Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said it is honored to have another opportunity to work with newly-appointed Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
"Naging malapit na katrabaho ng OCD si Secretary Charlie (Galvez) sa buong panahon ng pandemya habang pinamumunuan niya ang National Task Force on Covid-19. Nalulugod kami na muli na naman namin siyang makakatrabaho, ngayon bilang pinuno ng One Defense Team! (OCD worked closely with Secretary Charlie during the pandemic while he was heading the National Task Force (NTF) on Covid-19. We are grateful as we get to work with him again, this time as leader of the One Defense Team)," OCD public affairs officer Mark Cashean Timbal said in a statement Monday night.
Under Galvez's watch, the NTF-Covid 19 was largely successful in acquiring vaccines and inoculating a large percentage of Filipinos which helped boost the country's pandemic response.
Timbal, meanwhile, thanked DND officer-in-charge (OIC) Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. for his leadership and service.
"Taos-pusong nagpapasalamat ang lahat ng mga pinuno at kawani ng Office of Civil Defense sa magiting na pamumuno ng butihing Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr. bilang tagapamahala ng Kagawaran ng Tanggulang Pambansa at Tagapangulo ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council simula noong Hulyo 2022 (The officers and employees of the OCD would also like to thank Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. for his services as DND officer-in-charge and chair of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council since July 2022)," Timbal said.
He added that they are wishing Faustino all the best in his endeavors along with God's guidance.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also welcomed Galvez's appointment as the new defense chief.
"His wealth of experience both as a military commander and as a public servant, along with his proven leadership in the government's fight against Covid-19, will help sustain our country's gains in peace and security," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in a statement Monday night.
He also said the AFP was also grateful to Faustino for his leadership and wished him all the best.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday named Galvez as the new DND chief after he accepted Faustino's resignation.
Galvez, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1985, served as AFP chief from April to December 2018.
During his time as commander of Western Mindanao Command, Galvez led the military in liberating the city of Marawi from the hands of the Maute-ISIS terror group in October 2017.
Before being named as DND chief, Galvez served as chief of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. (PNA)
