The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed Thursday the ad interim appointments and promotions of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, leading reservist advocate Michael Romero and 36 other senior and flag officers.

The bicameral body approved Nafarrete’s appointment, formalizing his status as the country's 61st military chief with a four-star rank. Nafarrete assumed command on 21 July 2026, succeeding Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr.

The panel also confirmed Philippine Air Force Lt. Gen. Thad Rufino P. Candelario to a three-star rank, alongside eight officers promoted to the rank of colonel or captain in the Philippine Navy.

Romero, on the other hand, was confirmed as a brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve alongside 19 other officers.

He chairs the Association of Reservists and Reservist Administrators of the Philippines Inc. (ARRAPI), an organization working to strengthen the military reserve component and improve readiness for national defense, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

Two other ARRAPI leaders were also confirmed -- Marine Corps Col. Vladimir Mata, the group's president, and Army Col. Floreto Solano, the treasurer. The confirmations underscored the role of the reservist movement within the military and the country.

Romero previously worked on military modernization and capability upgrades, including securing funding for the Air Force's first three brand-new C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. Deliveries of the aircraft are set to begin this year.