Career
After his graduation in the PMA in 1993,Gavan briefly joined the Philippine Army before fully serving at the Philippine Coast Guard,where he was assigned under various Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels,and later commanded the PCG and the BFAR capital ships. Gavan eventually became commanded of various Coast Guard Districts,which includes the Coast Guard District Central Visayas. [3] Gavan also created various measures that aims to boost the coast guard's role within the country while intensifying its partnerships with other coast guards in the region,such as the creation of the Organized National Engagement at Sea Concept,also known as the ONE at Sea Concept,which is aimed to further boost the interoperability of the coast guard's role in helping the country’s military and law enforcement agencies in times of conflict;as well as the formulation of the Common Protocol on Engagements At-sea for Coast Guards and Maritime Law Enforcers or the C-PEACE initiative,which is aimed at boosting the coast guard's role in maintaining peace and promoting a rules-based order within the coast guards in the ASEAN region. [4]
In the midst of the lockdown impositions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country,Gavan led the first PCG unit in assisting the arrival of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and spearheaded the PCG's “Hatid Tulong Initiative”for the Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs). During his term as commander of the Task Force Pagsasanay,which was launched on 6 April 2021,Gavan enhanced the Public-Private Partnership of the PCG on Humanitarian and Disaster Response Operations,as well as strengthened the branch's capacity building and preparedness in humanitarian missions,navigation skills,and maintenance operations. [3] [5] Gavan also eventually led the Task Force Kalinga,where he continued partnership initiatives with the private sector to boost the coast guard's transport capacity for the delivery of relief supplies to the victims of the Typhoon Rai,locally known as Typhoon Odette. [6]
Gavan is also credited for the creation of the Angels of the Sea,an all-female radio operator team which boards on vessels deployed in the South China Sea by the PCG. [7] The first batch of the Angels graduated in 2021. [8] [9] By February 2023,Gavan was promoted to the rank of vice admiral. [10]
President Bongbong Marcos appointed Gavan as Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard on October 19,2023,succeeding Artemio Abu and was later promoted to admiral on the same day. [7] He was selected from a shortlist of five people. [11] [12] [13] As part of his initiatives as the Commandant of the Coast Guard,Gavan also spearheaded the Intensified Community assistance,Awareness,Response,and Enforcement,also known as the iCARE campaign plan,which aims to harmonize the coast guard's operations through intensified community engagement,and enhancing the maritime welfare of coastal communities. [14] [15]
In March 2024,Gavan was unanimously reelected as the chairperson for the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council,a position he held since 2023. Gavan's term in the council is set to expire on 30 May 2027. [16] On February 18,2025,Admiral Gavan is also the first admiral and commandant of the coast guard to secure a 3-year fixed term for the post after the signing of Republic Act No. 12122,which was immediately placed into effect and is set to serve his tenure until 19 October 2026. [17]
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Admiral 
