Outgoing Navy chief Bacordo advises successor to increase assets, capacitate personnel

Outgoing Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo on Monday suggested to the next leadership to improve assets and capacitate the personnel of the country’s naval force.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987, Bacordo will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Wednesday but the turnover ceremony will be held on Tuesday.

Bacordo assumed the top Navy post in February 2020.

“What I can advise to the next chief of the Navy regarding these challenges.  These challenges will always be there so as the force provider continue to capacitate our personnel and continue to capacitate also our vessels and our marine assets and our air assets,” he said during a press conference.

According to him, the timing of his leadership is challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said many modernization plans for the Navy were delayed.

“My tenure as Navy chief may have been among the most difficult times in recent history due to the unprecedented global pandemic caused by COVID-19,” he said.

“For me the biggest blow was to our modernization efforts,” he added.

Also, Bacordo suggested for the next Navy chief to always implement policies that are favorable to the organization as, he said, some policies that are good for the Navy may ‘counter’ the person in the top position.

The change of command and retirement ceremony of Bacordo will be held at the Philippine Navy Headquarters in Manila on Tuesday. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News