Chief of the Air Force (Philippines)

Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force
Incumbent Lieutenant General Arthur M. Cordura [1] since December 20, 2022
Philippine Air Force
Reports to	Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Appointer	President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length	2 years [2]
Constituting instrument	Republic Act No. 11939 [2]
Formation	July 1, 1947
Deputy	Vice Commander of the Philippine Air Force Chief of Air Staff

The Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force is the overall commander and senior general of the Philippine Air Force, the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is normally held by a three-star rank of Lieutenant General. The holder of the position has operational control and is responsible for overall operations of the service, and directly reports to the Chief of Staff of the armed forces.

Powers and Responsibilities

The Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force serves as the overall head of the Philippine Army, where he/she has full operational control and command of the Air Force. Unlike its US-based counterpart, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, the CGPAF has direct command oversight of the Air Force's activities, air operations, and administrative functions to all Air Force units, down from the Air Force's enlisted personnel, and up to the Air Force's different air wings, commands and tactical operation groups under its branch. The CGPAF directly reports all air operations, activities and functions to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and serves as the primary advisor for the Secretary of National Defense in related matters. The CGPAF's command advices can also be directed and transmitted to the President of the Philippines, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The CGPAF is also tasked for the air force's resource management, maintenance checks, and is responsible for the command's training and readiness strategies through monitoring the air force's air defense systems, radar and detection facilities, and airbase development. The CGPAF also hosts and attend a variety international collaboration programs aimed to improve and increase ties of other air forces in the region, which fosters potential partnerships in future military exercises and even joint patrol missions in the country's airspace.

The CGPAF has full strategic operations command of the air force and does these tasks through their leadership strategic thrusts, aimed at guaranteeing that the air force can respond in addressing the command's needs through the command's programs such as the Air Force's modernization programs, capability and doctrine development measures, and addressing the professional and welfare programs of the command. The CGPAF is also responsible for managing the command's research & development-related objectives aimed to promote both innovation and safety in all air force planes and is also in charge in managing humanitarian assistance operations in times of disasters or calamities.

Organization and Term Limit

The CGPAF is directly assisted by two deputies, namely the Vice Commander, Philippine Air Force, who serves as the CGPAF's direct assistant in implementing the Air Force's action plans and operations, and the Chief of Air Staff. The Vice Commander also has the power to assist the CGPAF in their absence, while the Chief of Air Staff serves as the chief of the air force's organizational staff, which supervises the air force's administrative commands, joint staff commands, and civilian offices, and assures the CGPAF that the air force's operational commands run smoothly and efficiently.

The CGPAF is directly appointed by the President of the Philippines, who also has the power to end the fixed term of the CGPAF at their pleasure, and needs the consent and approval of the Commission on Appointments for both briefing and confirmation of their post through public hearings. The CGPAF's serves under a fixed-term length that lasts two years, which serves under the provisions and rules of Republic Act No. 11939, and can only be extended and approved in times of war and national emergencies with the approval of Congress. ^[2]

List of Officeholders

The following are the Commanding Generals/Chiefs of the Philippine Air Force since its foundation in 1947, with some generals commanding various units from the Philippine Army Air Corps until it was replaced by the Philippine Air Force in 1947. ^[3]

Commanding Generals

No.	Portrait	Commanding General (Primary Background)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	President	Ref.
1		Colonel Pelagio A. Cruz (Attack)	9 June 1947	16 March 1951	3 years, 280 days	Manuel Roxas Elpidio Quirino
2		Brigadier General Eustacio D. Orobia (Fighter)	16 March 1951	2 June 1952	1 year, 78 days	Elpidio Quirino
3		Brigadier General Benito Nicano R. Ebuen (Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)	2 June 1952	3 November 1953	1 year, 154 days	Elpidio Quirino
*		Brigadier General Pelagio A. Cruz (Attack)	3 November 1953	17 December 1956	3 years, 44 days	Elpidio Quirino Ramon Magsaysay
*		Brigadier General Benito Nicano R. Ebuen (Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)	17 December 1956	17 March 1957	90 days	Ramon Magsaysay
4		Brigadier General Pedro Q. Molina (Infantry, Bombers, and Tactical Operations)	17 March 1957	17 July 1962	5 years, 122 days	Ramon Magsaysay Carlos P. Garcia Diosdado Macapagal
5		Brigadier General Jonas A. Victoria (Artillery, Airbase Commander and Tactical Operations)	17 July 1962	11 June 1964	1 year, 330 days	Diosdado Macapagal
6		Brigadier General Agusto L. Jurado (Infantry, Logistics, and Tactical Operations)	11 June 1964	1 June 1965	355 days	Diosdado Macapagal
7		Brigadier General Victor H. Dizon (Bombers, Training and Communications)	1 June 1965	29 December 1965	211 days	Diosdado Macapagal
8		Brigadier General Jose B. Ramos (Training and Communications)	29 December 1965	15 August 1967	1 year, 229 days	Diosdado Macapagal Ferdinand Marcos
9		Brigadier General Emmanuel S. Casabar (Infantry, Intelligence, and Fighters)	15 August 1967	27 May 1968	286 days	Ferdinand Marcos
10		Brigadier General Juan B. Guevara (Intelligence and Communications)	27 May 1968	8 September 1968	104 days	Ferdinand Marcos
11		Brigadier General Jesus Z. Singson (Field Artillery and Fighters)	8 September 1968	15 January 1972	3 years, 129 days	Ferdinand Marcos
12		Major General Jose L. Rancudo (Fighters)	15 January 1972	27 March 1976	4 years, 72 days	Ferdinand Marcos
13		Major General Samuel O. Sarmiento (Training and Fighters)	27 March 1976	1 October 1981	5 years, 188 days	Ferdinand Marcos
14		Brigadier General Petronio M. Lapeña (Training and Fighters)	1 October 1981	5 April 1982	186 days	Ferdinand Marcos
15		Major General Vicente M. Piccio, Jr. (Training and Fighters)	5 April 1982	25 February 1986	3 years, 326 days	Ferdinand Marcos
16		Major General Ramon J. Farolan, Jr. (Fighters and Staff)	25 February 1986	8 October 1986	195 days	Corazon Aquino
17		Major General Antonio E. Sotelo (Fighters and Staff)	8 October 1986	6 April 1988	1 year, 211 days	Corazon Aquino
18		Major General Jose L. De Leon, Jr. (Fighters)	6 April 1988	24 February 1990	1 year, 324 days	Corazon Aquino
19		Major General Geraldo C. Protacio (Fighters and Staff)	24 February 1990	19 April 1991	1 year, 54 days	Corazon Aquino
20		Lieutenant General Loven C. Abadia (Fighters and Helicopter Tactical Operations)	19 April 1991	8 August 1992	1 year, 111 days	Corazon Aquino Fidel V. Ramos
21		Lieutenant General Leopoldo S. Acot (Intelligence, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	8 August 1992	13 December 1993	1 year, 127 days	Fidel V. Ramos
22		Lieutenant General Nicasio P. Rodriguez, Jr. (Airlifts)	13 December 1993	26 December 1995	2 years, 13 days	Fidel V. Ramos
23		Lieutenant General Arnulfo E. Acedera (Airlifts and Helicopter Tactical Operations)	26 December 1995	29 November 1996	339 days	Fidel V. Ramos
24		Lieutenant General William Hotchkiss III (Fighters)	29 November 1996	8 January 1999	2 years, 40 days	Fidel V. Ramos Joseph Estrada
25		Lieutenant General Willie C. Florendo (Airlifts)	8 January 1999	10 October 2000	1 year, 276 days	Joseph Estrada
26		Lieutenant General Benjamin P. Defensor, Jr. (Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	10 October 2000	10 September 2002	1 year, 335 days	Joseph Estrada Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[4]
27		Lieutenant General Nestor R. Santillan (Intelligence, Training and Staff)	10 September 2002	14 May 2004	1 year, 237 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[5]
*		Major General Arcadio L. Seron (Officer In Charge) (Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	14 May 2004	7 July 2004	64 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[6]
28		Lieutenant General Jose L. Reyes (Attack)	7 July 2004	2 February 2007	2 years, 210 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[7]
29		Lieutenant General Horacio S. Tolentino (Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	2 February 2007	4 January 2008	336 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[8]
30		Lieutenant General Pedrito S. Cadungog (Training, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	4 January 2008	9 January 2009	1 year, 5 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[9] [10]
31		Lieutenant General Oscar H. Rabena (Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	9 January 2009	9 January 2012	3 years, 0 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Benigno Aquino III	[11]
32		Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino G. Dela Cruz (Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	9 January 2012	30 April 2014	2 years, 111 days	Benigno Aquino III	[12]
33		Lieutenant General Jeffrey F. Delgado (Attack and Staff)	30 April 2014	9 March 2016	1 year, 314 days	Benigno Aquino III	[13]
34		Lieutenant General Edgar R. Fallorina (Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	9 March 2016	24 October 2017	1 year, 229 days	Benigno Aquino III Rodrigo Duterte	[14] [15]
35		Lieutenant General Galileo Gerard R. Kintanar, Jr. (Attack, Training and Staff)	24 October 2017	21 December 2018	1 year, 58 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[16] [17]
36		Lieutenant General Rozzano D. Briguez (Helicopter Tactical Operations, Training and Staff)	21 December 2018	16 January 2020	1 year, 26 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[18]
37		Lieutenant General Allen T. Paredes (Attack, Logistics and Staff)	16 January 2020	7 December 2021	1 year, 325 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[19] [20]
38		Lieutenant General Connor Anthony D. Canlas Sr. (Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	7 December 2021	20 December 2022	1 year, 13 days	Rodrigo Duterte Bongbong Marcos	[19] [20] [21] [22]
39		Lieutenant General Stephen Parreño (Airlifts, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)	20 December 2022	19 December 2024	1 year, 365 days	Bongbong Marcos	[23] [24] [25]
40		Lieutenant General Arthur M. Cordura (Attack, Airbase Commander and Staff)	20 December 2024	Incumbent	120 days	Bongbong Marcos	[26]

See also

• Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Philippine Air Force
• Philippine Navy

References

1. "Arthur Cordura named new commanding general of Air Force". GMA Network . December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
2. "Republic Act No. 11939 | GOVPH". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. May 17, 2023.
3. "LEADERSHIP - Philippine Air Force". www.paf.mil.ph.
4. "Retiring PAF chief makes final report named". Philippine Star. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
5. "New PAF chief: A quiet achiever named". Philippine Star. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
6. "Air Force chief retires; OIC named". Philippine Star. 8 September 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
7. "Air Force has new chief". Philippine Star. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
8. "Arroyo names Tolentino as new Air Force chief". GMA News. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
9. Laude, Jaime (4 January 2008). "Ex-GMA chief pilot heads PAF". Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
10. "AFP names new Air Force chief". GMA News. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
11. "Arroyo PMA 'classmate' named new Air Force chief". GMA News. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
12. "Profile: PAF Commanding General Lauro Catalino G. dela Cruz". Official Gazette. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
13. "Aquino's former aide is new PH Air Force chief". Rappler. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
14. "Fallorina to assume post as PAF chief". CNN Philippines. 8 March 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
15. "Helicopter pilot Lt. Gen. Fallorina is new Air Force chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
16. Wakefield, Francis (24 October 2017). "Kintanar named new PAF chief". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
17. Placido, Dharel (24 October 2017). "Philippine Air Force welcomes new chief". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
18. "Briguez is new Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 6 December 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
19. "Duterte appoints new Philippine Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
20. "Air logistics commander is new Air Force chief". Rappler. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
21. "Connor Anthony Canlas is new Air Force chief". RAPPLER. 7 December 2021.
22. "Air Force's 'top gun' in 1993 named new PAF commanding general". Manila Bulletin.
23. "Pilot who led air mobility efforts during Marawi siege takes command of PH Air Force". Manila Bulletin. 20 December 2022.
24. "New PH Air Force chief to continue service's key initiatives".
25. Flores, Helen. "Philippines committed to have world-class Air Force – Marcos". Philstar.com.
26. "Arthur Cordura named new commanding general of Air Force". GMA Network . December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.