New Navy chief enumerates plans

February 3, 2020

The new Flag Officer-in-Command (FOIC) of the Philippine Navy vows to  develop its system to ensure that the modernization effort of the organization will not go to waste.

In his speech as he assumed as the 38th FOIC of the Philippine Navy,  Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo enumerated existing problems in their organization but stressed solutions will be found. 

"Inspite of all these modernization efforts we are not guaranteed that these brand new defense platforms will still be in fighting status in five to ten years. Until today, the port facilities of all our naval bases and stations are not capable of accommodating our strategic vessels. the three Del Pilar classs frigates. The two landing docks and the Conrado Yap class corvette, these vessels instead make the commercial ports as its home base," he said.

"Given this trend, all the modernization efforts will go to waste unless the PN will further develop some of its system in place," said Bacordo. 

"In view of these observations, I will implement programs that will ensure that these defense capabilities will remain to be capable through time, not only we will have modern platforms but also modern systems and modern mindsets to ensure that we will continue to fulfill our mission and remain to be a strong and credible navy that our maritime nation can be truly proud of," he added.

Bacordo said his "first priority program is sustainment suite for new platforms, weapons and sensors of the Fleet and the Marines."

"The initiatives that will be implemented in order to support program number one are first is to capacitate the naval sea systems command (NSSC), the unit which is charge of the maintenance and repair of the ships weapons,communications, electronic systems, and the hull machinery and electrical systems," he said.

"The second initiative to support the program number one is the inclusion of the materiel and the facility requirements in every modernization package. Hence if the navy will be acquiring ships program for dry dock that will accomodate the ships. also for program for special tools and test equipment, program for simulators that simulates war fighing and train combat information center personnel as a cohesive team, also develop a naval port facilities where this multi billion platforms can be home-ported," he added.

Bacordo said his "second priority program is the strict implementation of specialization for officers and enlisted personnel skills while we have numerous circulars on the warfare, support to warfare and staff specializations."

"We are wanting in its implementation because of the present mindset that only officers who have completed the command of navy vessels and command of marine battalion can advance to flag rank the over all effect is that every body wants to command ships and battalions that we have never develop a high proficiency in the support to warfare and staff specialization like personnel, plans, logistics, finance, cyberwarfare, and education and training," he said.

Bacordo also mentioned his third priority program which he describes as the most challenging and most difficult to achieve.

"The third priority program, and the most difficult to achieve is modernizing the mindset of the every sailor and marines," he said.

"The most challenging is to modernized the mindset of sailors and marines after decades of exposure to a legacy capability. Without this modern mindset all of these modern assets of the navy will go to waste," he added.

The change of command and retirement ceremony of Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad that was held at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila was led by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Aside from military and defense officials the event was also attended by cabinet members and other officials of the government. Robina Asido/DMS