Hall AFP Commissioned Officers Country, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on January 7, 2023.
Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin presided over the turnover of leadership to Gen. Centino from Lt. Gen. Vicente Bartolome O. Bacarro. The AFP top brass including Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, Jr., and other major service commanders graced the ceremony.
Gen. Centino, who earlier served as the 57th military chief from November 2021 to August 2022, pursued key four thrusts during his stint: operational efficiency, optimal use of resources, advancement of professionalism and meritocracy within the organization, and capability development. “As I take on the responsibility as Chief of Staff, I reiterate what I have focused on in the past to comply with the urgent tasks at hand. While significant gains have been achieved in our security campaigns, there remain critical tasks to be carried out that need to be fully complied. We must ensure that all our resources are employed to definitively address all the current and emerging threats,” General Centino said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Bacarro, who is set to retire from military service, laid out a five-pronged guidance that echoes the president and commander-in-chief’s call for unity during his five-month tour of duty as military chief. Lt. Gen. Bacarro pursued thrusts based on his guidance summarized in the acronym “UNITY”: unparalleled professionalization; noble utilization of resources; the invigoration of capability development; tenacity in sustaining operational gains; and yearning for service excellence.
Various Army units provided ceremonial honors during the AFP change of ceremony. The Saluting Battery of the Army Artillery Regiment rendered arrival and departure honors for the outgoing and incoming military chiefs while the Security and Escort Battalion joined the AFP Composite Honor Guard Battalion which rendered ceremonial honor guards for the activity.
Photos by Pfc Rodgen V. Quirante PA/ OACPA