PH Navy promotes 3 senior officers

THREE SENIOR officers of the Philippine Navy (PN) have been promoted to the next higher rank.

In a donning ceremony at the PN headquarters at Naval Station Jose Andrada, Roxas Boulevard, Manila on Monday, Naval Forces Western Mindanao commander Commodore Toribio Adaci Jr. was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral or equivalent to Major General (two-star rank).

Meanwhile 2nd Marine Brigade commander Col. Arturo Rojas was promoted to Brigadier General while Navy Offshore Combat Force (OCF) head Capt. Joe Anthony Orbe was also promoted to the rank of Commodore or equivalent of a Brigadier General (one-star rank).

In a statement Tuesday, PN chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo lauded the newly-promoted officers for embodying “the vision, maturity, and professionalism needed for Senior Officers to help the Team Navy further propel to its desired end state -- a modern and multi-capable naval defense institution that is responsive to current and emerging security challenges of our maritime nation.”

“A star on your shoulder…means excellence is also highly expected of you as you are given more responsibilities that go with your rank," he added.

Adaci is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Makatao” Class of 1989 who has built a reputable and distinguished naval career specializing in naval operations, education and training, and personnel management and administration.

He was the former commander of the Naval Installation Command, the unit in charge of providing base and combat support services to Navy and AFP units located inside naval bases and stations all over the country.

Meanwhile, Rojas, a member of PMA “Bigkis-Lahi” Class of 1990, held various notable positions in the PN and the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), the most recent of which was the director of Center for Naval Leadership and Excellence, and 4th Marine Brigade commander in Sulu.

Orbe, an alumnus of the PMA “Tanglaw-Diwa” Class of 1992 previously served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Operations, deputy commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NSSC) wherein he assisted in the development and execution of the NSSC Capacity Building Strategy before his present designation as OCF commander.

The ceremonial donning of ranks serves to recognize the milestone in the career of these three senior officers achieved through hard work and sacrifice. (Priam Nepomuceno)