Army division based in CDO has new commander

Major General Michelle Anayron Jr., addresses troops of the Army 4th Infantry Division during the change of command ceremonies in Camp Evangelista, Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro City, Wednesday afternoon. Anayron has reached the mandatory retirement age of 57. —PHOTO BY 4ID PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Major General Michelle Anayron on Wednesday bowed out as commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, relinquishing his post to a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) classmate, after 38 years of service in the military.

Anayron formally turned over command to Brigadier General Siegfred Tubaldo, a classmate from the PMA “Tanglaw-Diwa” Class of 1992, during a ceremony held Wednesday afternoon at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Barangay Patag here, the division’s headquarters.

Army chief Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarrete thanked both officers for their leadership, cohesion, and service in promoting professionalism within the 7,000-strong division.

The 4th Infantry Division covers Northern Mindanao and the Caraga regions, areas with a significant presence of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The change of command came weeks before Anayron, a native of Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental, reached the mandatory retirement age of 57 on May 20, 2026.

“Mitch, you retire with our profound respect and gratitude. Your legacy will endure in the systems you built, the leaders you mentored, and the soldiers you inspired,” Nafarrete said in his farewell message to Anayron.

For his final act of command, Anayron, accompanied by his wife, Lenlen, and their three children, led the farewell review of troops aboard two command jeeps—a first in the division’s history.

“I would not have survived my Army life without the support of my wife and children. They were my pillars,” Anayron said.

His successor, Tubaldo, previously served as commander of the Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade based in Bukidnon. /cb