The appointment of General Antonio “Toto” Nafarrete as the new chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has brought attention to his Ilonggo roots.
Nafarrete, who was appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. following the retirement of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., now holds the highest position in the country’s military.
“The command entrusted to you is great, but the purpose is even greater: to safeguard our people, defend every inch of our land and waters, and secure the future of our Republic,” Marcos said.
While born in Manila, Nafarrete’s mother came from Calinog, where he spent part of his childhood. He previously shared that his early experiences in the town’s farms and sugarcane fields shaped his initial interest in agriculture.
“Today, the Armed Forces of the Philippines stand at a pivotal point in its transformation. Under my lead, the AFP’s foremost imperative is to strengthen territorial defense and further operationalize the comprehensive archipelagic concept,” Nafarrete said during the AFP change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo.
The newly appointed AFP chief completed his high school education at West Visayas State University in Iloilo City before graduating from the Philippine Military Academy.
Prior to assuming the military’s top post, Nafarrete served as Philippine Army commanding general and previously led the Western Mindanao Command. Carla Eunice Guevara, WVSU-COC intern/IMT
