AFP Central Command

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Central Command


caption= Coat of Arms of the AFP Central Command
dates= March 29, 1988 - December 1, 2001, December 1, 2001 - Present
country= flagicon|Philippines Philippines
allegiance=
branch=
type=
role= Conventional and Unconventional Warfare, Anti-Guerrilla Operations
size=
command_structure= Under the Armed Forces of the Philippines
current_commander= LGen Pedro Ike I Inserto AFP
garrison= Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City, Cebu
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= "CentCom"
patron=
motto= "PEOPLE'S DYNAMIC PARTNER FOR PEACE AND PROGRESS IN THE VISAYAS"
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and local criminal elements
notable_commanders= MGen Victor S Ibrado AFP, MGen Romulo F Yap AFP, MGen Jaime S De Los Santos AFP, MGen Julius L Javier AFP, LGen Emmanuel R Teodosio AFP, LGen Samuel B Bagasin AFP, LGen Cardozo M Luna AFP, MGen Victor A Mayo AFP, LGen Dionisio R Santiago AFP
anniversaries=December 01
decorations=
battle_honours=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Patch
identification_symbol=Central Command EmblemThe Central Command, known officially as the CentCom, is one the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Wide Support Commands Combating Terrorism and Insurgency in the Visayas Region.

History

During the 1980’s, the quick growth of the insurgency in the Visayas made the their area strategically important to the counter-insurgency program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Incidentally, it was increasingly clear that peace and development in this part of the country.

As a quick response to the emerging threats to national security during those times, the Armed Forces saw the need to be dynamic and to constantly restructure and tailor fit its forces in order to effectively address these threats. In 1981, the Regional Unified Commands were created as the controlling Operational Headquarters for counter-insurgency operations, with each region in the archipelago being covered with a Regional Unified Command (RUC). The Visayas Area which has three regions, three (3) Regional Unified Commands (RUC) were created, RUC 6, 7 and 8. However, by 1987 the AFP saw the need to restructure once more. This move was an offshoot of the observation that the Regional Unified Commands made to streamline with one purpose of optimizing utilization of personnel and assets within the AFP.

As a response to these realizations, a Joint Air-Ground-Sea Force was conceptualized to perform not only security operations, but also to serve as one of the major contributors in the development of the National Government, most especially within the countryside. That's why, on 29 March 1988, the Visayas Command or VISCOM was activated pursuant to Letter of Instruction Number 8 of 1988 also known as Operational Plan (OPLAN) “Pagbabago Echo” to exercise control over all military and paramilitary forces deployed in that region to suppress communists and insurgency and to sustain other units that support the internal security efforts of the Visayas Region including direct support to the local law enforcement.

01 December 2001, the Visayas Command was again reorganized and renamed as the Central Command pursuant to General Orders Number 08, dated 03 January 2002.

The reorganization and restructuring program was in line with the AFP Modernization Program to further enhance command and control essential for a more compact, effective, efficient and responsive organization to properly address the insurgency problems and maintain cohesiveness and unity of efforts of all AFP forces operating in the area to combat existing threats of the country.

Lineage of Commanding Officers

* BGen Jesus R Hermosa AFP 29 Mar 88 - 14 Dec 88
* BGen Rolando Q Antonio AFP 14 Dec 88 - 08 Jul 89
* BGen Renato V Palma AFP 08 Jul 89 - 28 Jan 90
* MGen Romeo R Zulueta AFP 28 Jan 90 - 26 Dec 92
* MGen Thelmo Y Cunanan AFP 26 Dec 92 - 24 Aug 93
* MGen Romulo F Yap AFP 24 Aug 93 - 12 Apr 94
* MGen Ruperto A Ambil AFP 12 Apr 94 - 08 Aug 95
* MGen Renato M Garcia AFP 08 Aug 95 - 26 Jun 97
* MGen Jose C Lapus AFP 26 Jun 97 - 01 Jun 98
* MGen Victor A Mayo AFP 29 Jul 98 - 11 Apr 99
* MGen Victor U Garcia AFP 09 Jun 98 - 21 Jul 98
* MGen Victor U Garcia AFP 05 May 99 - 27 Oct 99
* MGen Santos B Gabison Jr AFP 27 Oct 99 - 23 May 00
* MGen Julius L Javier AFP 23 May 00 - 12 Aug 00
* MGen Jaime S De Los Santos AFP 23 May 00 - 23 Oct 00
* RAdm Napoleon C Baylon AFP 23 Oct 00 - 03 Mar 01
* MGen Julius L Javier AFP 03 Mar 01 - 17 Jul 01
* LGen Dionisio R Santiago AFP 17 Jul 01 - 13 Apr 02
* LGen Jacinto C Ligot AFP 13 Apr 02 - 17 Aug 04
* LGen Emmanuel R Teodosio AFP 17 Aug 04 - 21 Jan 06
* LGen Samuel B Bagasin AFP 21 Jan 06 - 02 Aug 06
* LGen Cardozo M Luna AFP 02 Aug 06 - 30 Aug 07
* MGen Victor S Ibrado AFP 30 Aug 07 - 16 May 08
* LGen Pedro Ike I Inserto AFP 16 May 08 - to date

Units

The following are the units that are under the Central Command.
* 3rd Infantry Division, PA
* 8th Infantry Division, PA
* 2nd Tactical Operations Wing, PAF
* Naval Forces Central, PN

Operations

* Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's Army
* Anti-terrorist operations against known terror groups operating in their AOR.

References

* [http://www.centcom.ph/ Official Site of the AFP CentCom]