According to Reuters, the Philippine Ministry of Defense announced on July 21 that President Marcos had appointed Antonio Navarrete as the Chief of Staff of the armed forces of the country.
On that day, Romeo Braun ended his three-year tenure as Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces.
Nafaret previously served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine Army. His policy orientation was consistent with the military transformation direction promoted by the Marcos government. He emphasized that the Philippine Army should shift from focusing on domestic counter-insurgency missions in the long term to enhancing its ability to respond to external threats.
After taking over, he will oversee the Philippine military and lead a modernization program that costs billions of dollars. The goal of this program is to update outdated military assets, thereby strengthening external defense and maritime security.
On that day, the Philippine Army posted a video on social media to congratulate Nafaret.
Video screenshot released by the Philippine Army
Reuters noted that Nafaret's appointment comes at a time when the Philippines is deepening its security relations. In addition to its traditional alliance with the United States, the Philippines is also expanding cooperation with Japan, Australia, Canada, and several European countries.
It is reported that unless removed from his position by the president, Nafaret will serve as the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces until July 2029.
