Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: WESCOM: Vice Admiral Medina Takes Helm of Western Command

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

WESCOM: Vice Admiral Medina Takes Helm of Western Command

From the Western Command (WESCOM) Website (Mar 2): Vice Admiral Medina Takes Helm of Western Command
Camp General Artemio Ricarte, Puerto Princesa City ̶ VICE ADMIRAL RENE V MEDINA AFP assumes today, 02 March 2019, as the 32nd Commander of Western Command in a traditional Change of Command Ceremony presided by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, GEN BENJAMIN R MADRIGAL JR AFP at the Lawak Gymnasium, Camp General Artemio Ricarte, Puerto Princesa City.

GEN MADRIGAL JR gave recognition to COMMODORE DORVIN JOSE L LEGASPI AFP who served as the Acting Commander of WESCOM for almost three months of securing and sustaining peace in the province and in the West Philippine Sea. He also expressed his confidence in the commitment, passion and dedication of the new Commander VADM MEDINA to bring the Command to new pinnacles of excellence.

COMMO LEGASPI in his speech said, "We were deeply challenged with an array of difficulties. But Team WESCOM, together with the provincial government of Palawan and other stakeholders from the security forces, the youth, the academe, and other sectors, has remained as a reliable force in good and bad times. We have achieved our objectives and we succeeded in all our mission areas. In all these, Team WESCOM has proven that unity, jointness, commitment and spirit of sacrifice if combined with faith in God and devotion to duty, can achieve objectives and accomplish given tasks and mission."

VADM MEDINA is a member of Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986. As a military officer, he has a strong sense of duty and purpose. He possesses a diverse and comprehensive background of experience and training. He also received numerous awards that bespeaks of the noble and versatile naval officer that he is.

Before taking his post in WESCOM, he is also serving as the Commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) which he will turn over to his successor. NFWM is the largest naval operating force of the Philippine Navy and the recipient of the prestigious award as Naval Operating Forces of the Year 2018 while VADM MEDINA is Commander. A man blessed with wisdom and intelligence, VADM MEDINA held senior positions in Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) for a year. He has also commanded the Sealift Amphibious Force (SAF) of the Philippine Fleet.

In his almost 33 years in service, he is honored to join the great lineage of WESCOM Commanders who defeated threats, set as an example to uniformed men and women of Team WESCOM, and secured the province to peaceful and progressive development for more than four decades now.

VADM MEDINA also thanked President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the AFP leadership for the trust and confidence in appointing him as new WESCOM Commander.

VADM MEDINA said, "While the leadership of Western Command has changed, our purpose and commitment have not. WESCOM will continue to perform its mission in a robust fashion, to provide a safe and secure environment for all Palaweños where freedom of movement is guaranteed not only for the locals but also for the visiting tourists."

"Sa Sambayanang Palaweño, ngayon palang nais ko nang sabihin na maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat dahil alam ko na bibigyan din ninyo ako ng suporta tulad ng ginawa ninyo sa mga naunang kumander sa akin. All together, we will "Win and Sustain the Peace" in Palawan and in our country and as a whole", he added.

#TeamWESCOM #OneWESCOM #NagkakaisangPalaweñoParaSaKapayapaan

https://www.facebook.com/wescom/posts/1274912855974206?__tn__=K-R

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