Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad, who assumed command of the
Philippine Navy on Monday, vowed to turn the PN into a "formidable"
naval force in Southeast Asia .
Taccad replaced PN flag officer-in-command Vice Admiral
Jesus C. Millan who formally retired after reaching the mandatory retirement
age of 56.
Taccad is the 35th PN chief. His assumption of command
ceremonies was presided by President Benigno S. Aquino III at the Naval Station
Jose Andrada, the Navy headquarters on Roxas Blvd. , Manila
In his speech, the newly-appointed PN chief recalled how a
senior cadet at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) asked him in 1980 on why
he wanted to join the Navy.
“I answered that I would like to help make it as one of the
most formidable force in the Asia-Pacific region,” Taccad, a second year cadet
at the time, said.
“Upon joining the Navy after graduation, that has been my
goal in every position I landed – to make the Navy a notch better than before,”
he added.
The new PN chief is a member of PMA Class of 1982.
Taccad said he has been assigned to various positions in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
He added the “honor and privilege” to serve as the Navy’s
35th flag officer-in-command is a “fitting culmination to cap a career-long of
pursuit for that formidable Navy.”
“Together with the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian
employees, I shall steer the Philippine Navy towards continued transformation,
modernization and professionalization and overall progress in order to provide
a maritime defense and security that is expected from a strong and formidable
Navy,” the PN chief stressed.
Taccad said he is confident to assume the Navy leadership,
noting that he has with him the “devoted, fearless, courageous and loyal men”
with him.
“And as maritime security challenges continuously evolve, I
will keep counting on each one of you as we stand together being the gallant
protectors of the Philippine archipelago, our country, our home,” he said.
With the PN playing a major role in protecting Philippine
interests in the disputed portions of the West Philippine
Sea , Taccad pledged to carry on with the Navy’s “outstanding
performance and we shall continue this while undertaking our mandated tasks.”
“We will continue to protect our seas and secure the future
of our nation and its people. We shall continue to be a dependable naval force,
prompt in response and sharp in action,” he stressed.
“We will persistently aim for a stable, productive and
constructive relationship with our maritime stakeholder and partner navies to
preserve the peace in the Asia-Pacific region,” Taccad said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=791774
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