New PAF chief is military’s No. 3 man

From Malaya Business Insight (Mar 9): New PAF chief is military’s No. 3 man

PRESIDENT Aquino has designated Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina as chief of the Philippine Air Force, replacing Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado who is stepping down today.

Fallorina, current Armed Forces deputy chief of staff (No. 3 man in the Armed Forces), is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983. He bested three other contenders for the top Air Force position, according to AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla.

Padilla named the three other contenders as Maj. Generals Raul del Rosario (PMA Class 1984), 1st Air Division chief; Salvador Mison (PMA Class 1984), chief of the Air Education and Training Command; and Galileo Kintanar Jr. (PMA Class 1985), Chief of Air Staff.

Fallorina, the 34th Air Force chief, will assume his new post today in rites to be presided by President Aquino at the Fernando Air Base in Lipa City.

Delgado is relinquishing his post 11 days before his retirement date in consideration of the appointment ban in relation to the May 9 elections.

Padilla said Fallorina, who served as Air Force vice commander, “is one of our most proficient helicopter pilots.”

Fallorina also previously served as commander of the 1st Air Division, deputy commander of the 3rd Air Division, commander of the 520th Air Base Wing, commander of the Tactical Operation Group, commander of the 450th Maintenance and Supply Group, and commander of the 206th Tactical Helicopter Squadron.

Fallorina is a recipient of  military medals and decorations, including three Distinguished Service Stars, a Distinguished Aviation Cross, a Silver Wing Medal, and numerous Military Merit Medals.

Delgado reminisced about his 38-year service in the military, including the four years he spent in the PMA.

An attack pilot, Delgado recalled how he figured in two mishaps while flying T-28 planes, also known as the Tora-tora. One was in 1989 during a training flight off Manila Bay and the second one a year later in Cavite also during a training flight.

“My unforgettable experience was when my plane crashed,” said Delgado on his first crash, while still a captain.

“Habang nagka-crash ako, pinapagalitan pa nga ako nung nasa isang aircraft. ‘Ano na namang pinaggagawa mo diyang kalokohan na naman diyan?’ (While my plane was crashing, someone from another plane was scolding me, asking me what foolishness I was doing again),” he said.

He said he was then so tired so he let go and closed his eyes, thinking, “Goodbye cruel world na to.”

“Dun ko lang nakita na manumit dun as ilalim nag Manila Bay...Tapos nagawa naman ako sa sarili ko, di lumangoy ako pataas. Kasi pagpikit ko, nalulungkot na ako, nagpa-flash back na ako,” he said.

He said when he reached the surface, he learned his co-pilot was looking for him. They were later rescued by fishermen.

Delgado said his co-pilot was one Captain Betita who is now with the Philippine Airlines.

He said his second crash was in 1990 while landing in Sangley, Cavite. He said the plane’s gears failed to descend, the plane suffered “electrical failure,” and there was a power outage in Manila and Cavite. “Confluence of full malas, malas talaga,” he said.

“Sabi ng (nasa) ambulance sa akin, ‘Sir, suki ha,’” said Delgado. “Oo, napansin ko nga.”

Delgado said his best day in the Air Force was when two FA-50 fighter jets arrived in Clark Air Base in Pampanga last November. The jets are part of the 12 planes being acquired from Korea Aerospace Industries for P18.9 billion.

He said he was part of the team that planned the acquisition of such kind of aircraft in 1995, to replace the F-5 fighters which were subsequently decommissioned in 2005.

“Twenty years is a long time,” Delgado said adding he was teary-eyed when the two FA-50s touched down at Clark Air Base.

About two weeks ago, Delgado said he made his last flight as an Air Force officer. He said the aircraft he flew was a T-41 trainer plane, which is the same aircraft he flew while a student pilot.

“It brings back old memories, when you were student,” he said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/new-paf-chief-military%E2%80%99s-no-3-man