MANILA – Philippine Fleet commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo has been chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy.
Bacordo’s appointment papers were signed by President Duterte and released publicly late Friday. He will replace Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad who is reaching the retirement age of 56 on Monday.
The Iloilo City native Bacordo was a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Hinirang” Class of 1987. He assumed as commander of the Philippine Fleet in April 2019.
Prior to that, Bacordo’s previous assignments were as commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command; commander of Naval Forces Southern Luzon; naval staff for operations and first director of the Navy’s Center for Naval Leadership and Excellence.
Bacordo will assume a Navy that faces several security challenges, including the incursions of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.
He is also expected to pursue the ongoing modernization efforts of the Navy.
President Duterte will lead the change of command ceremony from Empedrad to Bacordo on Monday at the Navy headquarters in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
Bacordo finished his preschool at Assumption Iloilo, his elementary education at Clement’s grade school and his high school education at the University of the Philippines Iloilo City./PN
