Coast Guard announces new assignments of senior officers

Coast Guard Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, head of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), approved on Monday the changes in the assignments of several of its key officers. The reshuffling of the officers, approved by the PCG Board of Senior Officers, is part of the "rotation policy" for the officers’ career advancement, said Tamayo. Commodore Cecil Chen, present commander of the PCG Southern Tagalog and a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1982, will be assigned to the Central Eastern Visayas PCG base in Cebu, where he will serve as commander of the district coast guard. Commodore William Melad, a member of the PMA Class of 1983 and currently the commander of PCG District Western Visayas, will take over Chan’s old position. Meanwhile, Commodore Athelo Ybanez, from PCG Northern Luzon District and the PMA Class of 1985, will assume leadership of the Western Visayas district, based in Iloilo. The PCG Districts of Northern Luzon and Palawan will be headed by Captain Jorge Ursabia and Captain Rolando Legaspi, respectively. Commodore Elson Hermogino, member of the PMA class of 1985, has been appointed as the new District Commander of Northern Mindanao. Hermogino’s previous position as head of the PCG District Bicol will be filled by Captain Tranquilino Paiton. The reassignments will also affect Mindanao, said Tamayo. Commodore Ed Gongona from the PMA Class of 1982 is the incoming district commander of the PCG in Southeastern Mindanao. The position is currently occupied by Commodore Lino Dabi, a graduate of the World Maritime University in Sweden, who has been reassigned to the top position in the PCG’s Manila-based Marine Environmental Protection Command. The Cavite-based Maritime Safety Services Command, on the other hand, will be headed by Commodore Gilbert Rueras, a graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy in 1982. The Coast Guard Education and Training Command will also have a new commander, Commodore Joel Garcia, a Master Mariner of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1986. Captain Leo Laroya, from the PMMA Class of 1988, will take over the top position in the PCG Ready Force. At the headquarters of the PCG in Manila, Commander Jose Balbino Luspo will assume the post of Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Training, while Commander Daryl Vargas will be the head of the Ships and Aircraft Engineering Office. Meanwhile, Lt. Commander Weniel Azcuna will be the new Director of the Coast Guard Command Center. “The PCG is a dynamic and professional organization, and its officers and men are always ready for any changes in assignment which would promote better service for the maritime community and the country," Tamayo said. –VVP, GMANews.TV