Army chief vows mission-ready force to back defense goals

Newly installed Commanding General of the Philippine Army (CGPA), Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, has assured the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of the Army’s readiness to provide potent, mission-capable ground forces in support of the country’s territorial and external defense objectives.

During his first official visit as the 67th CGPA to AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, earlier this week, Nafarrete emphasized the Philippine Army’s critical role as the AFP’s largest force provider.

He committed to maintaining a credible and responsive force aligned with the AFP’s strategic Campaign Plan “Tatag Kapuluan.”

Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala told the DAILY TRIBUNE on Thursday that one of the key highlights of the visit was Nafarrete’s presentation of his leadership directive titled “Our Personnel is Our Strength.”

He said the Army chief’s initiative underscores holistic human capital development, aiming to enhance the welfare, skills, and combat readiness of Army personnel — a foundation he believes is vital to national security.

Meanwhile, Nafarrete also reaffirmed the importance of inter-service collaboration, stating the Army’s commitment to working closely with the Philippine Navy and Air Force in implementing the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), which seeks to strengthen the country’s maritime security posture amid evolving regional threats.

The visit marks a unified commitment between the Army leadership and the AFP General Headquarters to advance defense modernization, enhance joint operations capability, and safeguard the nation’s sovereignty.