Chief of the Air Force (Philippines)

The Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force is the overall commander and senior general of the Philippine Air Force, the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is normally held by a three-star rank of Lieutenant General. The holder of the position has operational control and is responsible for overall operations of the service, and directly reports to the Chief of Staff of the armed forces.

Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force
since December 20, 2022
 Philippine Air Force
Reports toChief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
AppointerPresident of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length2 years [1]
Constituting instrumentRepublic Act No. 11939 [1]
FormationJuly 1, 1947
Deputy
  • Vice Commander of the Philippine Air Force
  • Chief of Air Staff

List

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The following are the Commanding Generals/Chiefs of the Philippine Air Force since its foundation in 1947, with some generals commanding various units from the Philippine Army Air Corps until it was replaced by the Philippine Air Force in 1947.[2]

Commanding Generals

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No. Portrait Commanding General
(Primary Background)
Took office Left office Time in office President Ref.
1Colonel
Pelagio A. Cruz
(Attack)
9 June 194716 March 19513 years, 280 daysManuel Roxas
Elpidio Quirino
2Brigadier General
Eustacio D. Orobia
(Fighter)
16 March 19512 June 19521 year, 78 daysElpidio Quirino
3Brigadier General
Benito Nicano R. Ebuen
(Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)
2 June 19523 November 19531 year, 154 daysElpidio Quirino
*Brigadier General
Pelagio A. Cruz
(Attack)
3 November 195317 December 19563 years, 44 daysElpidio Quirino
Ramon Magsaysay
*Brigadier General
Benito Nicano R. Ebuen
(Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)
17 December 195617 March 195790 daysRamon Magsaysay
4Brigadier General
Pedro Q. Molina
(Infantry, Bombers, and Tactical Operations)
17 March 195717 July 19625 years, 122 daysRamon Magsaysay
Carlos P. Garcia
Diosdado Macapagal
5Brigadier General
Jonas A. Victoria
(Artillery, Airbase Commander and Tactical Operations)
17 July 196211 June 19641 year, 330 daysDiosdado Macapagal
6Brigadier General
Agusto L. Jurado
(Infantry, Logistics, and Tactical Operations)
11 June 19641 June 1965355 daysDiosdado Macapagal
7Brigadier General
Victor H. Dizon
(Bombers, Training and Communications)
1 June 196529 December 1965211 daysDiosdado Macapagal
8Brigadier General
Jose B. Ramos
(Training and Communications)
29 December 196515 August 19671 year, 229 daysDiosdado Macapagal
Ferdinand Marcos
9Brigadier General
Emmanuel S. Casabar
(Infantry, Intelligence, and Fighters)
15 August 196727 May 1968286 daysFerdinand Marcos
10Brigadier General
Juan B. Guevara
(Intelligence and Communications)
27 May 19688 September 1968104 daysFerdinand Marcos
11Brigadier General
Jesus Z. Singson
(Field Artillery and Fighters)
8 September 196815 January 19723 years, 129 daysFerdinand Marcos
12Major General
Jose L. Rancudo
(Fighters)
15 January 197227 March 19764 years, 72 daysFerdinand Marcos
13Major General
Samuel O. Sarmiento
(Training and Fighters)
27 March 19761 October 19815 years, 188 daysFerdinand Marcos
14Brigadier General
Petronio M. Lapeña
(Training and Fighters)
1 October 19815 April 1982186 daysFerdinand Marcos
15Major General
Vicente M. Piccio, Jr.
(Training and Fighters)
5 April 198225 February 19863 years, 326 daysFerdinand Marcos
16Major General
Ramon J. Farolan, Jr.
(Fighters and Staff)
25 February 19868 October 1986195 daysCorazon Aquino
17Major General
Antonio E. Sotelo
(Fighters and Staff)
8 October 19866 April 19881 year, 211 daysCorazon Aquino
18Major General
Jose L. De Leon, Jr.
(Fighters)
6 April 198824 February 19901 year, 324 daysCorazon Aquino
19Major General
Geraldo C. Protacio
(Fighters and Staff)
24 February 199019 April 19911 year, 54 daysCorazon Aquino
20Lieutenant General
Loven C. Abadia
(Fighters and Helicopter Tactical Operations)
19 April 19918 August 19921 year, 111 daysCorazon Aquino
Fidel V. Ramos
21Lieutenant General
Leopoldo S. Acot
(Intelligence, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
8 August 199213 December 19931 year, 127 daysFidel V. Ramos
22Lieutenant General
Nicasio P. Rodriguez, Jr.
(Airlifts)
13 December 199326 December 19952 years, 13 daysFidel V. Ramos
23Lieutenant General
Arnulfo E. Acedera
(Airlifts and Helicopter Tactical Operations)
26 December 199529 November 1996339 daysFidel V. Ramos
24Lieutenant General
William Hotchkiss III
(Fighters)
29 November 19968 January 19992 years, 40 daysFidel V. Ramos
Joseph Estrada
25Lieutenant General
Willie C. Florendo
(Airlifts)
8 January 199910 October 20001 year, 276 daysJoseph Estrada
26Lieutenant General
Benjamin P. Defensor, Jr.

(Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
10 October 200010 September 20021 year, 335 daysJoseph Estrada
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
[3]
27Lieutenant General
Nestor R. Santillan
(Intelligence, Training and Staff)
10 September 200214 May 20041 year, 237 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo[4]
*Major General
Arcadio L. Seron
(Officer In Charge)

(Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
14 May 20047 July 200464 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo[5]
28Lieutenant General
Jose L. Reyes
(Attack)
7 July 20042 February 20072 years, 210 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo[6]
29Lieutenant General
Horacio S. Tolentino
(Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
2 February 20074 January 2008336 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo[7]
30Lieutenant General
Pedrito S. Cadungog
(Training, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
4 January 20089 January 20091 year, 5 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo[8][9]
31Lieutenant General
Oscar H. Rabena
(Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
9 January 20099 January 20123 years, 0 daysGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Benigno Aquino III
[10]
32Lieutenant General
Lauro Catalino G. Dela Cruz
(Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
9 January 201230 April 20142 years, 111 daysBenigno Aquino III[11]
33Lieutenant General
Jeffrey F. Delgado
(Attack and Staff)
30 April 20149 March 20161 year, 314 daysBenigno Aquino III[12]
34Lieutenant General
Edgar R. Fallorina
(Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
9 March 201624 October 20171 year, 229 daysBenigno Aquino III
Rodrigo Duterte
[13][14]
35Lieutenant General
Galileo Gerard R. Kintanar, Jr.
(Attack, Training and Staff)
24 October 201721 December 20181 year, 58 daysRodrigo Duterte[15][16]
36Lieutenant General
Rozzano D. Briguez
(Helicopter Tactical Operations, Training and Staff)
21 December 201816 January 20201 year, 26 daysRodrigo Duterte[17]
37Lieutenant General
Allen T. Paredes
(Attack, Logistics and Staff)
16 January 20207 December 20211 year, 325 daysRodrigo Duterte[18][19]
38Lieutenant General
Connor Anthony D. Canlas Sr.
(Attack, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
7 December 202120 December 20221 year, 13 daysRodrigo Duterte
Bongbong Marcos
[18][19][20][21]
39Lieutenant General
Stephen Parreño
(Airlifts, Helicopter Tactical Operations and Staff)
20 December 2022Incumbent1 year, 338 daysBongbong Marcos[22][23][24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Republic Act No. 11939 | GOVPH". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. May 17, 2023.
  2. ^ "LEADERSHIP - Philippine Air Force". www.paf.mil.ph.
  3. ^ "Retiring PAF chief makes final report named". Philippine Star. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. ^ "New PAF chief: A quiet achiever named". Philippine Star. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Air Force chief retires; OIC named". Philippine Star. 8 September 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Air Force has new chief". Philippine Star. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Arroyo names Tolentino as new Air Force chief". GMA News. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. ^ Laude, Jaime (4 January 2008). "Ex-GMA chief pilot heads PAF". Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. ^ "AFP names new Air Force chief". GMA News. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Arroyo PMA 'classmate' named new Air Force chief". GMA News. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Profile: PAF Commanding General Lauro Catalino G. dela Cruz". Official Gazette. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Aquino's former aide is new PH Air Force chief". Rappler. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Fallorina to assume post as PAF chief". CNN Philippines. 8 March 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Helicopter pilot Lt. Gen. Fallorina is new Air Force chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  15. ^ Wakefield, Francis (24 October 2017). "Kintanar named new PAF chief". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  16. ^ Placido, Dharel (24 October 2017). "Philippine Air Force welcomes new chief". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Briguez is new Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 6 December 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Duterte appoints new Philippine Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Air logistics commander is new Air Force chief". Rappler. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  20. ^ "Connor Anthony Canlas is new Air Force chief". RAPPLER. 7 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Air Force's 'top gun' in 1993 named new PAF commanding general". Manila Bulletin.
  22. ^ "Pilot who led air mobility efforts during Marawi siege takes command of PH Air Force". Manila Bulletin. 20 December 2022.
  23. ^ "New PH Air Force chief to continue service's key initiatives".
  24. ^ Flores, Helen. "Philippines committed to have world-class Air Force – Marcos". Philstar.com.