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Villamor welcomes 10 PAF Generals

Ten newly-promoted Philippine Air Force Generals were formally welcomed last 25 July 2009 by the top PAF leadership in a Donning Of Rank Ceremony held at the Hall of Flags at PAF headquarters in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

Lt. General Oscar H Rabena, PAF Commanding General, formally bestowed the shoulder boards of the newly promoted generals before the presence of their respective families.

The new PAF Generals were Brigadier General Pedro S Rieza Jr, Brigadier General Joel C Marayag, Brigadier General Carlix P Donila, Brigadier General Francisco N Cruz Jr, Brigadier General Rolando C Hautea Jr, Brigadier General Cipriano D Gundao, Brigadier General Gregorio E Macapagal at Brigadier General Lauro Catalino G Dela Cruz.

Newly-promoted two-star generals of the Philippine Air Force - PAF 1^st Air Division Commander Major General Lino Horacio E Lapinid and Air Force Inspector General Major General Artemio G Orozco – lead the honorees in the star-studded ceremony.

They, General Rabena said, exemplified the highest ideals of values of the profession arms.

Brigadier General Rieza, who hails from Panagniban, Camarines Norte, is a 32-year veteran pilot who graduated from the PAF Flying School at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City on December 1978. He is currently the Wing Commander of PAF’s 355^th Air Engineer Wing based at Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga.

Brigadier General Marayag, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1980, is the base commander of Villamor Air Base. He is a 34-year veteran facility manager trained in airport operations management, disaster preparedness and hostage negotiation on top of his pilot and combat training.

Brigadier General Donila, who holds a masteral degree in strategic studies from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, is the Commander of PAF’s Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga. A PMA Class 1978 mistah of General Rabena, he also finished his Masters in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University and a Defense Studies Diploma from Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand. He likewise took Strategic Business Economics Program at the University of Asia and the Pacific in Mandaluyong. Before joining the PMA, he was a BS Chemistry student at the University of the Philippines.

Brigadier General Cruz, the current base commander of Air Force City in Clark, Pampanga, is a graduate of the PMA in 1979 who also possess a Master of Science in Strategic Studies degree from the Singapore Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies. Among his education degrees are Project Management Course from the Asian Institute of Management, Master of Arts in Public Management, and Strategic Business Economics Program, both from the University of the Philippines.

Brigadier General Hautea, a native of Manapla, Negros Occidetnal, is the Commander of the 220^th Airlift Wing. He studied in Don Bosco Technical Institute in Victorias, Negros Occidental and La Salle Bacolod before he joined the PAF Flying School where he graduated in 1980. Before he assumed the leadership of the 220^th Ailift Wing, he was the Chief of Command Staff of the PAF Tactical Operations Center in Mactan, Cebu.

Brigadier General Gundao, a PMA 1979 graduate and a member of the PAF Flying School Class of 1981, is a 34-year veteran in the military service who also took logistics management course at the Ateneo de Manila University on top of his military studies in international defense management, logistics decision making and military strategic planning. He currently commands the PAF 420^TH Supply Wing.

Brigadier Macapagal, the commander of the 410^th Maintenance Wing, is a 1980 graduate of the PMA who also finished a Master of Arts in Defense Studies from Kings College in London. His military trainings includes Aircraft Accident Investigation Course at the Air Force Officers School and the Overseas Joint Warfare Course conducted by the Australian Defense Force in Australia.

Brigadier General De La Cruz, a PMA Class of 1980 graduate, commands the 205^th Tactical Helicopter Wing. He holds a Diploma in Arts from the Massey University in New Zealand and a Masters in Management major in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University. A former deputy commander of the 710^th Special Operations Wing and of the 205^th THW, he trained in various military courses both here and abroad.

Major General Orozco, the current Air Force Inspector General, is a 1978 graduate of the PAF Flying School who joined the service in 1976 via the Air Force Officers School. He was the Wing Commander of the 570^th Composite Tactical Wing in Palawan prior to his current post.

Major General Lapinid, the commander of Luzon-based 1^st Air Division, is PMA Class 1977 graduate who also holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from the Ateneo de Manila University. He also used to command the Air Reserve Command and the 4^th Tactical Operations Wing.

In his speech, General Rabena reminded the newly-promoted generals to “always exhibit strength in character, use power to impact the lives of others and be the beacon of hope to other officers and men of the Philippine Air Force.”