Chief of the Air Force (Philippines)

The Chief of the Air Force is the overall commander and senior general of the Philippine Air Force, the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is normally held by a three-star rank of Lieutenant General and was formerly known as the "Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force" until June 2020.[1] He has operational control and is responsible for overall operations of the service, and directly reports to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Chief of the Air Force
Incumbent Lieutenant General Allen T. Paredes since January 16, 2020
Philippine Air Force
Reports to	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Appointer	President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length	Mandatory retirement upon reaching the age of 56
Precursor	Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force
Formation	July 1, 1947
Deputy	Deputy Chief of the Air Force Chief of the Air Force Staff

List

The following are the Commanding Generals/Chiefs of the Philippine Air Force since its foundation in 1947, with some generals commanding various units from the Philippine Army Air Corps until it was replaced by the Philippine Air Force in 1947.[2]

Commanding Generals (1947–2020)

No.	Portrait	Commanding General (Primary Background)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	President	Ref
1		Colonel Pelagio A. Cruz (Attack)	9 June 1947	16 March 1951	3 years, 280 days	Manuel Roxas Elpidio Quirino
2		Brigadier General Eustacio D. Orobia (Fighter)	16 March 1951	2 June 1952	1 year, 78 days	Elpidio Quirino
2		Brigadier General Eustacio D. Orobia (Fighter)	16 March 1951	2 June 1952	1 year, 78 days	Elpidio Quirino
3		Brigadier General Benito Nicano R. Ebuen (Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)	16 March 1951	2 June 1952	1 year, 78 days	Elpidio Quirino
*		Brigadier General Pelagio A. Cruz (Attack)	03 November 1953	17 December 1956	3 years, 44 days	Elpidio Quirino
*		Brigadier General Benito Nicano R. Ebuen (Infantry, Artillery, and Airbase Commander)	17 December 1956	17 March 1957	90 days	Elpidio Quirino Ramon Magsaysay
4		Brigadier General Pedro Q. Molina (Infantry, Bombers, and Tactical Operations)	17 March 1957	17 July 1962	5 years, 122 days	Ramon Magsaysay Carlos P. Garcia Diosdado Macapagal
5		Brigadier General Jonas A. Victoria (Artillery, Airbase Commander and Tactical Operations)	17 July 1962	11 June 1964	1 year, 330 days	Diosdado Macapagal
6		Brigadier General Agusto L. Jurado (Infantry, Logistics, and Tactical Operations)	11 June 1964	1 June 1965	355 days	Diosdado Macapagal
7		Brigadier General Victor H. Dizon (Bombers, Training and Communications)	1 June 1965	29 December 1965	211 days	Diosdado Macapagal
8		Brigadier General Jose B. Ramos (Training and Communications)	29 December 1965	15 August 1967	1 year, 229 days	Diosdado Macapagal Ferdinand Marcos
9		Brigadier General Emmanuel S. Casabar (Infantry, Intelligence, and Fighters)	15 August 1967	27 May 1968	286 days	Ferdinand Marcos
10		Brigadier General Juan B. Guevarra (Intelligence and Communications)	27 May 1968	08 September 1968	104 days	Ferdinand Marcos
11		Brigadier General Jesus Z. Singson (Field Artillery and Fighters)	08 September 1968	15 January 1972	3 years, 129 days	Ferdinand Marcos
12		Major General Jose L. Rancudo (Fighters)	15 January 1972	27 March 1976	4 years, 72 days	Ferdinand Marcos
13		Major General Samuel O. Sarmiento (Training and Fighters)	27 March 1976	01 October 1981	5 years, 188 days	Ferdinand Marcos
14		Brigadier General Petronio M. Lapeña (Training and Fighters)	01 October 1981	05 April 1982	186 days	Ferdinand Marcos
15		Major General Vicente M. Piccio, Jr. (Training and Fighters)	05 April 1982	25 February 1986	3 years, 326 days	Ferdinand Marcos
16		Major General Ramon J. Farolan, Jr. (Fighters and Staff)	25 February 1986	08 October 1986	195 days	Corazon Aquino
17		Major General Antonio E. Sotelo (Fighters and Staff)	08 October 1986	06 April 1988	1 year, 211 days	Corazon Aquino
18		Major General Jose L. De Leon, Jr. (Fighters)	06 April 1988	24 February 1990	1 year, 324 days	Corazon Aquino
19		Major General Geraldo C. Protacio (Fighters and Staff)	24 February 1990	19 April 1991	1 year, 54 days	Corazon Aquino
20		Lieutenant General Loven C. Abadia (Fighters and Tactical Operations)	19 April 1991	08 August 1992	1 year, 111 days	Corazon Aquino Fidel V. Ramos
21		Lieutenant General Leopoldo S. Acot (Intelligence, Tactical Operations and Staff)	08 August 1992	13 December 1993	1 year, 127 days	Fidel V. Ramos
22		Lieutenant General Nicasio P. Rodriguez, Jr. (Airlifts)	13 December 1993	26 December 1995	2 years, 13 days	Fidel V. Ramos
23		Lieutenant General Arnulfo E. Acedera (Tactical Operations)	26 December 1995	29 November 1996	339 days	Fidel V. Ramos
24		Lieutenant General William K. Hotchkiss III (Fighters)	29 November 1996	08 January 1999	2 years, 40 days	Fidel V. Ramos Joseph Estrada
25		Lieutenant General Willie C. Florendo (Airlifts)	08 January 1999	10 October 2000	1 year, 276 days	Joseph Estrada
26		Lieutenant General Benjamin P. Defensor, Jr. (Attack, Tactical Operations and Staff)	10 October 2000	10 September 2002	1 year, 335 days	Joseph Estrada Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[3]
27		Lieutenant General Nestor R. Santillan (Intelligence, Training and Staff)	10 September 2002	14 May 2004	1 year, 237 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[4]
*		Major General Arcadio L. Seron (Officer In Charge) (Tactical Operations and Staff)	14 May 2004	07 July 2004	64 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[5]
28		Lieutenant General Jose L. Reyes (Attack)	07 July 2004	02 February 2007	2 years, 210 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[6]
29		Lieutenant General Horacio S. Tolentino (Tactical Operations and Staff)	02 February 2007	04 January 2008	336 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[7]
30		Lieutenant General Pedrito S. Cadungog (Training, Tactical Operations and Staff)	04 January 2008	09 January 2009	1 year, 5 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	[8][9]
31		Lieutenant General Oscar H. Rabena (Attack, Tactical Operations and Staff)	09 January 2009	09 January 2012	3 years, 0 days	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Benigno Aquino III	[10]
32		Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino G. Dela Cruz (Tactical Operations and Staff)	09 January 2012	30 April 2014	2 years, 111 days	Benigno Aquino III	[11]
33		Lieutenant General Jeffrey F. Delgado (Attack and Staff)	30 April 2014	09 March 2016	1 year, 314 days	Benigno Aquino III	[12]
34		Lieutenant General Edgar R. Fallorina (Tactical Operations and Staff)	09 March 2016	24 October 2017	1 year, 229 days	Benigno Aquino III Rodrigo Duterte	[13][14]
35		Lieutenant General Galileo Gerard R. Kintanar, Jr. (Training, Attack and Staff)	24 October 2017	21 December 2018	1 year, 58 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[15][16]
36		Lieutenant General Rozzano D. Briguez (Training, Tactical Operations and Staff)	21 December 2018	16 January 2020	1 year, 26 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[17]
37		Lieutenant General Allen T. Paredes (Logistics and Staff)	16 January 2020	Incumbent	203 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[18][19]

Chiefs (2020–)

No.	Portrait	Chief (Primary Background)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	President	Ref
37		Lieutenant General Allen T. Paredes (Logistics and Staff)	16 January 2020	Incumbent	203 days	Rodrigo Duterte	[18][19]

See also

• Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Philippine Air Force
• Philippine Navy

References

1. Mangosing, Frances (July 13, 2020). "PH military adopting new titles: Chief of staff now Joint Chiefs Chair". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
2. "LEADERSHIP - Philippine Air Force". www.paf.mil.ph.
3. "Retiring PAF chief makes final report named". Philippine Star. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
4. "New PAF chief: A quiet achiever named". Philippine Star. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
5. "Air Force chief retires; OIC named". Philippine Star. 8 September 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
6. "Air Force has new chief". Philippine Star. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
7. "Arroyo names Tolentino as new Air Force chief". GMA News. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
8. Laude, Jaime (4 January 2008). "Ex-GMA chief pilot heads PAF". Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
9. "AFP names new Air Force chief". GMA News. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
10. "Arroyo PMA 'classmate' named new Air Force chief". GMA News. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
11. "Profile: PAF Commanding General Lauro Catalino G. dela Cruz". Official Gazette. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
12. "Aquino's former aide is new PH Air Force chief". Rappler. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
13. "Fallorina to assume post as PAF chief". CNN Philippines. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
14. "Helicopter pilot Lt. Gen. Fallorina is new Air Force chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
15. Wakefield, Francis (24 October 2017). "Kintanar named new PAF chief". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
16. Placido, Dharel (24 October 2017). "Philippine Air Force welcomes new chief". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
17. "Briguez is new Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
18. "Duterte appoints new Philippine Air Force chief". CNN Philippines. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
19. "Air logistics commander is new Air Force chief". Rappler. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.