Formal transition briefing given to incoming DND chief Lorenzana

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 28): Formal transition briefing given to incoming DND chief Lorenzana

To ensure a seamless transition, incoming Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was given a formal briefing Tuesday.

Outgoing DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta conducted the transition briefing at the DND Conference Room, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

DND spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez earlier said the briefing would focus on the Defense System of Management, the ongoing AFP Modernization Program, the International Defense and Security Engagement Program, and the Philippine Defense Transformation Roadmap, among others.

It will also include the management of the DND financial and human resources.

Lorenzana will assume his post as the 36th Secretary of National Defense effective July 1 after serving as the Special Presidential Representative and Head of the Office of Veteran Affairs at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, USA from 2004-2009 and 2010 up to present.

He is responsible for developing and implementing the Philippine lobby effort to secure veterans benefits for Filipino soldiers who served under the US Army during World War II, which includes the grant of the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) and the equipment grant to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.

Prior to his post as OVA Head, Lorenzana served as the Defense Attaché in Washington from 2002-2004, during which he helped craft the Terms of Reference for the Balikatan Exercise in Basilan between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Pacific Command.

As a career soldier, Lorenzana headed the Special Operations Command of the Philippine Army from 2001-2003 after serving as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army Light Armor Brigade and concurrent Ground Commander of the Task Force Libra in 2001.

His military career included a posting at the Presidential Security Group and as Deputy Presidential Assistant for Military Affairs.

Lorenzana also held a number of command and staff positions at the Headquarters of the Philippine Army and later, of the AFP, following his assignments at the Southern Command and the Visayas Command. He also served as instructor of ranger tactics at the Scout Ranger School and infantry tactics at the Philippine Army Training Command.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1973, Lorenzana’s highly-decorated military career involved leading anti-terrorist operations and trainings, securing the Malacañang Palace from coup attempts, commanding campaigns against insurgents, and capturing notorious kidnap-for-ransom group leaders.

Lorenzana earned his post-graduate degree of Master of Business Administration, major in Operations Research, from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

He also finished a number of courses and trainings both here and abroad, including strategic studies at the Australia University in Canberra, a seminar for Senior International Leaders at Harvard University, and crisis management at the US Department of State.

Lorenzana was born on Oct. 28, 1948 and hails from Midsayap, Cotabato. He is married and has four children.

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