Gen. Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr., AFP (Ret.)

General Benjamin Rasgo Madrigal Jr. (Ret.) or “Benjie” is currently the Deputy Director General and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council. He was the 51st Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines and was a former Administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority.

As Administrator and a member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Coconut Authority, he took office on January 27, 2020 up to 17 November 2022. He orchestrated the accomplishment of all the PCA deliverables mandated by Republic Act No. 11524 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, which outlined the utilization of the long-awaited multibillion-peso Coco Levy Fund. He was also responsible for various strategic initiatives such as the PCA Transformation Roadmap and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Roadmap (CocoFIRM).

Recognizing his initiatives to improve the country’s coconut industry, he was elected as Chairman of the Technical Working Group of the International Coconut Community, which consist of 20 coconut-growing countries, during its Plenary Meeting in November 2021 with a three-year term.

He also is a retired military general officer, who assumed the highest position in the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the 51st Chief of Staff, AFP on 11 December 2018 up to his compulsory retirement from active military service on September 28, 2019 after more than thirty-eight years of highly meritorious and dedicated service. He has a colorful military career and performed excellently in various leadership positions of major responsibility, from brigade commander, division commander, and commander of AFP Unified Command. He has also been Chairman of the Board of three AFP financial institutions and was Co-Chairman of the Philippines – Indonesia Border Committee when he was Eastern Mindanao Commander and Co-Chair of the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board when he was Chief of Staff, AFP.

He has also been a delegate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in various international engagements held in Russia, Japan, Australia, United States, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. He has likewise acted as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of three (3) major AFP Financial Institutions that cater to the needs of military personnel: the AFP Savings and Loans Association Incorporated (AFPSLAI), the AFP Mutual Benefit Association Incorporated (AFPMBAI), and the AFP Retirement and Separation Benefits System (AFPRSBS).

General Madrigal consistently excelled and topped his local and international trainings and schoolings. He holds a Master’s Degree in Management Studies from the University of New South Wales in Canberra, Australia; and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University. He also completed the Professional Directors’ Program from the Institute of Corporate Directors and is a member of the Society of Fellows of this prestigious institution.

He also took up other executive courses such as the Senior Executive Course on National Security at the National Defense College of the Philippines, the Financial Analysis Course at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and the Defense Resource Management Course in Canberra, Australia. He is also a graduate of the Forward Observer Course in Manly, Australia; and the Military and Peacekeeping Operations in Accordance with the Rule of Law in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

As a testament to his exemplary performance, he is a recipient of numerous awards and recognition, to wit: the 2016 Outstanding Citizen Award of Los Baños, Laguna; the highly coveted Cavalier Award for Outstanding Performance in Command and Administration from the PMA Alumni Association, Inc; the 2018 Alumnus of the Year Award during the 2018 Australian Alumni Excellence Awards; the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Commander) for his performance during his stint as Commander, Eastern Mindanao Command; the United States Legion of Merit for his contributions in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region; the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Chief Commander) for professionalism, competence, and exceptional leadership as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines; and recently, the Order of Lapulapu (rank of Magalong) for his leadership performance in the Philippine Coconut Authority.

A member of the PMA “Sandiwa” Class of 1985, a native of Los Baños, Laguna and married to the former Maria Gemma B Convenido of San Pablo City, Laguna and their marriage is blessed with three children - Jed Matthew, Monica Ysabel, and Sofia Dominick.