PGMA leads Camp Aguinaldo rites installing new AFP chief
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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today presided over the assumption of command by new Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Delfin N. Bangit, who she said, will ensure the continuity of the
military’s role in keeping the nation strong.
The President, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, also stressed that Bangit “will always put the nation
first in performing his duty to uphold the Constitution and protect our citizens.”
“Congratulations,” the President said to Bangit as the latter assumed the AFP command from Gen. Victor
Ibrado, who retired today upon reaching his mandatory retirement age of 56. It was Ibrado’s 56th birthday today.
“With the appointment of General Bangit we are pleased to provide the continuity required to keep our nation
stable and strong. As we have heard from the endorsement of General Ibrado, as we have heard from the
remarks of General Bangit, General Bangit will always put the nation first in performing his duty to uphold the
Constitution and protect our citizens,” the President said in her speech during the turnover ceremonies at Camp
Aguinaldo.
The President conferred on Ibrado the Philippine Legion of Honor award after the military honors.
In her speech the President cited Bangit’s 32 years of patriotic service and experience as a soldier, adding he
will have the role of keeping the continuity to keep our nation strong.
In his farewell speech, General Ibrado thanked the President for her “resolute and caring leadership,” stressing
that the President made the right choice in appointing Bangit.
For his part, Bangit sought to dispel criticisms about his being supposedly handpicked by the President for the
top AFP post mainly on account of his being her former security chief.
He said that his career and promotions did not start when he became head of the Presidential Security Group
(PSG) in Malacanang, but through struggles and sacrifices in the battlefield away from his family since he was a
young lieutenant 32 years ago.
“My purpose as the Chief-of-Staff is to lead the Armed Forces of the Philippines to render professional and
patriotic service worthy of the Filipino people’s respect. I am not the kind of commander who will lead our
soldiers astray. I will not allow anybody to use me for partisan politics. Sa Diyos lang ako magpapagamit,”
Bangit said.
On his PSG posting, Bangit said: “Every single day, I had to make sure that our country has a President who is
alive to serve you. I have done my duty well. But ever since I left the PSG, every time I got promoted, people think I
was there either because I kowtowed, or because I will be used for something illegal. As you know even my
assumption as Chief of Staff is not without those doubts.”
Bangit stressed that he will not taint his name and compromise his years of hard work and sacrifice and even
betray the people “in this time when our country needs faithful service the most.”
Bangit emphasized that he admires the President who never gave illegal orders to him.
“The reason why I have so much respect for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is because after all these years,
never have I receive illegal orders from her. I am sorry if that is not what you want to hear, but that is the truth,”
Bangit said.
Bangit said the AFP will continue supporting the President’s modernization program and national development
as the tool for attaining peace including the holding of a credible election which he has been advocating since
he was in the Philippine Army.
Four days ago, Bangit said 11 soliders died in Oriental Mindoro in fight against the New People’s Army (NPA)
rebels who wanted to extort permit to campaign fees in the area.
“They were our first casualties in our advocacy for a credible election. And I believe that our young and idealistic
soldiers, our senior non-commissioned officers who are the backbone of the institution will never waste the
sacrifice of our comrades. I am one with them in defending this institution from partisan politics. We will give
honor to their sacrifices by protecting your votes as if they were our own. This is not lip service. We have concrete
plans for this. If you want proof, join our crusade for credible elections. We need you more than ever,” Bangit
said.
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P342-M Tawi-Tawi bridge to speed up growth, peace in ARMM
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BATU-BATU, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi – Tawi-Tawi governor Sadikul Sahali calls it a “dream project.”
Once completed, the P342-million Tawi-Tawi Bridge Road Partnership Project (TBRPP), which will link the
island of Sanga-Sanga where the province's capital, Bongao, is located, to mainland Tawi-Tawi, will speed up
the transport of goods, services, and people in and around the province and will help in the peace process in
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“We will become a more economically viable area of development in the region,” Sahali said.
Sahali, Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar, and Bongao Mayor Alberto Que will welcome tomorrow President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, who is checking on the legacy projects started during her term. The President wants all these
projects to be completed before she steps down in June this year.
Panglima Sugala Mayor Norbin Sahali said TBRPP, a project under the President's Bridges Program, will help
grow the province's economy.
Aside from improved earnings for farmers and fishermen, the top two livelihood earners here, access to basic
services like hospitals and schools and trading centers will be easier and will, thus, improve the people’s
standard of living.
"Seaweed growers and cassava planters will exert more effort to harvest more of their products to sell to a wider
market," Sahali said.
TBRPP is a joint project of the Growth Equity Mindanao-United States Agency for International Development
(GEM-USAID), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the provincial government of Tawi-
Tawi.
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PHILIPPINE SEAFOOD EXPORTERS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL SEAFOOD SHOW AT THE BOSTON
CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION CENTER
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A group of 13 Philippine seafood companies organized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be
participating in the International Boston Seafood Show at the Boston Conference and Exhibition Center from
March 14 to 16, 2010. The participating companies and their respective products are as follows:
New participating companies:
1. Universal Canning, Inc. - Canned seafoods (sardines/mackerel)
2. The Beach Farms & Trading Corp. - Dried fish/anchovies, carrageenan
3. D'Licious Food Products, Inc. - Bangus products (processed)
4. RDEX Food International Phils., Inc. - Milkfish (deboned plain, deboned marinated, whole)
5. Aimbest-de Leon Food Company - "Tuna Filipina" steak burger patties, all natural
6. CRD Herbal Products, inc. - Dried fish, fish oil product capsule
7. Mega Fishing Corp. - Bottled sardines
Those Who Participated Last Year:
8. Bluefin Seafood Exports - Frozen and cooked octopus, baby octopus, squid, cuttlefish, sardines
9. JBI Foodstuff Supplier - Fresh tuna loins
10. C'Est La Vie Food Phils., Inc. - Processed seafoods (tuna)
11. J.N. Mercado Seafood Supply - Tuna loins/tailless tuna
12. M.S. Seafood Supplier - Fresh chilled yellow fin tuna loins
13. Jarla Trading - Fresh chilled tuna loins, tailless tuna
Interested buyers are invited to visit the Philippine booth at location 2060E.
New Philippine products to be launched in the exhibit include anchovies, fish oil capsule, tuna Filipina all
natural steak burger patties, tuna hotdogs, canned carageenan, bottled sardines, canned seafoods, and dried
fish.
For inquiries, please email the Office of the Agriculture Attache in the Philippine Embassy, Washington DC at
philagri.wdc@gmail with Boston Seafood Show 2010 in subject line.
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