CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed its new Secretary Joint Staff in a ceremony held on Friday, September 16.
Colonel Wilfredo B Manalang III PA(GSC) assumed his new position replacing Colonel Von Albert M Sumergido PA(GSC) during a Change of Chief of Office conducted at the Silid Lapu-Lapu, AFP General Headquarters Building.
The AFP Deputy Chief of Staff and concurrent Acting Vice Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Rommel Anthony SD Reyes PN presided over the ceremony.
During the event, Colonel Sumergido was recognized for his hard work and dedication as the outgoing Chief of the Office of the Secretary Joint Staff (OSJS). As SJS he instituted measures to ensure the timely processing of all communications that need the action of the AFP's top leadership. He also led the OSJS in satisfactorily providing the secretarial services and protocol requirements to the top-3 leaders of the AFP significantly contributing to the accomplishment of the AFP's mission.
Meanwhile, Colonel Manalang is a member of the Philippine Military “Kalasag-Lahi” Class of 1997. He previously held the position of Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff for Civil Military Operations, U7 of the AFP Southern Luzon Command.
In his speech, Col Manalang said he will be bringing with him more than twenty-one years of experience as a Staff Officer in both Administrative and Field Units.
“As I start this journey, I want to share my personal dictum of ‘Meeting People is a Privilege but Touching their Lives is an Opportunity’, and this is an opportunity I will not waste as the Office of the SJS will fully accomplish our function, ensure the welfare of its personnel, and achieve our responsibility to the GHQ and the people we serve,” he said.///(Photo by Sgt Joel Manzano PA/PAOAFP)
