MANILA — Newly-apponinted Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez on Wednesday vowed to uphold the values of transparency and good governance.
“Transparency and good governance shall be the beacon that shall guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We shall always adhere to our core values of Honor,Service, and Patriotism,” Galvez said.
The 50th AFP chief-of-staff said he would push for prudent utilization of resources without corruption.
“We shall uphold meritocracy; not mediocrity. We shall advance transparency; not mistrust,” Galvez emphasized.
While much have been accomplished in transforming the AFP, Galvez admitted that much remains to be done for the military to evolve into the 21st century.
“We have come a long way towards the transformation of the Armed Forces into what it is today. However, much remains to be done for us to completely evolve into a 21st century military—fully capable of protecting the Filipino people, safeguarding Philippine sovereignty, and ensuring our territorial integrity,” he added.
Galvez, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1985, replaced Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, a member of PMA Class of 1984, who was honored with a testimonial parade and review and the prestigious award of the Philippine Legion of Honor (Rank of Commander).
Guerrero was supposed to retire on Dec. 17, 2017 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 but his term as AFP chief was extended by another four months by President Rodrigo Duterte. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
