Newly promoted PCGA officers take oath
PHILIPPINE Coast Guard commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan led the donning and oath-taking ceremony of newly promoted PCG Auxiliary (PCGA) officers on April 9, 2024, in Makati City.
The officers — two auxiliary rear admirals and six auxiliary commodores — appointed to various National Auxiliary Main Office positions took their oath before Gavan.
“A promotion is not a mere ceremonial act generously handed to individuals for trivial matters; it is a solemn recognition of a person’s worth to the organization,” Gavan said.
“To the promoted officers, you have proved your worth, especially in the worst of times,” Gavan said about the service rendered by the officers at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the promoted officers are those who have served the PCGA for over two decades and whose professional expertise in architecture, education, health care, law, journalism, business and ecumenical services have aided the Coast Guard and its auxiliary counterpart in achieving their missions.
These included Aux. Rear Adm. Frederick Gomez, principal architect of Brandonwood Industry, and Aux Rear Adm. Febwin Villaceran, head of the research department of Wesleyan College of Manila.
It also included auxiliary commodores Gil Roberto Zerrudo, principal partner of Quisumbing Torres Law; Nicole Lourdes de la Cruz, family physician for Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center; AUX COMMO Ma Cristina Torres, owner of Pru Life UK-Turquoise Life Insurance Agency; AUX COMMO Maria Elena Lauro, a dentist and member of the Filipino-American Nurses of Grand Canyon State; AUX COMMO Rodolfo Floresta, member of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines National Training Team; and AUX COMMO Yashika Torib, a maritime journalist for The Manila Times.
“I know for certain that the newly promoted officers are deserving of their promotion, but a promotion to the next higher rank should not be the objective for being in the PCGA. Numbers, ranks and accolades are not why we are here. We are here to serve the Filipino people,” he added.
Vice Adm. Rolando Lizor Punzalan Jr., PCG deputy commandant for operations; Rear Adm. Hostillo Arturo Cornelio, chief of Coast Guard Staff; Aux Vice Adm. Jorge Lim, PCGA national director; and other senior and junior officers witnessed the event.
PCGA is the uniformed civilian volunteer arm of the Coast Guard tasked under the Republic Act 9993 or the Coast Guard Law of 2009 to assist the PCG in maritime safety, maritime search and rescue, marine environment protection, and maritime community relations.
It has over 17,000 members nationwide, composed of diverse professionals whose expertise and services are voluntarily rendered to the Coast Guard with no salary or allowances contrary to the Reserved Forces.