Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr. (left) and Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (right) (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)
MANILA – Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr. has joined the Philippine Army (PA) reserve force as a lieutenant colonel.
Lagdameo was commissioned to the ranks in simple rites led by PA commander, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio on Monday.
“With the addition of Lt. Col. Lagdameo and his valuable expertise in politics, legislation, and business, I am sure that now more than ever, the reserve force will achieve greater heights,” Brawner said.
The PA chief also hailed the valuable role of reservists in nation-building, particularly in saving lives amid natural calamities across the country.
”To Lt. Col. Lagdameo, may you perform with utmost fervor and may your dedication and example of heeding the call of service inspire more of our countrymen to serve the nation,” he added.
Lagdameo served as Davao del Norte's second district representative from 2007 to 2016.
As a public servant, Lagdameo's main focus was on rural and agricultural development, education, tourism, and sustainable development.
AFP deputy chief of staff farewell visit to Navy commander
Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief of staff, Vice Adm. Rommel Anthony Reyes, rendered on Monday an exit call to Philippine Navy (PN) flag-officer-in-command, Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr.
He was accorded fitting honors as he arrived at the PN headquarters in Manila for a visit in anticipation of his compulsory retirement from military service.
“I am very thankful, after 38 years, I will finally hang my uniform. The journey was very challenging yet very much fulfilling,” Reyes said.
Reyes, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1989, assumed the third-highest position in the AFP in February 2022. He is scheduled to bow out of the service this March upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Among his notable stints with the PN include the Naval Inspector General, deputy commander for fleet operations of the Naval Forces West, commander of Naval Information and Communication Technology Center, and assistant chief of naval staff for Weapons, Communications, Electronics, and Information Systems.
AFP welcomes new operations chief
Meanwhile, the AFP on Tuesday installed Brig. Gen. Fernando Reyeg as its new deputy chief-of-staff for operations (J-3).
Reyes led the change of chief rites at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
A member of PMA Class of 1991, Reyeg previously served as assistant deputy chief of staff of Education, Training, and Doctrine or AJ-8.
Reyeg also served in various command and staff positions, including as the commander of the erstwhile 104th Infantry Brigade (now 101st Infantry Brigade) and at the same time Joint Task Force Basilan; commander of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion; chief of Readiness and Organization Division and Plans, Policy, and Programs Division of OJ-3; and chief-of-staff of 6th Infantry Division and chief of the unified command staff of Western Mindanao Command.
He replaced Brig. Gen Glenn Jun C. Calambuhay, the assistant J-3, who had been leading the office in an acting capacity since the reassignment of the then J-3, Maj.Gen. Alex S. Rillera as commander of the 6th Infantry Division in January. (PNA)
