Gapay bids goodbye to troops in nostalgic visit to Eastern Mindanao Command

PAYING HOMAGE TO TROOPS. AFP Chief of Staff General Gibert Gapay visits Eastmincom at Camp Panacan in Davao City before his upcoming retirement on Feb. 4 this year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO (from Eastmincom)

DAVAO CITY–Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay lauded the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) for emerging as top performer among unified commands as he bade goodbye to troopers on his way to retirement in February, a military statement said.

Gapay on Monday (Jan. 18) bade goodbye to troopers at Camp Panacan here, where he used to serve as Eastmincom deputy commander and commander of the Joint Task Force Haribon before taking over as 54th AFP chief in 2020, Maj. Alex Mindalarno, Eastmincom public information office chief, said in a statement.

He said Gapay described his Camp Panacan visit as “nostalgic and meaningful,” recalling his experience in the military service as he spoke during a ceremony dubbed “Talk to the Troops.”

Gapay, who was welcomed by EastminCom commander Lt. Gen Jose C. Faustino Jr., also thanked troopers for all the support he got throughout his stint as AFP chief, the Eastmincom statement said.

Gapay took over the top AFP post on Aug. 3, 2020 to replace Gen. Felimon Santos Jr.

Gapay would bow out of service on Feb. 4, ending more than 30 years of military service, the Eastmincom statement said.

Before becoming AFP chief, Gapay also served as commanding general of the Philippine Army, head of the Southern Luzon Command and head of the Mechanized Infantry Division.

TSB