Adaci assumes post as new Navy chief

Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr. on Thursday assumed his post as the new Flag Officer In Command of the Philippine Navy, replacing Rear Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia who served as acting chief.

“First of all I would like to thank the Lord Almighty for this magnanimous blessing to be selected as the 40th Flag Officer In Command of the Philippine Navy,” Adaci said in his speech during the change of command ceremony at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila.

Armed Forces chief Lieutenant General Bartolome Bacarro presided over the ceremony.

Adaci said he will continue the modernization of the naval defense force and improve the skills and mindset of the Navy personnel.

According to him, he will prioritize giving naval operating forces like Marine brigades, ships, and other frontline units with adequate personnel and equipment.

“We will intensify our efforts to achieve the objectives and measures in the remaining Horizons 2 and 3 of our Modernization Program,” he said.

“But while we acquire new assets, our plans should emphasize the complementing requirements of logistics support systems, transfer of technology among others. At the same, time we will raise the aptitude of our personnel according to their fields of specialization by harmonizing policy differences,” he added.

Adaci said the Navy will keep on improving partnership with allies, partners, and other like-minded countries that are committed to maintaining a stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

“We will push for the continuation of existing international engagements and work towards expanding our cooperation with regional navies of course aligned with our foreign policy direction,” he said.

Adaci served as the commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao before taking over the top Philippine Navy post. — RSJ, GMA News