Early life and education
Nafarrete was born in Manila on 22 February 1969 and is the fourth child among six siblings. His father, Perpetuo Nafarrete, is a local attorney from Pangasinan, while his mother, Maria Daisy Gustilo-Nafarette, is a former public school teacher from La Paz, Iloilo, and was once a teacher at the Ramon Magsaysay High School, and still currently serves as an active board director of the family's rural bank, the Rural Bank of Calinog (Iloilo), Inc. [2] Nafarrete often visits his grandmother's family-owned rice and sugarcane fields in Calinog, Iloilo during the summer season and later moved to the province in his elementary years. He finished his elementary schooling at the Calinog Elementary School in 1982 and eventually finished high school at the West Visayas State University in 1986 and later became interested in entering the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) during a career orientation held in the university. [1]
Nafarrete later entered the PMA in 1986 amidst the Coup attempts against Corazon Aquino during 1986 to 1987, and eventually became part of the Alpha Company of his batch and later became the company's squad and platoon commander. During his years in the PMA, Nafarrete is described as an average student and only excelled in subjects such as military history, military leadership, military sciences, and social studies; and was inspired by the leadership skills of former AFP Chiefs General Lisandro Abadia, who formerly served as the Commandant of Cadets, and General Rodolfo Biazon, who was once the Superintendent of the PMA, amidst the continuous coup attempts during the Presidency of Corazon Aquino. He later graduated as part of the PMA "Bigkis-Lahi" Class of 1990. [1]
Nafarrete also hold a Master of Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University in Ermita, Manila in 2013 and also completed various military courses, such as the Basic Airborne Course, the Special Operations Qualification Course, the Scout Ranger Course in 1991, and the Joint Command and General Staff Course at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College. Nafarrete also completed the Military Intelligence Officer Course, the Infantry Officer Basic Course, the Psychological Operations Course; the Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism Course at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii; the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Peace Keeping Support Operations Training Course, and the United Nations Military Observer Course. [3] He also completed the Specialized English Training Course at Lackland Air Force Base, Bexar County, Texas; the United States Army Rangers Course in 1995 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and also completed both the Joint Transition Course and Joint Professional Military Education Course at the National Defense University in Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., USA. [1] [4] [5]
Military career
After his graduation in the PMA, Nafarrete was commissioned as a second lieutenant and was later named as a platoon commander of Alpha Company of the 10th Infantry Battalion, which is under the 1st Infantry Division. He later became a pioneer in organizing the 1st Scout Ranger Company of the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment during its reactivation in 1991. Nafarrete later served under various infantry and special forces units, primarily under the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment, and was deployed to counter New People’s Army (NPA) units across Kalinga, Apayao, the Negros Island, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and North Cotabato; as well as Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan. In 1996, Nafarrete served as the commander of the 6th Scout Ranger Company, a Scout Ranger unit serving under the 6th Infantry Division. In 1997 to 1999, Nafarrete would later serve as intelligence and operations officer of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, and later as an intelligence officer of the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment. During his years as a senior officer, Nafarrete served under the AFP Joint Special Operations Group, and later became the battalion commander of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion from 2008 to 2010. After his stint as battalion commander of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion, Naffarete was later placed under the Presidential Security Group (PSG) from 2011 to 2015, where he serves as the group's Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, Stage Commander, Head of Security, and as Chief of Staff. Naffarete also monitored security operations of former President Benigno Aquino III, as well as visiting foreign heads of state and dignitaries, and later served as the Chairman of the Government of the Philippines’ Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities. [1] [4] [5]
After his stint in the PSG, Nafarrete later served as the Deputy Chief for Administration of the Western Mindanao Command, where he also assisted implementing internal defense operations within the region, and was later named as brigade commander of the 1101st Infantry Brigade of the 11th Infantry Division, where he initiated the Balik-Barangay program in Patikul, Sulu, and was later named as the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, OJ3, Executive Officer of the Army Chief of Staff for Operations, OJ3; and soon became the Army Chief of Staff for Operations, OJ3. [5] Afterwards, Nafarrete was later named as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3. On 11 August 2022, Nafarrete was named as the division commander of the 1st Infantry Division, where he subsequently served as commander of the Joint Task Force Zampelan. [6] During his stint as the division commander of the 1st Infantry Division, Nafarrete led intensified military operations against the NPA, which is tasked to dismantle the NPA's final guerilla front in the region, known as the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, while continuing development initiatives in conflict-affected communities. [7] [8]
On 23 July 2024, Nafarrete was named as the division commander of the 6th Infantry Division, where he later oversaw counter-terrorism operations against the NPA and the Dawlah Islamiya. [9] Nafarrete also led civil-military operations that led to the surrender of a variety of NPA members, as well as 420 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya members. [8] [10] [11] On 20 November 2024, Nafarrete was named as the Acting Commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM), where he replaced Lieutenant General William N. Gonzales and later served as the command's commander. [12] As the commander of WESTMINCOM, Nafarrete spearheaded intensified multi-domain operations against the remnants of the NPA, Abu Sayyaf, and Dawlah Islamiya, and also intensified community peacebuilding initiatives in the BARMM. [11] [13] Nafarrete also oversaw election seccurity measures amidst the 2025 Philippine general election. [14]
Commanding General of the Philippine Army
On 31 July 2025, Nafarrete was named as the new Commanding General of the Philippine Army and replaced Lieutenant General Roy Galido, who is retiring after ending his two-year fixed term. [15] During his assumption speech, Nafarrete highlights his command's focus on human capital development, and emphasized the importance of every soldier. Nafarrete's five-point command guidance tackles on personnel, morale, physical & mental well-being, education, and finances, while also continuing the army's modernization programs through the procurement of new systems and modern hardware to enhance the army's overall capabilities. [1] [5] [16] [17] [18] [19]
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