MANILA – Opisyal na nanunungkulan bilang flag-officer-in-command ng Philippine Navy (PN) si Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. nitong Huwebes.
Pinalitan niya si Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia, na nagsilbi bilang acting capacity kasunod ng pagreretiro ni Vice Adm. Adeluis Bordado noong Setyembre 9.
Si Adaci, isang miyembro ng Philippine Military Academy Class of 1989 ay nagpasalamat kay Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. para sa kanyang appointment.
“I would also like to thank the Commander-in-Chief and 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for this tremendous vote of confidence,” aniya sa change-of-command ceremony sa Naval Station Jose Andrada sa Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
Pinasalamatan din niya si Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. at ang Armed Forces of the Philippines Board of Generals at PN Board of Senior Officers para sa kanilang “positibong pag-endorso”.
Itinuring ni Adaci ang kanyang appointment bilang PN chief bilang “pinaka-mapanghamong yugto ng kanyang karera sa militar” at pinasalamatan niya ang kanyang pamilya sa pagsuporta sa kanya sa bawat hakbang.
Bago siya itinalaga sa pinakamataas na post ng Navy, nagsilbi siya bilang commander ng Naval Forces Western Mindanao at nilukso ang apat na barkong pandagat bukod sa pamunuan niya ang iba’t ibang naval task force sa kanyang mahabang karera.
“From this standpoint, it is only befitting to continue a trajectory as a modernizing naval defense force. I give credit to my predecessors who have ushered the way and enabled us to be where we are today. But we must remember that continuity demands more than just moving together towards a shared ambition, goal, or mission. As John Hunter, a management improvement guru perfectly articulated, he said and I quote ‘continuous improvement means that we never perceive current success as our final achievement’,” wika ni Adaci.
Sinabi rin niya na ang pagpapatuloy sa pagbabago ng organisasyon ng PN ay nangangailangan ng consistency, connectivity, at efficiency.
“We are already sustaining the policy priorities of our predecessors according to our Philippine Navy Sail Plan 2028. The modernization of hardware focuses on field specialization, automation and inculcation of a modern mindset in our navy personnel,” wika ni Adaci.
Sinabi rin ni Adaci na gagawin ng Navy ang lahat para protektahan ang soberanya ng bansa.
“As your Navy we are directly involved in preserving and protecting our country’s maritime interest. We will adhere to and stand with the position of our Commander-in-Chief regarding our rights in the West Philippine Sea and the seas all over our archipelago. We will protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity at all times,” dagdag niya.
