Retired General Andres Centino | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presidential Adviser on Maritime Affairs | |
| Assumed office July 19, 2023 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| 57th and 59th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines | |
| In office January 6, 2023 – July 19, 2023 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Preceded by | Bartolome Vicente Bacarro |
| Succeeded by | Romeo Brawner Jr. |
| In office November 12, 2021 – August 8, 2022 | |
| President |
|
| Preceded by | Jose Faustino Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Bartolome Vicente Bacarro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Andres Castor Centino February 4, 1967 Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines |
| Spouse | Sheila Sucalit |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Awards | Philippine Legion of Honor |
| Military service | |
| Branch | Philippine Army |
| Years of service | 1988–2023 |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands | |
Andres Castor Centino (born February 4, 1967) is a retired Philippine Army general who currently serves as a cabinet secretary as a Presidential Adviser on Maritime Affairs under the Marcos Jr. administration.
He previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 2021 to 2022 and in 2023 and as Commanding General of the Philippine Army in 2021.[1][2][3] Following his retirement from active service in 2023, he was nominated as Presidential Adviser on Maritime Affairs.[4]
Centino was born on February 4, 1967, in Tacloban, Leyte, and grew up in Cebu City, Cebu. He is the eldest of five children born to Araceli (née Castor), a former teacher and a probation officer in the Parole and Probation Administration, and Flaviano Centino, a military lawyer who served at the AFP Judge Advocate General Service.
Centino attended high school at the University of the Philippines High School Cebu.[5]
At the encouragement of his father, Centino entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1984 and graduated cum laude as part of the Maringal Class of 1988, earning his commission as an Army second lieutenant.[6][7]
Centino also attended various courses throughout his career, such as the Basic Airborne Course, the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment Course, and the Command and General Staff Course at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College, where he finished the course as part of the top ten of his class.
Centino holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines Cebu, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C..[7]
Following his military commission in 1988, Centino underwent various military trainings in security and intelligence operations. Centino's career assignments includes Secretary in the Army General Staff in Fort Andres Bonifacio and as Chief of Staff of the 4th Infantry "Diamond" Division. Centino was named as commander of the 26th Infantry "Ever Onward" Battalion in 2008, before being named commander of the 401st Infantry "Unity" Brigade in 2017. In 2019, Centino was named as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Organization, and Training, J3 at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo.[7]
Centino assumed command of the 4th Infantry Division in Cagayan de Oro in May 2020, and subsequently serves as commander of Joint Task Force Diamond.[8][9]
Infantry operations against the New People's Army intensified within his area of command even amidst the effects COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Centino led the implementation of Executive Order No. 70, aimed at institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace and ending the local communist armed conflict in the Philippines.[10]
During his tenure, the 4th Infantry Division was awarded as the "Fightingest Division" for their continuous offensive operations against the New People's Army, and was awarded the "Best Army Unit" in 2020.[11]
Centino was appointed the 64th Commanding General of the Philippine Army in May 2021.[12]
His appointment came after the removal of then-acting Commanding General, Lieutenant General Jose Faustino Jr. after only serving for 87 days. Faustino's appointment drew criticisms from the Commission on Appointments due the general's ineligibility to the position even in an acting capacity under Section 4 of Republic Act No. 8186. During a senate confirmation hearing, Senator Panfilo Lacson read verbatim "no officer shall be assigned or designated to certain key positions including the Commanding General of the Philippine Army if he has less than one year of active service remaining prior to compulsory retirement at the age of 56."[13]
Under his leadership, Centino vowed to continue the army's modernization, make efforts towards combating terrorism through peace program, and strengthen the army's response towards all threats. As Commanding General, he initiated reforms in strengthening meritocracy in the army and credential-based promotion, while promoting the recruitment of qualified applicants within the service and continuing the army's modernization program.[12]
Centino was appointed the 57th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines by then President Rodrigo Duterte in November 2021, replacing General Jose Faustino Jr. His tenure coincided with the 2022 Philippine presidential election wherein the Armed Forces of the Philippines worked to ensure a peaceful and secure transition of power from the Duterte Administration to the Marcos Jr. Administration. He continued to serve as the chief of staff under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. until August 8, 2022, when he was succeeded by Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.[14][15][16]
In January 2023, Centino was reappointed as the 59th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He relinquished command in July 2023 and was succeeded by Romeo Brawner Jr.
General Centino has received the following awards:
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| Philippine Air Force Gold Wings Badge | ||
| Army Aviation Badge | ||
| Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | ||
| Philippine People Power I Unit Citation | Philippine People Power II Unit Citation | Martial Law Unit Citation |
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| Special Forces Qualification Badge | ||
Centino is known by his close friends and peers as "Andy".[9] Centino is married to Engr. Sheila Sy Sucalit, and together have four children.[citation needed]
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