BAGUIO CITY(PIA) -- A Baguio boy General is assumed as the commander of the lone command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the Visayas region.
AFP Chief of Staff LtGen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro designated MGen. Benedict Arevalo as the Commander of Visayas Command during the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony of outgoing Commander LtGen Robert Dauz at Camp Lapulapu in Cebu City on November 14.
Arevalo, former commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army, will now oversee joint military operations in the Visayas in an acting capacity including the 3rd and 8th IDs , Philippine Air Force and Navy stationed in the Visayas region.
In his message, he commended the accomplishment of the Visayas Command on various operations particularly on the continued fight against insurgency in the Visayas region.
He stressed that thru his command, they will continue and intensify the fight against insurgency thru the Whole of Nation Approach to ending local communist armed conflict.
“We will continue the fight and as we continue the fight let us not also forget to increase the momentum of our operations. We will continue the gains we had with our work together with our ELCAC organization which has given us edge in our campaign. We have seen the success of the different clusters of the different activities and programs of the ELCAC and we should be able to maximize them in the coming periods,” Arevalo said in his message.
Aside from the civil military operations to weaken the rebel forces, Arevalo stressed the need to strengthen and always be ready to be the first responders during disasters. He said they should intensify the humanitarian and disaster response operations in the Visayas.
“As first responders, I encourage all the units, all the humanitarian and disaster response units are ready to go all the time. There is a need for everyone to be prepared, let us always be ready,” he added
Arevalo is a member of Philippine Military Academy “Bigkis-Lahi” Class of 1990, and a former AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations.
Arevalo belongs to a family of military officers. His father Filoteo Sr. is a member of PMA Class of 1956, while his four brothers Alexander, Filoteo Jr., Robert and Armand belong to PMA Classes 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1991, respectively. (JDP/RMC- PIA-CAR) (Photos from Philippine Army Spearhead Troopers)
