CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City--General Romeo Brawner Jr, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP), urged newly promoted generals to honor the legacy of their predecessors in a donning of ranks ceremony 9 a.m. today here.
"We have been bestowed the honor and responsibility to ensure that the hard work and sacrifices of our predecessors are not forgotten," the CSAFP said to the newly promoted officers.
For several decades, the Philippines faced internal security threats, particularly from communist and separatist insurgencies. The Hukbalahap Rebellion (1940s-1950s) and later the New People's Army (NPA) insurgency, as well as the separatist groups in Mindanao, were among the main challenges. During this time, the AFP's primary role was to conduct internal security operations and many paid the ultimate sacrifice to counter these insurgencies and protect national stability.
In the past few years, with significant improvements in the internal security landscape especially with the cooperation of peace-inclined groups in Mindanao, the AFP seeks to shift its posture and strategies to territorial defense to line up with the changes in the security landscape, both regionally and globally. This involves a strategic reorientation of its forces, resource allocation, and training priorities.
Four senior officers of the Philippine Army were donned higher ranks on Tuesday, July 25, in the activity presided by the CSAFP.
BGen Noe Alberto Peñafiel, The Internal Auditor AFP, and BGen Freddie Dela Cruz, Commander of Special Operations Command AFP, were promoted to the rank of Major General.
Meanwhile, Col William Peñafiel Jr, Commander of the 902nd Infantry Brigade, and Col Nasser Lidasan, Assistant Division Commander of 6th Infantry Division, received their first star as they were promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.
The donning of ranks ceremony, held at the Balangiga Hall in the AFP General Headquarters here, is a time-honored tradition acknowledging meritocracy and the well-deserved ascend by military personnel in the leadership ladder.
"I am proud and honored to have pinned these stars to these four officers. Congratulations in this significant milestone in your military career. I urge you to continue to bring pride and honor to the organization through sustained hard work and dedication," General Brawner Jr added. (Photos by TSg Obinque/PAO, AFP)
