Valencia is PH Navy’s acting chief

FILE PHOTO: Philippine Navy guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151). Philippine Daily Inquirer/Niño Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — Rear Admiral Caesar Valencia is the acting Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) of the Philippine Navy following the retirement of  Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado.

The Navy said in a statement Friday that Department of National Defense officer-in-charge and Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. presided over the change of command and retirement ceremonies at the Navy headquarters in Manila on Thursday.

Faustino had also given his marching orders for Valencia to “lead the Navy as a reliable partner in nation-building, sustain its transformation into a modern and multi-capable force, a dependable protector not only of our seas but also of our nation’s future,” according to the statement.

Rear Admiral Caesar Valencia. Photo from PH Navy’s FB Page

Valencia, for his part, said he envisions the Navy to be modern and multi-capable by 2028.

“[T]he Navy’s promise to our maritime nation is that your Navy can still be better and that your Navy will be better. Although much has been achieved over the years, the Navy’s proudest moments are still to come,” he added.

Valencia, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy’s Class of 1990, will be the acting chief of the Navy pending the appointment of a full-fledged FOIC by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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KGA