The Deputy Chief of Staff is a 3-star General or Admiral that is considered as the third highest ranking position in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Deputy Chief of Staff assist both Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff in performing their respective functions in providing intelligence, operational, and logistical reports. [1] The deputy is appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the confirmation by the Commission on Appointments. [2]
The Deputy Chief of Staff also serves as the Director of the Joint Staffs, where they command the Joint Staff composing of the following staffs for various posts: the Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel J1, Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence J2, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations J3, Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics J4, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Electronics and Information Systems, J6, Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, J7, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education, Training and Doctrine, J8, Deputy Chief of Staff for Retirees and Reservists Affairs, J9, and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Financial Management, J10.
Background
Prior to Filipino-American War European trained General Antonio Luna was selected by President Emilio Aguinaldo as Assistant Secretary of War and Commanding General of Republican Army. He organized his staff and selected Visayas born Brigadier General Venancio Concepcion as Chief of General Staff to put coordination all the functions of the General Staffs and units. [3] After the war was lost no Filipino Army exists until 1935 when Philippine Commonwealth Army was organized in preparation for its independence in 10 years period. Initial President Manuel Quezon selected Major. Paulino Santos as Chief of Staff but he cannot remove him from his current position as Director of Bureau of Prisons due to the impending transfer of Bilibid Prison out of City of Manila and the undergoing organization of Iwahig and Davao Penal Colonies. Delos Reyes was appointed as acting until Santos is available but Quezon appointed Santos as Deputy Chief of Staff although he is not doing the function but he wanted him to report to Headquarters of the Army.
After World War II Brigadier General Macario Peralta Jr., war hero and veteran was appointed by President Manuel Roxas to be The Deputy Chief of Staff. He is the first on the post on the modern Philippine Armed Forces. [4]
On June 19, 2020, under the DND Order no. 174, the title of Chief of Staff was renamed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, while the Vice-Chief of Staff as vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and The Deputy Chief of Staff as Chief of the Joint Staff. Although the usage of these titles were deferred. [5]
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy. The President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP and forms military policy with the Department of National Defense, an executive department acting as the principal organ by which military policy is carried out, while the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines serves as the overall commander and the highest-ranking officer in the AFP.
The Philippine Constabulary was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the American occupational government to replace the Spanish colonial Guardia Civil, happened on the 19th century history of the Philippines. It was the first of the four branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. On January 29, 1991, it was merged with the Integrated National Police to form the Philippine National Police.
The Philippine Legion of Honor was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honor was patterned after the Legion of Merit of the United States of America, and was meant to honor both civilians and members of the military, Filipino or foreign. Originally, like the U.S. Legion of Merit, the Philippine Legion of Honor had four classes, known as degrees, with Legionnaire being the basic rank, and Chief Commander being the highest. With the reform of the Philippine system of orders and decorations in 2003, the Philippine Legion of Honor's classes were renamed "ranks" instead of "degrees", and the ranks expanded.
The Department of National Defense is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for guarding against external and internal threats to peace and security in the country. The Department of National Defense exercises executive supervision over the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the Government Arsenal (GA), and Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC). It is also responsible for disaster preparation and management in the country.
The Presidential Security Command, (PSC) formerly known as Presidential Security Group (PSG), is a Philippine close protection agency. It is the primary agency concerned with providing close-in security and escort to the President of the Philippines, their immediate families, former presidents of the Philippines as well as visiting heads of state.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP) is the highest-ranking military officer and the head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including all service branches under its command. The position is usually held by a four-star rank of General or Admiral. Its direct equivalent in the US Armed Forces is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Unlike its US counterpart, which is merely supervisory, the Chief of Staff has complete operational control within the military hierarchy and is responsible for the overall operations of the AFP.
The Commanding General of the Philippine Army (CGPA) is the overall commander and highest ranking officer commissioned to serve in the Philippine Army. The position concurrently holds the three-star rank of Lieutenant General.
Eduardo San Lorenzo Oban Jr is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979 and the former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. His term as chief of staff began on March 6, 2011 when he succeeded General Ricardo David and ended when he was succeeded by General Jessie Dellosa. On February 22, 2014, Oban was appointed by President Aquino to head the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission.
Macario Peralta Peralta Jr. was a Filipino soldier, lawyer, senator and Secretary of National Defense.
Emmanuel Trinidad Bautista is a Filipino general who served as the 44th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as he succeeded Gen. Jessie Dellosa as AFP Chief. He served as the Executive Director of the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice, and Peace at the Office of the President, Malacañang. His appointment as Undersecretary at the Office of the President was from 1 September 2014 to 22 June 2020 shortly after retirement from the military service as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. Concurrently, he headed the National Task Force on the Whole of Nation Initiative and was also the executive Director of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea. He was succeeded by Gregorio Pio Catapang as AFP chief.
Glorioso Ventura Miranda is a retired Filipino soldier who is the former Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He served as acting Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from April 22 to June 30, 2016. Before becoming the 46th Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces last March 8, 2016, he was the Commanding General of the AFP Northern Luzon Command from August 13, 2015. He was also the former commander of the 7th Infantry Division. He is part of the Matikas Class of the Philippine Military Academy of 1983.
Bartolome Vicente "Bob" Orpilla Bacarro is a retired Philippine Army lieutenant general who served as the 58th chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 2022 to 2023. He previously commanded the Southern Luzon Command. In 1991, Bacarro was awarded the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medal of Valor for his actions against the New People's Army in Maconacon, Isabela.
Benjamin Rasgo Madrigal Jr. is a retired Philippine Army general serving as the Administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority under the Duterte administration since January 2020. He previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from December 2018 to September 2019. He is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy "Sandiwa" Class of 1985, along with his predecessor Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.
Jose Calingasan Faustino Jr. is a retired Philippine Army general who previously served as Senior Undersecretary and officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense.
Andres Castor Centino is a retired Philippine Army general who currently serves as Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns to President Bongbong Marcos since September 2023.
Jose de los Reyes was a Filipino military officer who served as the first Chief of Staff in acting capacity appointed by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1936. He served in acting capacity while waiting for the assumption of General Paulino Santos the original choice of President Quezon who was still completing his term as Director of Bureau of Corrections.
The Vice-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (VCSAFP) is the second highest military officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As principal assistant of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he or she assists in administrative matters and in their operational duties, as well as in policy conceptualization and implementation matters in the AFP, while Chief of Staff focus on military operations and the country's security. The Vice-Chief of Staff also assists the AFP Chief of Staff in their absence and presides the meeting on the AFP Chief of Staff's behalf. The Vice-Chief of Staff holds a rank of 3-star officer as Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral (O-9) and is appointed by the President of the Philippines who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
Narciso Abaya is a retired Philippine Army General who served its 32nd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 6th under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the AFP prior appointment as Chief of Staff. He is now the President and CEO of Bases Conversion and Development Authority where he was appointed by President Arroyo in 2004 upon his retirement from Military service.
The Chief of the Philippine Constabulary was the head of the Philippine Constabulary, the former gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991 and the predecessor to the modern-day Philippine National Police. It was founded in 1901 by Captain Henry T. Allen. The position is invariably held by a PC Brigadier General until 1976 when it was held by a Major General. Lieutenant General can be attained if the PC officer was appointed Vice Chief of Staff, AFP or General if the PC officer is appointed to Chief of Staff, AFP.
