Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6) — Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Andres Centino visited soldiers on Pag-asa Island and inspected military facilities in Palawan, the AFP said on Sunday.
Centino made the visit on Friday to assure soldiers of support from the AFP’s general headquarters and to thank them “for their services and sacrifices as defenders of the country’s western frontier.”
The AFP chief also formally donned the three-star rank to Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos.
Carlos assumed the post after the retirement of Vice Admiral Ramil Roberto Enriquez on Jan. 21.
“This is very significant because we are all here in the most remote deployment of our troops, the valiant defenders of the Philippines’ first frontier,” Centino said during the donning of rank ceremony.
Pag-asa Island, internationally known as Thitu Island, is the stronghold of the Philippines in the disputed Spratly group of islands. It falls within the country’s exclusive economic zone that China contests despite a landmark ruling in favor of the Philippines.
