Air Force chief ready for ‘extraordinary’ turbulence

He’ll be piloting the Philippine Air Force (PAF) amid “extraordinary” challenges, but new Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina is ready to weather any turbulence.

In his speech during the command turnover ceremonies on Wednesday at the Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, Fallorina acknowledged he comes in at a time fraught with various security concerns and “enormous” tasks for the military, which includes international maritime disputes, the national elections in May, and even climate change.

Fallorina takes over from Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado, who retired Wednesday.

“The challenges are extraordinary because our security environment has unravelled in ways we never imagined before,” Fallorina said.

“Today we are seeing strange landscapes and activities probing and pressing on our sense of collective security,” Fallorina said, in an apparent reference to reclamation activities of China in the West Philippine Sea.

Fallorina  noted that the United Nation Arbitral Tribunal is expected to hand down its decision on the country’s case against China this year.

“Long used to divisions among the threat groups in our country, today we are seeing fusions and affiliations and the blurring of lines,” Fallorina said. “Long-equipped to serve our people in nontraditional ways, today we are confronted with the greater need to counter the impact of disasters and calamities.”

Aside from the upcoming elections, “This year holds the highest rounds in leadership transitions within and outside of our organization. This year likewise signals the redirection of our international defense and security engagements, and this year looks to further test our collective resolve to pursue our targets in internal peace and security,” Fallorina said.

Fallorina also said that the way of the Air Force ahead is fraught with many a threats, many other challenges and unexpected surprises.

Expressing his vision for the Air Force, Fallorina called for “solidarity with the Armed forces of the Philippines and in our developing capabilities… as altogether we face overwhelming odds this year.”

“In pursuit of peace, we must anticipate conflicts and always bear one thing in mind: the avoidance of any violation of human rights,” Fallorina said.