General Carlito G. Galvez Jr.

Let the AFP Top Brass show Asia’s First Rotary Club his perspectives on military modernization in the wake of impending threats to our national sovereignty.

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GENERAL CARLITO G. GALVEZ JR, AFP is currently the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. GEN GALVEZ JR is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy “SANDIWA” Class of 1985. He has been with the military service for more than 36 years with all his command billets spent in conflict-affected areas of mainland Mindanao, Basilan and Sulu. He is an Airborne, Intelligence and Scout Ranger qualified. His fields of specialty include the following: Combat and Intelligence Operations; Leadership Development, Counter-terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance, Strategic Management, Systems Dynamics Modeling, and Peace-building, Negotiation and Mediation (“Rido” Settlement).

He completed his Masters in Project Management at the University of New South Wales, Australia in 2004. He also participated and finished Executive Education at Harvard University, Massachusetts; Asian Institute of Management Center for Bridging Leadership; Infantry Officer Advance Course in Fort Benning, Georgia, Military Operation Research Symposium in Singapore; Crisis Management Course in Hawaii, Counter-terrorism Conference, NDU, Washington D.C. and Rules of Engagement in San Remo, Italy. GEN GALVEZ JR graduated from the AFP Command and Staff College Class 47 as the Class President and Valedictorian (CSAFP and CGPA Awards).

His notable achievements include the following: Recipient of the most prestigious United States Eisenhower Fellowships in 2006. In 2007, he was adjudged as one of the “The Outstanding Philippine Soldier (TOPS)”. Additionally, during his stint as Commander of the First Scout Ranger Battalion, which operated against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan, the said unit was adjudged as the Best Scout Ranger Battalion for two consecutive years in 2000 and 2001 and was chosen as the Philippine Army Best Battalion for Combat Operations in 2002.

In 2013, during the height of the Zamboanga Siege, he led the successful defense of Lamitan City, during the onslaught of combined forces of Abu Sayyaf Group and Lawless Elements from September 12 to 14, 2013. During the Marawi Siege, he provided strategic direction and inspiration and deployed forces to successfully rescue the 2,000 civilian hostages, neutralize Isnilon Hapilon, all the Maute Brothers and terrorists, and clear Marawi during the five months of continuous battle. As WestMinCom Commander, he was able to lead his six Joint Task Forces with resounding success, with the neutralization of 436 Abu Sayyaf members including Alhabshy Misaya and Nurhassan Jamiri, 276 communist terrorists, 311 BIFF members, and 1,065 Maute members.

In line with the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the campaign against loose firearms was launched by the troops to implement the Security, Governance and Development Strategies of Martial Law in Mindanao. Through the diplomatic mentoring strategy of Gen Galvez, a total of 1,343 loose firearms were surrendered to and recovered by the Joint Task Forces, 345 of which were from Central Mindanao, 195 from ZamPeLan, 229 from Zamboanga City, and 574 from Sulu.

He is also a bemedalled officer with two Philippine Legion of Honors, three Distinguished Service Stars, two Outstanding Achievement Medals, six Gold Cross Medals, eight Bronze Cross Medals, 40 Military Merit and Commendation Medals and lastly the Wounded Personnel Medal. GEN GALVEZ is also a recipient of the DSWD “Salamat Po” Humanitarian Award and the Outstanding Citizen of Taguig City Award. Just recently, he was awarded by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte with the Order of Lapu-lapu, Level of Kamagi, for his outstanding performance as the Unified Commander during the Liberation of Marawi City.

GEN GALVEZ JR. is happily married to the former Marissa M Pascua, an International Flight Purser of Philippine Airlines and their marriage is blessed with a daughter, Mary Frances Therese.