Pama, new Navy FOIC, seen as doer and planner

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Monday, january 3, 2010

PRESIDENT Aquino has designated Rear Adm. Alexander Pama as Navy chief, replacing Rear Adm. Danilo Cortez who is reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Tuesday.

Cortez has been acting Navy chief since May last year. He will turn over the post to Pama tomorrow in rites at the Navy headquarters on Roxas boulevard, which will be led by President Aquino.

Pama, PMA ’79, assumed the post of Navy vice commander just last November.

With his appointment as Navy chief, Pama is due for a third star.

PMA Class ’79 now has three members who are three-star generals -- Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, and AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban.

More movements are expected in the coming months with the retirement of ranking officers, including AFP chief Gen. Ricardo David, in March.

Pama, before being named Navy vice commander, served as the Navy’s inspector general also for two months. Prior to that, he commanded the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command and the military’s Task Force Trillium for two years in concurrent capacity, fighting the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

He also served as senior military assistant to former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro until the latter resigned to run for president. He also served as assistant AFP deputy chief of staff for plans and programs.

Pama also headed the Navy’s ask Force Group Stingray, an anti-terrorism unit, and the Navy’s task groups 61.1 and 61.2 operating in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi area. He also commanded a total of six ships, including the presidential yacht BRP Ang Pangulo.

"He is an operator," said Navy spokesman Capt. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo of Pama. "He is also a strategic thinker."

Pama vowed to continue implementing the Navy’s Sail Plan, a concept launched in 2008. The plan’s vision is to have a strong and credible Navy by 2020.

Pama bested a number of contenders for the top Navy post, including his PMA classmate, Rear Adm. Jose Luis Alano, commander of the Navy’s Philippine Fleet.

There are several two-star and three-star flag officers but most of them are retiring. These include PMA superintendent Vice Adm. Leonardo Calderon (Class ’76) and AFP Inspector General Vice Adm. Mario Catacutan (Class ’77) who are due for retirement in March and September this year.

Under the law, no officer can be appointed as permanent commander of the major services – Army, Navy, and Air Force – if he has less than a year in service left.

The controversial Rear Adm. Feliciano Angue (Class ‘78) was reportedly left out of the race because of his pending case in connection with statements denouncing the military’s promotion system and alleged politicking by some senior officials in the May 2010 presidential elections.

He is under pre-trial investigation, preparatory to possible court martial, for alleged insubordination and violation of the military’s Code of Ethics.

Pama to assume as new Navy FOIC

By Elena Aben
Manila Bulletin, Monday, January 3, 2010

The Philippine Navy will have a new Flag Officer-in-Command (FOIC) in the person of Rear Admiral Alexander Pama when its present commander, Rear Admiral Danilo Cortez, retires Tuesday, January 4.

A change of command ceremony at the Navy headquarters on Roxas Boulevard will be led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) commander-in-chief President Aquino. It will be followed by the first AFP command conference for the year, where the President will announce his instructions and command guidance in line with the implementation of the new Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan.

The appointment of Pama, member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1979, signals the start of a major reshuffle in the Armed Forces, especially as the Chief of Staff, Gen. Ricardo A. David Jr. is due to retire in March.

Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., AFP spokesman, explained the reshuffle comes as there will be vacancies to be created with coming retirement of several top armed forces officials. Thus, he said, as the effect cascades down below, there will be movements upwards.

Bemedalled officer named new Philippine Navy chief

By Dona Z Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Monday, January 3, 2010

A veteran in the military campaigns against the Abu Sayyaf has been named the new flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy.

Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, currently the Navy vice commander, will assume the naval command on Tuesday in turnover ceremonies to be attended by President Aquino at the Navy headquarters in Manila.

He succeeds Rear Admiral Danilo Cortez who retires from service upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Tuesday.

Military spokesperson Brigadier General Jose Mabanta Jr. confirmed Pama’s appointment on Sunday. He said President Aquino will attend the turnover ceremonies and preside over his first military command conference for the year 2011.

Pama belongs to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979 whose members now occupy top positions in the military. Among them are Army commanding general Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz, Northern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Gaudencio Pangilinan and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) chief, Brigadier General Romulo Bambao.

Pama has received numerous military medals and civilian awards in the course of his naval career since graduating from the PMA.

On December 21, Pama was given the Distinguished Service Star award during the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 75th anniversary rites for gains made against the Abu Sayyaf while heading the Naval Forces Western Mindanao based in Zamboanga City for two years.

Oplan ‘Bayanihan’

Pama takes over the Navy command at a time the AFP is implementing “Bayanihan,” a new counterinsurgency plan that veers from combat operations-centered strategy and stresses “winning the peace rather than defeating the enemy.”

Pama was appointed Navy vice commander last December after having served as the Naval Inspector General for three months.

Before his appointment as the Naval Inspector General last September, he was commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao which engaged in battles with bandits, Islamic extremists and secessionist rebels in southern Mindanao. He held this post since October 2008.

Pama was also concurrent commander of the Joint Task Force Trillium which mounted offensives against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Zamboanga.

‘Stingray’ commander

Pama also served as commander of the Navy’s antiterrorism group, the Naval Task Group “Stingray” and commanded other naval task groups that operated in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Pama also successfully completed shipboard and shore assignments and has served as commanding officer of six Navy vessels including the presidential yacht, BRP Ang Pangulo.

Among the numerous staff positions in the Navy headquarters and AFP general headquarters he held were: division chief of the operations control division of the AFP Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (J-2); assistant chief of naval staff for intelligence (N2); commander of the Naval Intelligence Security Force; superintendent of the Naval School Center; AFP assistant deputy chief of staff for plans (J5); and senior military assistant and chief of staff to then defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Pama was awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Officer) and conferred the Distinguished Service Star by the military five times.

Adopted son

Pama received his latest service star during the AFP 75th anniversary rites on December 2 “for eminently meritorious and valuable service” as commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao from October 3, 2008 to September 2, 2010 and as head of the Joint Task Force Trillium from January 30 to September 2, 2010.

“Rear Admiral Pama effectively managed and supervised the conduct of the Navy’s Fleet-Marines operations in Western Mindanao,” the citation said.

Other awards Pama received include two Distinguished Navy Crosses, an Outstanding Achievement Medal, the Silver Wing Medal and numerous medals for merit, commendation and campaign such as the Senior Command-at-Sea Badge and the Marine Command Badge.

The Zamboanga City government has acknowledged Pama’s accomplishments by conferring him the honor of being called its “Adopted Son (Hijo Adoptivo).”

Pama was born on December 21, 1956 in Passi, Iloilo, the second of six children of Artemio Pama and Alice Patiño.

He is married to Carmela Aquino from La Paz, Iloilo. They have two sons, Gorby and Archie.

Noynoy appoints Pama as FOIC of Navy

By Mario J Mallari
The Daily Tribune, Monday, January 3, 2010

President Aquino has appointed another member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979 to a key position in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as commanding general of the Navy.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said that Navy Vice Commander Rear Adm. Alexander Pama was appointed as incoming flag officer in command (FOIC) of the Navy.

Pama, a well-rounded Navy officer, will formally assume the top Navy post tomorrow Vice Rear Adm. Danilo Cortez, of PMA Class of 1977, who will retire from the active service.

The Commander in Chief, President Aquino, is expected to attend the turn over ceremonies scheduled at the Navy headquarters along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

“It has just been announced the new FOIC will be Adm. Alexander Pama. The turn over will be on the 4th,” said Mabanta.

“This went through the mill, it was recommended to the Commander in Chief who approved the designation,” added Mabanta.

Mabanta cited Pama’s wide experience in the field and office works. Prior to his appointment as Navy vice commander, Pama served as inspector general of the Navy and commanding general of the Naval Forces-Western Mindanao and concurrent Task Force Trillium chief.

Pama also headed other military task forces assigned to run after terrorists in Mindanao region.

According to Mabanta, the changing of the guard at the Navy will be the first of series of movements in the AFP hierarchy with the scheduled retirement of top-ranking military officers during the first quarter of the year.

“There will be movements upward, several high ranking officers will retire,” said Mabanta. He added that several officials are reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 this month and in February.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David Jr. himself is reaching the mandatory retirement in March.

“The chief of staff is retiring in March, so there would be huge reshuffle, if you remove someone on top, it will cascade down below,” Mabanta said.

For his part, Pama vowed to fully support the AFP’s newly launched internal peace and security plan Bayanihan aimed at ending the decades-long insurgency problem in the country. At the same time, Pama said he would pursue the modernization program of the Navy.

Only last month, another member of the PMA Class of 1979, Brig. Gen. Tristan Kison, was appointed as commanding general of the National Capital Region Command, the AFP’s primary anti-coup unit.