Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino officially received his fourth star and the rank of general.
President Rodrigo Duterte personally administered the donning of rank to Faustino on Thursday, October 7, during the official visit of the Chief Executive at the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay.
Faustino became the AFP chief-of-staff after Gen. Cirilito Sobejana stepped down from military service on July 31 upon reaching the mandatory age of retirement, 56 years old.
Prior to taking over the reigns of the AFP, Faustino, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988, served as the head the Joint Task Force Mindanao, and the acting commanding general of the Philippine Army.
President Duterte also donned a new rank to Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, the commander of the Southern Luzon Command, on Thursday.
"It is an honor to don these lustrous stars which carry the weight of our obligations to the country and its people. This milestone demands no less than exemplary performance in the fulfillment of our mandate as soldiers," Faustino said.
"With the help of the hardworking men and women of the AFP, rest assured that the military's tradition of excellence and professionalism is continuously upheld," he added.
The appointment of Faustino and five other AFP senior officers took effect on September 15.
