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Lt. Gen. Oban assumes post as 42nd AFP chief of staff
UPDATED 11:30 a.m. - Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. formally assumed the post of chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III announced Oban’s appointment on Sunday. Oban, the 42nd chief of staff of the AFP, took over the AFP from Gen. Ricardo David Jr. at turnover rites in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday. Aquino presided over the turnover of the military leadership saber from David to Oban. Oban is the third AFP chief to come from the Air Force since 1996. Most of the previous chiefs of staff came from the Army or from the major area commands such as the Southern Command (now divided into the Western Mindanao Command and the Eastern Mindanao Command). Oban faces the challenge of boosting the morale of soldiers in the wake of scandals on alleged "pabaon" (send-off money) and "pasalubong" (welcome money) involving some ranking military officials. The new AFP chief of staff read his assumption order before his personal flag was raised at about 10:34 a.m., moments after David's personal flag was lowered at 10:30 a.m.
Fight against corruption In his acceptance remarks, Oban said, "It is with this sense of history that I assume with great pride and with even greater humility the position of the 42nd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces." "I bring into this office my eternal gratitude to our Commander-in-Chief President Benigno Aquino III and (Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin) for the collective trust and confidence and making me a key player in the crusade for good governance," said Oban, a member of Philippine Military Academy Matatag Class 1979. He also exhorted the AFP to work in "winning the peace," saying that like David against Goliath, the task is not too big to overcome but a target that is too big to miss. "Winning the peace gives us a target too big to miss. Let us buckle down to work and let us do it right now," he said. He said he will do his part to make the AFP not only a protector of the people but also a showcase of clean and honest administration. "Mahal na Pangulo, kasama ninyo po kami sa pagtahak ng matuwid na daan (Dear President, we are with you in treading the straight path)," he said. Oban said he will lead the AFP by sustaining the reform initiatives laid down by those who came before him, most particularly his predecessor David. Oban said he will implement fully the recommendations of the 2005 Feliciano Commission to address corruption in the military, "so the vestiges of the past will not reappear to be as if they are of the present." "We shall have nothing to fear if we have nothing to hide," Oban said. Oban said the basic tenets of his leadership will be: (1) reforming the AFP; (2) strengthening the procurement process, and (3) continuing the AFP's upgrading and modernization. Accountability Oban pledged to ensure accountability of every resource manager in the AFP. He also vowed to computerize the procurement system, so that every transcation can be fully documented. Likewise, he pledged reforms in the government's procurement act to allow new systems where transactions leave indelible credit trails. Oban promised "to safeguard funds from all sources including that of Balikatan and the United Nations and especially those coming from our taxes, the blood and sweat of our people and i shall hold myself accountable for their proper and effective utilziation." "We shall strengthen institutional checks and balances between program directors and program administrators, between budget officers and procurement officers and undertake unannounced audits more frequently," he said. "I pledge to strengthen enforcement and prosecution of those who are not willing to work on these same pledge," he added. Oban also promised to undertake unannounced audits more frequently. "I pledge to strengthen enforcement and prosecution of those not willing to work on this same pledge," he said. Institute reforms Earlier, Malacañang said Aquino has given Oban marching orders to coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management to institute reforms in the military. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary Ramon Carandang said the Palace expects Oban to make a difference even if he has only nine months in office. "A determined Chief of Staff, with the support of the DND and Malacañang, I think can still move forward on the meaningful reforms in a span of eight to nine months," Carandang said on government radio Sunday. - VVP, GMA News
Fight against corruption In his acceptance remarks, Oban said, "It is with this sense of history that I assume with great pride and with even greater humility the position of the 42nd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces." "I bring into this office my eternal gratitude to our Commander-in-Chief President Benigno Aquino III and (Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin) for the collective trust and confidence and making me a key player in the crusade for good governance," said Oban, a member of Philippine Military Academy Matatag Class 1979. He also exhorted the AFP to work in "winning the peace," saying that like David against Goliath, the task is not too big to overcome but a target that is too big to miss. "Winning the peace gives us a target too big to miss. Let us buckle down to work and let us do it right now," he said. He said he will do his part to make the AFP not only a protector of the people but also a showcase of clean and honest administration. "Mahal na Pangulo, kasama ninyo po kami sa pagtahak ng matuwid na daan (Dear President, we are with you in treading the straight path)," he said. Oban said he will lead the AFP by sustaining the reform initiatives laid down by those who came before him, most particularly his predecessor David. Oban said he will implement fully the recommendations of the 2005 Feliciano Commission to address corruption in the military, "so the vestiges of the past will not reappear to be as if they are of the present." "We shall have nothing to fear if we have nothing to hide," Oban said. Oban said the basic tenets of his leadership will be: (1) reforming the AFP; (2) strengthening the procurement process, and (3) continuing the AFP's upgrading and modernization. Accountability Oban pledged to ensure accountability of every resource manager in the AFP. He also vowed to computerize the procurement system, so that every transcation can be fully documented. Likewise, he pledged reforms in the government's procurement act to allow new systems where transactions leave indelible credit trails. Oban promised "to safeguard funds from all sources including that of Balikatan and the United Nations and especially those coming from our taxes, the blood and sweat of our people and i shall hold myself accountable for their proper and effective utilziation." "We shall strengthen institutional checks and balances between program directors and program administrators, between budget officers and procurement officers and undertake unannounced audits more frequently," he said. "I pledge to strengthen enforcement and prosecution of those who are not willing to work on these same pledge," he added. Oban also promised to undertake unannounced audits more frequently. "I pledge to strengthen enforcement and prosecution of those not willing to work on this same pledge," he said. Institute reforms Earlier, Malacañang said Aquino has given Oban marching orders to coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management to institute reforms in the military. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary Ramon Carandang said the Palace expects Oban to make a difference even if he has only nine months in office. "A determined Chief of Staff, with the support of the DND and Malacañang, I think can still move forward on the meaningful reforms in a span of eight to nine months," Carandang said on government radio Sunday. - VVP, GMA News
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