PBBM appoints Centino as AFP chief of staff

MANILA – Gen. Andres Centino was appointed Friday by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), replacing previous appointee, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.

Centino, a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1988, previously served as AFP chief from Nov. 12, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Bacarro is also a member of PMA Class 1988 and a Medal of Valor awardee, the highest decoration in the AFP for combat.

"As chief-of-staff, Centino implemented four major thrusts within the AFP which are operational efficiency, optimal use of resources, advancement of professionalism and meritocracy within the organization and capability development," Presidential Communications Office officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

Under Centino's term as chief-of-staff, the AFP successfully launched military campaigns to combat insurgents and local terrorist groups resulting in the dismantling of guerrilla fronts and the clearing of affected communities.

He also led all units of the AFP nationwide in advancing the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Philippine 2022 national and local elections.

“Centino also pushed for the completion of capability projects as part of the modernization of the AFP," Garafil said.

Prior to his earlier appointment as AFP chief, Centino served as Philippine Army chief from May 14, 2021 to Dec. 10, 2021.

His other assignments include commander of the 4th Infantry Division, AFP deputy-chief-of-staff for operations or J-3 in military parlance and head of the 401st Infantry Brigade.

Centino graduated cum laude from the PMA.

He also holds a Master’s in Business Management from the University of the Philippines, Master’s in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C, and a certificate in the Strategic Business Economic Program of the University of Asia and the Pacific. (PNA)